It's a Dad thing...

Bobbi's keys are locked in her car...Dad and a hanger to the rescue!
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Where has the time gone...

I just noticed that it has been a week since I have been on here. I think I have been cooking or cleaning the entire time. Oh, except for eating and watching football and having family around. Good times.

True to form I forgot to take any pictures of our Thanksgiving. 

The only one I took was of Bobbi petting Watson. 

 So there you have it a photo of Thanksgiving. 

Mom, Dad, Ferne, Kathy, Charity and Haley Hamm, Jordan Leininger and our family all ate together. It was really fun and relaxing. Then Tom Hamm got off work and came out to join us in the eating of the leftovers. Then it was clean that mess up and start getting the food ready for "Tree Day". I tend to make up celebrations and "Tree Day" was invented when the girls were little as a fun time of decorating the tree and then I could give them a present. So we almost always make the Friday after Thanksgiving, Tree Day. Bryan, Bobbi and I all had tickets to the Husker game (Ashley and Jayme opted out) so we went to that and Ashley and Jayme stayed home and did a lot of food prep and watched the game on TV.

But before that I put the tree up and the lights on so that it is ready for the girls to hang ornaments on later. 

Then of course all the lights that I had on the top part of the tree didn't work, so off they came and new ones go on with a little help from Jayme. 

Here we are braving the weather...oh wait it was amazing weather. Very comfortable 47 degrees and we had seats in the sun so that was awesome! 20 rows up on the 50 yard line. Bobbi was directly across from us 7 rows up and on the 50 yard line and she had passes to the Cornhusker Club and special parking thanks to a friend. Watching the game is just so much more exciting when you actually know some of the kids.

This is all the seniors waiting for the rest of the team to come out. 

Tunnel walk...Let the game begin!

Then home, eat all the delicious appetizers that we can create, watch a  Christmas movie and decorate the tree. 

Ashley and Jayme decorating...

Bobbi not decorating, and we are ok with this because she is with us and since decorating isn't her thing or Bryan's we give them a pass on putting ornaments on the tree.

It is always such a fun day and made sweeter by all the girls being here laughing, talking and enjoying each other. 

Last Night We Celebrated Bobbi...

With lots of food and good friends. Jayme, Ashley, Bryan, Bobbi, Charity, Piper, Meredith and Christa. It was a noisy wonderful time at dinner. 

Poor Bryan outnumbered all the time.

"Here's to ancient times and distant music." That was in a game we played one night. Quelf. Hilarious game! The shocking part was that it was Bobbi who bought it and wanted to play it. 

These pictures are well...not that great. But it's how life is. 

Piper (trying to hide) and Bobbi

Jayme (laughing with a bite of cake in her mouth) and Charity

Bobbi and Ashley (looks like she disapproves of something haha but she is really coming down with a cold so...)

Meredith (said her face was changing emotions so fast she couldn't decide what face to make) and Christa

So that was the party and it was fun.

So glad to  have Bobbi in our lives.

Bozeman Hawks take AA State in Montana!!

I am so proud of my nephew, Justin Pierson! What a great season. I am sure his family is just so proud!! Congratulations to all of them!

I alter books...

I take a book and make it into an album. Last year I found the perfect book for my hunting adventure. It is a children's book. I had forgotten about it until I went down to my office to make a card. I made the album today. 

I have been laughing at it ever since.

I thought it appropriate.

I am sure the author would not think so but...

"Hey, Mouse, what are these nice people doing?"

"Uh, Little Deer, you may want to stay in the woods today."

"Why?"

(The really great part...the little fawn is fuzzy!)

"Hey, Bear, have you seen Big Buck?"

"He was walking toward the grain cart."

"Ok, thanks!"

"Oh no, Bunny, the big bad wolf got Big Buck!"

"No, Little Deer, it was that lady."

"What the..."

"Damn, Beaver, where are they taking Big Buck?" 

"Watch your language, Little Deer."

"Sorry, Beaver."

(Sorry to anyone offended, but you know I had to say it.)

 (I love that the picture of Chan and Bryan dragging him through the stream ended up on the page with Little Deer running by the stream!)

Is it weird...

That I get excited when I get to cook supper for my girls and their friends? Tomorrow night we are celebrating Bobbi's 23 birthday and she has invited 5 friends to come out also. I am so excited. I just love these people and love cooking for them. Can't wait! Besides...the new dishwasher arrived today and well, I will be able to use it to wash the dishes!
I also put the lights on the large tree at the end of the lane and that is exciting. Found out at the neighborhood association meeting this week that the neighbors all look forward to the tree being lit. Maybe some day we will make it like at the White House and have a tree lighting ceremony.

And I'm back...

To real life that is...
I mean you can only be a mighty hunter for so long and then you just have to do laundry...and change the sheets on your bed...and grocery shop...and gather eggs...and wash dishes...and you get the idea. But I can do all that wearing my camo so it's all good.

On a scale of 1 - Perfect...

This morning we got up at 4:30, layered on the warm clothes, Chan picked us up at 5:15 and we headed down the road to Mulder's place about 10 minutes from our house. We walked into the pasture and up to the grain cart that Roy had put there for us to hide in. It was very snowy, wet and cold. 

We settled in to the cart, got organized and in our places.

The sun started coming up about 6:30 and almost right away we saw a doe coming toward us. Chan told me to let her go because we were going to go for a buck. Then a few minutes later out came three coyotes following her across the grass. Then a little 2 point buck came across but I really didn't have a shot on him so we let him go. It was cold and windy!

