Bird Hunting with Uncle Matt

Our good friends from College came and visited this weekend. They live in Enterprise (NE Oregon). We spent a lot of time with them in college and Matt lived in our basement until he married Carol. Matt inherited the name Uncle Matt because he is just like family to us. He has been around since before we had any of the girls. Matt and Lee have been hunting buddies for many years. They hunted every chance possible during college. Even on game day when necessary! They have slaughtered many deer, a couple moose and now since living in Eastern Oregon, many birds together. The hunt was successful. 4 Rooster pheasants and a lot of quail. We have figured out quite a few good recipes to go along with all the birds Lee has been bringing home. The family favorite is Quail Caesar Salad.



The girls always have to get in the picture.
No matter what they are wearing. Check out Mal's nice outfit.




This is a picture from the 2007 hunt together.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEE

I am a few days late for Lee's birthday, but with Thanksgiving and traveling it made it more difficult. His birthday was on Thanksgiving Day. My sister in law Erin made him a birthday cake. A fishing theme, how fitting. She enjoys cake decorating and does a good job of it. He had to wait until we got home for me to make his favorite German Chocolate. It always has to be home made with home made frosting. We will be having that tonight. We are so lucky to have the best father and husband around. We love you Lee.


DOING THE THINGS HE ENJOYS!!!!!!!



Fishing in Alaska



Spending time with the girls.



Fishing in McCall



Hunting with Rizzo


THIS IS WHY WE LOVE HIM SO MUCH


Lee seems to think that he keeps losing more hair all the time. This picture is to prove he is wrong. This picture is 6 years old. Still looking good.

Happy Turkey Day

We drove to Pocatello to spend Thanksgiving with Lee's family. His sister Sara still lives in Pocatello and Emily came up from California with her daughter Avery. We had not seen Emily in 2 and a half years and we had not ever seen Avery. Emily warned me that she would like Lee and not me, and she was right. She really likes boys! Good Luck Emily!!!!!!!!!!!! We all did a little to help with dinner. Lee and Hailey prepared the turkey to be fried.




I only had two jobs. One was to make the green beans which turned out great. My other job was to make the rolls. Well, they didn't turn out so great. I make them every Sunday but for some reason they didn't rise this time. I am pretty sure I killed the yeast. Oh well, everyone still ate them. We were also able to meet Ryan whom Sara is going to be marrying in May. He had a smile on his face when he came in the door and it didn't seem to bother him that the girls wanted to play and chat with him non stop. Sara has a good catch there. Here are just a few pictures from the trip. Lee's parents have 8 grandchildren. 4 boys, 4 girls. For this trip it was GIRLS ONLY!



Hailey, Malerie, Avi and Avery





Avery and Uncle Lee





The boys with the girls.




Lee and Emily reading to Avi and Avery

We drove home on Friday. We left in the afternoon and then ended up stopping in Nampa as well. By the time we got home the girls were really tired. Malerie had fallen asleep in the car. When I woke her up I told her to go inside and get her pajamas on and she could go right to bed. Well, this is what I found. She was dead asleep!

Pilgram Girls

Malerie's class had a Thanksgiving feast today. The teacher had little outfits for each of them to wear. There was even a spare for Avi. Don't they look cute?







They have been spending a lot of time learning about the Mayflower, Pilgrim's and the first Thanksgiving. I wasn't there for it, but they even made their own butter to go along with the cornbread their teacher made. The feast included cornbread, nuts, popcorn, jerky, and pumpkin pie. That would be alot easier to prepare than a real Thanksgiving feast, but the food is always worth the work right? Malerie has a really fun teacher and a great group of kids in her class. It is always a party.




Check out that plate of food!!

