The Lady Hunter

Ready!!

2009-09-20T18:12:00.002-05:00

Getting things ready, Knee Surgeries and Stuff.

2009-09-11T10:04:00.004-05:00

My brother in law went over to "The Place" this weekend and did some bush hogging and some mowing around camp. It was nice to hear that everyone is getting excited for hunting season. Kevin is probably going to go over prior to the season and get some food plots planted around the stands. That usually consists of a guy's weekend and I'm sure there's more going on then planting food plots. Ahem.

My Father in Law had a knee replacement this past week and is over in Louisiana at St. Francis. He's not doing too great. He caught pnemonia and shingles post surgery and had his stay extended another week. He's still doing physical therapy while trying to recuperate from the other two illnesses as well. His pain is also real severe. I hope he's back on his feet for hunting season. We all prayed that this would better his life and his enjoyment of life. So, keep him in your thoughts and prayers! He's the patriarch of our family and loves to hunt, fish and spend time outdoors. I want that for him this season.

The kids are pumped up about the season. Jacob is ready for his second season to actually hunt with us. Joshua is anticipating his first real hunt where he's really hoping we'll harvest a deer with him in the stand. We've been prepping him that he has to whisper and talk soft. He's our mischievious, loud one so it will be interesting. He's intense about things and hunting is one of those things so I think he'll do good. So, I'm looking forward to another season and watching my boys grow up hunting is the cherry on my sundae!

Summer Fishing

2009-08-31T13:16:00.004-05:00

Jacob thought he was a big dog a few weeks back at Lake Sam Rayburn. He had a blast fishing with his rocket fishing rod. I think Dad had just as much fun casting the thing out there for the boys to catch a fish on. They successfully landed a few crappie and were eager to pose for pictures back in the pontoon boat. They also did some tricks in the tube and thought that was super cool. I was biting my nails as I watched them (still so little in my eyes) being dragged behind the boat. They are all alive and well and giving me a run for my money. Jacob is back in school now and we're anticipating hunting season and Thanksgiving with family. Joshua is excited about this year's hunting season because Dad has agreed to let him sit in the stand with him. Let me tell you that when you're 4 that's about as cool as it's gonna get!

The Littles

2009-05-28T09:20:00.007-05:00

Updated pictures of my Little Ones... Haven't they grown?

Jacob, 5 years old

Joshua, 3 years old

Sarah Grace, 8 months old.

How goes it?

2009-05-28T09:08:00.002-05:00

How are all the hunters doing? Life has been chaos over in my neck of the woods. I was reflecting this week on how soon hunting season will be here. I can't wait! This year I won't be sporting a pregnant belly nor will I be worried about nursing an infant. My baby girl will be over a year old this hunting season and I'm sure I can con Grandma or Grandpa into babysitting for some hunts this year. I'm actually looking forward to it very much!

My boys are growing by leaps and bounds. Joshua, my almost four year old, has matured greatly just in the last six months. He has a great imagination and pretends he's sitting on a boat during the day while he's fishing. What that means is he's sitting on our sofa imagining he's fishing from it and pretending a hammer is his rod while the sofa is his boat. He also pretends he's camping and hunting quite a bit. He's really excited about going over to "The Louisiana" this year. They actually call our hunting property "The Louisiana" which cracks us both up.

Jacob, my almost six year old, is really excited about the upcoming season. He has all these scenerios in his head about this season and I hope we can fullfill his dreams of a great season. He really wants to see one of us harvest a buck. He's not the only one as I think it's about time I harvest something other than a cowhorned spike. Momma is way over due for a buck. I think Kevin would pee his pants if I got a buck. He's proud of me because I hunt, but I think he'd be even more proud if he could brag to his buddies about his wife that bagged a buck. So, we'll see what I can do about that.

All in all this past year has been chaotic, but also one of the most exciting and treasured years of my life. I added a sweet baby girl to our family and she has been such a blessing to us all. She's still such an easy addition and I can't brag or tell you enough how wonderful being a Mom to three kids is. It's just awesome!