Good thing we were bundled up.

We waited about 45 minutes and I was sitting down out of the wind and Chan says "There's a buck, get ready." So I got up where I needed to be, got the safety off and Chan says "Get a bead on him." I say, "I can't find him in the scope!" Repeat that exchange about 5 times. It was almost comical. Then Chan says "I'm going to make some noise so he will stop, you get ready." I say, "I can't find him in the scope!" That exchange happened about 3 times. Then all of a sudden there he was in the scope, I shot and down he went. Bryan says "You got him!" Up to that point I didn't even think I had hit him and I believe I screamed a little. It was exciting. I thought I needed to shoot again but he had stopped dead.

Me, right after. I had handed Chan the gun to unload because I didn't want to possibly fire off another shot in my excitement.

Chan

First deer ever! 

5 point non-typical - 7:30 a.m. from 175 yards.

Chan and Bryan

Could not have done this without these two.

This is me (shadow taking picture) not helping gut the deer.

Through the woods, over the river and through the field to Chan's truck we go.

I thought it would be nice if I at least helped a little on the long haul. He was heavy, Chan figured he might have weighed about 275 or so.

Tagged

Hanging him in Chan's shed.

This was such a fun time. I never imagined how much I would enjoy it. I didn't even mind the cold. Just being out and watching the animals move this morning was so fun. 

Having Bryan be able to go with me made it all that much better. 

First Snow of the Season...

And it is the night before I go hunting. It could be a cold morning in the stand! 

Jayme and Watson came out to hang out with me. 

Ashley and Bryan went to "Barrage" at the Lied Center.

 Watson and Mae are "getting to know" each other for the 10th time! We think they may actually become friends if Mae would try harder to put up with his puppyness.

Looks like we walked right out of the back of the wardrobe...

And then one thing leads to another...

Bryan and I got this little baby buggy skeleton from a guy that we buy lots of "junk" from. I wanted to put it in this spot in the family room with quilts in it. Ok, but to do that I  had to move this...

which used to sit where the little buggy now resides. But moving that required me to empty it out and I had stored all sorts of dishes that we don't use anymore in it so that resulted in this...

which led to cleaning out two cupboards in the kitchen and my old fridge in the dining room. I did find some of my girl's pottery projects, that made me happy. Since I had the trunk moved out of the family room I decided to vacuum under the rug in there and move it a little which led to having to clean out the toy container because it fell apart when I moved it. So now the house really looks like a disaster but is actually very clean and organized inside of things. I really should have just read a book by the fire, it really is that kind of day.

4 days away from...

That's right... DEER HUNTING! I am very excited. I really hope I get one. We went out to the stand tonight and were spotting deer. I need more than the 4 we saw!

Once upon a time I had a new dishwasher...

Today was the day. My new KitchenAid dishwasher was getting installed. Ed came out and installed it and it looked good. Then I started it and there was a leak. Ed came back and checked it out and removed it and took it away.

There was a seam on the side that wasn't sealed. It was really nice for the hour that I had it. I'm getting another one next week. I told Ashley maybe I should just get some baskets and store stuff in that spot. At least the floor under there got cleaned.

This weekend...

This coming weekend we are commissioning the Spain Team - Madrid at church. I can't begin to express the emotions that have been going through my heart and head. I just keep praying and letting go. Just because you hold your children with an open hand it doesn't mean that it won't leave a mark when they go. Several of them have been notified that their visas are in. Ashley has yet to get this email but based on the others, I expect she will be notified soon. We do get to have her here for Thanksgiving and Christmas. So much to be thankful for. And under all the emotion is the fact that this is what she is supposed to do and I am grateful for her obedience.
When I picked up a Bible today it fell open to this "And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you  always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20. Under that Bryan had made a note "Commission, surrounded by two important promises."

6 shells and the butt of a gun...

We have a muskrat problem here at the Ironhorse Acres. We thought we only had two, and as reported way earlier, Bryan killed one. Oh no, we had a whole colony that was fast becoming it's own country. Captain and Tennille, I don't understand your "Muskrat Love" song. They are gross, ratlike swimming things! Why? Why did you write a love song about them? ANYWAY!! The other evening Bryan saw one swimming by the boat house so he got the shotgun, grabbed some shells and took off down the path for the pond. I look out the kitchen window and he is taking aim, boom, 1 down. Then I hear 3 more shots. He comes in the house says, "4 down. Ran out of shells and there are more coming to investigate." Grabs more shells and heads out the door. I hear 2 more shots. He comes in. "Well, there are 7 dead muskrats down there and I am out of shells. There is 1 more that I can see." 6 shots...7 dead? "One was wounded and was running through the pasture so I jumped the fence, chased him down and finished him with the butt of my shotgun." Why wasn't I out there filming!!? When Ashley came home she said "Please tell me you took pictures or something!" So sorry, folks, only a story. But a good one. In case you are wondering why we kill them, it is because they dig holes in the dam and that ruins the dam. In other news, I finished the final little bit of winterizing I had left to do on the chicken house. While I was at it I put a fake stained glass window into the door.

 It looks like a classy outhouse chicken house now.  They have a light in there now for warmth so it will shine through that at night. Halfway through the project I thought "Why do I do this sort of thing?" But I like it now that it is done. 

Bryan may wonder about my sanity but then maybe that isn't a new thing.