Family Day and the Third Week of Advent

It was 'family day' today. When my husband moved back in a month ago we assigned Sunday as our day together. No other obligations, just the five of us. Today we went in search of greenery for a wreath and our tree. Not to take home. I want to wait a bit longer before we bring it in, perhaps on Christmas Eve this year, or maybe we'll get it next weekend, before Solstice. I'm undecided still. But today we went hunting for a tree that was 'just perfect for our little family', as Kaiya proclaimed.

And so we hiked into the woods a ways, found some rose hips and tiny blue berries that I'm not sure about and our tree.





We found a wonderfully scraggly pine that is optimistically green and deemed it 'perfect!'. I haven't combed the woods for a tree in so long. We used to do it as a family so many years ago but then began buying trees. And since starting my own family we've always bought our trees, as well. But I just have no interest in doing that this year. Sure, we could get a really beautiful and symmetrical tree for just $25 only 10 miles down the road. But there's just something about that trek through the woods and bringing home the tree. It's the memory I want to give my girls. We don't have a lot of beautiful evergreens in these woods, not of realistic size anyway. But I think there is such charm in that oddball, 'Charlie Brown' tree that we find and cut down ourselves, no buying involved.

So we tied a pink silk to one of the branches, gathered some more greens and will be back for our tree in a week or so.

Back home, Daddy and Zoe make some rich and delicious smores bars while Kaiya and I worked on the wreath. River bopped around, 'helping' everyone.



We pulled out the decorations and placed just a few more things around the house.. still taking the season very slowly.

And we ended the day with the third light of Advent, butternut squash soup and hot spiced cider. Not a bad way to spend our day together.