As Told By Molly

This weekend was nonstop. Here's how it started. Saturday morning we left a little later than Olen wanted to (but right when I thought we would. Have I ever mentioned how much I am not a morning person?) for our Christmas Tree hunt.

London got a little car sick on the way up. Down the Bush Highway. You know that stretch of wavy road by Usery Pass to Saguaro Lake? Gets me every time, too. So we had to stop and take a breather a couple times. Olen and Porter spotted some mountain lion and elk tracks and it's good to take breathers once in a while anyways.

I had to go so bad (44 ouncer of rootbeer bad), but hate to use the pit-stop potties, so since we were pretty much in the middle of no where I decided to take my chances with a secluded bush. Just as I found the perfect spot, I hear Olen from the car "Love, a Jeep!" So I stop in my tracks and down this no-where dirt road comes a Jeep full of tourists. The announcer was saying over the speakers "To the right we have more of the same rock formations..." I didn't want to also hear "...and to the left we have nature calling..." So I high-tailed it back to the car and said "Let's just stop at the Dairy Queen in Payson."

We had the best weather. It was perfect. I packed the snow clothes and boots just in case, but didn't even need the sweaters. We stopped at a creek to do a little crawdad fishing, but couldn't find any, so the guys ate all the bait (jerky). Olen found some ripe prickly pear and said it was good and that we would like it. I knew what it was, (duh, lived here my whole life - I know cactus.) and I've tasted prickly pear jelly, but I should have known better when Olen said he would pass and let us all have a try. It must be an acquired taste?

We stopped at a spot that looked just right and after a little walking around we found our tree.

We loaded up our spruce and headed for home. Well, actually, Olen wanted to make stopping in Payson for lunch part of our tradition. I just wanted a strawberry shake, but he and Porter talked me into Chinese food. The guys wanted to go in and sit down to eat. I was so not wanting to go in to any place but the shower, but I was out numbered and hungry. The first place looked like it was closed down, so we went to this little dive of a restaurant called (remember this name so you never go there) Wok Express. This was no Panda Express. Well, let's just say I wish I would have held out for my shake. Porter and London loved it, so all's well that ends well. Next year, we're packing a picnic.

We're setting up the tree this evening for FHE. Now it can be officially Christmastime.