Our No Kill Christmas Tree

They are quite a bit more expensive, aren't they?

Yeah, like more than double.

It smells really good. And then you can have it forever.

How are we going to transport it?

Well, you want to see? Uh, we're gonna put this— that seat down and put the ball in here and put— point it that way. Do you wrap the ones with the ball?

It'd be hard to wrap.

Okay.

Oh, you didn't think about that.

What's going on here, Lily?

I'm getting all the stuff for the eggs.

Okay, interesting way to hold it. Mr. Brown's making some tea. We need a way to seep this tea. Here you go, this will work. Are you watching?

Yeah, I'm watching.

This is how you do it.

Yeah. Oh, Papa, how do you do— oh, uh, you do that.

Are you sure you want that much tea?

Yeah.

You don't want it in the teacup?

Take it off.

Can I put it in the teacup for you?

No, please. No.

Okay. Okay, that looks good. Let's get the sausage and onions heated.

Can I get the pan heating up and put the butter on?

Uh, sure. We want to get this heated up. This has already been cooked, so we just want this to get heated up. And the eggs— see, the thing about eggs, you don't want to overcook them. You want to eat them, eat them kind of under easy.

I mean, we're scrambled them.

So what do you call that? No oven, slightly undercooked. Best thing to do is get this warm, keep it warm, then cook the eggs. Sound good? You need me to put honey in it?

Yeah.

So get me the honey.

Honey's over there.

I know, get it for me. You gotta have some skin in the game, bro.

Okay, but I can't reach it. Ready, Papa?

Yeah, sure. Let's do like this. Get your spoon and we'll stir it.

Okay.

Okay. Before I started this bit in the kitchen, I just realized I looked at my mic and, uh, it was not on. We had a wonderful morning this morning doing chores. We even had guests, Jake and Chrissy and their little baby. I wish you guys could have met them. I'm sorry. The best I can do is give you some, uh, some video with some, um, montage of the morning. And sorry, sorry Jake, because see, you guys are wonderful people. I meant to put you in the vlog. Sorry. Wish folks could have heard you. Oh, you want to?

Well, if you wanted to, because maybe that could be the vlog.

Yeah, I guess. I mean, we also— Jonah also, he wants to go to Black Friday. He wants to do a Black Friday tool buy.

I heard from home depot on the TV. Yeah, it's not just doing it on Black Friday. It's just, it's doing on other days. I don't want to go on black paint.

Hold on, let me monitor this cooker. Oh yeah, you can put that in there. Well, shoot, I should have said no. That's okay, this will probably be ready by that time. Jonah, I'm gonna hear you out. Jonah, basically yesterday— the problem is yesterday he wanted a go-kart like crazy, him and Josiah. I'm gonna ax it.

That's okay.

You say you're supposed to be 13.

Yeah, I'll wait for 13.

We kind of like that. We don't— we're not big fans of go-karts. We're not big go-kart fans, are we, Rebecca?

No.

Are you parents out there go-kart fans? She's saying there's a safety issue.

I just don't want—

Yeah.

And it's not really like productive.

We'll be safe.

We'll be safe, I think.

I know Justin has lots of stories from when he grew up doing some pretty unsafe things.

I had a four-wheeler when I was your age, and maybe that's why I'm not getting you a four-wheeler. Or a go-kart.

I wish you were like Papa.

Yeah, no, I'm not as— I'm not as— I'm not as— what do you call it? Strict? It's not strict. Papa was pretty lax. Oh, now you got Mr. Brown wanting to go to the toy store. You know, Mom says Black Friday deals aren't necessarily that great. Is that true, Becca? Sometimes it's a scheme.

From my experience from Black Friday a long time, like many years like, I don't even know if we've been since we were married, so that's over 18 years. The thing is, is that they suck you in to the store, but the, the things that, that are on sale aren't necessarily the things that you would want to buy.

That's true. So, so you got to be careful not to just buy something you don't need.

But 30% off what?

Uh, yeah, not chocolate bars. Ain't no chocolate on sale for 30% off. This is ready. All right, stir it in and then have at it. You got enough tea to last a week.

What? It's clear.

Oh, what's that? Oh, that's not the—

what was that?

Okay, hold on. That's the honey not gone in yet, I guess. What in the Oh, what do you think this is, Rebecca?

Yeah, what is it?

Disgusting.

What is it?

Just come here and look, I guess.

Ew, don't eat it.

Ew, where did that come out of?

Okay, what is it?

