Lighting Up Shipshewana

We decided to visit somewhere new for the holiday season...Shipshewana.  They actually have a lighted parade through town and light the Christmas tree in a little ceremony for the holidays.  We headed out there around 3:30pm and grabbed a quick bite at Wanacup - a favorite cute little Amish deli next to the flea market.  Then headed to downtown where they shut down the streets for Christmas celebration.  Cute decor, food vendors and the shoppes made it all so festive for the holiday.  We walked around, shopped a bit, took some photo opps, grabbed some hot chocolate and waited for the parade.  Very neat alternative to the big crowded city of Chicago which we did a few years back.  I would definitely do this again.

Bethel vs. IUSB

Bethel is now 6-0 after defeating IUSB last night.  Love watching Gabi in her element and love listening to the cheers for her as she does her stunts and tumbling!  Got to watch a great team play too!

First Deer!

Dressing out at 119 lbs., I finally got my first deer!  11-8-18 A buck!  Ben and I went to the same stands we had gone to the prior weekend on Thursday.  The wind wasn't the best, but I wanted redemption from missing the big buck I saw previously.  I actually took Ben's rattle bag this time to see if it would help. Around 5pm I tried rattling every 15 minutes or so.  Nothing.  I even texted Ben a frown face emoji around 5:30pm because I had not seen anything.  Sunset was at 5:30pm so we legally had til 6pm to shoot something.  I tried to blind call a doe bleat and went back to rattling.  I started watching a piney squirrel to my left and said a prayer..."just let me see SOMETHING..." I swear at that moment I heard a rustling and thought, "another dumb squirrel to my right" and I turned and saw a larger something coming out of the thicket.  I couldn't quite make out if it was a doe or buck but did see the body was large enough and I had made the determination right there I was gonna go for it.  He rounded a tree so I could see he was a buck...smaller than the one I had missed but large enough to take.  I stood up and grabbed my bow.  Drew back as he was walking not paying attention.  I made a noise to make him stop and look and for a moment thought I was busted.  I aimed lower this time (after figuring out my mistake from last time) and took the shot.  It still was high and I spine shot him.  He dropped there and lost ability in his hind legs.  He wasn't making any sort of noise to make me uncomfortable knowing he was in pain, but I called Ben right away. Ben made his way to me to finish the deer off.  I wish it would have been a cleaner shot, but in hindsight, at least we didn't have to track it and take the risk of not being able to find it.  All in all, a good experience and I am learning new things every time I hunt.  Loving it even more...
Thankful for this experience and thankful for this animal that I was able to take.  More meat in the freezer for the family.

Hunting Weekend

Ben got his first doe this season on Saturday morning up in Michigan.  She dressed out at 100 lbs.  Not bad and glad to have some meat in the freezer!  On a bad note...shot at and missed a buck on Saturday evening. Very disapppointed in myself, but think I figured out what I did wrong.  Looking forward to getting back out asap.

On a better note...check out these pics of our baby, Gunnar while we were out winterizing around the house...what a cutie!

First Halloween

Gabi and I were blessed to spend Halloween Trick or Treating with Madden and Lennox...Madden was "Foxy" from Five Nights at Freddy's and Lennox was the Marshmallow man from Ghostbusters...so much fun! Gunnar even joined in on the fun as a "Rufferee"

Blue Eyes

6 months....and just look at those beautiful blue eyes...

Indiana Institute of Technology

The Pilots pulled out a win over Indiana Institute of Technology (ranked #5 in NAIA) last night and it was Gabi's first time cheering at the college level.  She did AWESOME!  So very proud of this girl!

 Gabi and Colten

A Mazing Acres

Who knew Pumpkin Patches could be so much fun with farm animals, things to ride, food, hayrides, ziplines, and corn mazes????  We met Tyler and Caitlyn at A Mazing Acres in Michigan for a quick little trip before Halloween.  The weather changed so quickly that they didn't really have a chance to go until now.  It was definitely not the warmest day, but we had a good time!