"Mommy! Come on! It's tree time! Mallory said. Zoe chuckled as she and Evan pulled their boots and coats on.
"You and your father are the only people I know who get so excited about trees!" Zoe said smiling. Mallory has started jumping around and Evan laughed and scooped her up.
"Alright Zo, you've got your tree experts. We're ready." Evan said.
"Perfect! And we're not going to do what you did a few years ago." Zoe said. Mallory looked at Evan.
"What did you do Daddy?" Mallory asked.
"Daddy got a tree that was too big. And then we had to get a new one!" Zoe said. Mallory laughed.
"Daddy! Why was it too big?" Mallory asked. Evan shrugged.
"I underestimated the size of our ceiling." Evan said. Zoe smiled.
"Okay my loves, lets go get our tree!" Zoe said. Evan smiled and they walked out to the car.
+++
"Mommy! This one!" Mallory said, pointing to a tree that was shorter than Zoe.
"That ones too small!" Zoe said. Mallory pointed to a tree that was at least 12 feet tall.
"That one!" Mallory said.
"Nope! Too big!" Evan said. Mallory pointed to a scrawny, bald looking tree.
"This one Mommy!" She said.
"No! There's not enough branches!" Zoe said. She looked up and down the aisles and walked towards one.
"Baby, what about this one?" Zoe asked. Evan looked at it.
"That looks like a good one! Mallory, what do you think sweet pea?" Evan asked. Mallory walked over and looked at the tree. She shrugged.
"Eh. It's okay. I guess we can get that one." Mallory said. Evan picked her up.
"Down! Daddy down!" Mallory yelled. Evan put her down and Zoe caught the attention of an employee.
"Hello! Is this the tree you'd like?" The employee asked. Zoe nodded.
"Yes please." Zoe said. The employee got the tree and brought it over to bag it.
"Baby, I'm going to pay. Can you help the employee with the tree?" Zoe asked. Evan nodded and led the employee to their car.
"Come on Mal! Let's go pay." Zoe said. Her and Mallory walked inside and Mallory instantly saw the cookie tray.
"Cookies Mommy!" Mallory said. Zoe nodded.
"Only one." Zoe said. Mallory nodded and grabbed a cookie before following her mother to the till.
+++
"A little to the left, my left. A little more. A teeny bit to the right. A smidge to the left. Perfect! Okay! We did it!" Zoe said excitedly.
"Now time to decorate!" Mallory shouted.
"Not yet. We have to wait for the branches to fall. They're too stiff!" Zoe said. Mallory sighed.
"When Mommy? When do we decorate?" Mallory whined.
"Probably tomorrow!" Zoe said. Mallory smiled and Evan walked behind Zoe, kissing her jaw.
"We got a good tree." Evan said. Zoe smiled and nodded.
"We did."
