Costume Party and Deer Hunt 2008 :)

COSTUME PARTY :)

Jaxson was invited to the cutest little Halloween Costume Party. He had a blast and is such a good sport about wearing his costume! He get's pretty excited to put it on these days...and luckily we've had SEVERAL opportunities to wear it!

Jenny is such a fabulaous mom! She was brave and invited SEVERAL children over to her home for trick-or-treating, pizza, decorating cupcakes, painting rocks (pumpkins) and more.

Jaxson John and miss Bella the bumblebee :)

They are little buds and love playing together. It has been wonderful living so close to the Erickson Family...we just love them. Bella is such a sweet little mother to Jax...she is always super concerned with where Jaxson is or what he's doing. We love her to death and adore her spunky personality!

Jaxson the Dragon...and Katie the Pirate!

A little Lovin....

My favorite thing ever is her nails. They are painted black and orange. So darling:)

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That same weekend was the Forsyth Family Annual

DEER HUNT..wahoo:)

Friday evening we made the 5 hour journey to what my dad considers the "best place on earth"...FISH LAKE MOUNTAIN. I have to admit...it is beatiful and my baby just LOVED every minute of it. Something about dirt, fire, four wheelers, bugs and more dirt. I don't get it...but man is he ALL BOY...(even more than his dad I'd say). He couldn't get enough.

Above is the whole crew. Nate, Kayla, Me, Jarom, Jax, Mom, Dad, Ryan and Stephen.

All of my aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents on the Forsyth side come along too. It makes for a big group...but is always a great time. There is lots of game playing, four wheeling, campfires and some to-die-for food.

We spent LOTS of time on the four wheelers...decked out in our flourescent orange (to prevent from getting shot) for all you non-hunters out there.

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I give my dad a hard time about the hunting and "Manly" activities he's obsessed with. He thinks I hate them...and he usually has to do A LOT of begging to get me there...but to be honest, I really enjoy it.

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He's totally devastated that I've grown up...and now that I'm a parent I can't blame him one bit! I get teary even thinking about Jaxson growing up and becoming independent. I just hope that I can create some lasting memories and traditions for him to hang on to. Those memories are what make me who I am...and I cherish them more than anything.

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He (my dad) is totally convinced that I try and "endure" camping (at best)...but I really love that Jaxson get's to experience so many different things! I love being with my family...and I love how excited he get's still ....at the ripe old age of 45... when he thinks about cruising around the mountain telling us stories of when he shot his First Buck. I love that he INSISTS on driving 5 hours away to a very specific location...because that's where HE went when he was my age. (even though...there is a perfectly good mountain steps from my home).

....That is the main thing I cherish about my childhood. We tried it all...and always together as a family! Hunting, fishing, camping...hotels, cruises and amusement parks. I loved having such a wide range of experiences...and hope I can provide the same for my little man.

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My dad has a hard time thinking I've "outgrown" my love for the outdoors. You couldn't find a little girl who loved to fish with her dad more than ME. I even thoroughly enjoyed Ripping the worms in half and wrapping them countless times around the hook:) Sick. My dad LOVED that I loved it...and we were fishing partners at "upper bounds reservoir" EVERY SINGLE YEAR until I was about 14. We would talk for hours and hours about boys and what I wanted to be when I grew up. I remember it so well...and love those memories. He would teach me the perfect technique to catching TONS of fish...and I have to say...I am pretty good on a four wheeler in some rough terrain. I can sure teach Jarom a thing or two about the outdoors...and I owe it all to my dad.

Although my disgust for brutally killing animals....and my love for a nice warm shower and flush toilet has INCREASED over the years...nothing is more refreshing than a weekend next to the campfire and the great outdoors. I DO LOVE IT DAD....and always will:)

Campfire...roasting marshmallows. Yum.

Jaxson was in HEAVEN and his fascination with machines only tripled while were there. He spent the ENTIRE time on a motor bike. When we couldn't find him...we knew where to look. He can scale them...and knows how to turn them on.... AT ONLY 19 months....scary.

Enjoying Smores with his daddy...

SEE...I told ya. If you couldn't find Jaxson...he was scaling the biggest bike there.

He would cry and cry..."vroom vroom...peese...vroom vroom". It's a good thing aunt Kayla loves him and has more patience than I do...because she did circles for hours!

The beatiful scenery. Fish Lake Mountain in the background! Here we are at the Lookout. It was such a pretty day. Perfect for hours of four wheeling!

....More smores....

Jarom get's his fair share of the "teasing and/or guilt" for not being a total outdoorsman. I think my dad always pictured me with a rifle-loving....Cabela's-obsessed man, but he was totally wrong! I married a total city boy. He loves a nice hotel...a great restuarant....can't live without a shower...and his life revolves around ESPN or the cubs highlights. I am super lucky though...because he comes along, enjoys it...and is a super good sport about it. He carries a gun, hikes mountains and has a dead-aim as well. I got the total package.

Here is my city boy...looking rugged...dressed in his orange...at the top of Fish Lake Mountain. ...and.....He's all mine:)