Hunting Weekend

Hunting trip - Completed. This weekend was so much more than I ever expected!!! We didn't shoot a deer, but that is fine. It would have been the icing on the cake, but now I just get to look forward to more time in the woods. I really was stretched this weekend as far as conquering some fears that I have/had. By Sunday night I was EXHAUSTED!

Our trip started around 10:30am Saturday morning after we dropped off the kids to Grandma and Grandpa's and Joel and Kori's. We headed out to the woods and got all of our gear on and headed to our tree stands. First fear to face - heights. Jay tied my bow to a rope so I could pull it up when I got in the stand. "OK", I thought..."Here I go, I can do this". So very slowly, I took each step up to the top, when I got there I was thinking, "How am I gonna climb on to this thing!" One step at a time.....I just grabbed ahold and there I was in my stand! It was nervewracking at first, but I harnessed myself to the tree and sat. Then I looked down. You know the thing that happens in the movies when the person looks down from a really high place and the camera kind of goes "closer then farther"? That happened to me, it was so weird! Then I calmed down and really looked around the woods and enjoyed sitting and looking around at God's amazing creation and just taking it all in. There was noise everywhere, birds, squirrels, frogs, I could even hear the leaves when they snapped off the branch and landed on the ground. It was so beautiful, and fun to just sit and take it all in. We had to exit the trees mid afternoon to catch Dillon's last football game, which he won! WOOHOO!

We headed back to the woods around 5:30pm to catch the evening hunt. Getting in the stand was much easier this time! I loved sitting again, the excitement of sitting there thinking that at any second your deer could appear is so awesome!!! OK, second fear to face - sitting in the woods and having to walk out in the dark. Not too bad, but as Uncle Joel put it, it can be easy to let your imagination get the best of you, it's really easy for that to happen to me. We made it out of the woods just fine, but walking back into the woods Sunday morning in the dark and sitting there in the dark was a little bit harder. I was hearing lots of noises and was quite jumpy. Then all of the sudden there was a fluttering and something about 10 inches tall landed on a branch about 4 feet in front of my face and just stared at me. I knew Jay would be a little mad at me for turning my light on, but I had to see what was looking at me, not out of fear, but curiosity. I quickly reached for my headlamp and flicked it on and aimed and there staring at me was the cutest little owl!!!!! He didn't get scared, in fact he wiggled his head at me and just stared. Then he flew to a little closer branch and watched me, then he landed on my tree, just a couple feet above my head. I couldn't believe it!!!

The last time in the woods was definitely the most exciting and nervewracking. We arrived in our stands around 3:00 in the afternoon to sit for the rest of the night. I was excited right off the bat because shortly after we arrived, I could hear rustling to my right in some brambles and thick cover. I also could smell pee. I thought for sure I would at the very least see a deer tonight. But sadly, shortly after that, a few gun hunters showed up, (not hunting deer) but we have no idea what they were shooting at, because they were all over the woods around us raining down bird shot. It was very frustrating and also scary to have all of those shots all around ya. Then just at the very last few minutes of daylight, there was that pee smell again and rustling. I was thinking now was the time, I'm gonna see something! Nope, at that very same minute, POURING rain out of nowhere, just pouring. But the coolest thing was that after about 3 minutes, the rain stopped just as quick as it started. The woods were alive with sounds. All of the leaves were dropping off and the big heavy drops were coming off the trees and it sounded like there were animals walking around everywhere. I was just trying to see in the dusky evening if there was an outline of a deer coming from where I had heard the rustling, when suddenly behind me, woosh and arrow flew into the clearing near me! I thought for sure Jay had shot at a deer and I had missed my chance since I was looking the opposite way. But there was really no movement after the shot for about thirty seconds then cracking branches and rustling!!! I thought maybe the deer was crashing, but nope, Jay was just releasing some pent up energy and had to shoot his bow - no deer.

All in all this weekend with my hubby was SO incredible!!! He was so gracious when I was nervous and it was so much fun experiencing the thrill of hunting with him. I cannot wait for my next deer hunting experience with him!!!!

Happy Mother's Day!

Remember to wish your mother, grandmother or great-grandmother a Happy Mother's Day today!
This Mother's Day was very fun for me! It was a sun-shiny day and I got to spend it with family and just enjoy my kids! They all gave me very special homemade presents this morning and I just love watching their faces and how excited they are to get their turn to present me with their special gift. I am so blessed with such wonderful children!
As you all know, I got laminate wood floor recently and have been so excited to get it installed - well this weekend was the time!!!! Jason and my dad installed it for me this weekend and that was my WONDERFUL mothers day present from Jay! I LOVE IT!!!!
I will post pics as soon as I get them uploaded.

