Last weekend we went on a quest for the perfect Christmas tree. We set out to a local tree farm to cut down our tree this year, as we had done the only other time we had gotten a tree together.
![Looking for our perfect tree.](http://keepingupwiththeallens.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/WP_20131208_003-576x1024.jpg)
The tree farm we went to ended up cutting down all of their fully grown trees already to sell as “pre-cut” trees {read: more expensive}. We opted to not get a 3-foot tall Christmas tree, so our tree hunt took us back to the parking lot to select the “perfect” pre-cut tree.
![The trees were so tiny!](http://keepingupwiththeallens.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/WP_20131208_005-576x1024.jpg)
We found a great little tree and immediately set it up in our living room once we got home, only to find out that the tree was completely crooked! Oh well – you can really only tell if you’re looking at the bottom half from a distance.
![Ready to take our tree home.](http://keepingupwiththeallens.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/WP_20131208_007-1024x576.jpg)
It has been 3 years since we have had a Christmas tree in our house and since then we have acquired a lot of new ornaments. My mother in-law has given us skiing ornaments for the last few years, so we’ve opted to have a skiing-themed Christmas tree. We have some sparkly silver snowflake and ball ornaments too. Here are a few of our favorite ornaments:
![Apres Ski - a cute little ornament from Vail](http://keepingupwiththeallens.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/WP_20131208_010-576x1024.jpg)
![Skier guy](http://keepingupwiththeallens.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/WP_20131208_015-1024x576.jpg)
![Jackson Hole ornament](http://keepingupwiththeallens.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/WP_20131208_014-576x1024.jpg)
![Adorable sled ornament that Carrie gave me a few years ago](http://keepingupwiththeallens.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/WP_20131208_011-576x1024.jpg)
![Santa in ski boots from Vail](http://keepingupwiththeallens.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/WP_20131208_013-576x1024.jpg)
![This one makes me think of our little Aspen dog.](http://keepingupwiththeallens.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/WP_20131208_012-576x1024.jpg)
![The big skis are our tree topper!](http://keepingupwiththeallens.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/WP_20131208_009-576x1024.jpg)
![The finished product](http://keepingupwiththeallens.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/WP_20131208_018-1024x576.jpg)
Our little house is all decorated for Christmas, too.
![Christmas time!](http://keepingupwiththeallens.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/WP_20131209_003-1024x576.jpg)
!['tis the season](http://keepingupwiththeallens.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/WP_20131209_004-1024x576.jpg)
![One of my favorite Etsy finds!](http://keepingupwiththeallens.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/WP_20131208_017-1024x576.jpg)
I spent the better half of Friday baking up a storm of Christmas cookies. I tried all new recipes this year {so, sorry friends if they don’t turn out!}, thanks to Pinterest, so it was fun to switch things up. This year I made peppermint bark cookies, melting moments, buckeye balls and ginger cookies. The ginger cookies did not turn out, but everything else seemed to taste pretty good to me.
![The kitchen always turns into a disaster when I bake.](http://keepingupwiththeallens.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/WP_20131213_001-1024x576.jpg)
![The plate that we get to keep!](http://keepingupwiththeallens.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/WP_20131213_008-1024x576.jpg)
Christmas has really snuck up on me this year! I am finishing my Christmas shopping tonight, thankfully, but I have been feeling very ill prepared this year. I’m hoping that my holiday stamps arrive in tomorrow’s mail so that I can get my Christmas cards out by Tuesday – this will be a record for the latest I’ve ever sent them! Sorry friends and family… I am certainly enjoying the Christmas spirit and holiday cheer and looking forward to seeing my family for the holiday.
![Our cute little garland out front.](http://keepingupwiththeallens.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/WP_20131215_003-1024x576.jpg)