Cupolas

For my mom...

If You're Mad & You Know It ...

... stomp your feet!

That's Claire's new mantra, as she slowly inches her way into the terrible two's. My kids seem to be around 18 months old when they hit that wonderful age where aliens abduct them and leave little monsters in their places. And so it is with Claire Bear.

She is not into full throttle tantrums yet, but she is starting to stomp her feet when she's mad. She did this yesterday in the atrium at church. Ah, how I love a public hissy fit.

Unfortunately, it's very cute when Claire gets mad and stomps her little feet. I have to repress my grins and remember to handle her the way I handled the boys. Even though she's my little princess, it's equal-opportunity-for-beatings in our house! (No, I'm not beating her yet. A stern "no" sends her bottom lip out and tears rolling down her face.)

Wintergreen Tree Farm

Christmas trees! Can't you almost smell them? Well, maybe if it weren't still 80 degrees outside. It's kind of hard to start thinking Christmas when you're breaking a sweat on your way to check the mailbox.

For the past several years, we've gone out with our good friends the Dragos to the Wintergreem Tree Farm to cut down our own Christmas tree. The farm is a small, family operation out near Van Alstyne. They don't have a website, or I'd link to it. For more information, you can email Nancy.

This place totally rocks. Like I said, it's a family run farm. They are out in the country (it's a really pretty drive!), and it so peaceful out there. After you arrive, you climb onto a hay-laden trailer and go for a tractor drive around their place. Then you're dropped off in the middle of hundreds of beautiful trees! And you just run, run, run around until you find the perfect one. You cut it down yourself with the hand saw you are given (I'm sure you could ask for help if you are saw-averse) and then drag your kill back to the driveway and wait for your tree to get picked up. They shake out the old needles and bundle it up in plastic netting and help get it onto your car/truck. Then you can go get some free coffee or hot apple cider and wander around their shop (they have handmade ornaments and decor as well as tree stands and other Christmas paraphernalia).

Here are the directions to the farm:

Take Highway 75 North to exit 51 (FM121/Stephens St) Van Alstyne. Turn right past the Mobile station (with food court), up to the next traffic light, which is sixth tenths of a mile. At the light, turn right (south) and go two blocks on Hwy. 5 to the next traffic light. The Post Office will be on your left. Turn left (east) on to Farm Road 121 and proceed 8.3 miles to Wintergreen Farm. The farm is on the left side of the road.

Here are their operation hours:

This year we will open the Friday after Thanksgiving and will open Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and will be closed Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. If you need to come during our days off, please give us a call. We want to make your holiday season special.

And I thought this was especially cool (taken from their newsletter sent out this morning):

In an effort to help families this holiday season, we have decided to keep our prices the same as last year. Virginia pines range in size from 5' to 15' and the Carolina Sapphires from 5' to 12'. Prices for both range from $5 - $7.00 per foot. Leyland Cypress have become quite popular,and selection of Leyland Cypress this year is limited. They range from 5' to 8' and prices are $8.00 or less per foot. These trees are for individuals that have allergies.

I am a huge fan of this place and wanted to promote it to you guys! This makes for a really fun family outing and is so much more fun than going to Home Depot for a precut tree that is already starting to dry out. Our boys enjoyed running around the farm last year and had a blast looking at all the trees to find the perfect one.

Here are some pics from last year's Great Tree Hunt. I can't wait to go again this year!

(this last pic is a miserably failed attempt at a family picture. note to self: take family picture before making kids walk for miles while looking for a tree)

Vote, Vote, Vote!

Just a reminder from your local friendly blogger to VOTE tomorrow, if you did not already early vote. Yes, I know the lines will be long. So here's what you do. You wake up early, run by Krispy Kreme, and take donuts to your voting place. And then you hang out for however long it takes to vote while sharing your delicious, sugary heavenly confections with your fellow citizens who are also exercising their privilege and right to vote (as well as using voting as a completely valid excuse to miss time from work).

Thank God that we have the privilege and the right to vote. And then go VOTE!