Ode To November

When lay off season starts - I always wish it wouldn't go soooo fast! I can't believe that November is already in the books and Christmas is just around the corner. I can't help but look at November and wonder, "What the heck did I do?"... And than I remember...

I went hunting with my brother for the first time...

We had multiple sleep-overs and opportunities for quality
time with Papa Willie & Grandma Kathy...

Taylor & Gage came and played...

Asher went down the slide for the first time...

We spent Thanksgiving with all of our family...We're learning to share and play with others...We went to our first Beaver Hockey game with Papa Rog & Grandma Deb...

We've spent lotsa time with our favorite Uncle Airwick - dancing & jammin' out to his iphone...

Asher is even learning how to walk - he does very well and it won't be long
before he is off and running without Grandma's walker!

And most importantly, I've spent my November just being a mommy. Taking some time to breathe and enjoy what a blessing we've been given. To wake up in the morning and have breakfast together, play, snuggle, read and do all those mommy things I miss so much during my work season. November was a great month - I'm excited to start December!

The Pudding Aisle Strikes Again

Remember when I said that I could stand in front of the pudding aisle forever and never find the vanilla? This evening I sent Damon to the store to pick up some needed ingredients for a traditional Thanksgiving dessert - he brings home sugar-free/fat-free pudding.

Me: "What is this?"

Damon: "What do you mean - it's pudding."

Me: "No, this is sugar-free/fat-free, no nummy flavor pudding."

Damon: "The pudding aisle is crazy - it was a disaster, we should be lucky I found sugar-free/fat-free and don't even get me started on the cool whip section!"

Me: "I can't make a dessert - with the main ingredient being pudding - with sugar-free/fat-free pudding"

Damon: "Well, I figured we're trying to eat healthier and I thought you'd be okay with my executive decision."

:) :) :) :) Isn't he thoughtful? :) :) :) :)

So, the pudding aisle has done it again. It is totally against my baking religion to make a wonderful dessert - so deserving of all the calories it can get with sugar-free/fat-free pudding. I guess we'll have to see if there is any place open tomorrow for the pudding desperately needed for this traditional Johnson dish.

"How I'm Suppose To Breathe With No Air?"

Jordan Sparks song "No Air" couldn't have been timed more perfectly today as I took on the treadmill. I've decided to turn a new leaf and get back on track (at least for the time being). So while Lil' man was taking his naps today, I hit the treadmill ... walking. Yeah, not running - or at least not today but that is soon to come.

I cranked up the speed, added some incline and before long I'm dying. You see, we have a wood stove down stairs that pumps heat right into our family room and I was doing laundry - so the dryer was also running. It's a sauna without the water and steam.

I've been trying to decide all day whether or not I was 'hoofing' it or 'huffing' it... Hoofing makes me sound like a barn animal where as huffing makes me sound like I've been doing drugs. I guess barn animal it is.

So I was hoofing it, taking hills (incline) as fast as my short legs would allow. I think to myself, "I sure wish I had a fan"... Lucky for me, the treadmill has one built in - I had a brain fart for a minute. I turn the small fan on and have instant relief.

Just than 'No Air' comes on. I giggle to myself.

And than it happened...

Ned farts. Not only is he laying in front of the treadmill but my 'instant relief' fan has picked up the fart and is now blowing it in my face. Nice. Now, I really can't breathe because Ned farts are lethal - they are clear the room, make you gag farts and he just blew one in my face. He's such a jerk.

Just for the record, I made it - all 3.6 miles...

My Mama

I spent the night at my parents last night. They have a Wii - it's hilarious!

My mom and I attempted to play golf, baseball and tennis. I thought I might pee my pants. To watch mom try to hit the baseball was priceless. Than we tried tennis and I've not laughed so hard in a long while. The ball would pass and she would swing, swingswingswingswingswing! Yep, ya totally missed it.

Than we boxed. We also turned on the fan and got a full body workout. I don't believe either one of us knew what we were doing but we had a great time 'knocking' each other out.

