24 ...

It was my junior year at Utah State. The snow had already been adorning the frozen winter ground in Logan for weeks this particular year.  I was in love with the magic that came to the valley at this time.  People in Cache Valley already had a kindness about them but during the time when Bing's songs play on the radio a bit more often and the lights downtown are on it is as if some magical smiley potion could be found in the water.  Everyone from professors, to students, to neighbors, to grocery clerks had the Christmas Charm about them.

I was down in apartment seven, the Gunnison/one boy from Evanston home.  These boys were always providing quality entertainment, seriously!  This particular evening midst the games and the laughter the balding one {I can't remember his name for the life of me!} began talking about their Christmas Tree Hike taking place the next morning.  I was, as I had been my freshman year at the thought of real hunting, astounded.  People actually go up into the mountains to cut down a tree? No lot with Santa and hot chocolate and snowmen pointing the way? They invited me to come along but I declined due to plans {had I known how rare this opportunity really was I would have gone}.  They did offer to bring me, apartment ten, that was Aubs and I, a Christmas Tree!  I took them up on their offer, obviously.

The next day I heard the boys get up early, well, early for a Saturday at Hillside apartments.  I peaked out the window to see them all bundled up with their carharts on and ginormous gloves, they were ready for an adventure.  I got up and accomplished the tasks on my TODO list while they were away, last of which was pulling out my Christmas decor.  My excitement bubbled over as I heard that old truck pull into the lot.  I ran out to the landing sans shoes, ran back in to put them on, ran back out to find Paul and Brent carrying a BEAUTIFUL tree up the stairs.  Baldy {said with love and a horrid memory} and Robert were taking the other tree into number seven.  As the tree was brought up they announced it would need to be trimmed again to fit into the apartment and furthermore the stand.  Before I could make the "Please-help-because-I-have-no-idea-what-I'm-doing" face Shorty {again, names are too quickly forgotten!} from number eleven came out with a machete, yes, a machete and started hacking away as if his life depended on it.  The scene I was witnessing I will never forget, it was a man in his element, being a man's man, grunting and groaning to increase the strength with which he was destroying this little bit of nature.  It was priceless.  After a few minutes he looked up at me and announced his completion, with a satisfied smirk {If I didn't know better, which I don't, I would liken said smirk to another satisfied smirk ... just sayin'}.

It wasn't until the tree was completely decked out, including the bow I ran through the block to have Matt tie after using the "Please-help-because-I-have-no-idea-what-I'm-doing" face and having him respond with the "Kasi-sure-is-incapable-face" {not incapable actually, I just knew his would be prettier}, the the Gunnison boys came to bask in her glow.  As we were sprawled out in our front room Brian {HA!! Is that really Baldy's name, it just came to me!} over-shared.  The rest of the guys kicked him from the couch while Paul flicked him off.  Apparently this beautiful tree that I had fallen in love with so quickly was stolen, that's right, no permits, from private property behind some barbed wire fences.  Laughter ensued, lots of it!, my squeaks, to Gunnison's snorts, to Brent's heaves ... we were dying! But as I looked back at her, that beautiful tree, I knew it was worth risking their clean criminal records for.

So to my Gunnison and One Evanston Hillside Friends and Aubs: That particular tree will always be my favorite as laws were broken in attaining it and made it all the more beautiful.  I wish you the beautiful snow of Logan outside and all the warmth, friendship, and love that were in those apartments that year this year and always.

Merry Christmas Hillside!