I have dreams that one day we'll all hunt together and be a family unit that all loves the outdoors. I'm so glad that we get to instill some family traditions into our children and that they enjoy all of the activities we share with them as much or more than we do ourselves. It's really cool to see our children growing up loved and having so much fun. It keeps us both young and makes us so proud of our little ones and I can't imagine what life would be like without them in it to share it all with. There's just something about seeing your son watch as a herd of deer step out from the tree line and walk towards your stand. You might not even harvest one of them, but the excitement to see something so beautiful and natural is just awesome in his eyes. What a treat to experience everything through the eyes of the young!

I look forward to this season and building more family memories together. The deer camp is always a fun place to hang out and go to get away from the stress of every day life in the city. We sure can' t wait for some rest and relaxation this year and I know the kids look forward to it too!

Busy, Busy, Busy...

2009-02-18T15:23:00.007-06:00

Life has been hectic with the new baby and other two littles. Kevin recently changed jobs and he's been working late and trying to adjust to the transition over to another firm. Life is just busy, busy, busy. We're all doing great though and the kids are growing like weeds. If you ever want to follow me in the non-hunting mode feel free to stop over at my family blog at http://www.thebusybody.blogspot.com/. I'd love to see you over there too. In the mean time, here are a few recent pics of the kiddos. How is everyone?? How'd your hunting season go??

Oh and my second favorite hobby is collecting huge bows and dressing my daughter up... see picture. My husband is appalled. What does he know anyway?

2009

2009-01-02T08:51:00.002-06:00

Well, here we are in 2009! Can you believe it?

I spent my New Year lounging around in my pajamas putting away our Christmas decorations and taking down the tree. Kevin watched college football and I took frequent naps with the kids. I can't complain! You would have thought I was hung over, but that was far from the case. We spent New Years Eve watching television and hardly staying awake until midnight. We're old fogies, I guess.

Our first meal of the New Year was venison tenderloin on the grill with cabbage and black eyed peas. The night before I made my famous venison stroganoff. I'll have to post some recipes soon to share.

I hope you all have a Happy 2009!

2009 is knocking at our door!

2008-12-29T13:24:00.002-06:00

The kids had a nice Christmas this year (as seen above).

Can you believe that 2009 is almost here? I am still pondering where the Hell 2008 went!

I hope you have a great New Year!

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-18T10:19:00.002-06:00

From our family to yours,

may the magic of Christmas fill your hearts and home with love.

Happy Holidays!

Our Thanksgiving Trip

2008-12-02T09:38:00.006-06:00

This year Jacob was old enough to hunt with Daddy and see a doe being harvested. He was thrilled beyond belief. I didn't get much hunting in due to the little one, but I did get to tag along with Jacob and Daddy one night while my mother in law watched Sarah for me. I tell you that life is so stress free when you're down on the property and enjoying nature. I love being with our family and watching all the kids play together in such a beautiful, open place. The boys came back to camp every night worn out. Our three year old, Joshua, was so tired at night he would volunteer to go to bed. If you know Josh then you know that's amazing! We had a great time. We brought home our limit of does and have a freezer full of meat. Next trip will be for big bucks! Hopefully by then Sarah will take the bottle a bit easier and Mommy can hunt too.

First Negative Comment

2008-11-20T08:49:00.002-06:00

I knew it would happen eventually... I got my first negative comment today on this blog. There's a tiny little thing called a "delete" key and that is what happened to the comment. I just wanted to give the poster a shout out and let him/her know that I got the comment and yes, we really do live in different worlds. I love my world! It's a nice world at that! I couldn't be happier in it and I assure you that the animals harvested by me and my family are also harvested by millions of Americans every year. I guess my question for you is, why read hunting blogs if you're against it? Nothing better to do with your time? I'm going with a NO on that one.

8 days...

2008-11-17T18:13:00.003-06:00

8 days until we embark on our annual trip over to Louisiana. I'm excited! The boys (including Kevin) are excited! Even our youngest asked Daddy last night if he could shoot a deer this year. He's only three so you can imagine the answer. I hope I can sweet talk a Grandma or Aunt into watching Sarah for some p.m. hunts this year. I'm sure that won't be that hard to do!

Here's a new picture of Sweet Sarah. She's 7 weeks old already! Time flies.

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T12:12:00.002-05:00

How I spend my days...

2008-10-28T22:58:00.003-05:00

waiting for hunting season.

