pictorial – Tonia Allen Gould

Underwood Family Farms. We found the tree!

Come here, cute stuff! Let me squeeze the dickens out of you in front of a tree that isn’t ours.

Sure dad. Park the car under a big tree that overshadows the tree we picked out on top of our car.

I cropped out the fact that both of my men are wearing shorts on a day we picked-out our Christmas tree. Note my chilly weather attire. In their defense, it was 73 degrees outside. I was burning up.

As I was shooting this picture. Santa told Miles that I wanted a Cabbage Patch doll when I was a little girl. I reminded Santa – yes, but it never came. Miles smiled.

A big old wad of tangled lights. John can handle this. I’m not equipped.

What was in the 20-gallon storage bin (labeled “SHOES”) taking-up all that space in the garage, you ask? One string of lights and three bows. No shoes in sight.

You thought I was kidding about the SHOES, right?

Found the tree skirt!

What are these weird, fake plants doing in the holiday decorations? Hmmm.

He always looks like he’s waiting for me to leave the room so he can pee on the tree. He never does. But, I always think he will, eventually pee on the tree when I’m not looking.

Time for wine.

Found another giant bin in the garage filled with only one angel, one star and one string of lights. WHO puts this stuff away?

I’m going to need more wine.

You thought I lied about the peeing on the tree thing? There’s my dog again just waiting for me to turn my back so he can snatch a chocolate. (Note the glass is almost empty.)

The stockings are up! My husband asked me if I could iron them. What? They are made of felt. No one irons felt. Wait. Do they?

I asked John to stand behind the tree while he was stringing the lights, because he was in boxers. No one needs to see that. P.S. That’s his annoyed face.