#9 - 30 Days of Thankfulness (Family)

#9 - I am very thankful that I grew up in a family and with parents who didn't indulge me.  We never had a lot, but we had enough.  Although we didn't go on fancy vacations, once a year we would drive up to northern Minnesota where I was born, to visit my grandparents and aunts and uncles.  All those nights spent sleeping on grandma's floor are nights I wouldn't trade for the best Disney trip ever.  And the nights spent camping along the way were always so much fun!  And although I never had or wore the latest fashions, I learned to make do with what I did have.  Although I never had a Cabbage Patch Doll (not that I didn't want one -- since all my friends in grade school seemed to have several), I had my cat named Snickers who my dad found as a kitten wandering down by the river where he was fishing. In fact, I learned at a young age that I needed to earn things on my own which started my perpetual desire to do well for those who were willing to employ me.  I started babysitting at about 11 years old, I detasseled corn when I was 14, walking corn row after corn row during the hot summer (a very tough job for a young girl who barely made the height requirements, I could barely reach the tassel -- I must have gotten in the slave group -- cuz we had no tractor, like some people had).  I got a work permit as soon as they would hand me one and started working at HyVee before I was old enough to drive a car.  As soon as I turned 16 I began working as many hours as I could at the law firm where I am still employed today while still earning straight A's my senior year of high school.  I saved half of every paycheck I ever received so that I could go to college. 
So, mom and dad, thanks for not indulging me -- I wouldn't have it any other way.

#8 - Thankfulness Challenge (Friends)

There is a 30 Days of Thankfulness Challenge going on at The Story Matters
#8 - I am thankful for friends.  Now I like to just "hang out" occassionally, but I am not the girl who likes to go shopping or go get my hair or nails done with friends, etc. --  also, I tend to be a bit quiet and reserved and not the best at holding up my end of the conversation.  So...what I REALLY love are my friends that I DO things with...so to all my friends who: (you know who you are) run with me, walk with me, hike with me, hunt with me, work with me, fish with me, create/make crafts with me, take pictures with me, share activites with our kids together, pick berries with me, shoot rifles, guns or bows with me, camp with me, go to concerts with me...I am thankful for all of you today!! 

Just so happens Megan and I went out hunting together again on Friday night which was opening night of coon season.  All you see is a picture of 2 girls with 4 coons -- but we have the memories of how we got 'em and the incredible laughs getting there...now that is my kind of night, thanks Megan! 

Also I got to run a race on deer trails and across creeks through Scott County Park on Sunday with my friend Amy.  We got to swing across creeks with rope swings, we got to scale the side of a steep mini mountain (yep, they have 'em) with a rope and we also got to wade through creeks and try to make our way up the mud on the other side.  This is the first race I have had to duct tape my shoes on so that they didn't get sucked off in the mud in the bottom of the creek.  I saw more people wallowing around in mud trying to get back up from falling than I have seen in my entire life -- it was hilarious!  6 miles and a lot of laughs later -- we crossed the finish line, thanks Amy for a great race!  And last weekend I got to run a 5K with my friends Jan, Bonnie and Debbie.  Congrats to both Jan and Debbie on completing their first race!

#7 - 30 Days of Thankfulness (Running)

There is a 30 Days of Thankfulness Challenge going on at The Story Matters blog. 

#7 - I am thankful that I have discovered I have a love for running.  I wish I devoted MORE time to it, but I have to keep a balance of everything in my life so I just get out when I can.  I love how much better I feel since that first time I decided to run about 1 1/2 years ago.  This is a picture of me runnig the Bix for the first time this summer -- nope I'm not that 1/2 naked guy on the right...  :)

#6 - 30 Days of Thankfulness (Health)

There is a 30 Days of Thankfulness Challenge going on at The Story Matters blog. 
#6 - I am so thankful for my health and the health of my family (I know - kinda creepy pic, but does anyone put much thought into everything that goes on inside our bodies every second??  It is all very amazing).  The fact that we are able to do all of the things we do without difficulty (hike, run, climb trees, drag deer, haul firewood, wrestle, etc.) -- the fact that we have no huge medical issues are all things I do regularly feel thankful for.

#5 - 30 Days of Thankfulness (A Good Laugh)

There is a 30 Days of Thankfulness Challenge going on at The Story Matters blog. 
#5 - Ok, enough with the sappy things I am thankful for (at least for today).  I am thankful for a GOOD LAUGH...which means I am thankful for one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE MOVIES........The Hangover!  Some of the lines from the movie that can just make me crack up even if I am just walking through the grocery isle and they come to mind are:  "Am I missing a tooth?" "No, it's a satchel"  "I tend to think of myself as a one-man wolfpack." "RehTARD."  Ok, ok - enough of that - I have myself laughing over here thinking of these...

