My Love From Home: 2016 Oct

2016 Fall - Christmas

Another perk of the year for Mitch working so hard, his job rewarded us with another trip to Atlanta to see the Falcons play the Carolina Panthers. We scored sideline tickets, and we had a blast. Neither one of us care too much about sports or football, but we appreciated the experience. We only stayed through the half time show, and then we ducked out and enjoyed a night in Atlanta.

The kids joined the 4-H for a second year in a row.

Through the 4-H the kids entered a pumpkin decorating contest. Maddox's pumpkin was a pokeball, and Skylar's was a caramel apple.

What a daddy looks like after a day of mowing

For Halloween we celebrated at our church's annual Fall Festival

Halloween night we headed to my parents' neighborhood to trick or treat.

Mitch's just because flowers that he brought home to me one evening. One of many bouquets over the years.

My friend Liza and I took our kids to a Native American festival put together by local Native Americans at the Tifton Agrirama. They shared with us their different dances, languages, and artifacts. I wish I had taken more pictures. Everything they shared with us was so beautiful and fascinating.

We started a new Christmas tradition this year. Since we moved to GA I have begged Mitch to let us buy one of these beautiful GA native Leyland Cypress trees. Mitch was stuck on his NC douglas firs. But when we went to a friend recommend tree farm, it was the price that changed Mitch's mind, and for the first time ever as a family we cut down a Christmas tree.

After we brought the tree home, I made a batch of not so homemade christmas tree cookies while Christmas music played in the background and the kids ~~bickered and~~ decorated the tree.

One afternoon an armadillo popped into our yard for a visit. We have seen these creatures a million times before, but this was the first time we had seen one this close. The kids ran inside to tell me the exciting news that a friendly armadillo was here and would even let them pet him. I grabbed my phone to photograph the moment. When I excitedly sent the photo to Mitch, who was at work, he immediately called me back and told me to stay away and wash the kids hands. Apparently an armadillo carries the plague and other horrible diseases. Oops!! Now we know, but it was still a pretty cool experience. The armadillo and his friend stuck around for a couple of weeks before one Sunday afternoon my parents came over for lunch. My dad quietly stepped outside and we heard a gun shot. When he returned he let us know that he had taken care of our armadillo problem! Oh no! Our little yard pet! But the real deal farmer and lifelong country man knows best, thanks dad for taking care of our disease ridden, hole digging, garden eating yard pest :)

My dad went on a hunting trip with his friends and shot this bear. I didn't get to taste this bear, but I did get to enjoy some bear meat for the first time from one of his buddies' bear. It was good!

Mason joined the wrestling team this year. Not only does he love it, but he's pretty good at it too! This would be Maddox's final year. He had had enough, he was ready to call it quits last year, and we tried to encourage another year out of him, but this sport just isn't Maddox's thing. He stuck with the season until tournament time and we said goodbye. Mason will join again next year and we'll start tournament with him then. My 4 year nephew Gage continued on to tournaments this year and he had a blast and won several metals! Mason will join in with him on the fun next fall.

Mason and Gage wrestling

Skylar took over the Elf on the Shelf duties. She had begged me to, and I was happy to let her take over the responsibilities. She searched Pinterest for suggestion and Mason and Josiah were always excited to see what our Elf Jingle Twinkle was up to every morning.

Mason learning to spell and write out his name!

Mitch took Mason on his first hunting trip this year. Mason had been asking to go. He would ask for a camouflage hat, camouflage shirt, camouflage pants, and camouflage underwear! lol. Mason is starting to grasp the understanding of where our meat comes from. It is so bitter sweet watching him make the connection in his mind, that our ground meat comes from deer, our roasted chicken comes from the feathered chickens in our yard, and that our pork chops and pork roasts came from our pigs. Mitch and Mason didn't see any deer on this trip, but maybe next time!

Our homeschool group's Christmas party had the kids decorate gingerbread houses. I thought this was adorable and fun!

And we decorated again at my friend Liza's house. You can't have too many gingerbread houses, especially when the kids eat them all!

My happy go lucky Josiah is always so sweet and bubbly, but he did not enjoy visiting Santa! lol Bless his heart! But Mason had a blast and let Santa know that he wanted a helicopter for Christmas (spoiler alert, Santa brought him a remote control helicopter).