Category Archives: family

Respect the Turkey: The Menu

Because we’re not all perfect…

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Because sometimes your two-year old doesn’t want to hold Daddy’s hand…

Because sometimes Daddy thinks it’s funny to stick his cold hand down the back of Mommy’s pants…

{Newsflash…it’s not that funny.}

And because sometimes Daddy is just done…

We did in fact get a great photo. And no you can’t see it…yet. It was actually the very first photo we took. Shhh…don’t tell Andy. He hates doing things like this. All in all he was a pretty good sport.

And that’s all you get for now…

Really Kid? REALLY!?

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I’m pretty sure that compared to Auntie Kristen, I’m nothing but chopped liver. I’ve always had the slight suspicion, but now? I have photographic evidence.

I mean, just look how sweetly Ry is smiling while sitting on her Auntie’s lap…

And I get this…

I mean come on…really kid!? Is it really that bad sitting on your mama’s lap? I gave birth to you…the least you could do is smile.

Turns out, not even empty threats work on a two year old.

It’s ok though. I’m not holding it against her. If I were her, I’d probably do the same thing. All of her aunties are pretty dang awesome.
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Do you feel bad for me? You should. You know what would make me feel better? If you took a few seconds to spare a couple of clicks for me. Thanks in advance…I’m feeling better already!

A Father’s Pride

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Friends, I am giving you this disclaimer right now…this post involves a photo of a dead deer. I have debated even writing this post, but I hunt. It’s how I was raised. It’s what I do. It’s such a part of who I am. We don’t hunt just to kill animals. We eat the meat. We use as much of the meat as possible. So, there…you have been warned. Feel free to close your browser now. If you keep reading and you get offended, I don’t want to hear about it.

Moving on…

2 for 2. As my dad said…a one shot wonder. After hunting for nearly 12 years with my dad and never taking a shot, I took my first deer. What a rush. My heart was pounding more than I had ever felt before. I could hear my heart beating wildly and, to be honest, I was surprised the deer at the other side of the clear-cut unit couldn’t. I rested my gun on a branch of a dead tree, took a deep breath and pulled the trigger. My dad shot 1 second after I did. The deer dropped. I had taken my first deer. That was in 2008.

In 2009 I bought an archery tag and hunted a total of 2 days. No luck.

This year, I bought a rifle tag again. My dad and sister had plans to go out and they invited me to come along. I hadn’t planned on it, but Andy encouraged me to go. After driving some roads and stopping to glass a few units and even hunting one, we had only seen a few doe. It was starting to get late in the day, so we figured only had one more shot for any sort of successful push. The plan was to head up to the orchard. The apples were dropping and there was sure to be a deer or two in there. Well, we never made it that far. On the way to the orchard we passed this clear cut unit. We stopped to glass it and saw this buck. Since dad was driving and Kristen was in the back seat I got out of the truck and chambered a round. As I pulled up to see the deer through my scope a doe came walking up behind it. So I waited. And waited. And waited some more. They weren’t in any hurry. I started to get antsy. Dad calmed me down telling me he didn’t seem to be going anywhere. As soon as the doe moved out of the way I took a deep breath and squeezed the trigger.

This time, it was all up to me. Dad was still in the truck. There was no back-up shot.

It was all me.

I looked up, the deer dropped.

2 for 2.

Celebration ensued. High 5’s all around.

And then the real work began…

A Father and His Daughter.

{I love this photo of us even more than the one taken on my wedding day!}

The look of pride.

{Now, quick, blow this photo up by clicking on it and just LOOK at the pride in my dad’s face. I can’t help but smile every single time I see his face.}

My monster buck.

{Ok, not quite a bruiser, but I’m still proud of it. And, as you saw by my dad’s face, he was too! I mean, come on…look at that shot!}

The hike to the buck.

{I think my dad is part mountain goat. I may also just be really out of shape.}

Now the real work begins.

{Yes, it really was that steep!}

A dad and his two favorite hunting partners.

{and me with my two favorite hunting partners.}

There’s Always a Silver Lining

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Today, September 27, 2010 marks the one-year anniversary of the phone call that kicked off the single worst, hardest year of mine and Andy’s lives. A year that was filled with the stress of money, the possibility of losing our home, putting family additions on hold, death of very close family members and a chronically sick child. To call the year “hard” would be making a vast understatement. However, instead of reflecting on the last year in a negative way and dwelling on the why’s and what if’s, I thought I’d take a minute to reflect on the blessings in my life and be thankful for them…it is after all, Rule #2.

I am blessed with an amazing husband and a happy marriage. This year we celebrated our 5th anniversary and in his anniversary card I wrote this: “When life becomes a little too much for me to handle I think God must either hate me or He’s got some sick sense of humor. Then you come up next to me and squeeze my hand and I realize neither of those things are true because if they were, God would not have given me you.” This may sound so cheese-ball, but you guys? It is so true. I am so blessed to have him next to me as my best friend and partner in life. He works so hard for our family and wants nothing more than our happiness and well being. His selflessness never ceases to amaze me. In the face of adversity, a lot of marriages may falter, ours on the contrary has thrived and we are just as happy if not happier today than we were 1 year and 1 day ago.

I am blessed with a sweet, thoughtful, happy kid. Even through her 2 (or 3, I lost count) bouts of pneumonia, RSV, croup and the flu, my sweet little monster was never unhappy. Don’t get me wrong, we have our share of battles, she is 2 after all. But all in all, I couldn’t have a better kid. She dishes out hugs and loves like a drill sergeant dishes out commands. She has a great sense of humor. She says please and thank you. She’s potty trained. She knows cool toddler tricks and doesn’t mind sharing them: Who’s the monster. Chuckie Rylee. Singing the ABC’s. Counting to 15. Her laugh is contagious. She gives me lots of content for this here blog.

In a time where it seems like a job is hard to come by, Andy and I are both blessed to have good jobs. Putting food on the table. A roof over our heads. Gas in our cars. I feel like this is self explanatory.

I am blessed to be surrounded by such an amazing family. I happen to think my family is the cat’s jammies…drama and all. My dad, my mom, her husband, my brother and my 3 sisters. I find myself happiest when I am surrounded by these people (just not necessarily all at the same time, haha).

We are blessed with a reliable vehicle. While the circumstances surrounding us getting our new car really suck, Grandma and Grandpa Rice leaving us their 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee with only 6,000 miles on it gives us such peace of mind. There is absolutely no way we would be able to afford a car payment right now, so us having a nearly brand new car that is safe and reliable for Rylee means the world. Grandma Rice was always thinking of others; right up until the very last minute.

I am blessed with great friends. I consider my 2 older sisters to be two of my very best friends. I also have a friend that I have known just as long as I have known my sisters. My life? Would not be complete without any of them.

I know there are many other blessings in my life. Too many to list but I figured this is a good place to start. What do you consider to be blessings in your life? Do you take the time to be thankful for them?

Somewhere In The Middle

Mostly Average Accounts of the World's Okayest Mom.