#4 - 30 Days of Thankfulness (Paul)

There is a 30 Days of Thankfulness Challenge going on at The Story Matters blog. 
#4 - I am so very thankful for my wonderful husband, Paul.  I love that after more than 21 years together we are still so in love with each other.  I am thankful that through every trial and tribulation we can dig throug it all to find solace in each other.  There is a peace inside when you know that you are safe in your husband's arms.  The term "soul mate" is used loosely in society today -- but I know I have found mine.  I love how we laugh together.  I love that no one on the outside truly knows how deep our relationship is on the inside -- it makes it more personal and ours alone.  I love that Paul would do anything I ask -- even when I don't ask -- even something like my simply mentioning that an area might be a good spot for a deer stand -- I better watch out cuz he will have one hung before the day is through.  The fact that I never quite know the next thing that is going to come out of his mouth makes life interesting.  I love that Paul warms the bed up at night before I crawl in and that he lets me snuggle up and suck every ounce of heat from his body.  I love how he is always freezing in the morning and I am hot and running around in a tank top so I get to warm him up to make up for taking his heat the night before.  I love that our differences make our relationship whole.  I am also thankful for Paul because he is such a wonderful dad to Skyler.  There is something about watching them interact in such a positive way that melts my heart.   Paul may be many things to many people, but when when the door closes and it is just he and I -- I love that I get to love the Paul only I know -- Thank you Paul for being you.

# 1, #2 and #3 - 30 Days of Thankfulness

There is a 30 Days of Thankfulness Challenge going on at The Story Matters blog.  The challenge asks that you list one item a day that you are thankful for and post it along with a corresponding photo.  I have decided to participate as I like this sort of thing -- and believe that nothing bad can come from being thankful for all I am blessed with.  Since I started a little late -- I have to get caught up by listing 3 things in this first post.  I am starting with the most obvious and important things.  After this I may jump around on the importance scale...

So for #1 -- and the piece of my life I am most thankful for is the fact that God is the leader of our family.  Our family has an inner desire to follow God's path for our life -- we stumble -- and we certainly don't always live the way we should...but it doesn't change the fact that when the day is done we bow our heads and say a prayer of thanks that God allowed us to have another day trying our best.

# 2 -- I am obviously thankful for our family.  I love that we love to have fun together and we love to be together.  Spending time together is not a chore or a requirement we fill because we have to -- we choose to be together whether it is a day in the timber or running to the grocery store.  I am so thankful that in this life I was given the two most wonderful people to spend my days with...

#3 -- I am eternally thankful for Skyler.  Why I was blessed with such a wonderful daughter, I will never know.  The way she makes me laugh and the way she makes me look at life from a different perspective is a treasure in itself.  I look forward to our time together each and every day.  Her love of the timber, animals and life are contageous.  She has even started to help me out in the "style" department -- which an old mom can always use  :)  She is the daughter I always hoped for.  Joy is the word I think of when I think of Skyler -- she has added more to my life than I could have ever thought possible.

Dresser Makeover



Here is the old original 30-something-year-old dresser

Here is the new and improved version....

My mom and dad bought this dresser for me when I was 6 years old (EEE GADS!! that means more than 30 years ago!!)  I have continued to use it in one form another this entire time.  But lately I have considered painting the ole thing.  Finally, when I got an unexpected day off on Friday (and after hunting that morning -- saw 5 deer, 4 bucks, 1 ABSOLUTE shooter who wouldn't come in any closer than 40 yards...), I couldn't hold back any longer.  I used Valspar indoor/outdoor ivory spray paint.  I taped off the top and kept it in its original condition.  I would like new hardware -- but don't have any yet -- so I just returned the original hardware for now.  What do you think...a little better?  I am happy with it for my first try at this sort of thing -- I think I am hooked on painting furniture...

Possibly Linking to


Tater Tots and Jello, Funky Junk Interiors, Sunday Showcase at Under the Table and Dreaming, It's So Very Cheri, Trash to Treasure, Someday Crafts, Fireflies & Jellybeans, Suzy's Artsy Crafty Sitcom

Yearly Family "Christmas" Pictures

We had so much fun yesterday taking our yearly family "Christmas" photos.  I have had my eye on this barn all year -- and  I told Paul that when the leaves started to change I would like to get some pictures there -- well months passed, the leaves had changed and we just happened to have a very warm afternoon which wasn't ideal to bow hunt -- so off we went.  I anticipate that at least one of these shots will be on the Grissom Christmas card this year.  This picture of the three of us laying down is one of my favorites of the day.

I got a lot of my inspiration for shots from the very VERY talented local photographer Megan Klauer -- her camera work is superb and I LOVE her photo style. Go check her out!!

Skyler's First Antlered Buck

Skyler got her first antlered buck on Saturday evening during the Illinois Youth Season.  She shot him with her muzzleloader -- one perfect shot!!  If you would like to read the whole story of her hunt, just go to the Grissoms' Garage blog HERE.