Summer Break - Week 4

Skyler and the 4-H Country Clovers' Fair Poster they created

Still trying to cross more items off our bucket list of things to do this summer.  I am completely enjoying my time with Skyler on my days off as well as filling our weekends with fun family activities:

Picked raspberries in the garden daily;
Made Fourth of July pinwheels for the porch;
Gutted out the hall closet and reorganized;
Played hide-n-go-seek in the yard (but Shadow sits and stares at the person who is hiding making it pretty easy for the "seeker");
Practiced pitching and hitting daily;

Skyler hanging out with her cousins

Got some good runs in;
Went to Lake Story Beach in Galesburg to swim with our friends Ali, Fran, Lilly and Anna;
Had a picnic on the beach;
Took Shadow to his vet appointment in Aledo;
Skyler went to a friends' house for supper and to watch their fireworks Friday night;
Mowed our most recent addition to in-town yards;

Skyler consoling Shadow at his vet appt.

Went to our friends' Renee and Alex's for Skyler's monthly 4-H meeting and helped create the Country Clovers' 4-H display for the fair;
Baked chocolate-chip cookies to share;
Had Uncle Dasan, Aunt Jeri Lynn and Cousins Molly and Drew over for supper and Uncle Dasan helped coach Sky on her batting;
Had 1 softball game in Sherrard and 2 games in Taylor Ridge this week--Skyler's team lost their first game of the season :(  but Skyler got her first home run of the year this week and earned her homemade cheesecake I promised her;

2 fawns we spotted this week

Cleaned roof and gutters for a side-job;
Made Skyler's "home run cheesecake" with raspberry sauce;
I helped my friend Megan Klauer photograph a wedding on Saturday; and
Went to a friends' pool/fireworks party.

Summer Break - Week 3

Skyler wasn't feeling well on Monday with a headache/migraine so we didn't get much fun done that day.  It was also a crappy weather week with lots of cold, wind and rain, however, we still tried to fit some stuff in.

Skyler had softball games 4 nights this week, 1 in New Windsor, 1 in Orion and 2 in Taylor Ridge, all of which they won.  Skyler's team now has 7 wins and 0 losses and Skyler pitched in every game but 1;

Went to the local farmer's market for fresh produce that we don't grow in our own garden;
Skyler rode her bide while I ran;
Practiced pitching with Skyler daily;
Helped Paul haul and spread mulch at a side-job for an entire day;
Went to visit Grandma and Grandpa;
Finally finished our Holocaust book, "Alicia";
Began reading "the Zookeepers Wife";
Got out the sponges, hoses and buckets and washed both trucks while breaking into a few water fights along the way;
Played basketball;
Skyler and I attended a dear family friend's visitation;
Went to the library to return and check out more books;
Went to supper with Paul's family;
Skyler and I went to the timber early in the week to check on the black-raspberries, but they still needed a bit more time to ripen -- they are ripe now so we will head back this week;
Helped Paul haul, load and stack 6 truckloads of firewood;
Went mulberry pickin' in the timber (wish I woulda had my camera for that as Skyler's face was almost completely bluish-purple);
Saturday night Skyler went to a birthday party sleepover w/a bunch of her friends (so Paul and I got a RARE date night and went to the movies for the first time in YEARS....literally!  We saw Bridesmaids -- super funny. {the last movie we remember seeing together at the theater was "The Patriot" back in 2000, so it had been a while});
Went to a garage sale;
Sprayed 2 more of our deer food plots;
Had a water balloon fight.

This week's weather is supposed to be much better so I'm lookin' forward to it!

Week 2 - Summer Break and Happy Father's Day!

Skyler practicing shooting her bow

Here is a little tree frog we found in the yard this week

Here is "Fat Boy" the plane that accompanies the
Blue Angels -- Skyler took this picture

Some of the Blue Angels doing their thing.