Next month we'll be making our annual drive over to Louisiana for hunting and family feasting. I'm excited to show off the new addition and to see our beloved family. I am also really excited to see our five year old sit in the stand with Dad and hopefully see his first deer being harvested. He is very excited to go this year. He also can't wait to wear his new boots and all the cool camo he's picked up. The little one, Joshua, will be back at camp and I'm sure he'll have lots of fun hanging with his cousins. Me? I am already contemplating which stand I will sit in and where I imagine that big buck will walk out. It's MY year, or so I hope!

The Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-25T17:33:00.009-05:00

Happy One Month, Sarah!

2008-10-24T15:53:00.002-05:00

Mommy loves and adores you! Happy One Month, Sweet Baby Girl!

Real Girls Wear Camo!

2008-10-20T21:07:00.004-05:00

More Cuteness...

2008-10-13T13:06:00.001-05:00

Happy Two Weeks!

2008-10-11T12:07:00.003-05:00

Where have the past 14 days gone? I am still on my "babymoon"! Life is standing still.

Happy 9 Years!

2008-10-09T08:32:00.002-05:00

Nine years ago today Kevin took me as his bride. What was he thinking? *grin*

Happy Due Date!

2008-10-07T08:51:00.002-05:00

Today is Sarah's Due Date. She's 11 days old. I know this has all been said already, but she is an angel and I'm so very blessed to have her in our family. She completes years of infertility treatments, time, money, heart and soul. It's been a long road and here we are parenting three wonderfully gorgeous children. Who'd a thunk it? So, Today I say Cheers to Sarah and our special day today, our due date. October 7th is here, sweet baby girl, and so are you!

Pure Love

2008-10-04T10:02:00.000-05:00

A picture tease...

2008-10-02T12:59:00.004-05:00

She is the most precious, adorable, sweet, baby ever! We are in LOVE all over again. More pictures coming soon! I'm going through over 300 pictures from our camera... crazy!

She's Here!

2008-09-29T22:01:00.002-05:00

Sarah Grace arrived on September 26, 2008 at 12:20 pm.

She weighed 7 lbs 8 oz and was 18.5 inches long. She is Beautiful!!!

Will update more as we continue to get settled in at home.

We're Having a BABY Today!!!!

2008-09-26T08:06:00.004-05:00

We will be having our little baby girl today at Noon by repeat cesarean.
I will have another little hunter in my arms by this afternoon. I'm so nervous and so anxious. I feel just like when I have deer lined up in my scope and I'm about to pull the trigger. Hubby is excited about having his first daughter. I'll report in with way too many pictures to share when we return home. In case you were wondering, she does have some camo in our hospital bag. *wink*

Hurricane Ike

2008-09-21T21:07:00.002-05:00

We did get hit by Hurricane Ike here in Pearland, TX. Fortunately our home faired pretty well considering how some of our neighbors made out. Our roof lost some shingles and we lost our back fence, but for the most part everything else is okay. We did not receive any interior damage due to water, thank God! We were praying hard that we'd all be safe and okay following the storm. We went without electricity for days running on a generator. That wasn't fun in the heat of Texas, but we survived. I might have been a tad grouchy at times being due any day now. Speaking of being due, we're scheduled for Friday, Sept. 26th to have our baby girl. We're very excited! Back to the hurricane... we're alive and well and that's all that we could ask for.

Now bring on November... I'm ready to hunt!

My First Blog Award!

2008-09-21T20:55:00.003-05:00

My part in receiving this award is some fun info:
1. Where is your cell phone? On the charger.
2. Where is your signifance other? He's actually cleaning out our freezer.
3. Your hair color? Brunette.
4. Your mother? She's alive and doing very well.
6. Your favorite thing? My family
7. Your dream last night? I dreamt about giving birth to our upcoming arrival.
8. Your dream/goal? To live on a nice piece of property in the country.
9. The room you’re in? Office/Spare Bedroom.
10. Your hobby? I love to deer hunt, Read, Scrapbook, and spend time with my family.
11. Your fear? Not living long enough.
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Where I am now, but with older kids and older husband.
13. Where were you last night? Home
14. What you’re not? Liar.
15. One of your wish-list items? An Alaskan cruise
16. Where you grew up? Rosenberg, TX
17. The last thing you did? Put my boys to bed
18. What are you wearing? PJs
19. Your TV? Sony Flat Screen
20. Your pet? Callie, English Springer Spaniel
21. Your computer? Dell (Dinosaur)
22. Your mood? Anxious
23. Missing someone? Not really.
24. Your car? Honda Odyssey Mini-Van
25. Something you’re not wearing? Shoes
26. Favorite store? Target
27. Your summer? Hot and Humid as always
28. Love someone? Husband, My Kids, My Family and Friends

29. Your favorite color? Red
30. When is the last time you laughed? All the time.
31. Last time you cried. After the Hurricane looking at our neighborhood.