Thanks for the laughs mama! Love you! :)

Last Friday Night

I was so excited to call it an early evening! By 11:30pm, I'd crawled into bed and snuggled in for a hopeful 'sleep through the evening' kinda night.

Instantly, I hear weird noises coming from the baby monitor. It sounds like someone or something is in Asher's room. I listen closer... *meow*.

Dang cat. She likes to sleep on the rocking chair and I often times don't see her when I shut the door. Out of bed I crawl, down the stairs I go and I crack open Asher's door. All I see is a paw darting out at me from under the door - a game. First, she knows how to meow into the child monitor and now she thinks we should play. The moment I try to grab her, she runs and hides - so the game we play. I'm down on all fours, moving my fingers in attempts to get her attention - it works. She pounces my hand and games over. I win.

Back to bed I go - until 2am.

Crying coming from the monitor - dang, we were doing so good at sleeping through the evening! Out of bed I crawl, down the stairs I go and make a warm bottle of water for the babe. I walk into his room and go to grab him out of his crib. Stuck. Huh? What is going on here? Crap. Babies foot is stuck in between the rungs in his crib. Mind you at 2am, I'm sleep walking and as confused as ever! He is definitely wedged. I'm trying to hold him up with one hand, super easy because he's so tiny, and finagle his little foot with the other. A whole lot of crying, snuggling and warm water later - he's back in his crib. Note to myself: buy bumpers for crib.

As I walked out of Asher's room, I realize it feels kinda chilly. Looking at the fridge I realize it is only 14 degrees outside and 65 inside ... brrrrr! Down to the furnace, fill'er up and crank the dampener... we'll be warm in no time.

Back to bed I go - until 4am.

At this point, I'm totally confused as I stumble down the stairs and into Asher's room. I start to rock him because I'm not exactly sure what he needs. I find, he needs a good laugh, duh. And as if that isn't bad enough at 4 in the morning - the cat figured she'd provide the entertainment. She comes into the room, jumps up on his night stand and starts playing with her shadow on the wall from the glow of the baby monitor. Awesome, because Asher finds this hilarious. He is giggling and giggling and giggling. She jumps down and makes her way to tub next to the rocking chair - just out of reach of Ash. He grabs her tail, she bats at him and he giggles and giggles. I'm trying to refrain from being nauseated - I just need some sleep.

I decide to just put Asher back in his crib, seeing as though, he wasn't wedged but just needing a good laugh. As I walk out of his room, I remember to check the temperature before I head back up to bed. The fridge says that the outside temp is 15 and the house is still 65... maybe we should have done some insulating this last summer?

Asher continued to talk for another 1/2 hour before he gave up and went back to sleep. It's times like these that I wish I could throw the monitor out the window... :)

If being a mom has taught me anything it is this: the moment you believe you'll eat, sleep, shower or sit quietly by yourself for 2 seconds - your baby has other plans. I've decided to try reverse psychology - I hate sleep and I hope I don't get any tonight. :)

They Say It Gets Worse

Really? Once little man is off and walking - it'll get worse. He is already into everything and when I tell him to stop doing whatever he's doing he crawls, climbs, chews, eats, swallows, sticks his hand in the toilet - even faster! Which brings me to his huge accomplishment of today - steps taken without holding onto anything! Yay! It also brings to an example of the craziness I'm already dealing with on a daily basis....

We finish up our evening bottle (which by the way, Operation 'Sleep Through Night', is going really well, odd.) Anyways. We're done with the bottle and he wants down. I can hear his grunts from behind the chair which can only mean one thing... time for a poo.

I let this go on for a few minutes and decide it is time to battle the diaper change. I'm not sure why changing diapers and putting on clothing is soooo dramatic but it is - every time. There is typically a lot of twisting, turning, screaming and escaping to be done.