Here is the first lightening bug caught during our "competition"
(Skyler won the competition, of course)

Every summer I start out gung-ho ready to detail our every move.  However, each week my notes seems to dwindle down to less and less...so here are a few of our highlights from this past week, with a lot forgotten, I'm sure...and the dwindling of notes begins  :)  We didn't have as many days to fill this week as I had to work an extra day.  Our highlights of this week were the Quad City Airshow on Saturday and the fact that it was Father's Day on Sunday.  Since I am married to the best husband/dad on earth  :)  it is always a special day at our house.  Having given the weekend over to Paul for his choice of activities we found ourselves working in the timbers for a good portion of Saturday and Sunday.  We are that much closer to having each and every stand in top shape for the upcoming deer hunting seasons.  We also had an awesome time fishing at a friend's lake on Sunday afternoon.  What follows is a list of some of the other highlights from this past week:

Pictures from our day of fishing!

• Dry run at Black Hawk College to find Skyler and her friend, Alex's, classes for College for Kids.
• Meet friends at Subway for lunch
• Take a hike out here in the country
• Go to work with mom for a day
• Play Basketball
• Shoot bows
• Go to Griswolds w/Papa and Karen
• Go for a long bike ride
• Attend the Quad City Airshow
• Help mom and dad with deer stands
• Practice pitching
• Picnic at a lake
• Have a friend over to hang out
• Have a Lightening-Bug catching competition
• Make an obstacle course in the yard
• Fishing at a friend's lake
• Continue reading our Holocaust book, "Alicia"
• Weed in the strawberry garden and then gorge on the strawberries that are ripe
• Hunt fields for arrowheads.

I enjoy putting to "paper" our daily highlights so that we can always have these memories if they ever slip our minds - it just so happens this way I can put some pictures along with the notes which is even better as far as I am concerned!

Summer Break Begins at the Grissoms

Skyler warming up on the mound -- she now has 17 strike outs with only 7 innings on the mound!  On this day she and a couple other pitchers combined for a "No Hitter" and won the game -- they are now 3 and 0!!

Summer break is officially started!  This past week was Skyler's first week off.  I have a huge summer bucket list of all the fun (and some not so fun) things I want to accomplish with Skyler this summer.  My boss is kind enough to let me cut back on my days at work so that I get some valuable Mom and Daughter time with Skyler this summer.  During this past week and weekend we already started on that bucket list and also covered some items that weren't on the list:

Played tennis with friends at the tennis courts;
Got signed up for the summer reading program at the library;
Sky and I began reading another holocaust survivor story ("Alicia");
Had a picnic at the park with friends;
Went for bike rides;
Went to the spray grounds with friends;
Camped out in a tent in the back yard;
Roasted hot dogs over the campfire;
Helped Paul on a roof job;

Wash Shadow with the hose;
Spent the day at a friends house and played on a slip-n-slide;
Sprayed our deer food plots in the timber for better growth;
Got ice cream cones at the ice cream shop;
Cleared brush off a lane in the timber;
Photograph insects and wildlife;
Pitched during two softball games (and won); and
Rearranged and cleaned the basement -- I know, this one was not the most fun.

A picture of Paul and I after we finished spraying this food plot.

Some dragonflies, an Eastern Kingbird and bumblebee on clover I captured photos of in the timber.

A campfire picture from the night we camped out...

I also ran in a 5K -- the Race for the Cure in Moline -- on Saturday along with my friends Megan Klauer and my bloggin' friend and cancer survivor, Sherry, and their family and my friend Bonnie Moore.  What a great time we had for a great cause!  I so love havin' friends who enjoy running as much as I do!
Whew!  Got a lot done this week but still have a long list to complete before summer is over.  Can't wait for this coming week!

This is the view of the moon out of the top of our tent the night Skyler and I camped

Happy Belated Memorial Day Weekend!

Remembering those who have gone before...

Hope you all enjoyed your Memorial Day Weekend -- I know we did!  Although the weather was not very cooperative over here in our neck of the woods -- we tried to get done what we could in between raindrops. Like a lot of people we made our way to a cemetery and paid our respects for those who have gone before us.  We also worked in the timber, worked in the yard, worked in the gardens, got in a few hikes, walks, runs, a bike ride and practiced pitching w/Sky.  Because of the yucky weather we even watched a movie -- which RARELY happens at our house.  Monday was beautiful and was the perfect day for one of our family fishing outings.  We caught a TON of fish (on a pond that Paul designed) which are now in our fridge/freezer for later meals.

