Last Duck Hunt

Saturday we went out for the last duck hunt of the year in the boat

Its starting to get so frozen over everywhere and the ducks are leaving town

We went out to the refuge

This is at the boat ramp

All bundled up and warm in her new duck hunting coat!

Waiting while the boys unload the boat

Breaking ice on our way out to the spot

We found our spot in a channel and set out the decoys

Big chunks of ice kept floating down and moving our decoys

The weather was pretty chilly

Kennedy was bundled up with 12 layers anyways.. two blankets and some hot chocolate

Boys glassing out looking at birds way west of us

There was NOTHING flying at all

NOTHING

Peanuts toes got cold..

I LOVE this picture

Talk about a princess with them wrapped around her little finger!

Grandpa Todd put two hand warmers in each of her socks.. one on top one on bottom, one hand warmer in each of her gloves

Daddy Chris put the propane heater at the bottom of her feet and held it there til her toes got warm.. through her two pairs of wool socks and hand heaters

Grandpa got a little chilly too and snuggled up with peanut

We finished out the season with no more ducks

Sledding

We finally got a good snow storm with lots of snow!

Hunter was hanging out with us for the day while everyone else was at work

Me, Kennedy and him went to my parents house to go sled

While we were there couldn't help but get one of the snowmobiles out for a minute!

Hunter was on the back screaming like a girl :)

Me and Miss Kennedy on her first snowmobile ride

Parker, Me and Kennedy 

We went back and forth up the haul road by my parents house

The kids loved it

They were yelling weee haaaawwww!

I love Parkers hoodie..

Its one of those that zips up over the whole head with eye holes

He looks freaky but kept him nice and warm!

Then the real reason we went there was to sled

Hooked up the ice sled behind the wheeler and took the kiddos around

Lou Hoo

Cindy Lou Hoo, Hunter and I went to Old Grist Mill for lunch

Cindy Lou Hoo is batting her eyes at me and it just wasnt working

I had Hunter help me organize and itemize our food we got for Christmas!

Which turned into getting more of our food storage and emergency preparedness done

He thought he'd get lippy as I was dishing up dessert.. so he got whipped cream flung at him

He loves coming to our house lol!

Took some naps this weekend

Ha NOT! Someone wouldnt let him sleep 

Kennedys big present

Every year I tell Kennedy to pick two things she really wants for Christmas

This year it was a Disney Princess Castle

When I picked her up from her dads on Christmas day on the way home she asked

"Mom did Santa bring me any presents that are big boxes?"

I said how big?

She said  "big enough to be a princess castle?"

I told her no I didnt see any that big

She said ok and we kept driving

She opened all her presents and was excited about them

But she asked "Mom are there any more presents for me?"

You could see the worry in her eyes

I told her no that was it and asked her why what else was she expecting?

She said "Nothing.. I really like everything I got.. I was just wondering if there was something else"

Peanut was trying to be tough but was on the edge of tears and trying so hard to not show disappointment

Chris went upstairs while I had Hunter start videoing :)

Christmas Day

On Christmas day I had to work from 06-14 (2pm)

As usual we had a yummy potluck!

We also had a ton of people.. so I was able to go home a little earlier

That dang Chris is too cute and too good to Kennedy and I 

She had two candy bars

One she wanted to set out for Santa

One she wanted to eat but didnt finish her dinner the night before so she told us to put both out for Santa since she didnt eat all her food she couldnt have her candy bar

I stopped at picked her up from her dads on my way home from work..

To mine and her surprise Santa had left this letter we found when we got home

We opened all our presents

We are completely spoiled!!!

It was a great Christmas

Kennedy got some clothes, barbies, movies, new toothbrush and toothpaste, princess washcloths

Chris got a vest, hunting vest, shirts, hats, spotlight, some movies, treats, new phone case

I got some new Girls with Guns shirts (three to be exact! They are my fav brand) hunting socks I wanted, a slingshot and marbles (yes I totally wanted that too) ammo, skullcandy earbuds, ammo bag, speakers for my phone, candy and this cute new apron!!

Peanut was a little spoiled!

We headed from there over to Roy and Kats where Kennedy got a cute VTECH laptop from them

Then we went over to Todd and Jana's to open presents where we were all spoiled again!

Kennedy got a Cinderella vanity, two princess books, a set of princess barbies a Squinkies house

Ry got all kinds of cute toys and books

Jana happened to get the Ducks Unlimited wine set she pretty much got into a knock down fight with Abbie Dickamore at the banquet over :) She was a little surprised

Todd and Jana had an awesome presents for Chris and I

The gave Chris & I and Ash & Derek the same thing

A nice big cooler and filled it with meat

Two BIG totes stacked 3 layers deep full of food! 

Canned veggies, boxes of rice and noodles, cake mixes, ramen noodles, manwhich, chili etc

There were about 600 items in the two totes!

It was perfect!!

Takes care of our food storage and its things we will use.. and save us money throughout the year

All our parents did really good at giving us practical gifts that we needed and can really put to use instead of just frivolous things

My parents gave us a food processor, vacuum sealer, baking pans

Jimmy and JaNeale gave us bath towels, kitchen towels, bath mat..

And then Todd and Jana's present

We did get fun things too but the practical stuff was so nice

We are just starting out and its things we needed but wouldn't necessarily spend the money on

 After Todd and Jana's we went home to take a nap!

Well Kennedy and I did

We were beat

When she woke up Daddy Chris had set up and assembled ALL her presents

Then he showed her how to use it all :)

Then we went back over to Todd and Jana's for dinner

The boys got into a wrestling match on the couch 

It took Chris and Hunter to take on Todd because neither one dared try it alone.. and Dad still can whoop both them

It doesn't look like it but Todd actually had both them begging about right here

We had such an amazing Christmas from ALL our families

So blessed

So loved

and so spoiled!

Thanksgiving family pictures

On Thanksgiving we did pictures with Janas side of the family

Her parents and her two sisters and their kids

 It was SO SO cold and SUNNY that morning

Mike Trish and their kids

Debbie, Greg and their kids

Trish and Mike with Morgan 

Roy and Kat

Everyone!

Christmas party at the 'rents

After I got off work it was time to go to the parents for our Christmas party

Christmas Eve was the best night for everyone

My dad worked on Christmas

Kinlie went with her dad the next day

Kennedy was with her dad but I was able to pick her up for a few hours that night so she could be with our family too

So much yummy food

Shrimp cooked in Old Bay

Pickled Asparagus

Hot Baby Dills

Buffalo Eggs

Spiral Ham

Veggies

Dad cooked Oysters on the grill

The food was delicious

Then we opened presents

Uncle Nic got Parker a blow gun that shoots darts and paintballs

Elysha was so excited haha

Elysha, Dane and Parker

Dane is growing a Duck Dynasty beard at the request of Elysha

Liz, Kinlie and Nic

Part of what Kennedy got from my parent was a pink bb gun and a bow and arrow

She was SO excited for both

I got my first BB gun from my parents at her age

Parker got a camo backpack for hunting

Inside was his OWN binoculars, flashlight and a camo hoodie

That kid was so excited he wouldnt take off his backpack

The guys worked on putting together one of the presents

Took all three of them to figure it out

Teamwork

Parker had to pull up a chair and supervise

Elysha Lou's baby bump!

I love it!

I molest it everytime I see her

Its so solid and bigger than it looks

Kennedy went back to her dads and asked Chris if he would finish up her Santa calendar for her

Santa must have known since his beard was full that it was time to deliver presents because he showed up at our house that night

Merry Christmas Eve!