Fishing Excursions and the Knife Wielding Maniac

Last week we made a quick change of plans and decided to go to Casper for the weekend. As usual the trip was an excuse for John to go fishing again.

John and his brother, along with the boys, and some friends entered the local ice fishing derby. They caught a lot of great fish and they were not that far off from having the largest fish either. One of the guys on their team actually won a new ice auger and some money.

 So while the weekend was full of a lot of fishing it was also full of a lot of time in the pickup. During our drive through the beautiful (hahahaha) State of Wyoming I played around with my new camera. John didn't think I would be able to get a picture of the Sheridan sign because we were driving to fast...little did he know that not only do I rock as a photographer, but my camera speed is well equipped to get such pictures! HA!

Little B, you ask? What has he been up to?

Well, over the last few weeks he has really started to walk. He no longer needs the couch to hold himself up and if we say, "We gonna get you" he starts to run away...kind of. It is more like his arms thrashing in the air while his legs try to keep up.

 He does have a new trick though...he likes to help with the dishes, he likes to climb into the dishwasher while I am trying to empty it.

 Most of the time he gets bored of standing on the dishwasher so he then resorts to pulling the pans out and then he bangs them around on the floor.

While I was putting away dishes the other day he saw his favorite cup and about peed himself with excitement while trying to pull it out.

When he gave up and knew that it was stuck in on the top shelf he moved on to a new adventure. Yep, he found the knives. I should have stopped taking pictures because he soon became a wide-eyed, knife wielding maniac...I think it was because he knows that knives are off limits. Obviously, I am really strict on that rule.

No more pics because I had to retrieve the knife which sent my punk into a back thrashing fit of rage...and the tears came a rollin' out....

Love,
   the fish crazed John, the camera happy Halsey, and the knife wielding Punk.

New Years in a flash....(I'm kinda digging this flash thing).

Went to the Belgrade Lounge and sang a lot of Karaoke. John said Abby and I were the worst he'd ever seen. Obviously, he doesn't know talent when he sees it.

 Then there was Buck he was a lil' of Johnny, a lil' of Charlie and I think a lil' of Santa.

 New Years. New camera. new babies. Old fire/snow tricks.

 And more of the snow on fire snow tricks...

And lots of food. loves from Sammy to Brecken. And Buzz Lightyear.

 New Years day with the peeps.

 John has moves.

We have moves.

And we have some moves that are probably not suitable for children's eyes.

Phew.....

Christmas in a Flash

 B loves to attach Squirt- Squirt loves to lick Brecken.

 We ate lots of candy. Lots is actually an understatement.

 John caught fish...of course.

 B's favorite present. A box of packing peanuts, it was also he favorite treat. gross.

Gingerbread building competition. Team John/Halsey/Kelty won. Why? because I am writing this post and what I say is always honest and true.

Christmas morning. Can there ever be a good Christmas morning picture?

There you have it folks....

Christmas with the Bishops and a lot of crap...literally.

When I look at our Christmas card from last year I laugh. a. lot. Okay, maybe I shouldn't be laughing, but I mean seriously, Brecken looks like a doll. Look at his arms, he looks like an outstretched, oxygen lovin' baby.

 I am, however, so thankful for this year's picture. Even though Little B looks like a premature Casanova with his puckered lips I know that I would never give up his silly face or personality for anything.

 Our Christmas season was so wonderful this year. We were able to find the perfect tree within 30 minutes, Brecken got to see Santa....twice, and John has been able to slaughter lots and lots of fish!

So from our house to yours we hope you had an awesome Christmas!

FYI...I will have Christmas pics up as soon as I steal Kelty's camera to retrieve all the pictures!

Until then...enjoy our lovely faces hahahahahahahaha

Fact: My baby is a human vaccuum cleaner.

Little B has turned into a mad man...or baby. whatever. Anyway, now that he is mobile he is going crazy. He gets into everything, he attempts to climb everything, and he BANGS everything. Yeah, just about everything we own has his grubby lil' fingers prints on it now.

 His newest fettish is eating everything off the floor. I don't even know how he finds some of the the things that he puts in his mouth. I feel as though I am gagging him twenty times a day. Yesterday for instance, he managed to rip off both of his OWN socks and shoved BOTH of them in his mouth...at the same time. He also found cat food, styrofoam pieces, a rock, a pen cap, and a bobby pin. I am not lying.

 However, even with the new desire for unedible objects he is not nearly has fussy anymore. After his birthday we took him into the hospital on the 10th to get tubes put in his ears.

Hallejulah! I heard angels singing that day.

 It took awhile for him to finally sleep through the night, but his is doing it now. He has always been a happy baby, but now he is a happy/mountain dew crazed/candy fed baby.

 My second round of giddiness happened when John finally got his buck. No more hunting season meant ...prepping for fishing season.

Correction: He has already begun the ice fishing season.

While John and the boys reduced the fish populated at Highlight, Brecken got to play with his cousins he was a bit dramatic at times. Note: I have become this crazy camera lady when it comes to taking pictures...I figured I would take a break over Thanksgiving and not torture the family.