The Forgotten Carols

Hailey and I went on a date last Friday to the Forgotten Carols in Boise. We had a great time. I have been many times, but it has been a few years. I still haven't gotten Lee to go with me yet, maybe next year. I loved going each year. It was always a nice way to kick off the christmas season. I figured Hailey was old enough to go with me. Just as I remember, it was wonderful. Hailey loved all the singing and she asked alot of questions to try and figure the story out. She was having a hard time with the past and present going back and forth so much. I am glad she enjoyed it even though she didn't understand all of it. She wanted to go out to eat before so we left early enough to get something to eat. Well, we ended up stopping at Little Ceasers and getting a $5 pizza wth breadsticks. We each had one piece and then we were full because we ate a bag of breadsticks waiting for the pizza to cool. Then after the show we went to McDonald's for $1 Hot Fudge Sundaes. Definately not my idea of eating out, but it was Hailey's night to choose so that is how it ended up. I can't complain that dinner and deseret was only $10.

Working Mom

On Tuesday and Wednesday I had to travel to Burley and Kimberly for work. This means that Lee got to be Mr. Mom. He had to get all 3 girls ready for the day, including breakfast, combing their hair, and getting back packs ready . Avi had to be to a friends house by 7:30 for Lee and the girls to be to school on time. Lee asked me for a list of detailed instructions for the two days. I had it all typed out with the days layed out. He succeeded the first day at accomplishing all the tasks listed. It is a different story for Wednesday. I called him just after 4:00 and I asked him if he was taking Hailey to piano. He had forgotten! It was even on his detailed list of instructions and he still forgot. He is still an amazing dad though because he got the girls to school each day looking good with well groomed hair. Thats a pretty big task for a dad. I am so thankful to have such a great husband. He is a good dad and can even make it through a couple days without me. I know he would much rather have me home, but it is good to know he has the skills. Lee used to take care of Hailey all the time when she was a baby so he has the experience. He just hasn't had to do it much since he finished school. The welcome home loves from the girls makes it all worth it. I can handle a couple days away when the greeting is three girls running down the hallway to give me a hug!!!!!!! They are amazing.

Idaho Steelheads Hockey

Lee and I went to a Hockey game with some friends last night. This is what I learned:

1- You get 2 for 1 when you buy tickets to a hockey game, hockey and iceboxing!

2- A steelhead is a fish but their mascot is a bear on ice?

3- The refs could potentially get as messed up as the players and they have way less protective gear.

4- Hockey fights are legal until someone uses a stick or helmet on another player or someone falls to the ice. (I thought hockey fights were just because Hockey players were crazy and the refs are forever trying to stop them.)

5- The players go into the penalty box with a smile after a fight. ( We sat right behind the penalty box)

6- The crowd really enjoys tantalizing the players in the penalty box.

7- Spectators could potentially get seriously injured by a flying puck.

8- Goalies will eventually get two knee replacements after falling to the ice so many times.I couldn't believe how quick they are.

9- Hockey players wear A LOT of gear.

10- There aren't normal substutions, they just jump the railing and the game never stops.

We had a great time. We definalty won't be buying season tickets, but it is fun to go with friends. Dinner at Olive Garden is ALWAYS good as well.

Family Time

Lee with Rizzo in the fields



Our Weekend Out

Lee took Friday morning off work and we went hunting. There weren't too many birds out but we managed to bring one home. I haven't been out hunting with Lee since we lived in Pocatello, and that was a long time ago. It is always nice to spend time together even if it is just being his shadow while he shoots birds. We didn't have very long to hunt because we had to be home by noon when the girls got out of school.

Then in the afternoon we all headed to Boise. We had a free hotel room, dinner and movie tickets. Lee and I opted to use it as a family trip instead of a retreat for ourselves. We did a little shopping on Friday then went to dinner. When we checked in at the hotel the gal working the desk said, "you know we have given you the jacuzzi suite" I said "yes, I know that". Then she said "at least your girls will have fun in the jacuzzi." We went swimming but not for very long because Avi has no fear. She wanted to be right where the other two were, and Lee only lasts so long in a hot tub. Malerie just used the hot tub as her swimming pool. It was good sized, even I could have swam in it. I did learn that there is NOTHING good on TV on a Friday night. Thank goodness for Satellite and DVR. We usually have something on DVR if there is nothing on TV at home. We didn't have that luxury at the hotel so we ended up going to bed at 9:30, just like being at home.

