Thanksgiving Break 2013 Continued - Black Friday, Tree Farm,

Black Friday I typically spend with Eric's mom and sister.  We tackle Lenox and Phipps malls to see what we can find.  Eric's mom give us each some money to spend on something fun.  This year we were so disappointed we had a hard time spending it. Crazy, I know!  I ended up with a maternity sweater from Gap, merlot colored ballet flats (in wide!) from Talbots and an outfit from Carters for Evie.  This year was a bust now that all the door busters are on Thursdays, but out of respect we're keeping Black Friday on Friday.

While his mom was shopping, Eric's dad used to take the kids to see a movie, so Eric wanted to keep that tradition and had a movie day with Evie at home.  They tried to go out with Eric's dad for lunch, but he was on emergency back up duty for the Macy's website.  Maybe next year!

Eric surprised me  while I was gone by retrieving the Christmas decorations from the attic and corralling the Thanksgiving ones to be packed away.  When I got home I sent him out to go mountain biking for a few hours. We both needed some time out doing fun things, so a 50-50 type day it was!

On Saturday, we woke up bright and early.  After our experiences with crowds at the Apple Farm and Pumpkin Patch we knew the ticket was to be at these places the second they opened.

We met up with my parents, Eric's parents, and Eric's sister, Leeann, and her family.  Off we went in search of the perfect tree!  We hadn't been as a family since 2010 because of Evie's birth in 2011 and the move in 2012.

 We found one!  Not too tall. Not too short. Not too fat. Not too skinny.  It was JUST RIGHT!   It was also at the top of it's height bracket before the next pricing tier.  Leeann said, "this is what we call a bargain" ha!

 My mountain man brought his own saw.  You can wait for the staff to come around with a chain saw, but Eric likes the satisfaction.  Leeann was a rock star helper.

 Yay!  Eric did it!

 We each found a tree in the vicinity so one haul on the tractor was all we needed.

Next, they shake the tree to get rid of the debris, dead needles, and as I tell myself, the small woodland creatures.  I am terrified to have a Christmas Vacation incident with a squirrel.

 Bag 'em up and load them on the roof!

 Thanks for tree shopping with us Leeann, Luke and Dan!

The Buerglers headed to the Dillard House for lunch per their family tradition, but I had some family visiting my grandparents up in the mountains just a few minutes away that I hadn't seen in a few years so Evie and I went with my family up to visit with them.  It was the best of both worlds.

Our Thanksgiving break rounded out with Sunday morning Mass with the Koerners.  We headed home for lunch, tree decorating, lots of laundry, and grocery shopping.  Felt good to have the extra day of a long weekend to do chores and relax a little more.