Work is done. Bags are packed. Presents are (mostly) wrapped. Christmas is in full swing. All that's missing is family, but not for long.

Rayne/Plano, here we come!

|| holiday photos from my instagram ||

Last Saturday, Scotty and I drove up to Magnolia, Texas for some good ol' holiday fun on the Jones's Christmas tree farm. Growing up, this was one of my favorite places to visit no matter the time of year. I remember spring Saturdays in middle school, when Kristen and I would make ourselves some turkey sandwiches and spend hours swinging on the hammock outside the farmhouse. Those afternoons were so perfect—just her and I, the trees, and a cat or two scrambling about beneath our feet. Later, in high school, Marissa and I worked weekends as cashiers during the busy season. (Best job ever.) Still to this day, you can darn well bet I'll find myself back there around Christmas, when the whole place is alive with holiday spirit. 

Families from all over come to pick out their tree, peruse the charming gift shop, and roast some marshmallows around the fire pit. New to the farm this year is a beautiful mint-green bakery, where the Jones's sell the most addicting cookies you'll ever eat and a selection of soul-warming winter drinks. Even though Kristen was technically supposed to be working—like the good farmer's daughter that she is—the four of us (Scott, Marissa, Cody, and I) kidnapped her for the day so we could get the grand tour. We all hopped on the hayride and rode out to the lakeside tree house, snapping pictures and chatting along the way. Although I was expecting a warm and muggy afternoon, Mother Nature treated us instead with a glorious chill in the air that made it feel almost like December. A small fire was burning by the lake, so we warmed our hands and then scurried over to the amazing life-size teepees, which the girls and I immediately decided would be a perfect set-up for "glamping." After a competitive game of Cornhole, nothing sounded better than hot chocolate and a few messy s'mores of our own making.

Before we sadly headed out to attend another holiday shindig, Scott and I took some ridiculous photos on the giant teddy bear near the entrance. Perhaps it was all of that sugar, or just our mutual good moods, but neither of us could keep a straight face the entire time. He just looked so silly and cute in his tacky Christmas "sweater," I couldn't help but laugh. If I wasn't wearing such an un-festive sweater myself, this would have totally taken the cake for our 2015 Christmas card. ;)

If you live around the Houston area, give Spring Creek Growers a visit this weekend! Whether you need a Christmas tree or not, it'll be just the thing to get you in the holiday spirit.