Skyler with one of her many Bluegill she caught.

We had planned on camping with our  friends the Klauers this weekend -- and although they are hardcore campers like us, setting up our tents in standing water "just to say we did" didn't appeal to any of us.  Instead, we still had a great time hanging out and eating a great meal that Megan cooked over the open fire for us -- thanks again!

Chicks Are Hatching!!

Chicks are Hatching!!

Our chick has has a "pip" hole prior to fully hatching

I am so excited!!  About one month ago one of my Buff Orpington chickens went "broody" and wanted to sit on a clutch of eggs.  Since I don't have a rooster, I ordered fertilized eggs off of Ebay (weird, I know) and received them about 3 weeks ago when I placed them under my broody hen.  I didn't make any posts about it because I really didn't know if this whole thing would work....but....IT DID!

Yesterday afternoon when Skyler and I went out to check on mom and her eggs we noticed that one chick had pipped her egg and we could hear her chirping inside.  This morning she was huddled under mom next to the rest of the eggs.  I don't know if the other eggs will hatch but we are hopeful at least a few more will.  It has been so exciting to watch our hen religiously sit on those eggs 24 hours a day for the last three weeks.  So cool to see this whole process that seems to have become almost a lost art.  Incubators have taken the place of broody hens so this is a process that I have never gotten to fully watch and no one I know does it.  The challenge was daunting but exciting.  Skyler has been in on every step and the photos we have taken and what we have learned will be part of one of her 4-H projects for the fair this summer.  Woohoo!!  As long as this little chick makes it I will continue to post about his/her beginning days....here's hopin'!

Our Track Star!!

Skyler and her friend Karlie

Skyler has been so excited about yesterday's track meet.  The 5th and 6th grade classes from Reynolds got to race up at the high school track.  They have been practicing and trying out for different spots in the meet.  Skyler qualified for the high jump, 800 meter coed relay, 70 meter hurdles and 50 yard dash.  Skyler did AWESOME!!  She placed first in 5th grade girls for the 50 yard dash, placed second in her heat for the hurdles, and ran awesome in her leg of the coed relay!!  It was so much fun for Paul and I to watch and brought back memories of when I got to watch Paul do so well in track back in our high school dating days.  Congratulations Skyler!

Happy Turkey Hunting...

I had a blast this past weekend as I was privileged enough to get to attempt to call in turkeys for my friend Megan Klauer on Saturday, Sunday and Monday mornings.  Saturday was awesome as we heard and saw a lot of turkeys.  One huge turkey came in very close -- but as turkeys sometimes do -- he came in fast and hard without any warning and Megan wasn't able to get a shot.  We later had two jakes who were just a smidgin out of Megan's comfortable shooting range.  We saw several more but none of those wanted to play.  Sunday morning (Mother's Day) pretty much sucked as far as getting a turkey goes.  Nothing was gobbling all morning and we only saw one in the distance.  Also, in our transfer of hunting items between vehicles I dropped my facemask so had to turn my hoodie backwards and use it as my facemask for the morning -- incredibly stifling and uncomfortable -- plus a little tough to get my coat off with the zipper in the back!  Megan and I decided to give it a go one more time Monday morning before work and it turned out to be a better day again as the turkeys were gobblin' again (and I remembered my facemask - woohoo).  We had one huge tom and 4 hens come in about 75 yards out...but as luck would have it, the hens didn't want to give up their big Tom, so they led him away.  At least we got to watch the show for a while before he took off following his girls -- strutting all the way.  We had several birds talkin' but our time was so limited (we both had to get to work that morning) that we weren't able to work 'em like we would have liked so, unfortunately, Megan didn't get to fill her tag -- but not for lack of trying.  Thanks for letting me go out and try to call a bird in Megan!!  I had a super time and now I will go hang my head in shame for not being able to get the job done.  But I know Megan agrees with our philosophy that a hunt is about much more than the kill.  Although harvesting is our ultimate goal...enjoying time spent in the timber (and with friends) is what makes it all worth it!

Friday night we had a fun family get together with Paul's family to celebrate Skyler's birthday.  Since her birthday is never all done in one day -- she enjoys how the celebration gets spread out over more like a couple of weeks...

