Merry Christmas!!!

We had a very Merry Christmas again this year. Katie and I were not going to do much for gifts, but we did want to try to go to a BYU basketball game over our break. Everyone in my family wanted to join us so we met op for the UTEP game the day before Christmas Eve. Even though the weather was crappy right before and right after, we were all able to travel safely and only had to deal with rain. We were able to stay in Malad on our way down and Katie got to take a ride with her mom. She loves to do that, but most of the time we are in too much of a rush to get a ride in.



The next day we stopped and visited with our friends Meagan and Cameron and their little girl Brooklyn. We had not seen them in almost a year. Their little girl is so cute. I wish we had remembered to bring our camera in and get a few pictures. We wish that we lived closer to them so we could get together more often.



We started our super day with a little bowling at the Wilkinson Center on the BYU Campus. I think that is where I bowled for the first time as boy. We had bumpers for the kids and I think the the grown ups could have used some as well. It was a lot of fun to see the kids help each other out and I was quite impressed with how well Jacob did for his first time. With the aid of a ramp, Carson ended up with the second highest score, and Katie was the over all winner.



Laura had made t-shirts for Aleah and the Fisher boy's to ware to the game. They each had a letter on them, and when standing in order of youngest to oldest, they spelled out J I M M E R. (Jimmer Fredette is a preseason all american, and the best player at BYU in 30 years) We got to the game kind of early and the kids got right down on the front row. Aaron got Jimmer's attention and he looked over. He gave them a big smile and a thumbs up. Garrett looked up at Katie and said in his cutest little voice, "He looked at me". We staid after the game and the kids got autographs and pictures with almost all of the players. It was such a neat experience for all of us. Katie even jumped in with Jackson for a quick snap shot.











We were some of the last people in the Marriott Center. Brandon Davies had come out of the locker room late. Katie drew the short straw, and had to take the kids back down the stairs for the tenth time that night. While we were waiting for her and the boys. Becky, Chad, Blake, and Aleah decided to head out. I sat and watched Jimmer walk up the bleachers. All the media and all the fans had left. I thought to myself, "I bet that it is exhausting to be a superstar". I am sure that all he wanted to do is get a shower and get something to eat, now that he had finally escaped. I guess that he happened to be headed out the same time as Becky and her family. He went out of his way to say hi to them and give Blake a big high five. This we really neat because Blake didn't make it down on the floor. I was very impressed that Jimmer did this. There were no cameras or media around. No one was watching and he still made sure that they were thanked for their support.




Christmas eve morning we got up and everyone headed their own way. We needed to get back home because Katie's family was headed up to Idaho Falls, but we were able to make a quick stop before we left town. Our good friends Josh and Gnickie had flown in from Alabama and did not get to Josh's mom's house until 1:30 that morning. We stopped by and visited with Gnickie and their two beautiful twin daughters. Josh was back at the airport dropping off his little brother. He made it back in time for a 30 min. visit. I feel sad that we only saw them for a short while, but am so grateful that we were able to see them at all. Josh and I have been the best of friends for about a decade now. I sure miss having them close by. I wish that he could get a job out here. If you know anyone looking to hire a lawyer out this way, keep him in mind.



We made it home just in time to unload the car, feed the goats, drive back into town and pick up some pizza, and meet everyone back at our house for dinner. Most of Katie's family had made it to Idaho Falls. After dinner we tried to look at the lights down the street, but it was kind of hard with the 500 other cars doing the same thing. We ended up at Bart and Mindy's for a Wassel party and played some games.



The next morning we went back over to open presents. I was glad that we were all together and able to watch Travis and Tanner get so excited about their presents. It was a really nice Christmas. Katie and I made breakfast burritos, and everyone was assigned something for dinner. It was very simple and didn't require anyone to spend much time preparing. I hate when so much time is spent on the food, that the prepares are totally exhausted and cant enjoy the holiday.







It was nice to spend a little time together for our first Christmas in our new home (new to us). We were able to reflect on our many blessings. We have had a lot of highs and lows this past year. As we reflect on some of the scary things we are able to look at the blessings that have come with them. We really have had a great year. Katie has done so well in her first semester of grad school, we both drew elk tags and were able to each shoot our first elk. And even though we do not know what difficulties Blake will have to face in the future, I fill like Katie and I have become closer with my family through his struggles, and have been able to put a lot of things into perspective.

The Huntress

Katie got her first big game animal this weekend. We went hunting with my friend Sheldon and his boy who also had a tag. Both Katie and Cody were able to shoot their first elk. We had a really good time. With finals coming up nest week, this was Katie's only chance to get out. She did a very good job and I am so proud of her and Cody.

A Busy Fall

We have been pretty busy this Fall. Katie started her first semester of Graduate School in August. She is doing very well and is complaining very little. She wakes up at about 5 a.m. every morning so she can catch the bus to Pocatello just after 6. Most nights she takes the 5 p.m. bus which gets her to the house around 6:30. That makes for a pretty long day. She does use her time wisely on the bus and get a lot of studying done in transit.

