Hunting in Arthur

November 22nd, 2010

Matt and Chris had deer hunted at the cabin on opening weekend (Lily's birthday), but did not get anything. They both, deep down wanted to go to Arthur to get their big deer anyway. So, the next weekend, Matt and Chris drove out there together and picked up Maverick and Maguire in Lodgepole. Of course they had to hunt there for a little bit first. My brother has a ranch in Arthur that also has a few bunkhouses. So, the boys were set, all they needed was deer.

Maguire got the first kill of the weekend. He got a pheasant and Oasis and Cash were the retrievers.

On Sunday morning, the big deer was almost out of their reach. They had to head out soon. But...they saw one. Matt got him. Everyone was excited about it. He is a 3 x 3 and Matt wanted me to say a 20" spread. ha ha. Now we have deer jerky, sausage, and beef sticks. Another successful deer season.

Widdowson 2010 Christmas

Our Widdowson Christmas was planned for the week before Christmas. Everyone was able to come and spend the whole weekend together. It was a lot of fun!

Matt went out to Mom and Dad's earlier than Lily and I. He had big plans with John and the boys to go hunting that morning. So, he loaded up Oasis and his guns and he was off.





Lily and I arrived around lunch time. The Ferzelys arrived soon after. Matt and the boys came by and showed off their birds. Don't they look like they have fun together?

The ornery girls, maybe they will be hunting next year. ha ha!

Look at all those goodies Virgie and Mom made. Yum!

We had a nice relaxing afternoon. The kids played together and were anxiously waiting to open gifts. As soon as we said OK, they were passing out presents left and right.

Uncle John and the two hooligans. Spoiled!

Caden and Delanie

Scott and Matt sat in this chair together almost all weekend. A little weird, I know.

One of Lily's presents from Sydney. She now has new dolls and furniture for her dollhouse that Santa brought her last year.

I love how we open gifts. We start with either the oldest or youngest person and we all watch as they open their gift.

After all the kids were done opening presents, they played with them while us adults opened our gifts. We are all very fortunate to be able to give to others. John had Matt's name, so he asked me if I wanted to go in on a gift with him...

Lily had to help Maverick deliver it to Matt.

He loves it!!!!

Lily and Sydney both got CD players with headphones. They enjoyed singing together.

Our day together consisted of lunch, presents, eating, playing, and going to the cemetery to visit Mullen. We each had a candle and it looked amazing. We all miss him very much. His gravestone is in now and it is beautiful.

Now...
off the Minden to see their lights on the courthouse.

I couldn't quite figure out the setting on my camera that would work. So, I didn't get that great of pictures. In this picture, Uncle John thought it was fun to drag the kids by their leg and let go. They would slide out a few more feet.

TaDa!!

They had fun sliding all over the place.

Even, Daddy had fun!!!

Lily and her Aunts!


When we got home we enjoyed some Hot Chocolate and a few games of BINGO! We stayed the night at Grandma and Grandpa's because we all went to church the next morning. It is always nice to attend church with the family.

After church we came back for lunch and then the kids decorated Christmas cookies.

The Widdowson grandkids:
Maguire (8) Caden (5) Maverick (11) Lily (3) Delanie (7) Sydney (3)


That evening we asked our neighbor Michala if she could take a family picture of us for our Christmas card. She was very patient with us and we got some good ones.

And... we got a winner!

I had three days of school the week of Christmas and it was probably the hardest week. The kids were just ready to be out of school.

Thanksgiving and Decorating for Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

We went to O'Neill for Thanksgiving. We got to spend a couple days there, that was nice.

Lily and Landon enjoyed playing the Wii and just being together. They chase each other around, talk non-stop, and play so well together.

Matt brought his deer's horns home so that someone in O'Neill could mount them. Or, do they look better on Bella?? ha ha

















We went to Shamrock Nursery and looked at all the beautiful Poinsettias. We came home with three. Lily was so tuckered out from the Holiday, but Oasis wasn't. :)



















We were now in the Christmas spirit and picked out our beautiful tree. We now have a tall ceiling, so we were excited to get a big tree. It is always fun to bring the tree in and decorate. Lily fell asleep as Daddy and I put on the lights and put decorations up around the house. We woke her up to put the first ornament on the tree.























I love getting out the ornaments,
because each of them has some meaning. Lily enjoyed hearing about most of them and this year she could put them on herself.


















Daddy helped her get them up high.
























I loved decorating our new house!









































Our beautiful tree! I love Christmas decorations! Our lights turn on with a portable light switch. That was Lily's job! :)



















The nativity scene. Grandpa Mark made the manger for us. Lily loves this and wanted to play with the people.

Lily's Birthday Celebration

We invited our families to our house on Sunday, November 14th for Lily's 3rd birthday. We were excited to have them out to our new home. We have so much more room and it was a beautiful day. Matt had been hunting that weekend with Chris, Brett, Carson, Mav, and Guire, and they did not get a deer. Aww man! Then Sunday afternoon we were ready to party! I had made lasagna for lunch and Lily helped me prepare for our guests.

We opened gifts first!

Lily's very own Christmas tree from Gma & Gpa W. She loves it!

Lily had been asking for a TinkerBell bookbag for a long time!!! I was so excited when I found one. She couldn't wait to put it on!

What a big girl! Good thing a bookbag doesn't mean I have to send her to school. I am not ready for her to be that old!

Another request, TinkerBell movie. Thanks Aunt Gigi!

Thanks Gma & Gpa E.

ABC game from G &G Widdowson


We are very fortunate to have such a giving family. Lily did not need many gifts, but she was very thankful!

Lily sang the birthday song with us! ha ha. She has a Strawberry Shortcake cake.

Great job!!!!

He wonderful cousins that came to celebrate. Cute pic!

Relaxing after lunch!

The kids went out to play. Lily loves her some Maverick! :) He is so good with her.

I have so many pictures of just the two of them. I am glad they can be so close!

Lily and I got Matt a chiminea for his birthday. He tried it out for the first time on the deck today. It was neat. I can't wait to use it more often.

Posing!! Lily loves to try and keep up with Guire! He has so much energy.

Aunt Emily teaching Lily how to draw on her new marker board.

HA HA HA I like her expression!

We had a wonderful day with our family. Lily had lots of fun! Once everyone left, she was tired and we instantly played with new toys and put on her new jammies. I took out her braids and Woah!

My beautiful 3 year old!



November 16th!!!!!!!!!

Lily opened one present on Monday morning before she went to Heather's. We got her a little video game type thingy that has stories a stylus to write and she can draw and play games. Lily took cookies and pens to her friends at daycare.

So happy to be THREE!!

Mommy and Daddy couldn't wait to get off work to play with Lily. I picked her up and took her to the park and Matt met us there. She was so happy. Lily was giggling the whole time, running from slide to slide, asking us to go with her, laughing! It was such a joy to see our little girl full of delight. I am glad we could make her day special.


We then ate at Applebee's for dinner. We had them sing to her, but she didn't like that. She crawled onto my lap and hid her face in my shoulder. She gets so shy lately. But, she liked the dessert! :)

Probably one of her favorite gifts: chapstick!!

Jadyn got Lily a Barbie. Thanks Jadyn. The Barbie count is now at 2. She is now requesting more Barbie's. Oh boy, I wonder how many we will have next year? :)


It is hard to believe my baby is 3! This has been the best 3 years. Matt and I are so blessed to have a wonderful and healthy little girl.

We love you Lily Jo!