Saturday Paul and I decided to take part in the QDMA (Quality Deer Management Association) bow shooting competition in Aledo.  We had a fun time out in the timber taking shots at thirty 3-D archery targets.  I placed second in the women's division (Megan Klauer got 1st -- woohoo!) and received a QDMA t-shirt as well as some beautiful wildlife photographs.

Sunday (Mother's Day), after turking hunting, we kept busy as a family working in the gardens, hauling firewood, clearing paths in the timber, mushroom hunting and just generally enjoying being together outside -- absolutely my favorite way to spend my Mother's Day!  Skyler made me a pretty necklace and sweet card...can't beat the gifts from the heart!

Monday after work Skyler had another 4-H meeting.  Since each 4-H'r was to bring a small animal to talk about, Skyler decided to load up one of her chickens.  All of the kids enjoyed seeing the chicken and learning everything that Skyler knows about raising them.  While she was at her class I got to run for an hour with my friend Renee so it was a win-win situation!

Tuesday morning Paul called turkeys for his dad and Karen.  They heard some gobbles and two hens came near, but no males responded so they were unable to fill their turkey tags this year.

Last night was so stinkin' hot...so we had a family water fight.  Because of the viciousness of our family -- hoses and buckets are used to drown the "enemy" and not everyone walks away happy...but within a few minutes all is forgiven and we try it all again as the cycle continues.  After the water fight I grabbed a bucket and sponges and washed my truck again.  Lastly we went out to one of our hunting properties for a food plot check until dark.

Hope you all have been enjoying the "get outside weather" we have been having!

Happy Birthday Skyler!

Friday night found us staying at another cabin before turkey hunting Sat am.  What a fun night!!  Just as I was falling asleep I heard a mouse scavenging around.  The mouse which I named "Fievel" (the adorable mouse on An American Tail") was struggling with all he had to emerge from a garbage can which he had fallen into.  Paul was kind enough to carry Fievel outside and release him back into the wild where he belonged.  However, it was quickly clear to us that Fievel's Mama and Papa were still bunked in the cabin with us -- which is where they stayed for the night. 

We had an awesome morning hunt with lots of belly crawling and sneakin' up close to birds (which is now my favorite way to hunt turkeys).  Between the sneaking' and Paul's callin' we had more birds in range than either of us ever had in one hunt.  We were both satisfied with the birds we have already gotten so, although I would still like to get a double with Paul, we really just got to enjoy the shows the turkeys put on that morning.

Monday was Skyler's birthday -- and it just happened to be ANOTHER day off school.  So I decided to take the day off to spend with my little girl as she turned 11.  Her best friend spent the night Sunday night and we all decided that we wanted to go to the zoo on Monday morning.  I am glad that Skyler still loves to make it out to the zoo even though I used to take her at least a dozen times a year when she was little -- she never got burned out on it.  Skyler's favorite animals are the goats at the petting zoo.  She had one favorite that she would have took home with us if she could.  Just a warning -- the pig they now have at the petting zoo is some kind of freakazoid who tries to attack you if you reach for it.  And if you think pigs are slow, I invite you to try and pet him -- he can make a vertical leap that would put most basketball players to shame.  After he tried to attack both me and Skyler we decided to leave him be (but I did get a quick pic prior to the attack).  It is hard to believe that 11 years have passed since that great day when Skyler was born...it is even harder to believe we ever lived without her.  Happy birthday Sky!

Monday night we went on a family mushroom hunt and were rewarded with quite a loot of mushrooms.  I was having fun taking pictures of different flowers and mushrooms along the way.

On Wednesday morning Paul and I wanted one last morning hunt in the timber together.  Although temps that morning dropped to a very chilly 30 degrees -- we could not be swayed to stay home.  So, with having fun being our only goal, we set out in the dark and propped ourselves up next to a dead fall.  We heard some turkeys and Paul had fun talkin' to 'em with his calls.  It was a short hunt because again we needed to make it into work on time -- but it was fun all the same.  Just a great morning to be alive.

