Katherine and the Moose

Katherine drew a coveted moose tag this year.  If any of my girls are hunters, it is Katherine.  She is in it for the long haul.  When she found out she had the tag, she was on the treadmill and bike every day, even giving up sweets so she would be fit enough to hike after any moose that was spotted.

We have seen a couple respectable moose in the area in years past, so she knew she wouldn't have to settle for the first bull she encountered.  A week prior to the season opener we saw one that would have made any hunter drool.  At that moment Kath decided she was going to hold out in anticipation of crossing paths with that animal.  She passed up smaller moose after smaller moose, only seeing one that she decided if he was still around at the end of the season, she'd shoot it.  More than one person stated that she was going to eat her tag, not harvesting anything.  Last Sunday we were headed to a favorite scouting spot when we saw Gabe.  He had a moose spotted and thought perhaps Kath would take this one.  Sure enough, Kath decided she wanted to try and sneak up on it with Daddy.  They ended up getting within 40 yards and Kath made her shots count.

Congratulations Kath!  Not many 15-year-olds have this opportunity!

Kath immediately had  her tag and harvest kit out,

ready to collect the samples necessary to send to FWP.

Kath and her proud Daddy ~

You are loved, Katherine!  

    

The Geography Fair

Back in August our home school newsletter advertised a geography fair to be held mid-November. This seemed like a fun project to do with the kids and I had plenty of time so I signed up.
Two months passed and we had done absolutely nothing.  Zip. Zilch.  We had chosen our states and thought about doing some research, but other than that we had yet to even begin.  Since it had seemed genius to ask some fellow home schoolers to join us in this project, there was really no backing out at that point.  

We spent a couple intense days reading and putting all the information together, but the projects turned out pretty darn well if I do say so myself.  We learned a lot about a few states that we knew relatively little about, so I'm going to consider it a schooling success, despite it not really flowing as I had planned.

Thank you for sticking it out Eric, Isaiah, Joshie, Lukas, Annika and Adria!

Eric and Isaiah 

Joshie and Lukas 

Annika & Adria 

My Daughter, the Wreck

As a preface, I'm teasing you, Michaela!

Michaela has had her share of accidents the past years.  Among little sprains and tweaks, she broke her wrist playing basketball, followed by tearing her ACL a couple years later, again while playing basketball.  When she called me a couple weeks ago stating she had hurt her knee during PT, but that it didn't hurt too bad I advised her to wait til Monday and we'd decide what to do at that point if her knee didn't seem any better.    

As it turns out, she tore the ACL in her opposite knee.  Yep, she was playing basketball at the time the injury occurred.  No more basketball for her.  Ever.  She will have it repaired December 5th, but she is benched for ski season again.  Darn it.  

This injury didn't deter her from hunting before we realized the extent of her injury.  Katherine and Shannon spotted a buck on a nearby hill, and Kath determined that Michaela should shoot it since she had a tag, damn the torpedoes.  Shannon, Eric, Katherine and Michaela headed out to try and sneak up on this deer, complicated by the fact that Michaela was on crutches.  Try being covert with two metal sticks, pegging up a hill!  They made it to the top, then Shannon and Michaela crawled the last yards for a decent shot.  I'm not sure who was more excited, Katherine and Eric, Daddy or Michaela! I do love that my kiddos truly celebrate in one another's joy.  Oh sure, there are those twinges of jealousy, but overall they are happy for one another.

As a side-note, my darling daughter, never, ever marry someone who is as accident prone as you are. Your poor children would be doomed ~:o)  

Congratulations ~ and way to tough it out!

      

Happy Birthday to Maximo ~

You're so special,
Oh so special,
God gave you to us!
It's no wonder that we love you so!

Wow ~ what a year!  In the days preceding Max's birthday, Shannon and I would recall what we were doing a year ago: the uncertainty, the fear (for me at least), the doctor's appointments, then finally his arrival.  It was a crazy time to be sure, but now, a year later it often seems as though it was all a bad dream.

