My Deer

FYI..This might be a little brag session, so if you don't want to hear it then don't continue on. It's mostly for journal purposes.
My deer hunt started and ended yesterday, for the first time ever for me!! Mike, Brooke and I went camping Friday night. As we were getting ready to pull into our campsight Mike spotted a couple bucks. Of course it was the day before the hunts starts (as always... I was thinking). We got all set up and finished the night. Saturday morning we woke up early and got ready. We noticed a big group of does and fawns not far from our camping spot. We decided to walk down where they came up from while we waited for his parents to get up there. We didn't ever see anything but Mike figured we'd walk back through there last night.
His family got there and we all took wheelers out touring..... Didn't see a thing beyond does. They left in the early afternoon. We fixed lunch and waited for awhile. Then just before 5 we headed back where we went that morning. We hadn't walked far when Mike spotted the same bucks from Friday night. Despite the fact we were loud trudging through the leaves, they never heard us, saw us, or smelled us.
Mike kept Brooke back, I kept trying to figure out how I was going to shoot it. I am a lot better kneeling or leaning against something not straight standing. Well the trees were too far away without making noise and drawing attention. So I just stared through my scope waiting for him to turn to a good position. I shot and he went right down. I was so shocked. Mike was so excited he's all, "You got him!" We were both so excited I high fived him, we kept watching him to see if he got back up. After a few minutes he did, stumbled and fell again. This time he didn't get back up.
My awesome husband went up slit it's throat to make sure it was dead. He also figured out that I shot him through the throat straight through the jugular. It was so awesome. I was so excited. I didn't even start shaking until after I shot him. My heart was beating wildly the whole time and after my legs and hands were horrible. I was lucky I made it to the deer without stumbling often.
Then my awesome husband, who happens to be allergic to the hair on deer (and every other animal) gutted my deer. I was so proud and worried!! He did great. We tried to call his friend who was on the mountain, but he couldn't get reception. And his dad was to a scout thing. So we didn't have any other help. Luckily the only thing that happened was his hands went red and itchy. He broke out in hives for a little bit but after washing his hands they went away.
And Brooke, well she was awesome!! She did what she was told every time. When we told her to stay back she did, she stopped talking when she was told. She even helped hold the deer leg when Mike was gutting. And carry stuff back up the little hill. And she loved it. Other than the whole time she kept saying "Poor Deer".. It was cute and funny.
Anyway it was an awesome day. And I am still excited about it!!! It's definitely not the biggest buck out there I know, but I am happy with it. I have waited for years for this. Every other time I have seen a buck, it's either been too far away, Not a good shot/too many trees, or they run away before I have my gun ready. I finally got one and on opening day!!!
Anyway here's some pictures....
This is Brooke tying a log to a tie down strap and the 4 wheeler trailer.

Me with my deer
Brooke wanted a picture with the deer after we hung him up.

Brooke's first shooting

I just looked through my pictures and realized I am behind on what I wanted to post about.
A few weeks ago we went shooting. I had to practice shooting for my hunt as well as the just for fun shooting for all of us. Brooke was so excited and told us that she wanted to shoot, so Mike took his 22 and helped her. She had so much fun!! We didn't bring the big clip just the little one and Mike couldn't load it fast enough for her. One of her shots knocked the board over. Boy was she extremely proud of that!!

Late Late Post on Tree Trimming

I had this but forgot to put in pictures... So here it is finally...
We have been waiting for weeks and weeks to have stumps, old fence posts, and a dead tree to be removed from our yard. Well Nobody has ever come so last week Mike decided to take care of a few things himself. While I was at church, Bo and Mike pulled the fence posts out and a bush coming up from a root, put all of the stuff on Mike's dads 4-wheeler trailer.
Before we gave the trailer back we wanted to cut the tree down. So last Thursday that's what we did. Here are a few pics on Mike trimming. I had to pull on a rope attached to part of the tree because it was leaning towards the house, and we definitely didn't want it landing on/in the house.
It was one tough tree for being dead. The stump did not want to be cut out, Mike couldn't get low enough and that thing is so solid!!! So we had this stump that will stick up taller than the grass will.... Friday we had an idea that maybe starting it on fire, it would burn down at least a little bit. Well we tried and it took a lot of extra wood to help keep it lit (even using gas), it only burned parts on the outside edges (so much for a good idea right). So these are the pictures of our little fire that night when Mike kept it going so Brooke could roast marshmallows. We only had little ones, those are definately not quite as fun or tasty. But Brooke loved it.

This is of us (or them) roasting mini marshmallows and the fire of the stump (or rather the extra wood trying to keep the stump on fire)
I cannot seem to remember the other camera card with the tree pics so.....

Anniversary

So we just celebrated our 5th anniversary. This year we didn't do too much. Mike of course had to work all day. A friend kept Brooke until late evening for us. We cooked dinner and watched a movie at home.
I am very grateful that I have Mike. It definitely isn't always the easiest, but together we get through it. I feel blessed to have him as my husband!! And I am so grateful for his help and support and love!

Misc

I thought I would just post some random pictures from the past few months.

This is Bo's dogs, "patiently" waiting for us to come back from the other side of the pond.



These next few Pictures were taken by the ever so talented Brookie!! She absolutely loves to take pictures (must have a little bit of her papa in her)




She loves to take pictures of everything, so I figured I would keep the picture of her room for her to remember.