We have been busy with Skyler's softball practices.  She is now beginning to pitch and has caught on incredibly fast.  We have been practicing with her in the back yard and her accuracy and speed are increasing daily.  I really think it may end up being her niche.  And although they like her to play first base because of her great ball handling and quick thinking -- we also are in need of some good backup pitching and Skyler is more than excited about it.  We will have to see how things work out cuz she is up against girls who have been pitching for a couple years now -- rather than her couple of weeks.  Hope you all are enjoying as much outdoor time as we have...spring is one of my favorite times of year -- if only I could deer hunt in the spring it would be my all time favorite time of year, hands down!

Trees, Floods, Gardens, Birthdays, Deerstands and Peoria mean another week in our life!

I haven't posted in a while -- we have been super busy around here.  I can't even remember all that we have done but some highlights include LOTS of timber time, like usual.  Yesterday Paul and I got one of Skyler's big deer stands put up after clearing LOTS of brush in the days prior to that.  Late last night we went back to the timbers to scope out the neighborhood turkeys for Skyler's upcoming youth season which begins Saturday.  We have our eye on four big toms!  Here is a picture of Skyler from this past week.  She found milkweed that still had all its cottony seeds and she was blowing the little seeds from her hand.

Skyler and Fran packing trees.

Last weekend, after a great 4-H meeting on Saturday, Skyler and I met up with our friends Ali and Fran on Sunday and packed trees for the Living Lands and Waters One Million Trees campaign.  Their goal is to give away and assure one million trees are planted within ten years through their organization.  It was a great time for a great cause.  It is awesome to know that we were a part of something that will affect our earth for possibly hundreds of years.  Although hunters are not usually thought of as "environmentalists" and that word actually holds some negative connotations even for me...we love to conserve our environment in many ways including our intense home recycling, not being wasteful with our natural resources, planting of trees (we have planted hundreds in our little lives), never polluting (burning plastic,etc.) or leaving trash where we shouldn't.  And one major way to use our natural resources is using animals by huntin' 'em and eatin' 'em...so I guess you can call us some of the few Hunting Conservationists --- ewww, I still don't like that word.

Skyler loading trees up.

On Friday we kept Skyler out of school and both took a day off of work to head down to Peoria for the Deer Classic.  We always love taking little trips as a family and this one is fun because it is all centered around hunting -- the major focus of our lives.  They have just about every hunting item you can imagine with hundreds of booths.  We never spend a ton of money -- but a little leaves our hands in exchange for hunting shirts and calls that will be used 'til they fall apart -- probably sooner rather than later with our heavy use!

This weekend Skyler also helped me begin planting our garden.  It is always SOO exciting to get the garden going.  This is an extension of our hunting because we love to provide as much for ourselves as possible.  So we can't wait until we can begin harvesting to add to our family meals.

Yesterday Skyler and I volunteered along with her friend Gabbie to fill sandbags in Davenport.  Although the record-making flooding that was expected a few days ago has been downgraded...there is still a 25% chance the flooding will be the worst ever here so we decided to do our part.  We like to encourage Skyler to volunteer and this was just another way to do that with her.  We are in this photo toward the bottom left.

We had two birthday parties this weekend which were both super fun.  At both parties we got to spend time with some of our favorite people that are like second families to us.  So happy birthday Walt -- you and your family are an inspiration!!  And a happy 1st birthday to little beautiful Ella -- what a great time!  I hope you all enjoyed your week!

Little Ella opening her gifts.

Skyler's Duct Tape Creations, etc.

Skyler has been busy creating duct tape crafts.  In fact, she has started her own little business...she made a flyer which she has posted at school promoting her products (requiring prepayment before she gives them their order.)  Here she is holding some of her projects.  She makes bags, wallets, signs, bracelets, necklaces -- you name it and she will probably make it.  There is something strange about your daughter coming home from school with a pile of money ($17 the other night), but I don't want to quash her entrepreneur spirit so I'm just letting it ride.

We have had a great week.  Although Paul and I were supposed to be on a hog hunt in Michigan with friends this week -- we decided we needed to sit that hunt out.  So instead we took two days off work this week as a special treat to ourselves...so that we could work outside together.  We worked outside like crazy people for about 17 hours in just two days.  Hard work together has always been "our thing" and we still love doin' it.  Some people take days off to head to a normal vacation of sorts -- but our vacation is fulfilled just by being together.  :)  Now we can go back to our normal jobs and let our muscles heal.