On Saturday we got up and did a little more shopping. Then we took the girls to a movie. Avi only lasted about 20 minuets. Then I took her out. We didn't do anything too exciting but it was sure nice just to hang out and enjoy spending time together as a family.

Hailey's First Fast Sunday

Well, Sunday was a big day for Hailey. She fasted for the first time. The minuet she woke up she wanted to eat. She asked if she could start fasting next month instead. I told her it didn't matter if she started that day or the next month it would feel the same. Lee and I also explained to her that it is only 12 days out of 365. That doesn't sound too bad. She survived. She made it through with just a few hunger pains. She recieved a lot of gifts for her birthday and baptism she was able to wear to church on Sunday. A new dress and shoes, 2 white baptisms braclets,a necklace and a really cute headband. I have to figure out how to make one. It is beaded on the top and ties under the back with ribbon. It stays on, keeps her hair in place and doesn't hurt her head, unlike the other headbands we have. I also made her a scripture bag to go along with her new scriptures. She looked so cute.

The Special Weekend

We have had a wonderful couple of days in our family. On Friday evening Grandma and Grandpa McNabb and the whole gang rolled in. Kirstin and her husband Ben even came with their new baby Kira. The girls were so excited to meet their new cousin.



Hailey and Kira



Everyone got their costumes on. We had a banana, a fairy, an elephant, a 50's girl,Indiana Jones, Darth Vador, a really cute lady bug and Ben and Kirstin were from Pirates of the Carribean. Then we headed to Vale to go Trunk-R-Treating before the big Nyssa -vs- Vale game. The game didn't turn out well for Nyssa, the season is over. A win would have taken us to the state playoffs. Treats for the girls did turn out well. We are not talking candy treats, we are talking fun treats. We have 2 different friends that gave each of them a bag full of goodies. For example, glow sticks, puzzles, halloween socks, playdough and much more. I told Lee there is no need to go trick or treating when they get things like that. They don't need candy anyway.




On Saturday we all just visited and the kids ran around. Grandma and Grandpa Smith got here around 2:30. Hailey was patient enough to wait and celebrate her birthday a day late so everyone could be here. She got a lot of clothes which she really needed because she is getting so tall. I know she wasn't too excited about new clothes but she had a lot of other things to be excited about. She got gifts for her baptism in addition to the really cool High School Musical package from Aunt Emmy. Aunt Emmy always sends the stuff mom and dad don't buy but Hailey wants. Thanks Emily!!!!!!!!!!! She got a fleece blanket she got to cut and tie up the ends by herself (it is already done), pajamas and socks.I also took her to High School Musical 3 last week the day it came out as part of her birthday.







At 4:00 Lee was able to baptize a boy named Mike Smith that lives near us. He goes to the middle school. He has been having the discussions for a while and asked Lee to baptise him. It was a really nice baptism. Experiences like this show the strength of youth in Nyssa. They are great missionaries. There were a lot of people from the ward and friends from school there to support him.





Then at 6:30 was Hailey's baptism, she was baptised by Lee. She shared the night with 4 other kids. I still can't believe we are old enough to have a daughter that is 8. Right after she was baptised she was confirmed by her dad. We had a lot of friends there in addition to all the family. Some of them are not members of the church. Hailey invited them and I am glad she did. Hailey knows what is important to her and she wanted to invite everyone she cares about to be there. The best part is they came! I know they were able to feel the spirit during her confirmation. She is such a good example of being a missionary. She got a baptism journal and scrapbook from Ben and Kirstin. She has already started filling it out. She loves to write stories and journal entries so this was her favorite gift. She will be able to write down all the feelings she had on this special day.




The Whole Gang