O forest and every tree...Isaiah 44:23

We had another busy day last Sunday! We left the house at 8 am to drive down some roads and up to the mountains. Then, we found this road...
No tire tracks! Since it had been a day or two since the last snow, we knew we were the only ones up in these mountains. At least the only humans...
Baby bear tracks!
We also saw tracks from fox, gray squirrel, mouse, and deer.

What a beautiful morning with the sunshine above the fog...
We finally found the area The Man remembered finding a tree before, and we walked up the hill to look around. This is it!
I went back down to get a not-sleeping-anymore-G from the vehicle. We took this picture. I feel like I should reveal the epiphany I received, but, it is just a picture.
The kids enjoyed a few rides while The Man loaded the tree.
The drive down the mountain was a bit more slippery, so we (The Man) stopped to install some chains.
(Think of that as an artistic photo and not that I was too lazy and cold to roll down the window and turn around to take the pic. OK? Thanks.) Yes, he is just wearing a t-shirt. He shed the other layers because I had the heat cranked up all the way because I was cold.

The Dog also enjoyed the morning. (Again, artistic photo.)

We got home, changed clothes, changed tires (The Man put the studded tires on the van), and loaded the family for a trip over the other mountains to M's piano recital (video on Faceb*ok or you can email me for a Y*uTube link).

Back home again to put up the tree and decorate. We've been having camera and internet issues, so I didn't get around to taking this picture until just now.
Wow, that picture really makes it look sad! It does look better in the evening with lights on and star straight, and maybe it could use a bit more popcorn, but it is what it is. I'm just thrilled that it isn't too tall or too wide!

The train sets were given to the kids 1 1/2 years ago by a church member a few weeks before he died of cancer. Last summer I packed them away and told the kids that instead of sitting on their shelves collecting dust, we would get them out and set them up at Christmas. The big and little kids had so much fun setting it all up around the tree. G definitely had that sparkle in his eyes--just like a kid at Christmas!

There are no breakable ornaments on the bottom part of the tree so it is G-friendly. He's not left alone in the room anyway because of the wood stove, but he does love the sparkly ornaments.

Merry Christmas to you all! We wish God's blessings on you through this season and throughout the new year.