All Caught Up!

 As of today I am officially caught up on my blog.  Some of these are so long ago it is silly I am posting it but things I really want to remember.  The top picture is our Spuds softball team after we won the championship this year.  We have our whole team there minus Brian (who thought hunting was way more important) and Jessie (who was taking the picture and expecting two darling little girls).  We had so much fun and are looking forward to next year. 

 The next two pictures are of Fred being a great sport and letting Gracie do her hair.   WOW.

 Cute little Reddick. 

 Darringer giving rides to Halle and Hogan at Thanksgiving.

 All the kids with their candy turkeys Grandma let them make.

 Darling Hogerella.  To stinking cute (yes Trav, I really posted it).

 Goofing with Aunt Lisa

 Fav Aunt Lisa did a scavenger/treasure hunt for the kids.  It was a big hit.

 Bri's birthday.  Lets just say he was not way surprised with his gifts. 

 Grace singing at the Christmas program this year.

 Gid (hiding-best pic we got though) at the program.

 Gid's Gingerbread house he made at school.

 And colorful Gracie's

Santa called Brian and said he was in Alco and wanted to see the kids.  We jumped in the car and went over.  Halle even went to him when she was called by name (a first).  When they got done the kids all asked if that was Uncle Kelly.  What to you think?

The kids at Halloween.  Cute Halle bug, fireman Gid and Rainbow Bright Gracie.  They had so much fun.

We got to go up to Park City again and stay in the Stein Erickson Lodge again.  This time Brian was able to come with us.  We had so much fun.  We stayed two nights and since we knew we had our own private hot tub we took swim suits.  The kids had SO much fun.

We left to go shopping and housekeeping came in and arranged all our hair supplies like this.  We had to laugh.  We also had two people come into our room at 9:30 at night when the kids were asleep and we were in bed.  They came to bring us a mint, bottled water and turn down our beds.  Um, Awkward.

Just some pic of the room.  So dang nice and big.  Brian was impressed.

Such good looking kids.  Must get it from their Dad.

Bug mowing the trailer.

Gid and Gracie (further back) walking in the walk of fame for the 100 point club.  They have since walked in the 150 point club. 

Darling Gracie.

Gid and his pal Michael before Michael moved to Nevada.  Gid was way bummed.

Hanging with Aunt Lisa.

Gid and Gracie got to do a 3 minute presentation with visual aids and w/o a cheat sheet for their career choice.  They did so so good.  Gid wanted to be a fireman.

Gracie wants to be a dance teacher. 

Cute Halle and Big Bird Hogan.  Grandma Blauer found this yellow dance outfit with leggings in her dress up stuff.  She brought it for Gracie and Halle but Hog like it to.  I love this kid.  He always cracks me up.  I also just love to post these pics of him to annoy his dad.   

It feels good to be caught up.  Maybe I can post Christmas before July 1 this year.  Hope everyone has a a fun holiday.

Way behind and being lazy....

 I am way behind on blogging and refuse to do 13 seperate posts so these are some of our happenings.  Many are very very old but things I want to remember.  Brian let the girls paint his toenails (or toes).  He only did this because he was leaving for a week to go hunting and felt bad he would not see them.  He forgot to remove it when he left and said he smiled every time he saw it while hunting.  Needless to say it came off when he got home. 

 Halle bug started preschool.  She loves it.  She is so dang smart.  She is making new friends and loving her teachers.  This is her first day of preschool.

 Gid played soccer again this year and was awesome.  He was a lot more aggressive this year and had a lot more fun.  Lots of his buddies were on the team and he just had a great time.

 Our school does a track run every year and family and friends can pledge so much money for each lap the kids run.  Gid ran 14 laps or 3 1/2 miles.  He loved it.  He is so much like his dad and just loves anything to do with being outside.  This is him running with his buddy Gavin.

 Gracie did 12 laps or 3 miles.  I was way impressed since she is not much of a runner.  Plus she came home and said she did not feel well and ended up with the flu a few hours later.  She ran with her bff addi.

