October 2015

Applesauce time!  *Notice the flowers in the background?  That was a small gesture Jon made in an attempt to get out of the doghouse for a LONG and unsuccessful elk season.  Not to mention the two weeks of hunting in August for antelope.  It was a VERY difficult seven weeks for me.

Is that an elk or a Porter?  Hard to tell.

This is a common scene right now.  I'm pretty sure Ephraim likes four wheelers as much as Porter.  He throws a fit if someone's riding and doesn't take him.  Thankfully, he's got the best big sister EVER!

After one of Hyrum's football games.

Zerin stuffed himself full of leaves.  He was slightly itchy after this and ran for the bath.

Four kids nice and snug in the back seat of the truck.

Four wheeler loving buds

There is quite the story behind this.  First of all, I LOVE Lydia's artwork!  Now to the story...  For the last several years we've had a surplus of wild game.  Dad's harvested an elk every year since he graduated from Chiropractic school.  Along with that we've had years with deer and/or moose.  This year when September 30th came, we had nothing.  I was extremely frustrated because Dad isn't typically successful with deer and Hyrum wasn't either last year, which was his first year.  There was NO way I wanted to buy garbage-store-bought meat.  So, Dad presented an idea.  There was still one more chance for our family to have elk meat, ME!  Idaho introduced a passport program where I could get a license without taking hunters safety the first year.  I've always said I would never hunt unless I had to provide meat for my family, and now I was needing to do exactly that.  I didn't like the idea, but I had to seriously consider it.  I knew there was still a possibility of both Dad and Hyrum harvesting deer which would be enough meat to last us until next year.  I made a deal.  If they were both unsuccessful with deer I would try for an elk.  Hyrum really wanted me to try for a deer as well so we made a deal that if he and Dad both harvested deer opening day I'd buy a deer tag.  Well, opening day came and they made it back earlier than anticipated because Hyrum had shot a small buck.  I was super excited for him!  He begged me to get a tag so I told him as long as he realized that would mean him being stuck at the cabin babysitting while Dad and I were out hunting, I would.  He happily agreed.  So, a couple hours later I took off for my first deer hunt.  That was a Saturday.  The following Thursday morning dad harvested a nice size buck way back in.  The kids and I were home in Fruitland because Hyrum was still in football.  We met Dad in Council that night and the next morning Dad and I went back in and brought out the rest of his deer, hunting along the way.  Literally, it was one of the longest hikes I've ever been on.  I don't know how Dad managed to do it two days in a row carrying a heavy load of deer meat out each time.  He meta morphs into part animal come hunting season.  From then on it was only me hunting.  We hunted long hard days every Thursday thru Saturday.  I enjoyed being out in nature hiking the hills with my husband but my heart was aching to be home with my children.  I missed them all, especially my nursing baby.  Deer season came and went with only one opportunity early on to shoot a small buck but I couldn't do it.  Elk season was a bit rougher.  The weather turned cold and we spent a decent amount of time hiking in the snow.  We only saw a couple elk and none anywhere near close enough to get a shot off.  Dad did take two shots a wolf though.  That was pretty exciting!  Unfortunately, he missed :(  By the time November 3rd came around and hunting season was over, I was overjoyed!  So happy to just be home with my children.  How grateful I am to be a stay at home Mom!

The month of October was spent in Council.  Hyrum shot a small buck opening morning of deer season, October 10th.  Later that day Jon and I went out for an evening hunt.

When you're so tired that you fall asleep eating your apple?  Yep, that's our Porter!

Lydia having fun with apps on the phone.

Zerin said, "Hey!  How do I have Lydia's head?"

Filled his tag opening morning!  Way to go, Hyrum!

The weather was so beautiful.  I was in a t-shirt in this picture.

Dad set up this ring toss that was a game from his past.  He said his family played it a family reunion when he was younger.  Amazing how he just threw it together so effortlessly and it's a game we all enjoy.  Jon is a man of MANY talents!

Trying to keep up with the man that almost walked my legs off.  Good thing I love hiking!

This is the day Dad shot at a wolf.  It snowed and snowed and snowed.  And we walked and walked and walked..

This was a different snowy cold day.

A little lower elevation but still no elk :(