I received this award from Marian. She is such a sweet lady. I only wish that I will be where she is in the future years. I love her stories about hunting and her blog entries that revolve around hunting. She's just a really good person and I can't say enough good things about her. Go check her blog out when you have some time. You'll be glad you did!

I have to pick 7 of my favorite blogs and that's a hard one to do. I love all hunting bloggers and I gotta admit its hard to narrow it down to 7. I'll think on that one and come back with my choices in another entry. It gives me an excuse to blog again too since I've been such a slacker as of late.

He's meant for the wall...

2008-08-22T10:05:00.003-05:00

NOT our dining room table. Ahem!

Look what we got back last week. Kevin's buck from last season.

Hunter's Extravaganza

2008-08-15T11:04:00.005-05:00

Kevin took the boys to the Hunter's Extravaganza this year. I laid low and went and got my hair did. I know... I know... so girlie of me. Trust me, these feet were not walking that concrete this year. Next year we'll have three little wild ones to run the show. Unfortunately, the boys weren't dressed in full camo as they are every year because they had spent the night with Grandpa and Grandma the night before and came straight from their house. Kevin said they had a blast! Jacob, our oldest, was really into it and climbed up in the stands and rode on the buggies and four wheelers. The most entertaining part to the kids is the rattlesnake pit. I loathe that part of the show. No thank you very much! So, here they are... enjoy the pics!

It's NOT a beer belly!

2008-07-30T15:40:00.003-05:00

How many times do I have to tell you guys? *wink*

The Lady Hunter is Still Alive!!!!

2008-07-18T08:37:00.003-05:00

I am still alive (as seen in this image). 28 weeks pregnant this week. Feeling huge. Too huge to even imagine climbing into a deer stand at the moment. July is here and I'll be holding this little baby girl by the end of September. Time flies! So, this year we'll have three tiny hunters to spend some time with in the woods. I'm contemplating just what camo outfit she'll wear first. The onsie with the ruffled bottom or the sleeper with the cool ruffled collar. So many choices!

Needless to say, I haven't done much fishing or hunting as of late. The Texas heat has really been getting to me and I find it smothering at times. The boys have gone and done some fishing. Jacob, our five year old, is really getting into the fishing and hunting. He's all fired up about November and can't wait to sit in the stand with us. He thinks he'll get to shoot a deer this year, but considering we haven't even let him shoot a rifle I find that highly unlikely this year. We have told him that we might be able to harvest a doe with him present and that will be just as thrilling to him as he's never experienced that before. He has always been at the camp house when we've brought the deer back up for cleaning. So... he's super excited! I think we all are. Come on November!

It's a....

2008-05-21T09:49:00.002-05:00

Little Lady Hunter on the way!!! We're so excited!!!!

Sorry for the lack of updates...we've just been doing family things and not much hunting or fishing. Although Kevin has been fishing in some tournaments here and there. I guess I could share some stories from those. I'll try and get some stories up soon!

Lot's O' Fishing!

2008-04-30T15:02:00.002-05:00

Kevin has been doing lots of fishing lately. I've been doing lots of lounging considering I'm halfway through a pregnancy and Momma is just plain lazy. It's hard to believe that we'll have a new family member during hunting season this year. I might have to bundle the little one up in my back pack, bring along some baby ear plugs and hunt anyway.

Spring and Summer is here and I love the weather. I am not looking forward to the Texas heat, but I do love watching the trees and flowers bloom this time of year. I guess the fishing weather ain't half bad either...

Off Season...

2008-03-26T09:16:00.001-05:00

What do you do in the off season? We had a nice Easter at the lake this past weekend. I opted to relax and just enjoy the weather while the guys enjoyed some bass fishing. I miss hunting white-tail season... how about you?

