Lantier Tree Farm and Tree Lighting on Our Street

Every year since we moved to this house we've been getting a live Christmas tree. We've been going to Lincroft Tree Farms in Lincroft but last year we decided we wouldn't be coming back. The place didn't have any trees that were big enough to cut down that we liked, so we had to get a precut douglas fur which was beautiful but cost us an arm and a leg and defeated the purpose of going to the "Cut Your Own" farm. This year we decided to join our neighbor's Tree Picking party and go to the Lantier Tree Farm in Englishtown (http://www.lantiertreefarm.com/). This place as it turns out is the biggest tree farm in New Jersey! They have 50,000 Christmas Trees that you can pick from and any cut your own tree costs only $50!

The weather was great, about 50F, sunny and no wind, but we bundled up in case it got chilly. Turned out we were a little overdressed (except for Mike who doesn't wear jackets or coats ever). It took us about half hour to get to the farm, and once there, we took the wagon ride into the section with bigger trees,

and walked around until we found a few that we liked.

We found one about nine feet tall that looked perfect, so Mike cut it down and we carried it out carefully not to break any branches.



After our neighbors got their tree, we got some hot chocolate and funnel cake. Ashley and Katelyn had fun with Emma and Liam. Here's a picture of the four of them:
(You can tell my how they are dressed that it was a rather warm day for December!)

Our neighbor's brother came with a pickup truck, so we didn't even have to tie the tree to the roof. He drove it home for us and it was on our front door steps when we got back! Everyone had a great time.

Later that day festivities continued with the Tree Lighting Party on our street. We have a tall Christmas tree in the middle of the circle that guys put the lights on. You can see the tree coming down the street and it looks beautiful! After Santa arrived the lights were turned on and people continued to roast marshmallows by the fire. Ashley's still a little scared of Santa.. As soon as she saw him coming down the street, she ran inside the house, and didn't come back out. Only Mommy and Daddy got a picture with Santa.


We ended the night back at Stacy and Bill's house next door. Ashley had more fun with Emma and Liam. (Liam was teacher her how to play hockey, and then she was practicing rollerblading) Katelyn only took a short nap on the car ride back from the farm, so she was tired and checked out by 7pm.

Here's a view of our house with the lights. Mike and Dan worked very hard to get the lights up on the second story, but the wind storm we had last week pushed them inside the gutters. Nevertheless, the kids love the way the house looks. Katelyn keeps going "Wow" when she seems more lights, it's very cute :)