{Wreaths Across America: Arlington}

At the beginning of December our family got the wonderful opportunity to volunteer to lay wreaths on the headstones at Arlington National Cemetery.  The organization called Wreaths Across America lays wreaths at all the National Cemeteries throughout the country, each and every year.  All the wreaths are donated and anyone can go and volunteer.  So bright and early on a Saturday morning we headed off on the Metro to get to Arlington.  As you can see from the pictures above and below, we weren't the only ones using the Metro as a means of getting to Arlington.  It was crazy!!  But I was so glad there were a lot of people who were planning on doing the same thing we were.

Once we made our way out of the Metro traffic jam we walked to a part of the cemetery that we hadn't been to yet.  We wanted to see the Iwo Jima Memorial, which we came to find out was actually just outside the gate of the Cemetery.  It was a lot larger than we had anticipated, which made it more amazing.  My grandfather was serving as a Marine during World War II.  He served in the Pacific during the war and not Europe.  So proud of his service.

At 10am. we headed back over to the cemetery and stood in line waiting to begin laying wreaths.  There was a little informational briefing about the why's and how's and then we were off to lay wreaths.  We were asked to only take two wreaths at a time, but we could come back as many times as we wanted to until all the headstones had wreaths.  We probably took about 10 trips up the hill and then back to the trailer.
I was impressed with how seriously the kids took the job of finding a headstone, reading who was buried there and then making sure the wreath was laying in the right way and then going back for more.
Arlington is one of our favorite places to visit because of the feelings we have while on that hallowed ground.  I am so thankful for the opportunity our family had to give service to those men and women who paid the ultimate price for our freedom.  It is an experience our family won't soon forget.

{Real Snow}

As opposed to not real snow.  We got actual play-in-the-snow snow.  The last two winters have been pathetic when it comes to snow.  Our kids have been pretty disappointed in old Man Winter.  Now while it hasn't been a ton of snow, it has been more than the last two years combined.  We had two snow days. already  Which isn't saying much, they are a bit on the too cautious side out here.  However when we had snow days before it truly was for nothing.  So this year, having snow days and actually having snow was a novel thought!!!  We also got a little bit of freezing rain along with the snow and thought it made for some cook pictures on the tree in our front yard.  The kids played outside all morning making their own snowman and having a snowball fight.  They came in cold, dripping wet but oh so happy!!

{Oh Christmas Tree}

The great tree hunt of 2013 was a success!!  We went, like we did last year, to Butler's Orchard to find our tree.  They rotate which lots we get to choose and cut down our tree from.  We get to try different types of trees which is fun!  It wasn't a terribly cold day but it did have a bite to the air.  Lauryn, who swore she didn't need a coat, ended up needing a coat.  Imagine that!!

We found a tree then once we started cutting it down, changed our minds.  We had only notched it so we didn't feel bad looking for another tree.  Once we found the REAL tree, everyone wanted a turn having a go at the saw.  The bigger kids are getting better at doing that.  Pretty soon Ryan won't have to doing any of it.

Once we had the tree cut down we waited for a tractor pulling a flatbed trailer to come and haul it over to the station where they trimmed the base, shook and bagged and then we paid for it.  The kids were so excited to get it home and get it decorated.  It was a great tree and we loved our final choice.

The tree we decided we didn't want.

The tree we ended up cutting down.