Another Hunter on the way...

2008-02-27T08:52:00.002-06:00

I haven't posted my news, but thought I'd share since I hit the 8 week mark yesterday...
We're expecting another little Hunter! I'm due October 7, 2008. We've seen the little baby on ultrasound already. He/She had a heartbeat and was really nothing but a bean, but adorable none the less. We're both excited! We haven't told family yet, but hopefully around Easter we'll feel comfortable to share with everyone. So, wish us luck! Three kids... wow!

My First Buck

2008-02-24T18:21:00.001-06:00

Let's just say that my luck hasn't been that great in the buck department. I haven't gotten a really nice buck yet. I think my nick name should be "Spike Slayer". Don't be jealous of this rack! Circa 2002.

Kevin's Hoss of a Catfish

2008-02-22T21:05:00.002-06:00

This thing weighed 7 lbs. 8 oz. That's more than our first born son weighed at birth! (and was caught not long after that). He caught it on a 4 wt. fly rod, too, so it took him about 20 minutes to land it. It was huge! He released it back into the pond... what a beauty!

Kevin's Buck-2007

2008-02-06T08:15:00.002-06:00

18 1/2" wide inside spread.

8 pt.

230 lbs.

Joshua's First Hunter's Extravaganza

2008-01-29T16:45:00.000-06:00

It wouldn't be fair not to share the cuteness of Joshua's first hunting show. He was about a month old in the pictures. I can't believe the boys were ever this tiny. Now they can ride the four wheeler with Daddy and sit quietly in a stand observing deer. Crazy how fast they grow!

Jacob's First Hunter's Extravaganza

2008-01-26T11:21:00.000-06:00

Every year Houston has a huge Hunter's Extravaganza at the convention center. Jacob has gone every year starting in 2003 (see pictures). He loves to go and get up in the stands and look at all the taxidermy that surrounds the center. He drew a lot of attention his first show when he was only two months old and such a little guy. The amazing thing is he still draws attention at the shows because he's so enthusiastic and always goes dressed in his best camo. I always enjoy watching the big burly guys come up to us and ask us questions about the kids. They are really enthusiastic about the family being involved and how much the boys enjoy the surroundings of the show. It makes me proud to have two boys that are already enjoying the sport, even if they haven't gotten to harvest anything yet. Their time is coming! They grow too fast.

My Little Hunters

2008-01-25T09:13:00.000-06:00

Jacob: He was born June 18, 2003. We had tried for three and a half years to have him. We were actually getting ready to pay a fee to an adoption agency because we had just had our third failed IVF cycle. I took a pregnancy test in October and I almost fell over. He's been the best surprise of my life. He's a sweet little boy with a kind, compassionate heart. He has a love for the outdoors like his father and I even at the age of four. He's smart and very handsome, of course.

Joshua: He was born on July 5, 2005. We decided we'd try again soon after Jacob turned a year and were pleasantly surprised that we conceived a lot more quickly than with Jacob. Joshua has really been a joy. He is the opposite of his brother. He's my spit fire and the one that will give me nightmares in his teen years. He's a lot more daring and a lot more rambunctious. He's also go a very sweet, innocent side to him that I love about him. We are so glad to have him in our family!

We hope to have another child one day. We've been letting nature take it's course and hopefully one day soon we'll have some good news. Three is our limit though so don't think we're going to have seven children. Yea, that won't happen! Ha!

My Husband

2008-01-24T10:20:00.000-06:00

My husband is one of the nicest people I've ever met in my life. I'm not just saying that because I'm married to him and in love with him, but because he truly is one of the most caring and understanding people I've ever met. He treats me with kindness and tenderness. He's always there for me when I need an ear and he's always there to listen to me ramble when it probably never makes sense to him. He's funny and has a great sense of humor. We laugh and joke around a lot which really makes life fun. We share the same values and the same beliefs. He's the ying to my yang.

He introduced me to hunting when we first met. I remember early on during our dating days when he'd travel over to Louisiana to hunt. I never grasped the excitement of it back in those early days. All I could think about was the fact he was away from me and we couldn't spend time together. I should have known early on that hunting would always be a part of our history. Not that that's a bad thing, no, it's a wonderful thing!

