14!

Carson turned 14 yesterday! It's crazy to think that 14 years ago, he made me a mom! He is kind, a good example, gentle, a hard worker, patient,a good friend, and always up for an adventure. He loves hunting, football, legos, knives, watching movies and Star Wars. We are sure blessed to have him as part of our family!

His birthday was kind of weird this year. I wasn't able to take him for his birthday lunch because I was subbing (we're going to go next week) and he wanted to postpone his birthday dinner because he was watching what he ate because of wrestling. So, we celebrated at home with chili and cinnamon rolls (since he doesn't care for cake). Grandma Fouler came and visited, as did grandpa and grandma Asay.

He ended up getting two bags of tootie frooties!

Thanksgiving

Our Thanksgiving was wonderful, as usual! The boys started the day by doing some pheasant hunting. uncle Jason came and joined them and they met up with Danile, Britt and one of Daniel's friends.

 We ate at Grandpa and Grandma Asay's house this year and then made our way over to Powell in the evening for dessert and games. We are so grateful to live near both of our families and be able to see them both on the holidays.

The adult table.

The kid table!

Asay cousins. Just missing Ian and James!

 The day after Thanksgiving the boys went and helped preg test cows. I went out for a couple of hours in the morning and then my mom and sister came over and helped me put up my tree and decorate my house. I love having Christmas up in my house!!

The boys decorated their tree that evening when they got back from working cows.

Deer Hunting

This last weekend, Carson was able to get his deer. The weekend before was opening day for deer on Grandpa Asay's land, and the kids had no school, so Christian took the day off of work to take the boys hunting to try and get Carson a buck. They hunted until 1, came home for lunch, and then we went back out as a family to try and get one. The first grove of trees we came to, we spotted a nice white tail (that they had seen earlier in the day), so we quickly got around it and Carson was able to get a shot off. He hit it and it took off running. We spent the next few hours trying to track it down. We followed blood trails and tracks over and over trying to find it. Christian ended up calling his friend, Jeremy, who hunts quite a bit, and had him come out and try and help us locate it. After waking the same trail, Jeremy decided that Carson probably just hit it in the front brisket, not injuring the animal, allowing it to take off. We were bummed, but decided we would go out again the next day after the wrestling tournament. We were only able to go out for about 45 minutes, and didn't see a single deer.

On the next Friday, Christian was on his way home from a pheasant hunting trip in South Dakota, when Daniel called him and asked if we wanted him to take Carson out to find his deer. They looked for about an hour before Christian and Travis were able to catch up with them. It wasn't too long after that, that they spotted a nice mule deer, got Cason set up and he was able to take it down! It's a nice looking buck and he was super excited to get it!!

Carson had Travis help him gut it for as long as he could. Gutting the deer was a little more than Travis had bargained for and didn't love the sounds and sights. He's going to have to get over it though, if he plans to ever get a deer!

We are planning to cut out a roast and Grandma Asay will cook it for Sunday dinner some week, and Uncle Jared is taking the rest of it.

Pheasant Hunt

Christian got home Friday from his yearly week long trip out to Selby, SD for a pheasant hunt. They met their limit every day and had lots of fun hanging out with the guys.

Blew a hole clear through this one!

Grit and Resilience

The elementary school has implemented a new behavior incentive program this year when they reward kids for the good things they are doing by giving them brag tags. Once a month they get to take their brag tags to the school store and use them to buy things. They also have a specific characteristic that they highlight each month at their assembly that they encourage the kids to really practice and then teachers get to nominate students that they feel portray these characteristics well and they are recognized at the assembly and get a prize. October's character trait was grit and resilience, and Landon was the student picked by his teacher. He punched the board and got a pop as his prize, which he was super excited about.

We are proud of Landon and his willingness to work hard and not give up. He struggles with reading, but he works hard at school and then comes home every day and works hard at home to improve. I just know his hard work will pay off!!

The second and third grade winners.

Halloween

We survived another Halloween and all the happenings! In the morning, I got to go to the school and help with Books for Kids (where they give out new books to every child). That afternoon was the elementary costume parade and class parties. I was able to help in Travis's class this year with the games.

 

The 5th graders played pass the pumpkin (without using your hands)...which most kids did NOT want to do because it was weird.

Wrap the mummy.

And poop the pumpkin, which was hilarious to watch!

And then they enjoyed their treats!

When school was over, we made a quick trip over to Powell to trick or treat really grandpa and grandma Foulger and then got back in time for the trunk or treat and to get Carson from wrestling practice. This year, Carson was a secret service agent

Travis was a mad scientist.

And Landon was a werewolf.

We weren't able to get a family picture because Christian was a work and Carson was at practice and then went to help set up mats for their wrestling tournament this weekend.

 Travis has been asking for a quite a while if we could actually go trick or treating this year. Since we didn't have school the next day, I decided that his would be a good year to do it! Is is weird that this is the first year my kids have ever gotten to actually go trick or treating? We loaded up our car with his friends and hit a few neighborhoods to trick or treat. He had a blast walking the streets with 5 of his friends and Landon!

Our crew, minus one, who had to leave earlier.

After taking the boys around for around and hour, we ran home, picked up Christian and Carson and headed to Cowley to visit Grandpa Monk and Donna and then make our way out to see Grandpa and grandma Asay. It turned into a late night, but the boys had a blast and are sure enjoying their candy stash!