FOUND: Lost tree hunting photos

 There weren't lost, they were buried deep inside our
video camera on the SD card.

I honestly didn't remember using that particular camera,
I could have sworn it was my normal SLR one. 

I guess that goes to show how sick

 ( nasty stomach virus from Thanksgiving that decided to
 descend upon me that very morning)

and uninterested in the whole process  I truly was.  

That could be why we ended up with one of the first
 trees we saw that ended up being

GINORMOUS!!! 

Oh well it worked and we were able to carry on with the tradition.