I know that there are other wonderful guys out there in this country, but I'm so glad that I found mine and that we enjoy doing some of the same things together. Here we are together this year posing by a Bob cat shot by my husband. I was sitting in a stand not too far from his that morning and heard him shoot. I sat in the stand wondering what he'd gotten. When we reunited after the morning hunt he showed me the Bob Cat. I hadn't seen a deer that morning so I have to admit that I was glad it was just a Bob Cat. Don't tell him that!

7 am-Executive Stand

2008-01-23T10:51:00.000-06:00

This year I started off buck hunting, but eventually decided that I wanted to just harvest a doe and be happy with myself. The men had been seeing some older spikes that they wanted harvested and I had been instructed to shoot one if I saw him. Unfortunately, the weather was warmer this year and the beginning of the season was slow for me. I hunted in the "Executive Stand" a few times which is in the woods where all the natural forage is. We had a great acorn crop this year and the deer were really holding up in the woods and not traveling out to the food plots.

I love the wood stands and watching not only the deer, but the squirrels and birds as they meander through the woods in their natural habitat. I love to listen to the branches rustle as the wind blows through the trees. It's so calm and serene back in the woods.

This picture was taken by myself at around 7 am. All my non-hunting girlfriends made fun of this picture saying that they never look this awake at 7 am in the morning. I replied and said that if they were sitting in a deer stand they would. They laugh at me and quite frankly don't understand my need for hunting. I laugh at them and tell them that they don't know what they are missing!

The Place (Our Property)

2008-01-22T21:10:00.000-06:00

We have 667 acres right outside of Delhi Louisiana that we hunt on. It is family owned property owned by two brothers, my father in law and uncle in law. The property was originally used for farm land and timber. The land was taken out of farm land right about the time I met my husband and put into the CRP program. The deer were unmanaged up until that time and there were no rules against hunters harvesting specific deer. Changes were made and we've seen great changes in the quality of deer we see on the property. My FIL suggested we stop shooting all the bucks and go to the rule of only shooting 8 points or higher with horns outside the ears or better. We let most bucks walk for about three years and it really paid off. We started harvesting more doe in different age classes to manage the buck to doe ratio as well. We planted food plots and added more box stands throughout the property to hunt. We've added two protein feeders in areas that aren't hunted much with little pressure. The quality of deer has really catapulted and gotten everyone excited.

I'll post some pictures of the property sometime so you can see the beauty that I get to enjoy. We have a bayou on one side that makes for nice scenery. We also have a natural slough on our place that brings in wood ducks. They also dug out a duck hole a couple years back that they dam up during duck season. We have really good hunting on this place and the best part is it's essentially "free" for us as a family because it is family owned. We pay for gas from Texas and that's about it. We stay at an old house in Delhi that was owned by the Grandparents of my husband. The family decided to keep it after they passed for a deer camp. It's located in town about 7 miles from the property, but it's got all the amenities of home. We hope to put a camp down on "The Place" one day. Our dream is a log home that we can enjoy and treasure during hunting season. For now we are enjoying what we have and we're blessed to share it together as a family.

Starting Point...

2008-01-22T12:40:00.000-06:00

When I met my husband back in 1998 I had no idea about hunting or the outdoors. I grew up in a regular suburban home with parents that were non-hunters. I was pretty much ignorant to the great sport of hunting and fishing. Things changed for me the first time I experienced fried back strap with rice and gravy. My husband was so proud to share his love of the sport with me and I was a quick study soon falling in love with his sport as well.

I thoroughly enjoyed the first time he took me down to the family property in Louisiana and we rode the four wheelers exploring the woods. He showed me so many things on that trip that I couldn't believe I had never gotten to experience this growing up. He had so many fun stories of his adventures as a kid hunting with his family. I have to admit I was envious of those stories. I became very excited about our life together and the possibilities that were endless on this beautiful piece of property he shared with me that day.

This blog is here for me to share those experiences as we have been married for 8 years now and have two handsome boys together that now fit into our equation. We hunt, fish and enjoy the outdoors together. I hope as we grow older and our life settles down some we'll have even more stories of our hunting and fishing adventures. This is where I begin to chronicle our stories.