Skyler and I went antler hunting after work one night this week -- and although we didn't find any antlers, we did come across a carcass of a horse.  Skyler is holding the skull in this picture.

We also took a class with some friends at the QC Animal Shelter in Coal Valley/Moline to train us to be official volunteers.  This is a picture of Skyler and her friend Fran in the "cat room."  Now we can volunteer at the shelter any time we like -- helping to take care of the cats and dogs that are there before they are adopted out.

Skyler had another 4H Animal Discovery Club meeting on Monday night and made an animal first aid kit -- now if Shadow gets hurt she will know just what to do!  While she was at her meeting I got to run with my friend Renee again for about an hour.  So glad the weather is nice again so we can hit the pavement together!

We of course spent time out in the timber as is usual for us.  We are still busy getting things ready for this fall when hunting season starts back up again.  If hard work alone meant shooting big bucks -- we would get our fill every year.  Unfortunately, luck plays a big part.  But when we do get those opportunities at nice deer, we can always rest assured that we did our best to earn them which makes every deer so much more special to us.  So here are a couple of pictures of Paul and I with Skyler out in the woods last night (I can't believe how big Skyler is getting).  Hope you all are having a great week!

Antler Hunting? It is ON!

Have you ever tried your hand at antler hunting?  For us it goes hand-in-hand with the enjoyment we attain from bow or rifle hunting.  Paul has been antler hunting forever and got me hooked MANY moons ago.  It used to be that pretty much no one else searched for antlers so it was another time we had the timbers to ourselves...but like everything else, times have changed.  It has now become a very popular past-time so we are encouraged to hit the timbers as early as possible to try and find antlers on properties we have permission to walk before trespassers get 'em first.

Last night after work was our first day of the year that we went hiking in the timber mainly with the purpose of antler hunting.  The snow is melted in many areas (other than timbered and north facing hillsides) and it was BEAUTIFUL outside (60 degrees).  It felt so good to walk with grass (and mud) under our feet rather than the crunchy snow we have become so accustomed to.

Skyler didn't find any antlers, but she did find an arrow which had apparently been shot by a poacher/trespasser on a property we have sole rights to hunt.  Luckily this arrow appears to have missed its target -- a deer no doubt.  An incredibly frustrating find, but it will just make us ever more vigilant in our stance against trespassers.



Antler #1 for the year!!

 On to better things...I was lucky enough to find the family's first antler this year!!  It is a pretty fresh antler, however, the tips had already been somewhat chewed by squirrels, darn it.  This kind of thing never gets old for me...I LOVE hunting for shed antlers and still run like a madwoman each and every time I spy one.

I also wanted to post a picture of this cool birdhouse Paul made when the weather was nasty and we were stuck inside.  I wish I was handy and could make whatever I set my mind to like Paul can!!  This house will hopefully hold the nest of either a Chickadee (Paul's favorite bird) or Tufted Tit-Mouse (one of my favorite birds) this spring.  Paul is so great at taking care of his songbirds all year.  We all enjoy watching the huge assortment of birds that frequent our bird feeding station and we each have our favorites.

Coyotes and Snowballs on a Saturday and an early Valentine's Day

 

Paul and his friend Aaron went coyote hunting today after meeting up with another buddy down in Mercer County.  They were able to get two coyotes right off the bat (1 for Paul and 1 for Aaron) lucky bums and then hunted a good portion of the rest of the day without even seeing one more coyote.  Unfortunately I have definitely found that is the way coyote hunting goes -- except for me I skip the whole getting one to begin the day. Congrats guys!

While Paul was gone Skyler and I got to spend the day together.  We got a bunch done that we had been putting off (got the chicken coop cleaned out for one and completely rearranged my bedroom as well), but we also got to have a vicious snowball fight -- I think I might have lost.  Skyler was holed up in her snowball fort and I was running out in the open...not a good place to be when you are up against a girl with an arm and an aim like Skyler has.  I hadn't put in my contacts yet and one snowball hit me and lodged behind my glasses -- so I only had one visible eye -- Skyler thought this was hilariously funny...I actually would have liked to see it happen in slow motion...  Skyler also got another snowman made in the front yard -- but his head already fell off...a sign the snow was melting quickly today.

