The Count Down

Week 37

Sunday before Christmas

Well, here it is! I'm swollen, soar, sleep deprived, have become best friends with the potty, feel like a bowling ball and am having a lot of contractions! My next Dr.'s appointment is in two days. We will see where I am at with dialation/effacement, but I am hoping two ways; I don't want a Christmas baby and have enjoyed being pregnant again, but I also am now in the very uncomfortable weeks and selfishly want him out!

Today has been a beautiful Christmas Sunday. My parents and Dusty and Angie came to our ward in Post Falls (along with Tim and Lizzy who are in the ward, too). We had three converts receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and get confirmed as members of our church. A cute family. We went to their baptism yesterday and the spirit was SO strong. Also today, we sang lots of Christmas hymns in sacrament and had amazing Sunday school lessons. Being on the verge of having another baby and reflecting on the humble birth of our Savior, I was especially emotional and touched thinking about what my son might become and what a duty I have as a mother. I also thought so much of Mary and what an incredible woman must have been. I really hope the best for my children just as our Heavenly Father hopes the best for His and Mary knew of hers. 

Let it snow! And snow...and snow...

Jon's brother, Brandon, was in town for the day on business and ended up staying two days/one night with us because he couldn't get out on a flight! We had the biggest 24 hour snow storm since '68-'69 winter!! It was record breaking. All of school and a lot of businesses were shut down and the snow left us pretty much house bound and the boys work free for a couple of days! It was nice to have Brandon take us to dinner in his 4x4 rented vehicle (which was even tough to travel in) relax, play games and have hot cocoa!

(Below: Brandon and Jon shoveling for about the 3rd time after the first couple feet of snow)

"Uncle B" and Cade...Jonny was shoveling off the roof so it wouldn't cave in!
Cade in a snow burm...he LOVED playing in all of it!
Our house after the snow had FINALLY slowed down!
You can see how much snow there is comparing it to Cade peeping out the front door!

One funny thing...Gonzaga canceled their school today, but the basketball game was still on...? Don't ask me! So, Jon scored tickets from Dan Ross (cousin) and was able to go with Dusty (who is visiting this week) in my Dad's truck to his first game in the kennel! Fun!

Who's right?

Everyone has ALWAYS told me that Cade "looks JUST like his DAD!". Well, this official look alike meter didn't quite think so....so he IS mine afterall! Haha.

MyHeritage: Look-alike Meter - Blank family tree - Dynasty

DR. Dr... dr...

Well, I just got back from being checked for the first time at my Dr.'s appt. and I am dialated to a 1 and 85% effaced! At least we know the ball is rolling! My water broke the first time, so we'll see how long I make it this time! 4 weeks to go at the most (I HOPE).

Bitter Cold!

This weekend it has been O degrees F at night and in the teens during the day with a bitter wind! After a very mild winter so far, it finally feels like December! Cade loved getting another skiff of snow to play in. He is really getting so big and independent.

Zoey is an outside dog and has a nice shed with a doghouse and straw, but even she gets a little too cold out there and gives us THIS face... how can we resist?

She is trained to stay on this rug, so Cade takes advantage of her being "trapped" and loves to maul her! This time, he was so sweet. I heard him talking away in the corner and I found him sitting with her, reading to her. He did this for about 20 minutes. He is such a sweet heart and he loves the pets. But we love him more!

This weekend we also enjoyed a night at the cannery canning food, some shopping together and a super fun date night with all the adults in my family that live here (and Nikell, Wyatt, Brady, and the Caudles). We went to dinner at Azteca Mexican Restaurant and to the movie "The Day the Earth Stood Still". It is a remake from a '50s movie that we watched the weekend before! It was fun to see all the changes and similarities. We love when my Dad gets excited about things like this! :) It was great. (LtoR: Jon, Brynne, Steve (planner), Tyler, Rick Caudle)

LtoR: Missy Caudle, Angie B., Mikin, Lizzy, Tim, Jon, Brynne

(LtoR: Brett, Wyatt, Nikell...missing is Jean taking the pics)

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

Last night for Family Home Evening the three of us went and picked out a Christmas tree and decorated it, listened to Mannheim Steamroller (Erickson tradition) and made goodie plates for friends. Our friends Zack, Lizzie and Austin Simon joined us later to help. There is nothing more warming than the smell of the tree, fresh cookies, and good company.

Jon was proud of his chocolate dipped pretzels. :)

Cade loved "helping" with the sugar cookies!
The Simons

One of the family pictures they snapped for us for Christmas cards. We love Cade in this one...

We love the Christmas Season and the reason for the season!

Crazy Kids

We got to watch the 3 oldest Morton kids and house-sit while Tyler and Mikin were in Las Vegas for the weekend. Cade LOVED having cousins to play with!

Cade and Ella in the tub...they loved causing mischief together...

This was our Friday night "pizza party". You think staying up 'til 10:00 was too late for them?