I give him a toy to play with. Diaper is off ... ewwww. Yes, we have poo and a lot of it. Wipe, wipe, wipe... at least a 4 wipe wiper and than I hear it... *grunt*...

We have more poo... and this time no diaper to catch it. I did however put him down on a changing mat this time and thank God it was catching most of the problem. "Let'er buck" was about the only thing I could think. Then...

The twisting, turning, screaming and escaping happens. Shoot! He's maneuvered himself out of my grasp and has crawled over to a tub where he is standing, butt naked, smiling at me. Okay, first things first, I try to get some wipes to clean off the changing mat because I'm obviously going to need some place to lay the poo boy. As I'm trying to wipe off the mat I hear *splat*...

Asher falls. On his butt. On my floor. And now we have poo splattering. Awesome. As I'm attempting to pick him up he throws his leg into the mess and simple diaper change has gone horrible wrong.

I move the poo'ed up changing mat, lay the poo'ed up boy down and get him wiped, diapered and pajama's put back on. A miracle.

I grab a wipe to swipe the floor before letting him go - as I'm zigging - he's zagging. I go to the left to clean poo - he grabs to the right where the changing mat and dirty diaper have been left unattended.

And that my friends was just one diaper, one changing and only one child! I can hardly wait for the adventures of him walking - never a dull moment in this household! :)

What is a Calorie?

Calories are those little bastards that get inside your closet at night sew your clothes tighter.

(My house is infested with those little buggers!)

The Bothma's

The Bothma's: Eric, Tanja (yes, a little weird considering those are my siblings names), Aubrie (22 months) & Brody (4 months). They are our friends. Yes, we have friends.

Today, after lil' man got up from his nap - I got a call from Tanja wanting to know if we'd like to come over and play. How fun is that! A play date. (I love being laid off!) ... (Just in case anyone was wondering, I was doing something very productive when Tanja called... I was cleaning the garbage can and it looks very pretty now that it's all done.) I pack us up... diapers, bottle, formula, pajamas and a can of hot chocolate with whip topping (good conversation always warrants a good cup of hot chocolate) ... the whole nine yards. I mean who knows how long we're going to be staying! When I walked in, Tanja must have thought I was going to be there for a while with all the baggage.

It was nice. We played (okay, the kiddos played), we laughed, Asher deflated one of Aubrie's blow up balls (with his teeth, awesome.) we talked, we baked cookies, Asher tore the heater off the wall (with his hands, double awesome.) and it was nice. It's fun talking with another mommy about ... I don't know, 'mommy things'. I love getting another mommy's opinion on raising kids and getting ideas of how they do things. I'm new at this - I'm a beginner and its nice to have someone else who is in the same boat as myself!
To all of my other friends who are not mommy's or who are mommy's and are not the Bothma's - I love you just as equally but maybe even more if you call me over for a play date! :) I make excellent company - honest. :)

The Joys of Grocery Shopping

Maybe you enjoy this weekly task but I dread it. I really do. Today as I was going up and down the isles, checking my list, back-tracking, substituting, back-tracking and finally standing in line at the check out, I learned a few things about my shopping experiences:

1) They never have the Gatorade that Damon likes. Never. Okay, than again, I can never remember what type he likes but am always assured that if I saw the name, I would be able to identify that it is the one he likes. Unfortunately, it is never on the shelf, therefore difficult for me to identify.

Side note: Is there really a difference between Arctic Blue, Blue Rush and Blue Frost - or whatever the ridiculous names are. Damon seems to think so and this wifey always gets the picking wrong. Maybe if they had more to choose from - I'd get it right. :)

B) I can stare at the pudding section for hours and still cannot find vanilla.

C) Why are the ripe bananas in the cereal isle? You would think they would put the green bananas there... You know, as a "You should have picked these up two isles back... now you have to settle or turn back!" I always seem to pick up green bananas (where they should be - forgetting about the treasured cereal isle) than I put my green bananas on the rack and take a perfectly ripe set. Now that I think about it, all the bananas in the cereal isle should be green from everyone switching them. No big deal, I suppose if you don't mind green bananas.

