A CHRISTMAS SURPRISE!!

On Friday night, Matt casually suggests that we get up early on Saturday-to beat the crowds at Costco. This should be my first clue that Matt is up to something . . . for those of you who know Matt, you know you don't call him until noon on Saturdays, because he's still in bed. So, for him to want to wake up early is quite a big thing. I think this early morning suggestion is odd, but I am happy and don't question him too much, because I hate the Saturday Costco crowd.

Saturday morning is cold and rainy, and Matt, who is wide awake before 8am, pronounces that we are taking the Jeep to Costco-which is about 20 minutes away, by freeway. I think he has lost his mind-to want to take Tanner in an open-aired Jeep in the rain! I refuse. But Matt persists, saying we need to dress warm for the Jeep ride. He says that even though I don't want to take the Jeep, we should dress warm . . . "just in case." Of course at this point, I'm getting rather annoyed because I think he's trying to fanangle his way into taking the Jeep. I won't budge on the issue, but Matt walks out the door with an arm full of coats and blankets anyway. I'm still clueless . . .

As we're nearing the Costco exit, cruising comfortably in our warm car, happily out of the rain, I give Matt a heads-up that he needs to get over to the right lane soon so we can exit. He stays, unmoving, in the far left lane. Our exit comes and goes and I am at a loss . . . "What are you doing!?" "We missed the exit!!" "Are you even paying attention?!" . . . I'm so frustrated . . . and still so completely unaware . . .

As I'm ranting and raving to Matt about his inability to listen and follow directions, he gets a sly little grin on his face and says, "don't you ever just want to go, to drive, just keep going and see where you end up?" . . . I quiet down . . . he's up to something!

A little less than an hour later, we end up here: Fillmore, California. A cute, quaint little town surrounded by orange groves and mountains.

After a fun breakfast at a local cafe, Diamond Daves, we wander around the City Hall building where a Christmas fair has been set up. There is a cool train all decorated for the Holidays and Matt offers to see how much tickets are for a train ride. I stand outside the ticket booth, taking in the day, completely content . . . and still completely oblivious . . .

At about 3 minutes to 10am, Matt, who is on the phone, tells me we have tickets to take the train - that leaves promptly at 10. So, I start heading toward the train entrance. But Matt is still talking on the phone, not showing any sign of following me to the awaiting train. I start hollering at him to get a move on and still he remains, unmoving, talking on the phone. I get irritated and head off without him, muttering under my breath about how Tanner and I are going to have to take the train ride alone because Matt's too busy talking on the phone . . .

As the conductor is ushering me toward the train doors, I turn to look back at Matt and two people are running toward him. Our friends, Scott and Shellie!! with baby Avery in their arms. They have made it with only seconds to spare!! Finally, I am let in on the surprise.



The second surprise is that we're taking the train to a tree farm to cut down our own Christmas tree!! I am all smiles the rest of the day. What a fun surprise my sweet husband has planned!!

Here are the culprits. Apparently, Scott had kept Shellie in the dark as well.

And here are the happy wives, enjoying their fun surprise

The Christmas Tree Farm had tractors, a petting zoo-with the cutest baby zebra ever-and pony rides . . . too bad Tanner was just too little to enjoy all the fun-but the boys kept him entertained.




Avery loved the tree farm - she had a total blast playing with the animals and rolling around in the dirt. But she loved Tanner even more . . . she put her arm around him, blew him kisses, and just couldn't get enough of him. It was so cute.

And we have a winner: here is the fabulous little tree we picked out. It took all of two strokes of the saw blade to bring down this sucker . . . Matt was hoping for more of a challenge (don't worry, he got that challenge later when we got home and he had to put together a makeshift tree stand out of my pots and pans and dish rags . . . he's quite the McGuiver)

Here is our little tree, all decorated and ready for Christmas.

And here are my men. Tanner is so lucky to have such an amazing Dad.

Thanks for the fabulous Christmas surprise!!