Everything the doctors cautioned us about has proven to be wrong.  I do love Max's physical therapy appointments.  They are proactive therapy, but it has been fun watching his therapist work with him. I haven't enjoyed all the doctor's visits since Max's birth, but we wanted to ensure we caught any issues that would possibly arise as soon as possible.  Now  that he is a year ~ YIPPEE ~ we can bag the neurologist and frequent checkups!

Max, you have added so much to our life!  Your brothers and sisters adore you, your bright smile and crooked crawl, racing towards a sibling erases any annoyance.  You think Dom and Nickles are rock stars.....Nickles especially, for some crazy reason.  You have Katherine and Annika wrapped around those tiny fingers and we haven't even begun to talk about Daddy.  You simply like to be next to him: building a fire, getting a back rub, watching a movie, telling a hunting story.  Of all the toys laying around, your favorite is the tv remote.  Really?!? The buttons don't even make noise.

We love you, Max, and cannot wait to see what the future holds for you!

Love,
Mom

I've known you forever ~

Ahhh, the days when Max would just snooze on the counter while I made dinner ~

Playin' the piano with his brother ~

"Awesome ~  Someone left the chess board out!"

"and I just polished off some more dirt from one of Mom's plants"

Say cheese!

Max loved everyone singing to him ~

 "May the dear Lord bless you......"

He wasn't quite sure what to think about the monkey-in-the-box!

Now I'm one!

            

October Funnies

This month has been a bit of a downer.  The days are shorter, as well as my temper.  School for all the kiddos, including Michaela, has been stressful.
Suffice to say, funny has been difficult to find lately.  I did take a slow week in the education department and cleaned out several closets and the storage room.  That definitely lifted my spirits, although Shannon wasn't so certain!

But for what it's worth, here are a few funnies...and they're all Nickles.  The rest of the kiddos were avoiding me like the plague ~:o(


We have developed a bad habit of using the word hate.  So, a rule was made that whoever used the word would receive a spoon of Tabasco.  Nickles was the first to test the rule when, in the middle of being punished for something else, informed me that he hated me.  After a little dose of hot sauce, he decided he liked me again.  Not five minutes later I was dishing up soup for lunch when Nickles pipes up, "Oh yuck!  I weally, weally hate that soup!"

As I calmly turned to reach for the Tabasco, he exclaimed, "No! I weally, weally love this soup! It is so yum!"

Quick learner, that kid.

Nicholas is the self appointed executive officer in he family.  We'll be eating dinner and Shannon will ask someone to pass him a food item.  Nickles will bark from his corner next to Daddy, "Eric! Pass Dad the potatoes!"  

Shannon was calling everyone in for bedtime prayers last night. Nickles walks into a bedroom and sharply informed Dom that it was prayers. Get in the living room.  And make it snappy.  

When Shannon asked Nickles if he was the ex-o, he replied, "Yep, I am."  

He takes his job very seriously, ensuring everyone knows where they're supposed to be and when. I cannot believe a four-year-old has taken control of our household.

Nicholas, (again) "Dad, womens don't eat people."
Daddy disagreed

Even the doll sleeps with one eye open with this kid!

Maximo and his trail of destruction ~

This was funny.  Hilarious actually.  

Nickles was complaining that Daddy said he looked like a q-tip 

because his hair was so long and fuzzy. 

"Please cut my hair, Mommy." 

It was the middle of the school day and after what seemed to be the 

millionth time of him asking for a haircut I snapped.  

"Take care of it yourself, Nickles.  Mommy doesn't have time right now."

So he did.  

Ta-da!

That was one way to get Mom to cut his hair quick, fast, 

and before child social services showed up!

Shortly after this picture was taken Dominic joined Nickles in the

pumpkin crates in search of some decent pumpkins.  The two boys began heaping 

the bad pumpkins in a pile, scavenging for the perfect ones.  

I tried to hurry them along before we were kicked out of Walmart.

That would be the ultimate in humiliation....being asked to leave Walmart.  

~ Cheers to a more peaceful November ~