 Grace and Gid got to do the walk of fame.  The school does this every two weeks.  The kids have to have 50 AR points to walk in it.  Gid, Grace and Michael were the very first kids to walk for Mrs. Morrison's class this year.  You can't see Gid very well but he is there. 

 My later attempt so I could see both of the kids.  They are GREAT readers.  At the first of the year they took a test and were reading at a 2nd grade 6 month level.  They are even better now and Gracie has been reading 4th grade level books.  Pretty impressive I think.  They did another test where they had to read words and see how many words they are reading in 1 minute.  Gid read 95 words with 1 error.  Grace read 154 words with 0 errors.  I am so proud of them but they do have an AWESOME teacher.  We were so lucky to have gotten her.

 Halle and a few of the words she was writing 2 months ago.  Pretty good for a kid in preschool.

 My handsome man playing goalie (his fav).

 Darling Hoger dressed himself in Gid's fireman costume.  love the jacket tucked in and crossed straps.  Sure miss this kiddo.

 Best buddies. 

 Gracie's favorite things, holding Reddick and reading.  She just LOVES babies.

 Halle at the pumpkin walk. 

 Gid as Geannie

 Grace, Harley and bug.

Something Halle does to entertain herself.  Pretty awesome I say. 

Camping!

 We decided to go camping over conference weekend!  This was so much fun.  We went in the "hunting tent" that had a stove in it to keep warm and it was just great getting away and having Brian all to ourselves where he did not get cel reception (and he is not the problem with the phone)!  We are thinking of making this a yearly tradition.  We had so so much fun!

 I think Tank enjoyed it the least since he is a little arthritic now a-days (getting kinda old)

 Watching Annie on the computer

 Maybe one of the reasons I like camping so much is Bri cooks most meals.

 Ok, I know some of you will think I am a horrible mom for posting this picture but it was just to funny  not to.  Gracie did not know how to use the bathroom without a toliet.  This was her attempt after Halle showed her how.

 This is how Hal was showing her to do it.  Cracked me up!  "Just bend like this and pee Grace, it's not that hard......seriously it's not". she said.

 We went on a walk and Gid found a stick to make into a gun.  He is all boy.

 These were more fav moments....Gid teaching Halle how to shoot his gun. 

I think after looking at this picture she gets her shooting ability from her mom.  We loved spending time with just our little family.

It's about bloody time...

In two regards. First I am finally posting pictures of Bri's elk he shot. This is only about 2 months late in being posted. He shot this monster over labor day weekend (what can I say, I have been busy). The second reason for "it's about time" is in regards to him. He has been hunting every year since I married (and dated) the guy which is about 15 years. This is the first elk he has ever brought home and all I can say is "It's about bloody time" (and I know Jen will agree with me). This is the first elk Brian has shot with his bow and he had a great time with his favorite hunting buddy Chad! The pictures that are posted were taken the morning after the hunt and minus the body since it was getting dark when he shot it and the pictures were just not good in the dark and with the cel phone.

 Ok, he just downloaded another.  These are the happy hunters after the shot.  I guess the cel phone did better than I gave it credit for.

 Alan (bless his heart) delayed a trip when he found out they shot the elk and came and helped Bri and Chad pack this guy out!

Don't think he is excited...do you?

This one quite frankly freaks me out.  However it shows how big he his.  The spread on him is 49 inches and he is so big he could be registered on Pope & Young.

I just gotta love this guy.  We are glad he has so much fun doing something he loves and glad we have meat to eat.  I have learned it is really good and even like that it is less fatty than hamburger.

 

 

This picture is of Brian's elk while he was alive.  It was taken with the trail cam.  Quite a beauty!

 

 

And last but not least.  I swore up and down I would never have a head hanging in my house.  Well, what can I say...I must love the guy because I now have a head hanging in my house.... and upstairs.  Not my fav decor but Brian is one happy boy.   We are glad he had fun but even more glad he is done hunting.  Now if we could only keep him home from everywhere else he has to go then I would be one happy girl!