The hunt

Snow bibs, jackets, mittens, boots, hats, sleds, hot chocolate, a saw, and some string and you've got yourselves a Cline Christmas tree hunt. We bundled up today and hit the road with kids and dog in tow to the Lolo National Forest. Justin and I have done this 3 of the 5 years we've lived in Missoula and we hope to make it a yearly tradition with M and P.

Because we've had tons of snow already this year, it made sense to pull the kids in on sleds which went wonderfully for the trek out. The trek in was a bit tedious as we continuously scanned the woods for "the one" with the kids telling us they were cold (it was only a high of 22 today so they weren't lying). Once we found a winner, the real whining began. Fortunately we bribed some positive outlooks with M&Ms and hot chocolate.

It took J merely seconds to cut the tree down and prep it for carrying out. By then P and I were long gone with Drake and me trying to keep up with his sled as it wanted to fly down the trail. He giggled when I nearly fell over a few times as his sled knocked my feet out from underneath me.

Justin came out of the woods looking like Paul Bunyan. The kids and I enjoyed sledding down a small hill while J tied the tree to the car. Once we got too cold, we packed in, headed to our favorite Mexican restaurant, chowed down and considered the day to have been a delightful one. Unfortunately I've run out of Christmas lights (these straggly ones suck the lights right up) so the kids won't wake up to a beautiful tree; instead they'll get to help in the ornament hanging...another adventure is in store!