to the Christmas tree patch! (and a winner, too...)

Really, to the Christmas tree farm, but when you're three years old and your last u-pick-it experience was here,

in June,

it's the Christmas tree patch to you.

We really had to earn it--a tollway bottleneck (but don't worry!  It's the best road construction project of 2009!), a just-as-slow alternate route, and a missed-sign-induced backtrack--but by the time we got there, we had the place all to ourselves.

Tools of the trade:

Cutting it down (it didn't take long at all!):

Following Daddy back to get it bagged up:

A small disappointment because the popcorn machine wasn't up and running, but they did have a much healthier snack (kidding!  But he did love them.  Who remembers this bag from the 80s?), and a juice box is great for improving a preschooler's mood.

Look what they let me take home for free!  Here's hoping I'll be able to turn them into what I'm picturing in my mind.  More on that in a couple of days.
***
Now, onto the real-er deal.  I was delighted by the response to my SMS giveaway...thanks so much to everyone who visited.  The surprise is indeed finished, except for finding the perfect button (hoping to do that tomorrow on my marathon trip to Joann; photos then too, when there's some sunshine!).  Now, can you believe this?:

Has this ever happened in the history of the RNG?  I guess it just goes to show that random is random!  So Kari, check for the comment I posted on your blog.  If I haven't heard from Kari by Wednesday morning, I'll choose another winner.  Again, thanks to everyone who visited!