Deer Hunt :: Opening Day

These three sure make me smile.  They were right there in the meadow, with their guns, ready to help their daddies get a big deer.  Next year Brigham will be big enough to be "hunting" too.

We had a little mishap and the keys to the truck were lost for a bit and the boys' guns were stuck inside of it.  Once we got over to the meadow to meet the hunters Colby and I ran back to the cabin (in someone else's vehicle) to try to find them so the kids could have their guns.  Hello!  It's not hunting without a gun.  We made it back about 10 minutes before everyone headed back out hunting or back to the cabin.

Doesn't this picture remind you of Peter Pan when the boys are playing "Follow the Leader"?

I sure love my boys.  I hope our family gets blessed with at least a couple more.

Stratton Family October 2011

-funny story about Mom's hat-

Colby had the boys in WalMart the morning I was running the marathon and they each got a hat and Marshall picked out this pink camo one for me.  Colby, being the good husband he is, understands the real problem I have with pink camo.  He tried and tried to convince Marshall that I did not need this hat and tried to put it back multiple times.  But Marshall (being the product of Colby and I) wouldn't back down and remained persistent until he got what he wanted.  And so, I finished my marathon, climbed into the truck and found this "beautiful" hat on the seat.  I gave Colby a questioning look and he quickly informed me it was all Marshall.  Well, one day I was going to return it to WalMart, but Marshall started getting really excited about my hat and talking all about how I would be wearing it during the hunt.  So... of course... I couldn't return it.  And I wore it for two whole days for Opening Weekend.

I just love the hat Tyler got.  So does he.

Marshall has been wearing his hat for a good three weeks straight now... even sleeping in it.

It's his "hunting hat."

When Uncle Brady came back into the meadow he caught the boys a horny toad and my boys got quite good at holding it, dropping it while transferring it to each other, then catching it again.  Both of them have actually gotten quite good at catching critters lately.  Marshall chased a huge grasshopper around my mom's yard until he was able to catch it (I still don't know how he did it) and Tyler had a lot of practice catching lizards this same morning.

Thankfully Tyler understands not to hold it too tightly.

I can't believe I almost forgot this... Tyler couldn't remember that it is called a horny toad.  He kept calling it a daddy toad, which seemed like a fitting substitute.  Haha!

This photo needs to be framed in their room!  I love it.

Marshall having his turn with the horny toad.

And what do you know, he finally remembered how to smile for the camera instead of doing his typical ugly tongue sticking out face.  I'm so happy.

We didn't come home with a deer opening weekend (and there's still a couple days to get lucky), but the boys did get to watch some cousins try their hand at slaying a deer.  The girls shooting never quite got it, but my boys thought it was super cool to watch the whole scene go down.  And I'm happy to report my deer spotting skills are getting better and better.