Skyler tucked down in her fort attacking me!

We were both soaked by the time we decided to go in and then we made some homemade hot cocoa.  I haven't made hot cocoa from scratch for a LONG time -- so it was fun to sip on together.

Skyler wanted to give me my Valentine's Day present early -- and since I love getting presents I quickly obliged.  Skyler came in with this beautiful pillow that she had made all by herself.  [The other night I had to go grocery shopping and she decided to stay home -- now I know why.]  She cut out the material, stuffed and sewed it on the sewing machine with a zig-zag stitch.  She also made me a sweet little card...a present I will always treasure -- one from the heart.  Thanks Sweet Pea!

Here's wishin' you all an early Happy Valentine's Day!

Snow Day!

So we ended up with somewhere between 17 and 22 inches of snow (depending on who ya listen to)...It was hard to measure because of the intense winds which blew the snow into some 5 foot high snowdrifts -- most of which were in our driveway it would seem.

Skyler did not have school for the second day in a row (and school is cancelled for tomorrow, a bit of overkill at this point) but that meant that we got to spend almost the entire day out in the white stuff.  We started at about 7 this morning clearing our driveway, decks and paths and shoveling the chicken coop all of which took us about 3 hours armed with only our shovels and Paul's snowblower.  We then had some time to play with Skyler. we had intended on sledding, but SOMEONE forgot the sled out in the yard from our last sledding expedition and after Skyler and I trudged around for quite some time hoping to find it with our feet -- we gave up.  We worked a bit on a fort and Skyler made snow angels.

We just generally had fun playin' around.  After shoveling our driveway, we only had three other driveways to shovel for other people -- we were glad that the usual fourth was taken care of by someone else before we arrived.  All of the driveways we shoveled had snowdrifts just about as tall as me!!  So needless to say we spent more time than we would have liked clearing that out.  So now that the sun has set we are gonna hang out and relax!

Hope you all had fun during your snow day too!

Weekend Update

Skyler was very particular while lining up her fish -- each one had to face a certain direction and the ones you see out of line -- well they did that themselves -- she was having trouble keeping up with their flopping --
NO FISH WERE HURT IN THIS DAY OF FISHIN' OR THIS PICTURE TAKING...
well, not too many anyway.

Skyler beside the trophy of fish for the day!

We had another spectacular weekend filled with family-time galore.  Saturday we decided to go ice fishing as a family and spent some 6 hours doin' just that -- the last couple hours Paul's dad and his wife Karen joined us as well.  Now, when I say ice fishing.....I mean ice fishing.  We are sitting out in the open on a lake on a bucket or lawn chair with a bunch of wax worms in our pocket -- like everything else -- we do it the old-fashioned way.  We started out with 72 wax worms and caught 172 fish (yep, I typed that right...172) -- Skyler counted every single one.  We had a blast -- we were catching them about as quick as we could pull them in!  It took us about three hours to clean all those little guys but it was well worth it and now we will have many meals of Bluegill in the Grissoms' eatin' future.  While we were cleaning fish, Skyler was dissecting what was left of several fish after the meat had been removed.  It was actually very interesting to dissect them and I think she learned a few new things. 

Sunday I met up with my friend Ali in the early morning and we went on a butt-busting hike through timber and grasslands for about an hour.  I love that she is always willing to spend time outdoors with me -- no matter what the reason!!  After I returned home Paul and I made another trek out to our property that we bow hunt and hiked and planned for several hours -- just an awesome time to be outside getting great exercise and planning some more for next year's hunting and deer stand placement changes.  Poor Skyler was down with a cold but still was a trooper all weekend.  Can't wait until next weekend!!  After work tonight I trekked with Skyler back into Milan where she and a friend are participating in a 4H weekly project series.  She is working on some very crafty items and I will have to post some pictures of her projects once they are completed.

Hope you all had a great weekend too!