The Benders took our third annual trip to get our christmas tree. We started the event with a brunch at Green's. Art and I agreed this was the tastiest brunch we'd ever had - risotto cakes with poached eggs, butternut squash and veggie omlette. On the other hand, Eva and Eli were less than impressed with this meal. They would have prefered scrambled eggs and pancakes at Tyger's.

We then made our way to the pier where the Guardsmen sell trees. We are not sure what these men do but we imagine they put the money to good use helping children. There are many handsome, macho men walking around with their many children. We actually just like the venue on the water.....They rent out this HUGE pier and have this jovial holiday festival. Last year they had this fabulous train the children could ride as long as we were there to hold the button. This year they had Astro Jumps instead. E + E were a little too young. Eva and Eli both headed up the ladder of the slide - the older children were tromping up and over them at a clip. We finally rescued Eva over the side. Eli would not be stopped. He found a sympathetic seven year old that dragged him to the top and proceeded to leave him up there. Eli began to cry when he saw his fate meant sliding down this LOOOONNNGG slide while big children did flips and tumbled head over heals. The same sweet, curly-haired young man saw Eli was still there, and his mom was yelling, "help him, help him....." He put his arm around our son and down they slid. Whew. Eli promptly tried to go again but I steared him away.

We found our tree, the perfect one a 4/5 foot noble fir. By this time we were ready to get out of the crowds. We realized that in the years past, we came in the afternoon when things had died down a bit. We left just as Santa was atop his flat being hauled by a fork lift into the building. He encouraged us to stay and take the children back to his post but Eva and Eli were a bit stunned by his stunt and we left for home and naps.