Our Christmas Tree!

We like to try to cut our Christmas tree right after Thanksgiving - I figure we get the most use out of it that way :) The last few years we've been going to a place near Rice where you cut your own but the trees are slightly out of control and are gigantic. So, it's quite affordable and usually a little adventurous ;) ... just how we like it! lol ... so what you do is, show up to this old farm place, hunt down a giant tree that you like the top of, cut the top off and viola! You have your affordable cut-your-own Christmas tree!

After cutting it down

Leidy on her first Christmas tree hunt

The tree being decorated at home ...while the kitties plot their attack ;) They're actually a lot better now at leaving the tree alone. Usually there are just some random ornaments on the ground every once in awhile but I try to leave the bottom part ornament-free to deter them.

Thanksgiving at our House

We had my family over for Thanksgiving and took some family pics. Here's our little family!

And the whole family! Ella, Chris, Heather, Ruby, Mom, Dad, Me and Grant

It even snowed a little!

Mom/Gramma and Ruby

Ella playing with some of the toys from when I was a kid

Me getting the potatoes ready

Gramma Rosie and Ruby

Grant, Mom and Dad

Mom's making her pie crust 'as tender as her heart' ;)

Dinner time! Heather, Ella and Gramma

Me and Grant

Ella, Ruby and Chris

Reading up on the Black Friday ads

Gramma and Dad visiting

What an exhausting holiday!

Leidy is 1 year old :)

Leidy turned one year old on November 14th, 2012 (or somewhere around there at least - we had to guess at her birthday :) Here she is when we got her as a little pup!

And here she is modeling the same jacket she wore as a baby ;) She didn't love trying it on again but I had to see how it would fit ;) I couldn't get the straps under her belly at all to velcro and it was way too short ;) hehe

Here she is in the snow as a baby

and again as a year old!

The birthday girl with her birthday bone. Happy Birthday puppy dog :)

Deer Hunting

We spent deer hunting weekend in Clotho with the Schnells: Mom Marla, Dad Gary, Molly, Clark, Ben, Jess, Lillian, Jill, Alex, Meredith and Arthur.

We camped out in the back yard

Zoey and Leidy had a fun time as always ;)

Cousins! Grant, Molly, Jill and Jess

Winter Camping Symposium

Grant, Ed and I spent the day at the Winter Camping Symposium at Camp Miller! Ed did a presentation on Ultralight Hot Tent Camping with Grant's assistance.

Discussing the tent that Grant and Ed made

Ed presenting

A good turnout!

After Ed's presentation we attended a few others. Leidy got to be in a harness for the first time! She was a little afraid to volunteer at first ;)

Once she started practicing she was good to go!  Of course as long as she got to sniff everything ;)

2nd Annual Schnell Fall Fest!

We had everyone out for some chili, biking, activities and just to hang out!  Here's Dad and Ed visiting at the party.

Ella's ready to go play!

Ruby chillin' with Suzette

Uncle Darrell and Gary discussing something important I'm sure ;)

Molly and Mom Marla

Mom and Me

There was a lot of visiting and eating...

... and mountain biking

Molly trying out the trail

Cody going over one of the hard spots

Me

Jake's having a good time ;)

Then some climbing took place - Ella's trying it out!

Jake

Cody

Grant

Ruby got passed around a lot ;)

There was more visiting ...

and pumpkin painting!

Cody hard at work

Molly's masterpiece

More paint!

Landon, Marilyn and Ella

Molly's turn with Ruby

Mom likes to let Leidy sit on her lap ;) 

And the night ended with some butt darts ;)

Thanks everyone for coming!