Why is it fun to play with fire???

We worked all weekend in the yard. When you have a bazillion trees, you have a bazillion leaves times 1000!!! It was fun though! The boys helped and we got it all done. We had about 13 fire piles like the one above. For some reason, tending to the fire and watching it burn away is relaxing to me. I don't know why, but I really enjoyed it. Now we are ready to kill the weeds, fertilize what little grass we have and build up a place for our garden! Whoo hoo! I can't wait!

It was really a good week, despite the fact that Jax was home sick three days and Camo had diarrhea in the middle of the night for three whole nights. Jax had whatever Chris and Brooks had a few days before and Camo was sick because he helped himself to the "Super Bowl Party Buffet" while we weren't looking! It was bad, bad, bad, but he has his CRAP together now! :)

My sweet boys got me an Ipad for my birthday. I really didn't know I wanted one, but Chris thought I needed one. It was a good call because it is awesome!!!

FINALLY, I found someone to do my hair!!!!!! I am so happy! After many bad colors, I am somewhat normal!!!

Last night we went out to dinner to celebrate my birthday and my friend Allison's birthday. We were introduced to Justin and Allison by the people we bought our house from. They knew we would hit it off and they set us up to meet during the handing over of keys and garage door openers. Justin and Allison actually lived in and built our house, and they remained friends with the Nelsons after they sold to them. Anyway, we hit it off and our kids hit it off. We see them a lot and it is so funny because Allison and I have the same birthday! Crazy!

Off to another good week, starting with Valentine's Day! And I love my Valentine!!!!!!

Talk about frustrating!!!!!

I worked ALL of last week on my bedroom. Chris was gone to the ATA show and I got with it. I swear I went to Lowes, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Pier One and Target every day last week! I finally found the perfect shade of orange to paint my bedroom! That is no easy task! The color ended up perfect and I love it! I will post pictures in a couple of weeks when the room is completely done.

So, I did all of that so Chris and I could go to Best Buy today and get a new tv and all the other stuff that goes along with that. We had done our research and pretty much knew what we wanted. Today, unlike other recent visits, we actually had a very helpful salesman. He helped us gather up all of our items and checked us out. Best Buy had sent me an email that had several coupons good for 6 days only. I ended up getting 10% off of a tv already on sale, 10% off of a harmony remote, 10% off of a blu-ray player, and I had a Geek squad coupon for $100.00 off of any home theater purchase. Also, the tv we wanted was out of stock, so they had to get one from the warehouse. I didn't want to pay 100.00 delivery. I told our salesman I would come pick it up when it came in. He gave me free delivery!!! He also had already taken some money off of installation before I even gave him my coupons. I was so happy and proud of my savings!!!! You know I like a deal!!!!! Chris even patted me on the back and said good job!

So, with that being said, we stroll out to the parking lot to find our truck had been broken in to. GPS and itouch gone and door jacked up! We even hid them out of sight because this isn't the first time this has happened! All of my good deals just became a wash! Dang, it is so, so, so frustrating! So wrong! At least this time the items are easily replaced and Chris didn't have his pistol in the console. Last time they stole all kinds of stuff that couldn't be replaced.

People breaking into cars in and around Houston is a HUGE problem. The police don't respond or come out for them. So lots of business' hire security for their parking lots. Best buy doesn't, nor do they have cameras in their parking lots. They do, however, have an officer inside their stores to protect THEM. Shouldn't they protect their customers too? I think so!

I am so behind!

I have been avoiding my blog because I am so behind. I am just going to suck it up and catch you up quickly. Hunting birds in Kansas was AWESOME! Christmas in Arkansas was great too! Our family hunting trip for New Years was Priceless!

Jax got the first deer. Chris gave him his gun and told him he was all on his own. He told him he would be looking through the binoculars and pull the trigger when he is ready. He made an absolute perfect shot! He was so happy! He even wanted to wipe some blood on his hat, not sure why, but he did it.

Brooks also got a doe. Chris was going to try to help Brooks hold the gun, but he changed his mind. He told him he was on his own too. Brooks shot his doe a little far back. He hit her in the gut. Thank goodness she didn't go far and laid down. He was the last to get a deer so by now he is a happy camper! And for me, well, I got my very first deer New Years Eve.

