Jack got a turkey!

Jack and Dan went out this morning for Jack's first turkey hunt.  Less than an hour later, Jack had his bird.  His first shot hit his target!  His aim was perfect - but next time he will tuck the gun a little tighter into his shoulder.  Enjoy the pictures!

Jack goes hunting

Jack's first hunting adventure started this morning!  Dan and Jack headed to the meadow to look for turkey.  Good luck Jack!

Our Pumpkin Patch

We had a great crop of pumpkins this year.  We planted a lot more than last year and perhaps a little too close together as it was hard to get in the rows and "scar" them like I usually do.  I was able to do some for the kids, but Jack's pumpkin was chewed up by moles/voles/chipmunks/mice/squirrels. We share the garden 50/50 with the critters. 

This is about half of the pumpkins we got from the garden. Dave brought a lot of pumpkins to decorate the LTC at the hospital and I gave pumpkins to all my co-workers kids.  Dan, Nicole and the kids got a bunch, we gave a bunch to the Johnson's, and Dave will give the rest to his co-workers for their kids.  Any leftovers and the chickens get them.

Pictures from Dan's game camera in the valley

Dan has his game camera set up in the valley to scout for the big one.  Here are two pictures from September.  Check out the velvet on the second picture.

Another out of order post - Our cookout at LTC

We volunteered to cook the meat for the Long Term Care Center at Northfield Hospital for their annual family picnic.  This is the fourth year that we've done it and we plan to do it forever, or until we burn the meat and they kick us out.  The first two years were burgers and brats and the last two have been marinated pork loins.  Each loin weighed 5 - 6 pounds each and we did just over 60 pounds.  Dave brings our big grill and it takes 2 shifts.  We smoke with apple wood chips and cook the meat to 135-140 degrees and tell the kitchen (they carve) what time to slice it (so it can rest).  It turned out so well last year that we put in an order for pork loins too!

Out of Order - our trip to the State Fair - a photo gallery of what we ate!

We go to the State Fair for the food...

deep fried sweet potato fritters with cream cheese "dip". Yum.

Reece's first state fair!

Poutine - french fries with white cheese curds covered in gravy.  No bad, but the gravy tasted like KFC

We shared all the food - everyone got a taste of everything.  Some things were tougher to share than others....

Look natural, I said

London Broil monster sandwich

We can't remember what food this was.  But we ate it and it was good.

Breakfast sliders.  The best deal at the fair.

The highlight of our state fair visit every year.  Deep fried pepperocini, a leinie's beer from the Leinie Lodge, and an adirondack chair to listen to the performers at the bandshell.

Reece stuck with milk for his first SF trip

Movie taken of the Big Slide

breakfast

Dave and Dan go bear hunting in the BWCA

Dave and Dan went hunting for bear in the boundary waters.  They went in outside of Ely, snowbank lake.  They portaged over to Disappointment Lake (7/10ths of a mile, done 3 times) with 400 pounds of gear.  Canoed to the north end of Disappointment lake and camped there.  Beautiful camp site and they were there for 4 days, hunting and fishing.  Didn't see any bears, but saw a wolf and lots of grouse. Dave says he will definately go there again, but not to bear hunt. 

Dan in tree stand

The Johnsons got a new puppy

The puppy had joined the Johnson family 10 hours before these pictures and didn't have her name yet.  Parker (Dan jokingly called her Lenny - ha ha) LOVED her.

I want a puppy....I want a puppy...I want a puppy

Sam's Wedding

Sam (Nicole's step-sister) got married to Eric on September 21st.  The wedding was beautiful - outdoors in the evening and the weather was perfect. Nicole was a bridesmaid, Jack was an usher, and Parker was the flower girl (a touch bashful - her brother and Aunt Julia came to her side to walk with her).

Julia (Sam's sister), Sam, Kenzie, Nicole, and Parker

Julia and Jack to the rescue!

The wedding pictures were taken by a lake. Parker was having a great time throwing rocks in the water.  Kyle (best man) did a fake out of tossing her in.

Parker dress up pictures

Our wonderful neighbors, the Johnsons, gave Parker the dance costumes that Annika had outgrown.

New pics from July



Where's Luke?  Didn't we take any pictures with him?  He was with us and the kids....really!

July party with Luke, Jack, Parker, Reece, Ryan and Megan.






pool party



the rain really washed out the ravine behind the garage



hiking the wash




Birthday brownies that Grandma Rose sent - YUM



cook your own dinner night

cooking dogs