New Pics-New Camera

My point and shoot camera has been in a bad way for quite a while. I have really been missing it since Zaria was born. I wanted to just quick grab a camera and get some good shots and I had dropped my point and shoot when we were bowling with the kids sometime ago and the battery door broke; I could tape it shut and it still worked fine so I was still using it, but then recently when I would open the door for the camera to turn on it would just flicker then turn back off, then maybe take a shot or two and turn off again, even when the batteries were fully charged. So on Saturday I had told my mom that I was heading out to circuit city to since their store was closing and I was going to see if I could get a cheap point and shoot. No luck there were only two models left in the store and they were more than I wanted to spend. So Sunday we did some research and went off to Meijer to get me a camera, normally I would have been so geeked up and grabbed one of the ones that was in my price range and been on my merry way. Well I just couldn't make the purchase, it was weird. So we all got in the car and I said to Jay, I can't believe that we just left and I didn't pick a camera. Then we were on our way without anymore thoughts on the camera, we decided to head out to the lakeshore to see the frozen lake because we hadn't seen it in a couple of years and it was beautiful. Then on our way home, I got a call that my mom had picked up a new coat for Rosie and they wanted to drop it off. After they gave her the coat, my mom handed me a bag and said this is for you. I opened it up and can you guess what was inside???? Yup, a new CAMERA!!! Thanks Mom and Dad! I am so excited!!!!! You all will be seeing lots more pics on this blog starting right now!!

I've been Tagged

Diane at My Journey's path and Mari at My Little Corner of the World tagged me, I am supposed to list 6 non-important things/habits/quirks about me!

Here are the rules:
1) Link to the person that tagged you.
2) Post the rules on your blog.
3) Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
4) Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
5) Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.

Here we go:

1. I love to read Lori Wick books, but once I start, I cannot put the book down. I have currently read EVERYTHING that the lady has written, and am patiently waiting for book 3 in her current series.

2. I cannot leave calls on the caller ID, as soon as I am done talking to the person that called, I delete the person that I was talking to so it always says zero calls.

3. I have a hard time watching a whole movie, too long of a commitment - unless it is really good.

4. I like to play guitar hero.

5. I like to drive when our family goes away.

6. I love dark chocolate truffles!

That's it for me - aren't you all glad that you know these things ;)

I don't know who to tag, so if you are reading this and want to do it - feel free!

Happy Birthday - or Not

The girls always like to make pictures for Jason and I, and this morning they were busy working on some and Ruby comes into the computer room and she has a little picture all wrapped up for me. Here is the little song that she was singing to me.

"Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, you look like a monkey and you are a hundred and two."

Well there you have it, I no longer have to worry about turning 30, to Ruby I look like I'm 102!!

(PS It is not really my birthday, Ruby was just singing to me.)

Am I Weird???

I was tagged by Jennifer to list off 7 weird things about me. This might be hard seeing as I am so NOT weird (just kidding:)

1. I can walk outside in the snow barefoot and it doesn't bother me.

2. I make the kids keep their rooms clean and beds made and my room often looks worse than theirs. (Do as I say not as I do???)

3. Jennifer, here is an exact opposite from your non-coffee drinking... I wake up and the first thing I do is make coffee, alot of times I finish off a 6-8 cup pot of coffee before 11:00 am.

4. The last movie that my husband and I saw together in the movies was like 9 years ago. Weird huh?

5. In the summer, when we catch fish and clean them to eat them, I have to run away and plug my ears when Jay cuts the fishes head off, but then when that is done I can clean the fish out and skin it and it doesn't bother me one bit.

6. Going out on a limb here... I think the actor Jack Nicholson is good looking. (You know, A Few Good Men, As Good as it Gets, The Bucket List)

7. I think I have a phobia about turning 30. I start sweating and getting a stomach ache when I think about it.

I don't know who hasn't been tagged yet, so if your reading this, and you have a blog, and you haven't done this yet, TAG - YOU'RE IT!

8 Random Facts About Me

Cheri tagged me to do this meme. You list 8 random facts and then tag 8 people. It's an easy one so thought I'd do it!

I LOVE to read.

I HATE to fly on airplanes.

I love to play card games, but my husband does not, so I don't play very often.

I like wheat thins SO much, that sometimes I'll sit down and eat a whole box....shhhh, don't tell anyone ;)

I get headaches if I don't have coffee in the morning :)

I want to learn to hunt - really bad!!

My favorite food is burritos.

I am the oldest of 3 girls in my family. (I always wondered what it would be like to have an older sibling.)

Our Getaway Weekend

We had a VERY wonderful weekend away!!! The weather on Friday was great. It was SO quiet up there it felt a little weird. But we really enjoyed eachother's company. Fishing was so fun - we both caught 5-6 fish on Friday afternoon. We have been so blessed these last ten years and it was great to just enjoy this time together to reflect on that. Plus, we have very exciting baby news to tell very soon :)

Today is the Day!!!

