Happy Happy Birthday Daniel!

Wednesday, the 28th was Daniel's 24th birthday. :D Unfortunately it hasn't felt much like his birthday with it being Midterm week at school, and his busy trebuchet project that he hasn't been receiving very much help on from the other group members.

Sunday night I made Daniel's favorite dinner knowing that I would have class and not have time to make it on his birthday. We had cheesy (funeral) potatoes, ham, and my rolls that Daniel loves.

Daniel informed me that it was his "Birthday Week" and that he was going to try and drag it out to 5 days this year instead of 4 like last year. I had to try very hard to not let Daniel open his presents early. I have that problem, where I get so excited to give presents that I hate waiting to give them to people....

Luckily I made it - I need to get the pictures from the camera on here, but these will do for now. Daniel received Transformers II and a Porter Cable Orbital Sander from me, the new Brad Paisley CD from sister Mindi, gun sling from brother Conlee, and Wrenches, Four-foot level, and yummy pickled eggs from Momma Jan and Papa Eric. Daniel is hard to shop for :) especially since he will always want tools.. and I am not good at picking out the "right" ones :D. This is also why my parents haven't figured out what to get for him yet.

Daniel was able to see his family on his birthday, but only for a little while, because we had to be to the church so they could set him apart as 2nd counselor in the Stake YM Presidency... they think he's not busy enough...

It was a good day, but I wish it could have felt more like a birthday for him.. Happy Birthday Sweetheart!

My First Buck... It's a Trophy!

This past week Daniel and I have been making every effort possible to find me a deer to shoot at. Last Saturday we happened to see a 3 point running.. unfortunately, no shot. Then Tuesday night we were with Daniel's cousin Travis hunting in Orangeville and happened to surprise a two point with his lady friend. He stopped at about 100 yards, during the time that Travis and Daniel begin to freak out and tell me to, "Load a bullet! Get out of the truck! Shoot the buck! Hurry before me runs away!" I was breathing hard because of all the hoopla that had happened already, and finally got the gun on the shooting sticks. I tried to shoot the gun three times before realizing I had failed to take it off safety.. and then I shot under the buck! Talk about being stressed, excited, and having a true hunting experience.

A little disappointed we headed back out to try and find me a buck to shoot at before it got dark. At the last possible moment Travis and Daniel spotted more deer, and confirmed the presence of horns on one. There were about five does with the buck, and Daniel had to point the scope so I could find them because I couldn't find them with my naked eye (I'm blind). Daniel told me, "Wait til he walks out in front, okay, now he's the front deer looking back at us, take your shot when you're ready."

Luckily Daniel hadn't put the safety on or I think I would have had problems again. I took a shot at this lovely little buck below at about 150 yards, he was quartering away, and as Daniel says, "You nailed him clean pilgrim!" (Jerimiah Johnson) And therefore, I was overjoyed and very excited to have shot and killed my first buck. He only went about 30 yards before he was down - and if you can't tell, he is a spike by 2.

Travis told Daniel to rest my 25-06 on his antlers... :) As you can tell it needed a little bit of help from Daniel.

See it forks on it's right side, I promise!

This seems to be the tradition this year from Daniel's family, Mindi did this with her elk, and his Aunt Nettie with her deer. So, I joined the club. I think the feet are cool, you can watch the tendons move as you move the hooves. Happy Hunting!