Hunting & Ho Ho Ho

Shannon and Abe started a "tradition" last year of going for an overnight camping/hunting trip during gun season. This year, they invited the girls to go along. (Abe actually created a treasure hunt where the slips of paper found spelled out the invitation.) Well, it was so sweet, we just had to say yes. Besides, I was feeling like getting in touch w/ my inner outdoorswoman! Well...dad and mom H. had already winterized their camper, so our only option was the slide-in, pick-up camper. We packed it up w/ hot dogs, chips, soda, candy and marshmallows and I told the kids to wear something warm, because we wouldn't be changing. The girls decided that the dogs needed to go along (on a hunting trip?! really?!) and their soft-hearted dad relented. So, away we went like Cousin Eddy and the family. We got to our spot (along the levee by the Mississippi River in one of the fields we farm) about sunset. We saw one deer driving in, but it's illegal to hunt from a vehicle, so on we went. Once we got to the site, Shannon quickly headed out with the girls for the last of the daylight while Abe and I got the fire going. They got back about a half hour later, having seen no deer but bursting w/ a surprise for us for later. After we dined on some fabulous roasted cuisine (ok, hot dogs) we took off on the four-wheeler (all five of us) and headed for the dam that crosses the river nearby (the surprise!). Because the water was down, we could walk out almost to the middle of the river on the spillway, which was pretty cool. By the time we got back, it seemed like it should be bedtime, but it was about 6:30. Forget the outdoorswoman!...where's the DVD player? We actually had brought one, but didn't have the right adapter to use it. So...what does any good camper do? Run to town for ice cream and purchase the adapter:-)!! Finally all 5 of us settled in to watch "Miracle on 34th Street". (Keep in mind that this camper has one double bed and a dinette that converts into a kind-of twin size bed. So all 5 of us plus 2 dogs settled in for the night. Notice I didn't mention sleep. Shannon was up almost every hour letting dogs in or out. Abe slept between Shannon and I on the "double" bed and the girls slept on the dinette. Shannon and I hardly slept at all. By 4:30am, Lena wanted to get into our bed as well, so I let her and curled up on the dinette w/ Hattie. Now by "curled up", we are not really talking about cozy and wonderful, I mean literally CURLED UP because I am taller than the dinette is long. Abe and Lena remained wide awake at that point wondering how soon they could go out hunting. Finally, by around 6, we gave up on any type of sustaining rest and Shannon and the kids polished off the powdered donuts and set out. The dogs took off as well....and surprise, surprise...they saw no deer. (Ya' think that had anything to do w/ two hyper dogs roaming the woods?) By the time they were back and we were ready to leave, the dogs were no where to be found and we were all at a serious nutritional deficit. So, back home we went to get ready for church! I guess "hunting" in this case meant hunting for memories, and if so, we hit the jackpot:-)!! (p.s. Shannon and the kids found the dogs later in the day, waiting for us at the camping spot.)

Our fantastic accommodations!

Around the campfire

The kids get it honestly; they were doomed from birth.

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And here are a couple of shots from our Christmas tree outing on Thanksgiving weekend. The farm we used to use closed down, so now we just head to Lowe's. Somehow it just doesn't seem right. I'm ready to give up and get a fake tree, but Shannon won't hear of it (yet).

Hattie, Madison, Lena, Abe

Shannon and I