And then there was the time we stole the tree. . .

We have weird traditions around here.

One of them is that we never get our tree at the same place.

The other is that we are always trying to hurry to something else. Every year I sort of hope we can break the tradition of "rushing" but usually it is a choice of rush. . . or no tree.

One year we tried to get our tree before the annual Holiday Stroll; we planned to make the Stroll a date since it was so cold and JD was just a baby. We were so late in getting our tree home that we had to call our sitter and ask her to wait for us.

One of the years that was the least rushed was the year we decided to just skip the whole tree farm / hot chocolate / cut the perfect tree option and opt for true convenience: Menard's. Actually, it was pretty . . . fun. (And not too sad of a tree, I might add.)

The best story, though, was the year that we tried to get the tree before Daniel was scheduled to go in for overtime at the fire department. (You'd think that we would learn that the whole tree cutting thing takes more time than we allot for.) We started out slow, then became intentional {quick glances at watches} then hasty, then a little nervous, {seriously, can you make that tree needle shaker thing go faster?} and then we threw our tree in the back of the truck and tore out for home so that Daniel wouldn't be late.

Halfway home, Daniel looked at me and said, "Did you pay for the tree?"

Ummmm. No. "I thought you paid for it."

"No, I didn't pay for it. How could we forget that?"

Well, there was no time for turning around and being sacrificially honest ("Well, chief, I totally didn't show up because I had to pay for my Christmas tree") so we called the tree farm and told them we would send a check in the mail. It wasn't funny then, but it sure is now.

This year, the only tree so far is a fake one on the back porch. It will hold us over until we find the perfect day --no time constraints-- to go get our tree.

I'm thinking some day in the middle of January will work out fine.