4) I love when you are excited to try a new recipe; however, I hate when it comes to finding the FREAKING ingredients! This is nightmare when you're not used to looking for a specific product. You'd think it would be easy to find with all those big signs labeling everything! Here's how it went down today at CUB and Wal-Mart.

I figured finding the 'fancy' ham was going to be the a piece of cake. I mean how many places can this fancy ham - needed for a recipe from my sista - be hiding? I check the meat coolers, um... nope. Okay, the ham section - no. Oh, how about the breakfast meats... nopers. Back and forth - forth and back... I cannot find this stupid ham. I made this pattern at CUB and Wal-Mart before I decided to give up.

Here's the kicker - you say, "Why wouldn't you just ask someone for help?" ... Because all I can remember is that the dang ham is called the 'fancy ham' and maybe it starts with a 'R' or no, make that a 'T'.. wait, I think it is a 'P'. I get home to find it was a 'P' pronounced Proscuitto. Really. Duh - how could have that slipped my mind?

And lastly, regardless of my attempts to write out a thorough list it never fails... I get home and think, "I forgot the ...."

Don't put that...

in your mouth.

These are the words that I hear myself saying every day multiple times. It is mainly Ned's toys: the tennis ball, the pull toy, the pink rubber teddy bear (don't ask)... Yes, all of Ned's toys are so fascinating that we must put them in our mouth! Asher doesn't even bother to use his hands when he picks up Ned's toys - he uses his mouth/teeth (learned behavior from Ned himself).

This week I've decided - it could be worse, right? He could be playing with poo or knives - it's just toys and hey it hasn't affected Ned, I mean - he's perfectly normal...

Operation: Sleep Through Night

I've finally decided enough is enough. Is it necessary that Asher wakes up every evening - like clock work - at 12am to have a bottle? Have you seen the child? He isn't starving; however, a few nights ago he was not only starving but also dying, he's how it all panned out...

I made up my mind. Sunday night was going to be the night, the night that Asher would definitely not think to highly of his milk supplier, yep... night time feedings were going to be coming to a halt.

He awakes, starts to grumble and I turn on music from the baby monitor - maybe he just needs a little soothing to go back to sleep. Nope, the grumbling turns into a little louder "How can she not hear me - is this thing on?" cry.

Thinking I'm going to be 'oh so tricky' I put warm water in a bottle and prepare for the battle that lies ahead. I get Asher out of his crib, snuggle in with blankets and the rocking chair and hand him the bottle. He's content, odd. I was definitely thinking this was going to be a lot harder! Hold the boat mommy - oh, yep... he's realizing that what he's sucking on is not milk. Eyes wide open, staring at mommy thinking "Has she gone mad? This isn't the warm milk that I'm so fond of drinking!" ... and the screaming begins.

We have a full fledged baby tantrum. First we have stiff legs - than we have the crappie flop... he's pulling out every trick in the book but I'm determined or stupid. For the screaming tantrum went on for an hour and a half!

I'd rock him, he'd calm down - I'd put him in his crib and he'd remember why he was up in the first place and we'd start over again.

The good news: Last night Asher drank his bottle to the last drop, fell fast asleep and didn't wake up until this morning. Could it be that easy? I doubt it...

I'm not decided yet as to whether or not I"m doing the right thing. Everyone has a different opinion about this and I'd love to hear it. My point of view is this: he's eating extremely well during they day, drinks multiple ounces prior to going to bed, he isn't teething or sick AND he's almost 1 *insert tear here*... it's time for him and mommy to sleep through the night - right?

Spiders

Lets face it - I hate spiders. I really do.

Just tonight as I was filling the furnace, I was thinking to myself.. "Self, why do you hate spiders?" It goes back to my childhood...

