Gotta back track a little

Since time seemed to really get away from between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I've not had the chance to really blog about Christmas...Brian & Andy's hunting expeditions....or my HUGE Christmas surprise!! I am going to start with the week of deer gun season. (note: if you are at all squeamish, don't scroll down.)

The Monday after Thanksgiving typically marks the first day of deer gun season. Well, this year it also marked the 1 year anniversary of Brian's dad's passing. So it was a bittersweet kind of day. His mom was here with us and the kids had the day off from school, so the day wasn't quite as emotional as I'd thought it would be. Which is good. However, Brian & Andy did not get a deer. While they were in the woods, we girls decorated our Christmas tree. I ended up taking Grandma home a couple days later, Brian worked the rest of the week, and the kids went back to school. Then we come to the weekend. On Saturday, December 5th I was awakened around 7:30AM, by what seemed to me, a gun blast right outside our bedroom window. Of course I jumped out of my skin, and out of the bed, raised the blinds, but did not see anything. I got dressed, made some breakfast for the kids and me, and here comes Brian. He had gotten a buck. Not just any buck....a HUGE buck. The kind of buck most hunters dream about getting.

He got a non-typical 11 point buck. And he was pretty stoked about it, not that you can tell by this picture. (Why can't he ever smile??!) Anyway, later in the afternoon, he took Andy back out with him. About an hour later, I was called to drive my truck back across the field, because Andy had gotten a deer. Now, as a mom I was thrilled for my boy!! I just assumed it was a doe....a deer....a female deer...ahem, sorry I digress. Well, I jump in the truck and head out across the back field. And much to my surprise, this is what he shot:

You can't really tell from this shot, but he also got an 11 point buck. He shot it with a 410 shotgun. But to be honest, had 3 points from this deer's antlers not been broken off, Andy would have had a perfect 14 point buck!! Awesome huh!!??!!??

This is what the two bucks looked like hanging side by side. Andy's buck is on the left, Brian's is on the right. And even though in the photo, Andy's deer looks bigger, Brian's actually weighed quite a bit more. We have no idea though, as these deer were butchered here at the house. But I'm one proud momma, and am content to have meat in the freezer!! With today's economy and employment issues, you simply can not be complacent about anything!!

Oh yeah by the way....I just want to mention that December 5th was Grandpa Cooley's birthday. He would have been 72 years young!! RIP Grandpa...we miss you dearly!

Stay tuned.....I'll be posting Christmas updates, as well as my HUGE Christmas surprise!!

Love & Hugs to all....Happy New Year!!