Christmas Tree

It has always been a tradition in my family to get the Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving. We like to buy a tree permit from the BLM and cut down our own. In Price, it is much easier to find a tree. On BLM land there are a lot of natural gas wells and dirt roads going all over the place. The gas company keeps the roads plowed. It is easy to find a tree and not get stuck in the snow, even with a two wheel drive truck.

Here in Cedar City, I have always gone up the mountain on Hwy 14. It is a two lane highway with no shoulder at all. A few years ago we got stuck and it took me about an hour to dig the truck out. Luckily I grabbed Skip's shovel, not even thinking that I would need it. NowI try to plan where I pull off the road a little more carefully.

I planned to take Seth with me to get a tree this year. After I got him already, he did not want to go. It was a good that I did not take him. The snow on top of the mountain was pretty deep. Seth would have gotten lost. I pulled my truck into a parking lot by SUU's cabin. It was on a hill and I was able to roll back towards the asphalt road, and I did not get stuck. I walked up a dirt road that looked like it had been plowed once, and spotted the perfect tree. As I walked off the road, I sunk to my chest in snow. Good thing I had a shovel in my hands. I had to dig through the snow to get to the tree. I dug around the base of the tree to make room to cut it down. It was pretty easy to drag, on top of a tarp to save the needles, through the snow back to the truck.

Jennifer was happy I made it home and did not get stuck in the snow. She was prepared to come find me, if I did not return. She asked me afterwards, "How long should I have waited to come find you?"

Carter is growing and getting stronger. He can now sit up with a little help, but still sometimes falls over. He is rolling from back to belly and belly to back. He got up on his hands and knees the other day, but did not know what to do after that. He does push ups all the time. He is preparing for the day that Seth leaves the iPod on the floor and then he will make his move.