Anyway, Thanksgiving was great the food and company were awesome, ghe shopping was not as great...I will say it again: I hate waffle irons. here's the story 'bout that adventure.

Other news: Our dear friend Colleen had her lil' babe Maddie over the Thanksgiving week. Brecken still is not quite sure what she is....he is a bit skeptical about this whole baby business.

 I also learned a valuable lesson over Thanksgiving: A spoon in the bottom of a bowl will end the life of a beater. 'nuf said.

 And the best part about November: Little B STANDING on his own!

YEAH!!!!! Okay to be honest this was not the very first time, but it was the first time I actually got a picture.

FYI.

If you are really bored interested check out my sister's blog. She is doing 25 days of ugly sweaters. That's right folks she is going to wear an ugly sweater from now until Christmas. Yeah, she is just that classy.

Happy Birthday Little B!

It's crazy to believe what we were going through this time a year ago. Buying a new house, bed rest in Billings for three weeks, and WaLah--a 2 lb. 15 ounce little munchkin. He is truly a fighter, he was fighting for life back then and he is still a fiery little carpet crawler now. Believe me. Everything that I did to torture my parents is now coming back to haunt me. 

The doctors told us after Brecken was born that if this had happened thirty years earlier we would have both died and I am so thankful for the technology that we have today that kept us both alive.

I am also so thankful that Brecken has had the ability to grow and become such a strong little man. I love pulling out his first diapers to compare them to his diapers now. It just seems so unreal that a human being could fit into something so small.

There is only one regret I have..I wish we would have been able to get an ink stamp of his hand and foot the day he was born, but I understand he was too fragile for anyone to touch. So instead I look at this picture to remember how small his little feet were. Even back then his little feet looked so tender and perfect.

Now, a year later I still feel as though I am being blessed everyday. I love how Brecken makes me laugh and how my personality he possesses. John says he acts like me--it is kind of cute now, but I am imaging him to be a terror when he gets older. I love his squishy face that he makes when he is frustrated, I love his contagious laugh, and I love his excitement when he sees John or me walk into a room.


I DON'T love, however, that everytime I punish him he laughs at me. No joke. I spank him and he laughs. I say, "NO" and he laughs. It scares me how mischevious he already is...

I love that for Halloween he let us dress him up as a monkey, then a chicken, then a monkey again and he never cried or complained....well, I guess he kind of cried (but I blame that on the ear infection).

Everyday I try to thank my Heavenly Father for my precious boy and the miracle that he is in my life and after everything we have been through over this past year I am so thankful that I get to tell my little man Happy Birthday today.

Happy Birthday Brecken we love you!

I don't even know how to explain this...

So I am trying to find words for the experience I had this morning. I still can't even begin to describe what went through my head at the exact moment it happened..it was weird, because I do remember panic, embarressment and complete madness all occuring at one time.

Now, some of you will understand what I am going through, others may want to block me as a friend on facebook, and some of you will laugh hystarically.

Before I get "ahead"(no pun intended.you will understand in less then 30 seconds what this means) I need to explain what happened last night.

So, last night B and I attended the annual pumpkin carving party at the Barnwell abode. It is always so delightful and fun. John, however, didn't show up. Yes, he was hunting, and yes he finally killed an elk. Whatever, I am fine with that. So when he got home late last night he decided in his infamous wisdom that he would quarter the elk in our garage. Whatever, I am still fine with that. Then, came the realization that he needed to do something with the elk once he was finished. His plan: put it in the garbage can. I am not fine with this.

Hello! for those of you that have never been up close and personal to good ole' Wapati...well let me tell ya, they are big....our garbage on the other hand is NOT that big. John kept barkin' at me because I wasn't being that helpful so I huffed into the house and said as I slammed the door, "Fine you try to put a square peg in a round hole."

Ten minutes later. Tap, tap, tap on the front door. I opened. John replied, "I put it in the garbage can" (emphasis on snotty tone that came from his mouth). I believed him and then finally was able to go to bed at 2:30 in the AM.

NO. No. the story is not over. So, I left the house kind of late today and when I opened the garage door and walked outside this is what I saw.

BAHHHHHH! I almost died. I remember repeating something in a very loud voice that I am sure the neighbors heard. Obviously, John and I have to completely different perspectives on what it means to put the elk in the garbage can.

I called him right away, trying to remain calm and said, "There will be no negotiation. The elk that has taken up residency in our FRONT yard has to go." Further, I tried to explain that there was more than a handful of reasons on why this was soo wrong. First, our garbage pickup doesn't happen until Tuesday and that head will not be sticking out for 5 days. Secondly, Halloween in on Sunday and everyone and their dog will be coming up our driveway. Third, this is not what I had in mind for scaring the trick-or-treaters. The list could go on and on about the reasons on why this is not o.k.

note: John I love you, but the elk has to go. sorry.

For everyone else, please don't judge ;)