Christmas

The house has been busy the last few days. Christmas Eve for brunch we went and visited Larry & Judy Sprague and seen Kari, Justin and Baby Jack. Later that evening we played Bingo with our family here at our house. I tried putting Gage to bed about 10:00 p.m. and he finally fell asleep somewhere around midnight. I ended up having to lay down with him. Christmas morning he woke up around 7:00 a.m. He walked to our bedroom and asked if we could rock so I got the camera out and ready and he walked into the family room to be excited when he found the firetruck! He never even noticed the power wheel's Artic Cat until we told him a dozen times. We had a nice christmas morning at our house then went to the Hoobler's for a great lunch and more presents. Gage got really cranky around 4 so we left and he fell asleep about 3 blocks out from Nana and Papa's. Here are a few pictures of our last couple of days.

Gage and Jack

Gage and Grandma Penny Playing Bingo

Gage & Trevor with the flying bike

Santa's Firetruck he brought!

Santa also brought an Artic Cat!

The Reef movie!

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let it Snow

We woke up today to fine a beautiful ground covering of snow. Gage was awfully mad at me for not staying home and playing in the snow with him. He did not want to go to the babysitters! I left work right at 4:30 p.m. so I could get Gage out and play a little bit in the snow. It was 22 degree's and we were only out about 15 minutes but he had a blast. Here are a few pictures.

Gage tasting snow for the first time.

Gage was upset that his four wheeler wouldn't go in the snow.

Christmas Vacation

We went to Branson MO this weekend and had a great time.

Allen, Gage, Mickey, Miranda, Madeline, Chuck, Trisha, Ryan, Tagean and I all went.

We stayed at the Honeysuckle Inn. I stayed there with my grandma & grandpa Hoobler around 20 some years ago. It was a nice hotel and clean.

We got up and around Saturday morning and went to Tanger Outlet Mall and shopped till' noonish.

Eating lunch at Uptown Cafe.

Ate lunch then went to Silver Dollar City. We had just got there and some of our group wanted to ride Fire in the Hole so while we were waiting Gage fell asleep. He did need the nap. I woke him up after about an hour when we arrived over where a lot of the smaller rides were and I took him on his first roller coaster ride. I thought he would either love it or hate it...He loved it! Then I took him on the elephant ride which he also liked. The train ride we rode next and of coarse he loved that too. We watched the lighting of the Christmas tree and the other kids were getting cold, fussy and hungry so we decided to pass on the lighted parade. I really wanted Gage to see that but I guess when your with a big group you can't always get your way.

First school bus ride.

Gage falling asleep soon after we got there.
First roller coaster ride.

First elephant ride.

The 3 of us on the Train ride.

Anyways, I never did figure out what really happen next but we went to leave and everyone else was wanting to leave too it seemed and we were at a stand still halt for about 45 minutes before the Hospitality house! It took right at 1 hour and 30 minutes to just exit the park and get to our vehicle. There was people chanting "Let us out, let us out".

We drove through the Festival of lights which was alright. Nothing to speak of really but Gage got to see some lights since we didn't get to stay for the parade

We got up and left this morning and pulled in the drive at 1 p.m.

We had a great mini-vacation with lots of memories for our family. First train ride, first roller coaster, first trip to Silver Dollar City, first weekend get-a-way with the 3 of us together.

What a great Christmas time memory.

Open Season

Tomorrow is the day deer season opens. I actually miss not being able to leave the house around 5:30 a.m.,quietly walk out by myself to my deer stand in the freezing cold, pitch black morning , holding my rifle in hand. I know it doesn't sound too fun putting it like that but...the excitement when the deer walk out in front of you and your afraid the deer is going to run off because the sound of your heart is pounding so loud, that is what I will miss. Having a two year old just doesn't make deer season feasible to me once again this year.

On another note about deer season, I think it is completely ridiculous how much it cost to hunt to put meat on the table. First, you have to have completed a hunter's safety coarse. (That doesn't bother me though.)Second, every year you have to purchase a hunting license which cost $20.50. Third you have to purchase a tag for every deer you kill. The price per tag is $37.50, if you don't own your own land! I'm sorry but I think that is terrible. People wreck and total their cars out which cost money because of these animals but we have to pay to kill them for something to eat? If you can't tell I do not agree with rules and the cost of this hobby.

Gage is back to filling a lot better. He rested some over the weekend and is back on his feet. Saturday and Sunday we put all the Christmas decoration's up and had fun doing it. Gage likes to sing Jingle Bell's and I am trying to get him on camera singing it but it just hasn't happened yet. I was going to hang the Christmas lights up on the house Sunday while Gage was napping but it was really windy and cold so Allen offered to do it later in the week. Gage and I pulled in the driveway last night and he already had them up and they looked really good! (I purchased the energy saver's LED large colored bulbs)

This coming weekend we plan to head to Branson MO to drive through the Festival of Lights, Tanger Outlet Mall and Silver Dollar City. I am really looking forward to making a family trip of it. I think the 3 of us will have a really good time. Seems like several people we know are also going this weekend so we may run into some of our friends.
Well, I have a son that wants to play match game so I better go...

Thanksgiving

Gage in his Gobble Gobble Shirt

Gage didn't feel the best for Thanksgiving. He still woke up with a fever at 5:30 a.m. I got that back down around 7 a.m. After that I just kept him on Tylenol/Motrin every 4 hours all day long.

We headed over to Nana & Papa Hoobler's around 11 a.m. Nana made another really delicious meal.

That was about all we did yesterday. I think I may try to do the Christmas decorations in the house today and this weekend. I need to get my house clean first though!

A Week of First

I did get Gage's pictures back from last Friday night when Gage and Racey had them taken. Thoght they turned out pretty cute.

Sunday Gage and I drove over to rural Independence and purchased our first 5 chickens for the chicken coop. When we came home we put them in their new home which is on the island! (Not my idea, let me tell you)

Sunday Brad & Bradley Myers came by on their way to a basketball tournament going on at the grade school here in town. When they were leaving they asked Gage if he wanted to go with them he did! Thats a first!

Monday I had board meeting and didn't get home till around 11:30p.m. so I have no idea what they did that evening.

Tuesday I dropped Gage off at Mary's for a normal day. His nana and papa called me at work wondering if they could have him come over and help them (HELP??) put up Christmas lights in the yard. So that was another first for Gage to go for the day with Nana & Papa. He had so much fun.

Wed. I had a call from my babysitter about 3:30 p.m. and Gage was sick. That's not a first. I brought him home and sure enough he had a 100.5 temperature. He has had some Tylenol cold and a tsp. of amoxill so he should start feeling better before too long I hope. Turkey day is tomorrow!

Speaking of Thanksgiving tomorrow, I made Gage a shirt to wear tomorrow so i'll make sure to post a picture. I got the idea (and stole it) from Chelse. Thanks for the cute idea!

It's Friday!

This afternoon I went and got my low lights in my hair. I was wanting a little more red but I would rather it be a little under what I wanted then too extreme!

When I got home tonight I dressed Gage and brushed Racey and took the two of them to have their christmas pictures taken at All Care Vet Clinic. I hope they turn out cute.

Tomorrow Allen is heading to Topeka for an auction so Gage and I have the day to hang out. I want to take Gage to the movies to see Madagascar but we have 4 baby calves that need their bottle's around 4 o'clock tomorrow afternoon and that was when I wanted to take him to the movies. Not sure what I want to do.

I'll post later and update the weekend.