<p>For most of the 23 years we have lived in Georgia, we have gone to Silver Creek Christmas Tree Farm and cut down our Christmas tree.  That's one of our best Christmas traditions.  In recent years, as our children have grown and left home, we've settled for doing that with whichever members of our family are at home on the Friday after Thanksgiving.</p>
<p>[caption id="attachment_938" align="aligncenter" width="479" caption="Lisette, Gregg and Benjamin look at a tree that Benj has selected as a possibility. Gregg is carrying a stick that measures the height - and price - of the trees."]<a href="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/lookingattrees.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-938" title="lookingattrees" src="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/lookingattrees.jpg" alt="" width="479" height="264" /></a>[/caption]</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Yes, we leave our Christmas tree up from the end of November until after Christmas Day.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/treefarm.jpg"><img class="aligncenter  wp-image-937" title="treefarm" src="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/treefarm.jpg" alt="" width="479" height="265" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Silver Creek Tree Farm has Carolina Spruce, cedar, and long-needle pine trees.  We usually select a long-needle pine for our Christmas tree. But it takes us a while, roaming around the tree farm to finally pick a tree that suits us all.</p>
<p>[caption id="attachment_935" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="Lisette started the cutting."]<a href="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/LisetteCutsTree.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-935 " title="LisetteCutsTree" src="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/LisetteCutsTree.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="360" /></a>[/caption]</p>
<p>When we arrive, the owner greets us, says, "Don't have to tell y'all what to do!" and hands us a saw and a measuring pole.</p>
<p>[caption id="attachment_933" align="aligncenter" width="479" caption="Benjamin took a turn with the saw."]<a href="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/BenjCutTree2.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-933 " title="BenjCutTree2" src="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/BenjCutTree2.jpg" alt="" width="479" height="298" /></a>[/caption]</p>
<p>[caption id="attachment_932" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="Benjamin and Andrew carry the tree up to be bundled."]<a href="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/BenAndcarrytree.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-932 " title="BenAndcarrytree" src="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/BenAndcarrytree.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="374" /></a>[/caption]</p>
<p>[caption id="attachment_930" align="aligncenter" width="479" caption="The tree farm has this contraption that covers the tree in netting, and makes it easier to transport."]<a href="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/treewrap2.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-930" title="treewrap2" src="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/treewrap2.jpg" alt="" width="479" height="281" /></a>[/caption]</p>
<p>[caption id="attachment_929" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="We tie the tree to the top of Lisette&#39;s Jeep and haul it home."]<a href="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/treeonjeep.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-929 " title="treeonjeep" src="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/treeonjeep.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="326" /></a>[/caption]</p>
<p>I did not get a good photo of this year's Christmas tree, decorated and lighted. So below is our Christmas tree from 2007, with many of the same ornaments that were on this year's tree. Most of the ornaments on our tree were hand-made by us, over the years. Each has a story behind it.</p>
<p>[caption id="attachment_818" align="aligncenter" width="399" caption="Our Christmas tree in 2007, the one year we bought a Carolina spruce."]<a href="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ChristmasTree07.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-818" title="ChristmasTree07" src="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ChristmasTree07.jpg" alt="" width="399" height="762" /></a>[/caption]</p>
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