Billy, our friend that owns the ranch, had a big buck picked out for me. It was a buck that was really big, but in his prime, and they thought he would go down hill next year. He was using the same feeder every day. Billy was pretty sure I would get a chance to shoot at him. I always knew I wanted to kill my first deer with a bow, so I had been practicing. Although, nothing really prepares you for that moment. Honestly, I still don't really remember exactly what happened.

So, I watched the big buck, the evening before, walk around for about 30 minutes, but he was way too far for me to shoot. The next evening, Chris and I went back and I waited patiently. Well, kind of. I am not that patient. I had good motivation though, and I passed the time by checking facebook a little. I tried to be quiet, I am not so good at that either. I was shifting my sleeping butt when all of a sudden Chris could see him coming from an angle I couldn't. He said get your bow and pull it back NOW! I think I held it back for 3 or 4 seconds and then I saw him. I focused in on the kill zone and let my cute pink arrow, that Chris got me for Christmas, fly. Chris was going crazy, he said I nailed the shot! Then Jax, Ty and Amy got down out of the gun blind that was behind us and Ty said it looked like I shot him in the butt. WHAT??? I was worried then, and the fact that I couldn't see any blood made me second guess myself. Well, Chris informed me that the blood trail doesn't start immediately. I just didn't want to wound an animal. I was so nervous at that point. While I was trying to figure out what had just happened, Jax got right on the blood trail and we found him about 50 yards from where I shot him. I really still can't believe it happened. It was so fun. Did I mention that my husband is still on cloud 9!

Our families have so much fun together. It was such a great time! The boys can't wait to see Ty and Layne again.

Brooks and Layne. Let me just say that these two are a mess!

Thanksgiving

We had a wonderful time over Thanksgiving. Jeff, Jami, Luke, Lane, Mimi and Big Dad drove 15 3/4 hours so we could all be together. It was a little loud with 4 boys, but what do you expect?

The adults always play a little poker and now the kids want to too. They played with one card to make it easy. Too cute. Look at my children.....totally different, one naked and one wrapped in a blanket.

Waiting to roast hot dogs and make smores!

Putting up the tent. The boys only camped out one night because it turned really cold!

Mimi taking a nap with her best buddy! Ha, just kidding. She is not really the snuggle with a dog kind of type but Camo kept insisting.

Nightly poker game!

A little Frisbee to entertain them!



A little playdo to entertain them some more!

Jax and Lane helping toast the bread for the dressing! I hope I am not in trouble for the underwear pic, but it was such a cute picture. Just imagine that he is wearing shorts, okay!
A boy and his dog! Priceless!

Special Thanks!!!

Thanks to Sherry, Papa Don and Grandma Ann for coming and taking care of the boys and Camo while we went to Nashville for a couple of days. We had a WONDERFUL time. Getting to go to the CMA's was a real treat! Bev took some pictures of us, and I have been putting off this post in hopes that she would have time to send them to me. I haven't gotten them yet, so you will have to settle for the Blackberry pic taken by the security guard.

I think everyone got there fill of smores that week!!!

No squirrel is safe in our yard. They started with bb guns, then bows and now they are setting traps. Anybody know how fast squirrels reproduce??? Fast I hope!

Happy Anniversary!

I put Carrie Underwood's new song on the post below this one. I cry every time I hear it. When you have kids all you want is for them to be happy. So many people have unhappy marriages or are divorced. I know that it is a huge blessing to my parents to know that their daughter is loved, cherished and in love with her husband.

Chris is an amazing husband and wonderful father. He totally loves me! About a month ago, we were shooting bows in the back yard. One of my arrows was REALLY stuck in the target and I couldn't get it out. Chris told me to put my butt into it. So I acted silly and threw my hip into it, while I was turned around backwards (really stupid) and knocked the target over at the same time I was pulling. It turned the arrow up and toward my eye. I came within about a half inch of poking my eye out. Seriously. It was a good lesson for the boys to see. But the whole point of this is, I was crying and holding an ice pack on my eye and I asked him if he would still love me if I only had one eye. He said, " I would still love you if you didn't have either eye." I thought that was so sweet, and he really meant it. He loves me chubby or not, made up or just out of bed, bitchy or sweet, and that is a wonderful feeling! A wonderfully secure feeling! I am thankful that my boys have him as an example.

Today is my parents anniversary. So what better day to publish this song that makes me think of them. Despite their differences and their ups and downs (that we all have) they are still married and still love each other, and that is a huge blessing to me and my brother. I know our marriages are a blessing to them as well. So Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad, we love you!

If this video doesn't work here is the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpFW4Yhy08k