I had a sibling, we won't name any names to keep from said party from being ratted out on my blog, who use to pretend that spiders were crawling on me. He/she would make this a very dramatic situation... "Oh my gosh, Manda - there's a spider... oh, oh no - it's moving up your back. Manda, oh no - yep, it's going in your hair." At this point, I'm pretty sure because I fell for it EVERY time, I was doing the scream, run around in circles, stop - drop - and roll because as I said earlier, I hate spiders.

Which brings me back to this evening. I'm filling the furnace when I look down and see none else but a spider scittering (that's definitely a word) up the wall. I instantly get shivers, the sweats and the shakes (okay, it probably wasn't that bad) but you get the picture of how much I dislike spiders and than it hit me...

If I don't kill the spider taking off up the wall, he's heading right for my bedroom two flights up and I'm sure he'll haunt me at a later date. And I kill him. With my bare fingers. Yep, right there in the basement I take my finger and I smoosh the poor innocent spider. With my FINGERS! Only because there truly was a lack of anything else to grab at that very moment and man those suckers are fast!

It was right there that I realized my own strenght. Letting something that horribly roam my house meant that at a different time, a time when I'm probably sleeping and don't even know it he'd come back to get me... so, there you have it, I over came a childhood fear this very evening.

Have I forgiven the sibling that made me freaked out about spiders in the first place? Definitely, I think I've probably got my payback in over time. :)

Stupid Deer vs. Bad Shot

As the snow falls around me, I'm snuggled into my stand. The stand that my loving husband recently fixed. This time I find myself sitting on the bench rather than on the floor - definitely a step up; however, tonight as I sit, there is no block from the fluffy white snow coming down. I find my bright orange being covered with white.

I've only been sitting for 20 minutes - reading my book, minding my own when I hear it.... I look up to see (what I think at the time) is a small doe. She stands about 50 yards away. I can feel my heart start to thump in my chest - a deer, finally!

I watch as it gracefully walks out of my view. It's always fun to see something and back to my book I go... until about 2 seconds later.

I hear crunching coming towards me... louder, louder and wah-laa - spiker (term used to describe a deer with just two horns. You see it sounds funny to call it a two horner.) The only thing this hunter can think is 'Dang it!'. The spiker has placed himself about 10 feet from my stand - broadside. I can't move. Nope, he's looking right at me... 'Don't make eye contact, don't make eye contact'... Why you ask? I'm not sure but I figure I should probably keep to holding still, not making eye contact and pretending as though I'm not really sitting in BRIGHT orange just 10 feet from this creature.

If only had a big stick or maybe a rock... I could just bonk him or sling shot a rock at his head... would have been smart to be prepared for this moment. You know, the moment where something actually walks into shooting range (10 feet).

He continues on and I do get the opportunity to at least get my gun up ... and that's it. So, I sit hoping to see something else and this time holding my gun. *Note to readers, this isn't a bad idea when you're hunting, you know - having your gun handy enough to shoot something*

Low and behold he circles around. Yep, this is where 'stupid deer' vs. 'bad shot' come into play. He walks into a 50-70 yard range and it's now or never... *Boom*....

Gun jams. I'm playing with it. 'Stupid Deer' continues to walk towards the field like nothing. How can he not be stunned? At least act scared? Nope, nothing... he makes his way out of my sight as quickly as he made his way into my sight - the first, second and third time.

I'm sure it's the gun...

One more hunting thought... every year I bundle up in my 'lucky' clothes as I tag them. As I was walking out of the woods tonight I couldn't help but think about what type of luck those deer have! I think maybe a change of wardrobe is in store for me... the bright orange is here to stay but maybe the sweatshirt from 7th grade and the socks that I wear every year need to go. Superstitious... naw. :)

For the 100th Time

I've started this post, if not once, 100 times in the last year. I feel so blessed and I don't know where to begin. I feel like my words and thoughts are a messed up buzz in my head and every time I start to put it into words - it isn't as clear and precise as I want to be - so bare with me.

