O Christmas Tree

When I moved to Utah in 4th grade we were only supposed to live here for a year as an "adventure". My parents came out to Park City for their friends 40th birthday party at Deer Valley and were sitting on Main Street, eating dinner and they decided to make the move. We lived in Phoenix, Arizona for practically my whole life at that point. When they came home and told us the news I was the only one up for it.

We sold our house in the matter of weeks and found a new house in Park City. Since we were only supposed to live here for a year, we did everything to make the most of the snow and the mountains. Our first Christmas we wanted to spend here, breaking the tradition of the holidays at my grandparents. To get our Christmas tree we drove into the Unitas to cut down a tree as FFF (forced family fun) as my mom likes to call it. A new tradition was born!

Driving home with a tired dog and a Christmas tree on the roof.
My photo.

We usually went Christmas tree shopping/chopping with out family friends, the Radovans but this year we went with my parents other friends. Since my sister left for college and wasn't with us to cut down our tree, I got to bring a friend. I like to cut a small tree to put in my room and decorate to set my room up in the holiday mood. It was my job to find my tree and my dad and brother set off to find the main tree while my mom brought out the hot chocolate and toppings.

When I got home, I went upstairs and set my tree up. It had lights and ornaments and was topped with an angel. I put my six foot tall tree in the corner of my room with some water and let its smell fill the room!

The tree at my Grandparents house in Arizona featuring my cousin, Cole.

Next year if you want to cut down a tree of your own, got to this site and look under permit information.

Sisters...

Family is weird. Sometimes you don't know just how special they are until they leave.  My sister, Hailey, and I never got along -EVER (other than when she was driving me somewhere and I had to be nice to her.)

Photo courtesy of my grandma.

This past summer my sister left for The University of Kansas. The last few weeks she was still at home, I wanted nothing more than for her to leave but then knowing that I wasn't going to see her until Thanksgiving made me miss her a little more and more each day. 

One go the amy American Girl Dolls
Photo courtesy of our mom.

5 great things about having an older sister-

1. She has to drive you anywhere you want.

2. She upgrades the family name.

3.  She doubles your stock.

        (My sister and I were big American Girl Doll collectors. Every

        Christmas I would get one and she would get one. Right now 

        we have a stash of 13 useless $100 dolls, desks, books, 

        scooters, and and an endless amount of clothes.)

4. On occasion we were allowed to do "sister bonding" activities.

5. She's your personal life guru.

The week leading up to Thanksgiving I was missing her more than I had ever missed anyone before. All I could think about was what I would do with her and how we would spend the week together. We had face-timed and texted but other than that I had not seen my sister in person for three months, one week, and two days. My sister walked into my grandparents house, in Newport Beach, about an hour after we did. My sister and I were SO excited to see each other but our excitement wore off by dinner time. As I said before, we NEVER got along and that streak continued. By the end of the break we were sick of each other.

Hailey and I last winter