Adventures of Thanksgiving

This is a fairly long post, so here's a short summary!  For more details, and everything that happened, keep reading!!!

We went to the Hill Country for Thanksgiving week and saw my best friend and most of my extended family.  I thoroughly enjoyed seeing everyone--and the conversations we got to have--and feel so blessed and grateful for the opportunity!

That said, it seemed like one thing after another kept going NOT according to plan--which resulted in waaay more stress and driving than was conducive to a good hunting trip (Bryan's goal) and a good relaxation trip combined with spending time with my hubby (my goal).

So, while it was a great trip, I'm VERY glad to be home.

Last week Bryan and I traveled to the Texas Hill Country.

Normally, we go straight to my Gan Gan's acreage outside of Juntion, TX.

This time, we didn't leave until Saturday and we headed to Fredericksburg instead.

We stayed with Gan Gan Saturday night, and then Sunday went to Trade Days.

Disappointingly, we didn't find anything there--not something to hang on the wall behind our couch, not a desk for upstairs, not even a little something to help complete the guest bedroom.

Although, to that end, I did get a cool idea for a project!  Which I'll post about once I actually do it lol.

Monday we drove to Austin for my best friend's lawyer swearing in ceremony and then lunch!

I am so proud of Victoria!

Back in high school when we met as sophomores, she was determined that she would either become an actress or go into entertainment law.

By our senior year, she had decided to go the law route.

She did amazingly as an undergrad at TCU and went on to law school, where she was always in the top percentile of her class.

And now, she's a full lawyer, working at a private entertainment law firm!

She accomplished exactly what she said she would, and I am so beyond proud of and amazed by her!

Vic and Philip also brought Daddy's new GSP puppy Dixie with them! 

She's so cute!

Though she and Haley got off to a rough start:  Dixie is only 2 months old and thought Haley looked a lot like her mama.  So, she went to get some milk, and BIT Haley on the nipple!

Combine that with all the attention the puppy was getting, and I think it's gonna take Haley some time to warm up to her lol.

After lunch, Bryan and I headed to the ranch!

We didn't make it there before evening hunt, which was disappointing for Bryan.

We did get to go eat at the Koym cabin and see all three sisters (Carol, Cathy, and Suzie) and all of their kiddos (Caleb, Jacob, Caitlin, Hudson, Phoebe, Emma, and Baylee)!

Tuesday looked like it would be the true start to a week of hunting for Bryan and relaxing, reading, and short walks for me and the dogs.

Bryan got up for morning hunt--but when the feeder went off, no corn came out.

He figured that something was blocking the corn, and he'd fix it later that afternoon.

We went into town for lunch and groceries and Bryan went to the feeders when we got back.

As it turned out, the feeders weren't stopped upt--they were empty!

They had emptied themselves between the beginning of October and last week (I know, BIG surprise, right? lol That's what happens when noone goes up for Opening Weekend).

So, it was back to town for bags of corn.

We were on the way back, making the last turn onto the ranch road, when my car just stopped.

We were in the middle of nowhere.

We called my dad--who was still an hour and a half a way--and unsuccessfully tried to call my Aunt and Uncle.

We were just about to start walking when a truck pulled up!

Turns out, the two men in the truck are actually distant cousins of mine!

They drove us to the Koym Ranch, where Dad and Mom met us.

We went back to my car and loaded it up on Uncle Charlie's trailer (thanks Uncle Charlie!).

The closest Hyundai dealership was in San Antonio--and would be closed by the time we got there.

So, it was back to Fredericksburg.

Wednesday morning, Dad and Bryan got up super early and took the car to San Antonio.

Turns out, my timing belt was shedding teeth, and it had jumped.

They'd have it fixed by the end of the day--for $1100.

Sigh.

We borrowed Mom and Dad's suburban to go back up to the ranch.

Bryan went to fill the feeders and I stayed with the Koyms.

I ended up having a great religious conversation with Suzie, who is moving to Madagascar with her family to be missionaries.

I'll post more about that, and our conversation, later.

Bryan didn't get to make evening hunt--we had to head to San Antonio before 8 pm to get the car.

We got there at 7:52 and grabbed a quick bite to eat.

We then went back to Fredericksburg to drop off the suburban and continued on to the ranch.

We got there at 11:30, but Bryan still got up at 4:45 to go out for morning hunt.

For lunch, we headed back in to Fredericksburg (this makes our 3rd trip to Fredericksburg in 3 days--by the way, it's an hour and a half from the ranch).

We had my mom's branch's Thanksgiving dinner--it sure was good to see everyone!

I got to hear about Eleanor's first semester at college, AND meet my little brother's new dog Diego, the dogo argentino.

He's a big cuddly baby!

Austin followed us back to the ranch that afternoon and got there in time to watch the Aggies

BEAT THE HELL OUTTA Texas!  WHOOP!

It was fun getting to watch the game with Emma, Caitlin, Baylee and Hudson--and they sure had fun picking on and playing with Bryan!!!  He apparently makes as good a jungle gym as he did three years ago when Phoebe (the top picture) was younger!  Lol.

Friday was our first full, uninterrupted day of being at the ranch.

Bryan sat the stand morning and evening, and inbetween we spent time with all the family that came in a day early for the big Thanksgiving celebration!

Saturday morning Bryan took a doe, and cleaned it at the Koym ranch.

He collected quite an audience lol.

Saturday was the day the WHOLE family (except the Rea branch and Joel and Rebecca) came to the Koym place for our Thanksgiving celebration.

It sure was amazing to see how much the family has grown, and how much the little ones have grown up!

Saturday night was the Junction Wild Game Dinner, which all the guys went to.

Bryan actually won quite a bit from the raffle--a pistol safe, a bow saw, a restaurant gift certificate, a gift certificate for deer processing, and a box of popcorn!  He really made out like a bandit!

I hung out at the cabin with Carol and her boys and Aunt Zala and Uncle Charlie.

We watched Avatar: The Last Airbender (the movie), which has inspired me to watch the anime series this week!  I'll review both later on ^_^.

Sunday, we packed up and cleaned the trailer and headed back to Fredericksburg.

We followed my parents back to Spring, where we helped them unload and the load up the blue couch,

Mom and Dad bought a new couch, so they gave us the old one!

Thanks Mom and Dad!

They followed us back down to the house and unloaded the couch--it looks great in the game room!

 Finally, we were home!

I've spent the last few days unpacking and cleaning and doing laundry--and couldn't be happier to be home and back in my normal routine!

And I'm thankful that this routine has finally become normal and satisfying.

Today was even better because I went to water aerobics, had coffee with Saxon, bought a new book, paid the bills, AND have been productive around the house! 

As thankful as I am to have gotten to spend time with my wonderful family, I sure am glad to get the chance to relax and recover from that vacation!