The kids trying to keep their eyes open for the rest of "Lion King" (Jon's pick)

LtoR: Noah, Kiah Cade and Ella
It was a little challenge going from one to four....Brynne became a taxi driver and chef! We took them swimming and to our ward Christmas party where Brynne played guitar. Kiah (who Brynne gives guitar lessons to) loved practicing with her. We had fun.

GOBBLE "TIL YOU WOBBLE!

This weekend was a fun and busy one! Thursday (Thanksgiving) we woke up early and went to watch Daddy play in the ward turkey bowl. Cade was wanting in the game the whole time! But we played catch with his little football. Jonny did great.

Later that evening we ate dinner with my (Brynne's) cousins and Aunts and Uncles at the Lee's new, beautiful home! We watched football, played cribbage and then the boys got hit with the "turkey slumber"! (Below: Cade and Jon)

Friday, Angie (Dusty's wife) stayed with us and her and I woke up at quarter to five to go shopping on "black Friday" for my first time ever! It was like bumper cars and almost all the things we got were some of the last! One thing we finally got was a new 42" flatscreen! Great deal and Jonny was happy to come home early from hunting that day to set it up! Nice upgrade from our 500 lb. t.v. that needed to warm up for 10 minutes before you could get a picture.... :)

Jon also was amazing enough to get me these these two anniversary bands put on my ring for carrying and having our two babies. The gift came a little early because they were a steal on black friday as well! Thanks, Jonny. I love you. And I love my ring!

That night, we went and watched Angie D. play in the NIC alumni game and then all the girls went and saw TWILIGHT together. It was so good and so fun to hang with the ladies! The boys got a guys' night with the kids. (Don't mind my no left eyebrow from my bandaid. Just look at Edward in the backgroud. Lto R:Lizzy, me, Angie D., Momma Jean, Mikin, Angie B. :)

Saturday was the FIRST SNOW! Cade loved playing in it! Jon went hunting and mom watched holiday movies. :) That night we had ANOTHER dinner with my family at my parent's house. It was so good! Especially Tim's orange rolls! Mm.

Sunday I had to cut up my deer with my Dad, so we got to eat leftovers and hang out with everyone again! So much food! They also finished Jon's first european mount from his mule deer he got in Montana. Turned out awesome!

Even though we had a great weekend, we couldn't be more grateful for the things we have been blessed with in our lives. We have a warm home, food to eat, a beautiful, healthy, growing family, a great extended family, we've had prayers answered regarding Spike and especially A.J. lately, we have the gospel, and much, much, more. That is what Thanksgiving is all about.

Patience Pays

The last few years I have waited out for a buck bigger than a 2 point and have ended up shooting a doe on the last day of the season. Finally broke the dry spell!

I have been hunting the last few weekends with my Dad. It was getting a little hard to climb up into the tree stand being large with child ;). Had seen a lot of does and a couple of small spikes, etc there. That morning I woke up late (alarm issues...I was MAD), got into the tree stand after shooting light, etc. but my wise old man said

"You never know. Sometimes these are the best mornings."

Well, after a couple hours of sitting I spooked this buck (looking the wrong direction) and was super bummed. I texted my Old Man and told him. He texted me back and said

"Be patient, you'll get your chance".

Lo and behold, 5 minutes later (about 8:30 a.m.) this big boy walked back in behind me following a doe! I ended up shooting 4 times when I have never shot more than once! The first shot was behind me in the tree stand, so I took it way over my left shoulder and ended up eating my scope! Got a huge, deep cut over my eye as you can see in the pics. OUCH!! Didn't let it fase me, though, and ended up hitting him twice...once far back on his lung and then a kill shot in the shoulder (a lesson to always sight in your gun). Anyway, he's dead meat and it felt good to take another big boy to the ground!

My Dad was so nice and caring. He helped me in and out of the tree stand and did most of the gutting and dragging with me being in my 8th month...and fat! ;) He also skinned it for me. Some of my best memories with my Dad are doing things like this together. He is such a good man.

He also pulled the deer out off the mountain with this game hauler and I rode it the rest of the way home on the easy part. :)

Cade was hanging out with Nana, so they were there when we got back. wasn't too sure about seeing the WHOLE dead deer for the first time, but he warmed up to it when he saw Papa and I skinning it's legs and sawing them off. He realized it wouldn't get him!
He just kept saying "MOM! Deers."

Me and my old man with the buck. Love him lots.

AAAHHHHHH!!!

So, today I had one of my first real, scary mothering experiences. I was cleaning my mom's house (in exchange for babysitting while I go hunting this weekend) and Mikin was there with her kids as well. Cade and Ella were off playing together upstairs. I am talking to Mikin downstairs. Just hanging out like normal.

All of the sudden, I hear Cade start screaming BLOODY MURDER at the top of the stairs (not like 'I'm mad she stole my toy' but a REAL 'I'm hurt bad' cry). I immediately start heading that way and Ella meets me at the bottom of the stairs saying, "Cade got something in his eyes!". So, I rush to the top of the stairs. His hair is soaked, his face is soaked and he is rubbing his eyes like crazy and trembling. All I smell is orange citrus and then I grab his hands and they feel oily. I immediately freak out and think, 'PLEDGE'.

