Jenny 40th

Kevin used our house for a surprise party for Jenny's 40th.  He had Maggiano's cater so I only did appetizers.  The pictures are horrible and no one really cared to do the "photo booth".  

Robert, Justin, Jenny and Aaron

Al, Jenny and Lauren

Carlie, Al and Jenny

Sophia got in on the photo props!

14 Year Anniversary

Justin and I celebrated our 14 year anniversary tonight.  Went to our favorite place, Mingon.

Claire Turns One

We went to Claire's party this morning and as usual Carlie out did herself... and Nic!  Everything was decorated so cute.  The birthday girl was snoozing for the first pic so we had to snap one when she woke up.  

Eric's 40th Surprise at Henry's Tavern

Tonight we surprised Eric for his 40th birthday at Henry's Tavern.

Nancy, Alison, Kim and Kim

Nori and Nancy

Starr, Nori, Alison and Nancy

Justin and Matt with the birthday boy

Leaving Henry's... Justin put on the valet guys sunglasses.   Best quote of the night... when Kim and I told Eric he was not driving home, he got out of the car and said, "what's up bitches"?  That confirms that he is NOT driving!  

Inspections

It is just comical at this point and all we can do is laugh!  We failed inspection on the "plaster" because the lock on the side gate was an inch and a half low.  The other fail was for the arbor because the frame was not inspected before final was done.  I cannot even tell you what the other was for... NOW we are just waiting on final inspection on the arbor.  

Gregg and Jimelya Wedding

Today we went to Jamelya and Greggs wedding.  It was at the coolest chapel in McKinney.  The reception then followed at Stonebridge Country Club.  I cannot believe the last Caravella is now married!  

The reception started and the kids were STARVING.  So, the awesome parent that I am I had packed some Smarties.  The kids went C R A A A A A A A Z Y after they ate them.  Noah and Seth were running around and having a blast.  

Gregg and Jamilya walking into reception

First Swim

The guy monitoring the water told us that it would be ok to swim.  Since we were having people over tonight we did not know if we were going to tell the kids or not... well, we did.  They were SO excited they could hardly stand it.  

Ansley, Kellen, Benton, Sophia, Seth and Jonah were the first ones to swim!
Luke was at a birthday party and Piper was in CO. 

Delt Mini Reunion

Brian and Daph were here for Greggs wedding so we had a little reunion with some old friends.  Great seeing these guys... it has been a few years.   The kids got in the pool for the first time tonight and they were so excited!

Zach Gregg, Justin, Scott and Vella

Steps

THE STEPS ARE FINALLY DONE!  This will make it so much easier for the kids to crawl up there to jump. 

This girl...

After Sophia got dressed she told me I had to take her picture to send to daddy.  I told her that he was in the office working and she said to send it anyway.

Camp Jolt: 5th Grade Camp

Jonah left for 5th grade camp this morning.  I cannot wait to hear all about it when he gets home!  

Plaster

They came and did the plaster today!  It is getting there!

I saw Scott and Haley walking down my driveway... they did not think the pool was filling up fast enough so Scott put his hose in the pool!

Seths First Day Of School

The Hulk had his first day of school today.  As Mrs.  Shanna opened the door he pressed against me and the hands went over the eyes.  As Mrs.  Shanna went to grab him arms went up and the rest of the body to the ground.  NOT HAPPY!  

I knew he would stop in a few minutes so off I went to drop Sophia off so I could have my heart melt again by tears.  Of course you would think they would know by now that momma doesn't play that game!  YOU ARE STAYING AT SCHOOL because I know that within 2-3 minutes you are fine.  :)  

At pick up they told me that Seth had a great day and only cried for a couple of minutes!  

Sophia's First Day Of School

Sophia had her first day of school today!  Of course last night she woke up at 2:00 and said she could not sleep.  We had set her clothes out the night before and this morning she came downstairs with her clothes in her hands ready to roll.  She could not stop talking about how much fun she was going to have and that she was going to make new friends.  She was SO excited all the way up to the point until the class door opened and the kids started walking in the room.  The water works started, she pressed up against me and she was blubbering that she wanted her daddy!  

I gave her a little push into the room and put her things in her cubby and she was still a mess.  I gave her a squeeze and told her to have a great day and that I love her.  Seth has now joined in with the tears.  I squeezed her again, assured the teacher she was fine and walked out of the room!  I know that within two minutes she will have stopped and been fine!  She has not figured it out after the three years of school that mommy does not fall for the tears trick, mean momma just walks even faster with a little pep in my step!  :)

Sister decided to wear her new sparkly shoes and of course when we get out of the car at school she tells me she has a blister and that she needs new shoes!  Momma TOLD her not to wear them.  Good thing we had some extra flip flops in her bag!

Elk Hunt: Day 3

  

From Justin:

Wednesday

Took 4-wheeler up to fence line.walked fence line to back of property near the big *ucker tree.  Heard a bull bugling across the fence line but couldn't get them to move our way.  Traversed the property to the middle and ran into a bull less than 100 yards away right in front of us.  Alan went right.  I went left and stepped on a branch...that pretty much scared the bull away.  


We kept walking all the way to the top again...didn't have any responses.  Worked our way back down to the middle of the mountain and decided to put a tree stand up for Alan to hunt over a wallow.  

Went back to camp and had lunch then shot my bow.  Noticed that now I was shooting about 6-8 inches high.  Launched two broadhead's through the hay bales.  Started looking at my bow and noticed the fall away rest wasn't going down.  Luckily PaPa hadn't left with Nic and he knew what to do.  Just needed a little tightening.  I put two arrows in the bullseye at 40 yards so figured that I was good to go.  

We went back up the mountain.  We dropped Alan off at the tree stand over the wallow and Luis took me up to the tree stand to the East that I had hunted the first night so I could get my quiver mount and seat cushion.  I had forgotten my safety harness so I could hunt that stand.  We walked back down the mountain to the West and settled into the meadow where Alan had taken the shot at the 6x6 on Monday morning. 

 I sat down on a log nestled up into a pine tree and had a view of multiple shooting lanes across the meadow.  There was a ladder stand about 100 yards below me to the east which was set up where the elk are known to cross so we were expecting that we'd be able to draw a bull around the corner and give me a shot at 40-60 yards...which I was confident in making based on the target practice shots I had made before we came out.  We sat there for 30 minutes or so and Luis hit the cow call a few times and followed it up with some bugles. 

 A little time passes, things are quite and then the ground begins to shake to my left...just behind the tree line where Luis was standing.  He signals to me that a bull was coming around the corner in front of me down by the ladder stand.  Now remember, I was supposed to be in the ladder stand where the elk where now standing...this is an important piece of information....Rookie mistake, always bring the safety harness if you are going to be hunting in a ladder stand!!!  I digress, I was watching the corner and a small spike appeared.  He looked right at me at 85 yards and put his head down and continued eating.  Another spike followed with 2 - 3 cows in tow.  They all passed 40 yards in from of the ladder stand that I should've been in!  Then the largest bull came up the rear.  He was at least a 5x5 but I couldn't really tell if he was big or not.  He didn't appear to have much mass to him, but I probably would have shot if he wasn't 100-yards away.  The herd continued to move westward down the mountain and it appeared as though my opportunity for the day was lost. It was about 5:30 when this all went down.

Elk Hunt: Day Two