After my elk hunt, we did sneak a few days in on the deer hunt. Although we got skunked, we had a really good time and got to see a lot of neat things. One morning we jumped a group of does and fawns that had an albino fawn in it. It was the cutest little critter. I hope that we can see it again through the years. My buddy, Jason, was able to shoot a little forky. Should be just right size to get him through the winter.



Katie's little brother Jason is a senior this year. His football team did very well. They went undefeated through the entire season. We were able to see a few of his season games and all of his post season games. We even made it to the semi-final game in New Plymouth. It was a great win. The boys worked so hard, but came up just a little short in the State Championship game. Second place is still pretty darn good. It was a tough loss, but a great season.



Ryan, Katie's oldest brother, got married on November 6th. His wife, Jodie, is such a nice addition to the family. We sure are proud of them and are so grateful that we were able to be there with them on that special day.



We spent a week in Nevada for Thanks Giving. I got about half of my chores done. My mom can't get my dad to do any handy work, so it seems like every time we are home she as stuff that needs to be done. I did get out with my dad on his Deer hunt for a couple day. He ended up tagging a 3x3 that we had seen a few times when I was out with him.



One day dad and Aaron took the four older boys out on the deer hunt one morning and the rest of us met up with them at Great Basin Park. We saw a nice four point about a mile from the park that would have been an easy shot. Too bad we didn't have the tag.

My First Elk

I drew a pretty coveted Bull Elk tag this year. There were only 30 permits issued and it was less than 4% chance of drawing. I have been so excited for this hunt since I drew because I had never had a Bull Elk tag before. I have put in for a Nevada Bull every year since I was 12 with no luck.



The down side to my tag was the fact that EVERYONE had good luck with the draw this year. So, I found myself hunting and scouting alone, except for one day when my good friend, Sheldon, took me out to his special place. We didn't see any Elk that day, but it was my favorite day of the hunt. It was really nice to spend the day with him in the area he has spent 30+ years of hunting with his dad and brothers. He told me stories all day long and was pointing out all the places where they had made so many memories.





I worked pretty hard everyday. I was the first guy out and the last guy in. I have found having success while hunting is all about luck. I feel that the more time you spend out and the more things you learn, often times increases the opportunities to get lucky. I saw some beautiful country and all kinds of critters like a black bear and a few moose.





It seemed like everything was going against me. I have little experience hunting Elk, I was in a new area, it was in the high 80's every single day,full moon wasn't helping, and nobody else was seeing any Elk, opening morning I had a mouse in my truck, I rolled into a cactus and had quills in my shoulder, the nice bull I had picked out during the scout was now nowhere to be found... I hunted high and low and could not find a big bull. I had decided Sunday night that I had hunted hard, and that if I had a chance at a 6 point, in a decent area, I would shoot it so that I would be able to return home and take Katie on the deer hunt next week.



Monday morning came and I had my chance and I took it. I had studied a group during the hunt and learned where they bed and where I could get access. It seemed like everything worked out and I was "lucky". I was able to get the truck right up to him and loaded him in whole by myself, with a little help from a come-along wench. He sure isn't the monster that I was hoping for, but I am still pretty excited about my first Bull Elk. I hope that my next post is Katie holding a big buck!

Quick Update

Here are a few pics from the past month. We went up to Salmon area last month to do a little elk scouting and get away for a couple days. It was a lot of fun and we got to see some really beautiful country.




Katie's BIG, little brother, is a Sr. this year. His football team is doing really well. They have won their first four games by a pretty big margin. We were able to go to two so far that he as played up in this area.



I have been working a lot this year, and have had a hard time trying to get ready for hunting season. I wish I was retired and could spend all my time out chasing critters like my dad. He was able to get himself a 175 3/8 California Bighorn Sheep earlier this month. I don't know where it will end up, but 175 is the min. for Boon and Crocket, and as of the 2005 Nevada Book, it would be 3rd place for Nevada. I would think that he would have a pretty good shot at top 5 for Nevada when the 2010 book comes out, and in the running for the gold buckle that goes to the biggest for this year.

Jackson

We got some sad news last night. Katie got a call from her mom with news that Katie's dog, Jackson, had passed away last week. I think that it took that long for Mary to be able to tell Katie.

I was never a big pet person, but I sure did like Jackson. He was a big old dog, but was as gentle as a butterfly. He really meant a lot to Katie and her family. We had talked once about bringing him up to Iona, but decided that Mary probably wouldn't let him go and that he and Tina, their other dog, would be lonely without each other.




I feel really sad for Katie and know that it was hard for her to get the news. We will miss our buddy Jackson dearly.

Pictures

Well, this is mostly going to just be a lot of pictures. They cover the past two months, including Katie's B-day, our anniversary, family visits, the Blue Angle's, our goats, and an adventure Katie took with Bart and Mindy to Tex Creek last month when I was in New Mexico.