I am blessed with such a beautiful baby boy. A beautiful baby boy that I look at every day and cannot imagine my life without. I cannot imagine that Damon and I went 10 years as a couple without this amazing life blessing us every day. I'm so thankful that God brought us Asher... and with that I also realize that Asher is not only ours but he is a child of God. This thought makes me smile - God placed this baby in our lives and he has a perfect plan for his future. This is comforting to know that any mistakes that I make along the way are all a part of the plan ... this thought also brings tears to my eyes. As I read "The Big Picture" ...

Maybe I'm a 'control' freak, maybe I like to be 'in the know'... I hate that Asher's life, in a non-human sense, is not in my hands. I have no control over God's plan for his life. As Leslie had no control over her baby Gretta's life. Leslie would have never let that baby girl out her sight had she known God's plan. She would have sat and played for weeks if that would have kept her in her arms just for one more minute. I hate the pain that this mother is going through and now that I'm a mother, cannot imagine...

Gretta's story is always in the back of my mind. I realize that I cannot walk through life fearful of God's plan but Gretta's story always makes me think twice before leaving Asher in a room or looking away for two seconds - this is a curse and a blessing. The Big Picture is real. Leslie's words are real. God's plan for all of our lives is real.

Have you seen his...

Shoes. I'm constantly looking for the lil' guys shoes. It is one of his favorite things to tote around. I've found them in his toy box, the fridge, under the couch and even snuggled in his crib with him during nap time. Yes, we have other toys but they are far more boring than the shoes that go every where with this little boy. Other favorite 'toys' on the top of his list include: socks, anything that is Ned's and tupperware. Makes you wonder why we spend money on 'real' toys.:)

Papa Willie...

With deer season in full swing... the Grandparents have been in full babysitting mode or as Grandma Kathy refers to it 'quality time with her grandchildren'. This last week the family made a trip up to Deer River to sit but not Papa Willie and Lil' man. With chores needing to be done, the little guy was ready for his adventures with his Papa - outside.

I'm not really sure how much work was to be done because both parties were having such a good time driving 5 feet, doing 5 minutes of work and driving another 5 feet. The little guy thought this was awesome... not only was he spending time with his Papa but he also was 1) outside and 2) breaking 'riding in the car' rules - to not be buckled in was so freeing... as a matter of fact, I think Papa even let him take the wheel for a while, ha! Thank you parents for helping us out and watching the babe while we take some time in the stands - although we have no deer to show, the time spent in our stands has been enjoyable!

Where's Waldo?

In this case... where's Kit Kat?

It's in the Air....

Who can sleep? So anxious to get up and get out in the deer stand - the excitement buzzes in my head as the hands on the clock slowly click by. The alarm clock sounds while the sun not showing through yet and I'm up. I've got my hot water warming for my thermos and my hand warmers being taken out of their packets awaiting to warm my hands in just a matter of minutes. I bundle up, all my lucky clothes - long socks, 7th grade sweat shirt and long johns, plenty warm for the adventure I'm looking to encounter.

All of my orange clothing smells of basement. Being packed away for a year awaiting their moment to shine in the woods. I grab my trusty gun, flash light and thermos - I'm ready for the morning hike to my stand.

The crisp morning air hits my face as I step out of the house. My breath straight-pipes out of my mouth as the dark surrounds me. My flash light shines as a life line to my feet as we make our way into the woods. The walk is still, except for the crunching of leaves and sticks beneath my boots. Arriving at the bottom of my stand I start the trek up the stairs to my comfy fort in the woods.

I made it. I snuggle in - collar up, hat down - with only my eyes available to witness the movement around me. I sit and wait as the world awakes around me. The fog slowly lifts off the pond, the sun slowly starts to warm up the ground around me and the chick-a-dee's become alive with their chatter. Life is good.

Isn't that a great story! It sounds almost perfect... here's my reality.

