The day after Thanksgiving, our family participated in another Zaragoza Family Tradition...the cutting of the Christmas tree!  Traditions in our family are quite interesting because each year we have added new children to the family that are clueless about our family tradition!  Besides that, the concept of a repetitive family tradition is quite the foreign concept for many of our children when they first join our family.  For some of them, the only family tradition they have ever experienced has been regularly changing families!

We now go to the same tree farm every year on the skirts of "our" volcano, Popocatepetl.  This time around, I think I will let that day's pictures guide us through the story.

 

  The tree farm our family visits each year the day after Thanksgiving.

One of the attractions at the tree farm are bushes pruned into shapes of animals.  The younger kids like to have their pictures taken with an "animal".  This is Jocelin next to a deer.

Our middle boys, and Fatima, went prepared this year with their heavy artillery - Nerf guns!  The tree farm provided the perfect place for an all out war and plenty of trees to hide behind and dodge between.

 Ruth decided that this "bush animal" was sturdy enough to mount!

Alejandro's first Christmas with us and, actually, his first Christmas ever!

David is nearly almost always ready to strike a pose!

Carrying the tree from its place of origin to the van!  Diana, Fatima, Angie, Jocelin and Miguel did the heavy work!  David is literally sitting on the tree trunk along for the ride!  Dad (Victor) doing his job best - supervising!

 Time for a picnic!  One of the reasons we like this tree farm is that it has a picnic area, a playground consisting of a series of swinging bridges that the kids love and a pine labyrinth that we love to get lost in!

Caleb on one of the swinging bridges.

 Here they all are!  Years ago, on a camping trip, we took a picture of the kids lined up sitting in a water trough coming out of a natural spring.  Seeing this block wall reminded me of that...so we tried to repeat the adventure!  Here goes!  From left to right:  David (2), Daniel (4), Ana (5), Ruth (6), Carolina (6), Caleb (7), Miguel (8), Jocelin (9), Leo (9), Josiah (10), Fidel (11), Fatima (11), Alejandro (11), Martha (13), Lolis (14), Martita (16), Diana (16), Angie (18)

So how did Victor take this picture?

HERE'S HOW!

Fidel and Victor attempting to make the tree stand up!  This method didn't work.   The tree is now in a paint bucket filled with rocks...and tied to the curtain rod!

Angie is our tree lighting expert!

 Here Diana decorates with glitter a new tree skirt that Rosa made for the family.

Carolina decorating her first Christmas tree.

Leo decorating his first Christmas tree.

Martita blessed the family with cinnamon rolls!  Do you see her "rolling pin"?  When you have a big family you do things in a BIG way!  Actually, we couldn't find our rolling pin and the Marshalls were visiting the pyramids that day so we couldn't ask for theirs, so Victor found a long wooden rod (curtain rod?) to use!  Rule number one (and two!) in both missions work and large families - be flexible and be creative!

No big spiritual lessons came out of cutting and decorating a Christmas tree!  Just the reality of the transformational power found in daily family living, loving...and the safety, security and predictability found in tradition!

One thing I did particularly enjoy that day were our "older" children (those that have been with the family longer), informing and giving a running commentary on this tradition to the "new" children.  It warmed my heart that they truly do know what we do and why we do this every year and it really does make them feel special, safe and loved (even though some of them complain every year...that's part of the tradition too!)

Hey, just for fun...here is a bonus video!  Last week Victor was on crusade and I was in charge of cooking!  (Yes, the Lord does do miracles..the rice turned out great this time!)  The kids always pitch in a ton!  Well, one day, Ruth helped shred fresh cheese for tacos and broke into a nursery song that Rosa has taught her!  Thought you would enjoy!