Yummy.

Yeah, I don't know what the heck. Oh, you know, I wonder if he had something weird in this. Oh, we don't know.

Papa, now can you make me more tea? Wash that out.

Let's clean this out. Mushroom elixir. You want that? I literally just cleaned up after breakfast. Rebecca, what is going on? Did we not— did we not just eat breakfast?

It was like a— it was like A little while.

Did I not just finish cleaning up? Tell them. I didn't shoot it, so be my witness.

You did just finish cleaning up.

I'm still cleaning up. I still gotta sweep.

But you were gonna go and pick out a Christmas tree.

See, she changed the plans on us. It's okay, it's okay, because I'm not arguing because it feels like it's 28 degrees outside. And I guess yes, we're becoming those people. Rebecca, are we really going to be those people? Well, Christmas tree before Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is so late this year. If I want to enjoy the Christmas decorations decorations. We have to set them out sooner.

Yeah, she told me.

She told me we're normally Friday after Thanksgiving, but there's only like 3-ish weeks between Thanksgiving and we're gonna be gone for a week of that.

That's true. See, what she's saying is true, right? We'll go Family Day, getting a Christmas tree decorations. You want to get some decorations?

Yeah, I want to get a couple decorations.

Okay. Beans and coleslaw. I think that's the end of your coleslaw.

It is. I'm gonna make some more.

What are you gonna do?

Make more.

When?

I don't know.

Hopefully before desperation hits.

I think we have cabbage. I just have to make it.

Okay, we better make sure since we're going to town we can get you some more. Yeah, let's go pack the water bottles. Hey, get in. Let's get your— let's get you in your seat. Hey, don't go up.

How about we then get a Christmas tree?

Papa?

Yeah, we'll go get a Christmas tree with Mama.

Papa, are we gonna go get a Christmas tree with Mama?

Yes, that's the plan. Are you excited about that? Where's your sweater?

Is Mom coming with us?

Yes, of course. If we go with her, she's got to come. Where are your sweaters?

I don't have one.

Josiah, can you go get him a sweater and a coat?

I don't know where they are.

Well, maybe big brother got it. Maybe Josiah and I got it. What will they say, Mr. Brown, if they catch us with a Christmas tree in this truck?

Uh, say, why do you have a Christmas tree in your back?

Yeah, we're gonna do it. We're gonna put a tree. We're gonna have to move Lily over, put a tree right there. Come on, stay off of it. Hey, keep your hands to yourself, all right? You're gonna get you some sheep this year?

You're gonna get me sheep.

It makes sense.

That's right.

We win, we win, we, we're done, we're done, we're done ornament shopping. We've got a bacon, we've got a piece of bacon. You change your mind, you want the tractor ornament? Yeah, you can't play with it though, it's gonna hang on the tree.

No, because it doesn't even spin these little ones.

Oh, okay, the wheels don't spin.

Okay, you're buying them? Yeah, maybe. How can I put my ornament on First?

I think so.

We gotta get the tree first.

You might vow for that. You ready to go get the tree? Yeah, we're there. Rebecca's shopping from the car.

There's none of our life.

We're looking for one with a ball. I can handle one of those little ones with a ball. There's a more medium-sized one with a ball.

How about that really big one?

That giant thing?

Oh my God, that thing won't even— what are you, Clark Giswald? Yeah, we'll have to get the chainsaw to get that thing fit in our house.

No, we'll have to get a hole in the roof.

But it looks like we only have one dealer so far with live trees. We're thinking maybe we'll get one with a ball this year, and then the tree doesn't have to die for our enjoyment.

Use your few blocks or rocks just to stand it straight up and solid, and I just give it a little cup, a few cups of lukewarm Warm water, it doesn't need a lot.

Every day?

I don't know about every day.

No.

Let's say every 3 days.

Okay.

Who's going to be in charge of that?

Me.

Now how do we transplant it successfully?

Well, I'd grow— I would dig the hole about 3 to 4 inches wider than it is, deeper than it is. I would take half a bag or a bag of topsoil, unless you have good soil.

It hates clay.

Okay, um, I would mix those two together and plant it away. One thing I would do is leave it about this far above the ground that's level, uh, therefore it all sheds off. I wouldn't give it a whole lot of water, and if possible, the sun off of it when it sets.

Okay, I can get it in, but I got two strong guys over there. Okay.

They'll sit that thing in. Are you ready? Pop that down for me.

Our idea is to put it in backwards, actually. We were thinking ball, tree that way, but they're thinking ball, tree hanging out.