Today is the day I've been waiting for!!! For our anniversary, I surprised Jay last night and I got him the day off of work and we get to go up to the cabin. ALL BY OURSELVES!!!! I am so excited! So the kiddos are all at grandma and grandpas for the night and we get to go ALL BY OURSELVES!!! See ya later!

Our Tenth Anniversary

Today Jay and I are blessed to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary. I have decided to put up some pics of what our last 10 years have looked like. (You can click the pics to enlarge.)

Top: Us on our honeymoon

Bottom: Our very first house

Top: Our first baby - Adam

Middle: Along came Dillon

Bottom: Happy big brother Adam

Top: Our family of 4

Middle: Our new house!
Bottom: A new addition- A girl! Ruby Elizabeth

Top: Happy big brothers

Middle: Another addition! Rosemy Julia

Bottom:It's another girl! Naomi Edna

Top: Party of 5

Middle: Just the 7 of us!

Bottom: Jay and Julie 10 years later

God has blessed us immeasurably over the last 10 years, I am so excited for what he has in store over the next 10!!!

Remember When...

I have been seeing a lot of pictures on different blogs of growing up and of families. I love seeing the pictures from years past so....I dug up a few of my own. Enjoy! (You can click on pics to enlarge.)

Top: Julie,Katie Jenny

Bottom:Jenny,Julie

Top:Jenny,Julie

Middle:Dad,Julie,Katie,Jenny,Mom

Bottom:Julie by one of Dad's semitrucks

Top:Jay,his cousin,Dad,Sarah

Pic on right:Jay

Next:Mom R.,Sarah,Grandma R.,Joel,Grandpa R.,Jason,Jeremy

Bottom:Jason, Jeremy

Shop til ya drop!

This weekend I went outlet shopping with my mom and sisters. We had gorgeous weather and good times. The morning started out kind of slow, there weren't the great bargains that we all remembered from years past. Everyone did end up finding some stuff though so the trip was a success!!! On the second day, we went to a huge Christmas store, that was very cool, but kind of overwhelming. I think you could spend a whole day in that store!

A little about me.....

I was tagged by Melissa so here goes:

What I was doing 10 years ago: I was probably with Jay nonstop and I was probably helping mom do final preps for my wedding on October 25.

What I was doing 5 years ago: OK Adam was 3 1/2 years old and Dillon was 1 1/2 years old so probably 5 years ago I was doing alot of chasing!! :)

What I was doing 1 year ago: One year ago, I believe we were all adjusting to becoming a LARGE family of 7!!

What I was doing yesterday: Taking care of Dillon who has either Strep throat or Tonsillitis. :(

5 snacks I enjoy: buffalo wings, chips and queso dip, wheat thins, dry roasted peanuts and of course chocolate!!

5 things I would do if I had $100 million: pay off our house and my family and friends houses, give lots to church, give to orphanages to help the children, get a nice BIG car like a suburban or something. Go shopping with my friends!!!!!

5 locations I would like to run away to: Australia, New Zealand, Western US, Disneyworld (I've never been there). ???? I can't think of any more.

5 bad habits: eating too many late night snacks, wanting to be in control, too quick to judge people, not paying close enough attention when I drive, (I'm the one that Cheri, Melissa and Mary hate to see on the road:), biting the inside of my cheeks when I'm nervous or irritated.

5 things I like to do: get pedicures, go to lunch with my friends, go shopping, go to my mom's house and hang out, blog (duh)

5 shows I like to watch: CSI: Miami, CSI: NY, CSI: LasVegas (thats all I watch)

5 things I hate to do: clean toilets, fold laundry (maybe that's why my basket is always full), grocery shop when I have all 5 kids, clean the tub/shower, wait forever in the drive-thru only to have them get the order wrong.

5 biggest joys of the moment: ADAM, DILLON, ROSIE, RUBY, NAOMI

I think everyone that I know that has a blog has been tagged, so I have no one to pick :( If Michelle had a blog, I would tag her!! HINT HINT

10 Things That Make Me Smile

I was tagged by Cheri to list off 10 things that make me smile. So here they are:

Knowing that my 10th wedding anniversary is almost here (in a few weeks)!

Watching my kids play when they don't know I'm there.

When my kids get home from school and are ripping their backpacks apart to get their papers to me first.

Meeting for lunch with my friends.

Knowing that CSI season premiers are this week.

Thinking about our vacation to the smokies this past summer.

Watching my husband ride off on his motorcycle and knowing he is having a great time.

Thinking about going outlet shopping with my mom and sisters in a couple of weeks.

Knowing that fall is just around the corner.

Thinking about all of the special memories that God has given me in the 10 years of being married, and all the special memories that are still to be made.

I tag Melissa over at Melissa's world.