Ginormous Favor Delivered

Just so you all know, we left the Christmas Corral in the very best of hands! Allow me to explain.

Max and I planned to go to our family ranch for Thanksgiving this year for a few reasons. First, this year was ranch year--we have been on a bit of a rotation for the last few Thanksgivings. Second, Max's brother Terry, an FBI agent, will be heading to Iraq within a month to lead a team, and we all wanted to get together before his departure. Third, Max's sister Alicia and family were making the trip from Oklahoma for the holiday. And finally, we wanted to relax and enjoy our family before holiday craziness hit.

We decided soon after planning to go ahead and sell trees that we wouldn't open the Christmas Corral until the first of December so that we could make our scheduled ranch trip. Our super pumpkin stand volunteers and now terrific friends, Barb and Tim, were having none of that! They let us know that they would open and run the tree stand the WHOLE ENTIRE WEEKEND because it needed to be open for all the people who bought their trees the day after Thanksgiving. Open and run it they did! Max and I made it back into town about 3:30 this afternoon to find a smooth running machine.

Tim opened early Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and stayed all day, every day! He called us Friday and Saturday nights at the ranch to provide daily reports. Can I just say now how right they were that the stand needed to be open?! In three days time, the stand has brought in over $5000! Without Tim and Barb's generous gift of their time, we would have really missed the boat on this one.

Let me tell you a little about Tim. He is a self-proclaimed Scrooge. He wants nothing to do with Christmas songs or decorating until at least December 1o. At the time, he will allow his wife to decorate and enjoy the holidays. Before that, forget it! Tim volunteers his time every weekend at the church nursery holding babies. Barb told me it's his favorite time of week. The funny thing I discovered about Tim is that he likes babies so much because they don't talk or talk back! It makes me laugh just thinking about it. When Tim started volunteering his weekends at the pumpkin stand walking kids around on horses, he discovered that that was pretty fun too--even though the children were old enough to talk to him. Tim walked hours and hours leading the kids around. We didn't know he could get any more helpful until tree time.

Barb, Tim's wife, is also amazing! She's allergic to Christmas trees and still was there for hours and hours and hours! She is so sweet and terrific with customers--I cannot thank her enough for the interest she has taken in our youth ranch. Barb even went shopping for things we needed at the stand. Above and beyond, I tell you!

Are you feeling overloaded with gushy talk? I sure hope not--there's more! Barb and Tim's daughter, Melissa, volunteered several hours on Saturday and Sunday working the stand. Thanks so much, Melissa! I'm sure you could have found a lot more exciting things to do with your time. I'm really enjoying getting to know you.

Rebekah--we heard you were there for many hours volunteering. Thanks for working at the stand.

Now on to another amazing family. Keith, Dena and their boys, Tyler, Spencer, and Parker, were at the Christmas Corral all three days as well! Really??? Their one weekend off from their crazy schedules and then stood in the cold wind! We love you guys! The boys helped haul many trees to people's cars. Tyler, far right, is a work-a-holic! That boy is very dedicated to helping and hauling whether it's pumpkins or trees. Dena said he worked all day carrying one thing or another. Dena shopped and ran the cash register (box) with Barb and Melissa. Keith was in there cutting tree trunks, hauling trees, restocking, etc. etc.! I cannot express enough gratitude to thank these people. To totally push my love for Dena over the edge, she provided pictures of some fun times they had Saturday afternoon.

From left to right is Dena, Rebekah, and Barb in the back row, Spencer and Tyler in the middle, and Parker at the bottom. They got Santa and elf hats--how cool is that? In the above picture, that's Keith, Tim, and Melissa humoring me. Below is Dena, Melissa again, and Barb being too cool.

Here are a few things Max and I learned about running the tree lot from these fine people:

• The wreath prices have been increased and they're staying there until after next weekend or longer.
• If you let a customer go out the door without making a sale, you cannot stand by the heater.
• We are not tying trees on customers cars--too much liability. We will provide the twine, you tie it on. (Smart rule--I hope I can stick to it.)
• The saw Max bought is no good.They made him try out the error of his ways. Can you tell he's laughing at how bad the saw is?

Tim went home and got his own trusty saw after the first day of using the little one. Back to the list:

• If a person wants branch clippings, they can take all they can carry for a $5.00 fee. (As opposed to the free I would have done.)
• If you want a tree delivered, it will cost you at least $15. (We never even considered this option.)
• Even Scrooge (Tim) thinks Christmas music is a good idea right now. (He brought a radio to play Christmas music BEFORE December.)
• Max's price list was no good either. Tim created his own--one that he could hand to the customers as they entered the lot.  (A lot of these prices have been drastically cut by as much as $20.00 or more on larger sizes!!)

I'm sure I'll think of more, but I wanted you to have an idea of the rules and regulations that are now in force.

Amazing people who did so much for us this weekend, THANKS A TON!!! We love and appreciate you all so much! Thanks for helping us and helping our customers keep their traditions alive. I don't know how we'll ever repay you.

Funny little piece of trivia as this post comes to a close. Tim and Barb and Keith and Dena all have artificial trees.

Have a great week.