How lovely are your...

Branches!  Something our newly chopped tree has, unlike many Charlie Brown loved Christmas trees from our past.  This afternoon the whole family hiked out to our neighbor's little tree polluted plot and picked a spruce Santa would be jealous of.  Oliver played a pretty big role in sawing it down, and afterward he said, "Mom, can you believe I could cut down our tree?  It made me feel so big."  Adorbs, bud.  After our adventurous tromp through the woods, Andrew's parents (our new neighbors), had a bonfire and hot cocoa waiting for us. So great.

We had a wonderfully crazy weekend with Thanksgiving celebrations, so 'relaxation' was the word of the day.  And since snow has been falling all day, reading the Christmas story and watching the Santa Claus and listening to Christmas music on Pandora are (besides retrieving the tree), the most productive things the Toftnesses have done today. Among the unproductive things I would list taking all Christmas decor out of boxes, but just leaving it strewn across the basement.  Hopefully the new tree and fresh air will be inspirational...

Away we go!

In the thick of it.

Margot got a taste of spruce during the cutting...

Champ.

Our favorite feline, Cream Puff, followed us all the way- climbing trees, being held, jumping in the snow.

And so begins the Christmas time festivities.  Keeping Christ the center of Christmas is our goal each year- we're praying that He would make Himself more real to us this season than He has ever been.  May He do the same for you.  Merry Christmas, friends!