At very last minute, I decide that I'll pack up me and lil' man and we'll spend the night at the parents. Great idea IF you can sleep at your parent's house. As I'm laying on the couch, I remember that I can't. The furnace and parents make funny noises... so, I am watching the clock keep moving forward yet I'm still not asleep. I may have fallen asleep for a few minutes and like clock work - Lil' man is in desperate need of a bottle. At last I look at my watch it's 3:30 - awesome. It's 4:30 and Johnson's up... It's 6:30 and my alarm clock sounds... Snooze. Snooze. Snooze. Did you know that after snoozing so many times, it shuts off? Oops.

Johnson gets home from his 5am coffee with the guys a little after 7...
Johnson: "So, you gonna go hunting?"
Me: "Oh, ya... I was just getting out of bed." duh.

So, I drag my sleep deprived body off the couch, get dressed in half the clothes that I brought because it's suppose to be beautiful out and I go. At this point, the sun is already up and there is definitely no need for the flash light - so I for go looking for where I put that last night when I packed.

*crunch, crunch, crunch* This is a normal sound of a hunter heading to their stand; however, there is nothing normal about this hunting story. So, I'm crunching through the woods to find that I can't locate my stand. Awesome. I know it was here last year. Oh, look - there it is. Whew. Let the deer slaying commerce. As I make the 10 step, sitting maybe 10 feet off the ground (b/c my loving husband made me a 'pregnancy' stand last year - as to make sure I wouldn't hurt myself if I was to fall) ... I realize there has been some 'stand damage' through out the last year. Damon told me that I shouldn't worry and it appeared as though a 'wind block' had blown down but it should be fine. I get to the top, I realize that it was not a 'wind block' but my seat. Awesome. What the hey - it's not like I'm taking this very serious.... so I pull myself up and there I sit. Orange legs hanging over my floor and resting on the ladder. At this point I realize that when I sit on the floor, I can't see over the boards. Double Awesome. I also realize that I don't have anything to sit on and instantly realize that the 75 degree weather I was dreaming about when I left the house was just that - a dream. Within minutes, I'm already cold and wondering - "Why do I do this?"

It was at that moment that I'm sitting in my stand that I realize love this sport. This year, I'm not as prepared as usual and apparently I'm not as excited as years past since me and snooze button were best buds - but I love this sport. There is no other time during my year that I take time to 'take time'. I was still out early enough to watch the sun start to warm the woods around me. As the trees creek, disagreeing to the cold weather and the birds start awaking around me - it becomes more clear to me than ever why I do this. I don't do this for the trophy buck (however, if my efforts were rewarded with that said buck, I wouldn't be complaining)... I do this because I love the opportunity to sit that close to God and listen. I had multiple chick-a-dees land less than 1 foot from my face, I had a visiting chipmunk and a crow with the funniest noises I've heard in a long time. God did not bless me with a 'dead eye' instead he blessed with the lesson of being humble with 'scope eye'. God did not bless me with a mansion to sit in his playground - he blessed with a ladder and a 10 foot view. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to quietly sit in God's presence. So, big deer or not... God has taught me a lot through my deer hunting years and life truly is good.

I love kids...

Tonight I got to spend the afternoon/evening with Taylor & Gage - two kids that I absolutely LOVE to spend time with. We had a great time and good conversation...

Talking to Gage tonight...

Me: "So, do you have any girlfriends in school?"
Gage, with a serious facial expression, "Well, I did but than she let me go."
.................................
Gage: "What the..... "
..................................
Me: "Hey Taylor what does it mean to observe something?"
Taylor: "Isn't that when you have to take medicine?"
...............................
Me: "You know that there is another meaning for the word 'fat/phat'"
Taylor: "Doesn't that mean that you're big?"
Me: "Well, it can also mean that you or something is really cool."
Me: "For example, you might say going down that slide at the park was 'phat' - meaning really cool"
Gage, upon his dad walking into the room "Dad, you are so 'phat' :)"
...............................

Who says they don't listen? :)