I rush over to the bathroom sink upstairs and start freaking out washing his eyes over and over with cold water----meanwhile, yelling for Ella to get me the bottle of whatever was in his eyes. She just kept saying "I didn't do it! I didn't do anything!". So, finally I had to calm myself down (while Cade is still SCREAMING harder than I have ever heard him before and trying to rub his eyes) and tell her, "Ella, you're not in trouble. I just need to know what is in Cade's eyes. Can you get me the bottle, please?" So, while she is away I just keep thinking 'My son is going to be blind. My son is going to be blind'. She brings me the bottle. It is an all natural Orange Citrus, fragrance bottle. Supposed to eliminate odors and VERY strong. It basically was like spraying 15 lemons in his eyes.

So, I am crying with him, continuing to force his open eyes under the water when my mom and Mikin hear the commotion and come running as well. At this point, Ella all of the sudden starts to FREAK OUT screaming, crying saying "It's on me!! It's in my hair!" It took a minute to kick in, but she had sprayed it in her hair and her whole head was burning. My mom starts reading the bottle of what to do if there is contact with skin (of course it says "avoid contact with the eyes or sensitive skin areas) and it says wash with warm water and soap because of the OIL in it.

At this point, Cade started calming a little bit (not screaming quite as hard) after about 5 minutes of continually rinsing his eyes and then he starts freaking out about his head too. Rubbing and rubbing it. So, we throw them both in the tub, wash their hair good. Ella starts to feel better, but is still crying. Then Mikin asks her, "Ella? Did you spray this?"

"Yeah."

"How did you spray it?

"I pushed the button really hard."

"Where did you spray it on Cade?"

"I sprayed it in his hair and in his eyes and in my hair, too."

The truth comes out. Cade was still not content so we took him out of the bath and continued to flush his eyes with water and saline for another 5 minutes. Ella continued to cry in distress for Cade. She was so worried.

Eventually, Cade calmed down. His eyes were totally bloodshot and his face is still red where we didn't wash with soap and water around his eyes. One eye is a little swollen. We called poison control, though and we pretty much did all we could do. They are now both fine and the redness and swelling has gone down. He seems like he can see. Thank heavens it was all natural ingredients!

While we had the now-calm kids all cuddled up with us in towels on a bed after all of the mayhem, Cade fell asleep on Mikin's chest and Ella looks at me and says, "Brynnee, is Cade okay?". My heart melted. "Yeah, he's okay. Are you okay?" "No." Poor thing. We had a good little talk about poison safety.

This was a GREAT reminder to keep a better eye on the things kids can get a hold of.

Angie B is 33....

For Angie B's birthday on Monday a few of us girls got to go shopping (for Angie) and to dinner at Red Robin. The boys were busy cutting up deer and watching kids. We talked for a couple hours. It was so refreshing and so fun!! We love you, Angie!
LtoR: Shannon Pluid, Angie Gatten, Mikin Morton, Jean Gatten, and Brynne

Mikin and I modeling Angie's new threads

These are just a couple of random pictures that I wanted in the book. Dad and Cade napping together on a Sunday. How much I love them.

Me and my brother right above me, A.J. He is such an amazing person and has been through so much lately. Cade calls him "bes fen" (best friend). He is an awesome uncle, too. We will miss him while he leaves us to go to Utah for a while.

Montana Deer Hunt '08

We drew in MT once again for a group hunt. It is always such a sweet hunt and good times. We hunted near Cascade, on ranches with the permission of land owners. The hunting is a totally different style than around here. (Notice the landscape below.) We filled 11 tags! Everyone got a buck and a doe except Rick who didn't have a buck tag. I just got my first 30-06 (camo remington rifle) and it felt good to blast the first couple kills with it. If you can see my butterfly bandaid though, I did get the kiss of the scope on the doe...my bad.

Me with my 4 point mule deer shot at 8 a.m. the first morning

The Boys! (LtoR: Brett & Wyatt Gatten, me, Tyler Morton, Steve Gatten, Tom Gatten, Rick Caudle

The racks

Notice Tom's big whitetail on the right

Steve's deer was generally the biggest (thickness, etc). Shot it at 490+ yards in the NECK! Guess he's been doing this for a while...

We had some good times...between Tyler's sleeptalking, me sleeping through everything ("feeding the tumor"), crawling through the river raccoon hunting, an unwanted visitor in our camp, church at the branch in our hunting clothes, and my moth/hair burger on the way back, we made a lot of memories once again! It was a success.

The New D0

Well, here it is! These pics aren't the best, but I keep getting asked for pictures, so here they are. My now dark hair (I dyed it myself!) and bangs.

The blunt bangs:

They can be done to the side, too (these don't look quite right because they'd already been hairsprayed blunt...you get the point)

Half Up
Down from the side
Once again, I keep trying to grow my hair out and I CAN"T GET PAST THIS POINT! Everyone keeps chopping it back to what it was. Does anyone know anybody who listens to you???!
Anyway, kind of a fun change.