Wait, which one were we— I think we were gonna get this one.

Okay, that's fine. This is gonna be a tricky part. Don't— you don't want to pull it too hard that way. I think, and Jonah, I'm gonna get back there and lift on that ball, and you two are gonna lift this way. You think so? Okay.

The corn will get these blueberries, Papa. I fixed it, guys.

1, 2, 3.

Now wait, we're gonna do this one at a time. Ready?

1, 2, 3.

Go give me that red bucket and let's see if that's even big enough.

Oh, it's big enough.

All right, thank you. Now—

oh yeah, yeah, I doubt that's—

that's not big enough. Go get the big black feeder we used for the sheep.

Get some rocks.

We can see if this will work.

I think it will.

Wow, where'd you find that?

Downstairs in our tack room.

Uh, I don't think that's gonna work either, buddy.

Papa, can we just like— just get—

look, uh, maybe. I don't think it'll go all the way down to the bottom.

It worked!

It worked! Hang on, I'm going back and dumping these.

Is it not crushing it?

No, look, how has that been done?

I don't know, it feels kind of jerry, doesn't it? Yeah, it doesn't need any rocks though.

It doesn't.

All right, that's really nice.

Okay, pass the test. Do we have room? It's tall. 1, 2, 3. Can you do it?

Oh no. Use the doll.

Now we can drag it.

Is everything okay?

Yeah, because I was just afraid that you hit something. Well, that looks nice except it's like crooked.

I know.

You see that? You're gonna fix that?

We're gonna have to do something about that. Yeah, it's leaning sideways. Jonah, this might not work.

Oh man.

You guys hold the bucket down. I can lift it up.

And let's—

it's crooked in there, so I'm going to lift it up and try to— how's that?

That's better.

More?

But it's leaning.

I think we should just get the black thing and put it on the black thing. Put it on some rocks. It's just leaning. It's, it's this side.

No, I'm going to do your idea with the black thing. It's This is terrible.

I told them up front.

Can we try again one more time? Really? This is what we're doing? This is not sitting up.

My fault.

Up and down, and we can't adjust it in there. So let's do the original idea.

This idea!

You and Lily have so much energy. Go get me the red bucket of rocks. Okay, Jonah, just say it.

Sit it on that and then you pull the other rocks around it.

Okay.

1, 2, 3.

Josiah, Gideon, Lily, let's go. Shore time. So, you know, when we were at Target, guys, did you see that sign? There was a sign at Target. I think this quote would go good with us and our farm chores this afternoon, wouldn't it? And I guess it was a reminder of why we do what we do. It's kind of a little motivational speech. It helped me remember this this was once a dream. What I'm living now, you know, coming out and it's a little chilly, it's Sunday, we do this every day of the week, that this, this is my dream realized. Live the life you've always dreamed of. Let's get the calf in first. Be fearless in the face of adversity. So you get him up top, I'll get him along the side here, okay? Never stop learning. Use your imagination whenever possible. You want to roll this one down just side on through? Okay, once he steps up, they're all gonna come over it. Just let them all come over it then. Jonah, will you herd them over then? Recognize the beauty that surrounds you. Cows on fresh grass never gets old. Remember where you came from, but never lose sight of where you are going. I don't call it the wrestling ring for nothing.

Watch. Watch.

Okay, go ahead. Nice, I like it. Buying to decorate the tree now. That looks good. Any meaningful ornaments here, Rebecca?

Oh yeah, well, we just added the bacon. Oh yeah, this was from our wedding. Oh, where's these This we had on our wedding cake.

Nice.

It had flowers flowing out of it.

This one's meaningful. Look how little you are in that picture. Yep, that's my baby toy, guys. Talk about 40 years old. Well, minus one. Hope that snowman wasn't meaningful.

Did it break?

That was, that was Jonah's.

Well, why was it so close to the edge? Because people—

kids are putting it on. Nice. That's Jonah.

Have to glue it. This is Jonah's first ornament.

Squash, chicken. Our hard work's paying off, Jonah. We worked all summer for this. There it is. We're taking it easy now in the cold.

Mucho taking it easy.

Okay, it's time for the star. It's just Isaiah's turn to do it. All right, ready?

Give me the tray.

Don't fall on the tree.

Yay!

There.

How's that, Mom? Do you want to cut it down or is it good?

You should probably cut it down.

Okay. Mom, it's not here.

I put it—

Oh, I saw it.

Yay!