Once in a lifetime...or so I am told.

Anyone that has been to my house has seen this elk hanging on my wall.....
Well, good news.....he has a friend.

After 15 years of putting in for the big bull elk hunt, Cody finally drew out. I was excited for him, because as he keeps saying, "it is once in a lifetime". He has spent a few hours the last month up scouting for the elk, but most of his scouting has been done the last 2 weeks. He has gone up looking and every time he would come home and say "I did not see anything". I was worried, but I am sure, not as worried as he. Saturday was the opening day of the hunt, so at 4:30 am him and many, many family and friends headed up the mountain to help him get his elk (or whatever you do when you hunt). He came home that night empty handed.... He did see a few ,but nothing big enough to shoot on opening morning. He headed back up Sunday, and still no luck. He took off this whole week of work, so Monday morning it was back up the mountain for him. I did not hear from him, but around 10:00 pm his buddy called to tell me that he got one. I am no elk expert, but from the picture it looked pretty good. Cody says that it is not as big (wide as his dad's)-----oh yeah that is the one on our wall now, because his parents did not have big enough ceilings for it. Cody d says that he is happy with it, so as long as he is happy, I am happy. After all.....it WAS "Once in a lifetime."

I think I was a pretty good sport about letting him come and go as he needed to to get his elk, but I am glad that he is back and I do not have to feel like a single wife/ mother anymore. I am glad that he had a great experience. Thanks to all of his friends and family for helping him with this. Especially to Casey for spending so much time scouting and finding the elk (and to his sweet wife Sam for letting him come down and take off work). This will be something that COdy always remembers, and I think that I will too. After all, I agreed to let Cody hang it in our bedroom..... I know weird, but hey, it is his house too (and I don't want to pay $1000 or whatever it costs for a garage decoration.) Glad you had fun Cod, you deserve it!!!

Thanks family

Well, on Saturday morning, my brother called to see if the kids (Payton and Rilee)could go up camping with my family at Payson Lakes on Sat-Sunday. I had a bridal shower that I needed to go to, so I could not go. Glen (my bro) dates a girl from Gunnison and her and her daughter were going to be driving up to Payson to go camping also and so they took my kids. It was so nice of them. Cody was actually gone Saturday and most of Sunday looking for his elk (yes he has a big bull elk tag). I was alone with just Talan. We had some great one on one. We cuddled without being malled by the other 2 kids. He got in some great naps (which usually does not happen because he is always getting woke up), and I got my house cleaned. I keep being told that I should have done something FUN on me sort of free day, but we (Talan and I) still had fun. I am so lucky that he is so happy and healthy. He always has a little sparkle in his big brown eyes----even though he is teething right now he is very happy. I am so grateful for everything that my family does for me and my kids. They are always so willing to help out and I am so lucky to have them all. My kids had an absolute blast camping..fishing....riding scooter...fires....DIRT, DIRT and more DIRT!! Thanks to you all for allowing me a little rest weekend....you are all awesome!! Here are some pics of Talan and his cheesy little grins, along with his chewing on his tongue as he is teething.

3 years going on 18---it's preschool time!!

Yes, Rilee finally started preschool, and she is absolutely loving it. She started on September 8th, and was so excited. She got a new Dora backpack which she thinks is pretty neat (even though it is as big as her). She has some good friends in preschool with her and an amazing teacher. She is ready for school... it was very hard for her to sit home when Payton went to school. It is weird to think that 2 kids are in school (kind of), but I think it is good for her. I think it will also help with the little teasing that has been going on a lot lately between Payton and Rilee. Payton is at school from 7:45-11:15. Then Rilee is at preschool (3 times a week) from 12:30- 2:30. By the time the 2 kids are together they have missed each other and are a little nicer. I was worried about how Rilee would behave in school..she tends to be quiet the fire ball (full of energy). But I called her teacher for a behavior report and her teacher (Ms. alice) said she is being just wonderful....yeah!! Every day she comes home and tells me how good she was! She also is loving to feel so big. She think that now that she is in preschool she is so grown up and all that. She thinks that she can use knifes, read, just about anything she wants. She will always reply, "I can cause I am in preschool and I am big...huh". Well I am very proud of Rilee. She is my little princess. She brings a joy to our family that I can not even describe. I love her so much and am so blessed to be her mom.