I realize we’re only four days in but so far 2010 is turning out to be a pretty good year. Of course how could I complain about a year that’s already involved two mornings of staying in our pajamas until noon and watching Loony Tunes in bed? And by our pajamas, I mean Caroline and me. P would never stay in his pajamas until noon watching Loony Tunes.
I think he has something against Elmer Fudd. Maybe it’s the goofy hat he wears while hunting wabbits.
Not that P has much room to talk.
Two things make me happy about this picture:
1. Caroline and her friend S. took it after he took them hunting on New Year’s Eve. They assured him that they got the entire deer in the picture.
They lied.
2. Right after the picture was taken, P told me that S asked him, “Mr. P, why do you wear that sailor’s hat when you go hunting?”
She makes an excellent point. P explained to her that it isn’t actually a camo sailor’s hat, but rather a hat that he’s just cinched up to the point that it looks like a sailor’s hat.
I’m not sure that makes it any better.
Speaking of New Year’s Eve, we had a big one. Our good friends invited us and Gulley and her family down to their ranch to ring in the New Year. And since we are never one to turn down a good time with friends in favor of sitting home and doing absolutely nothing, we jumped at the chance to go.
So on Thursday morning, we loaded up P’s truck with all manner of hunting paraphernalia and headed south. We made a few quick stops for Sonic drinks and tots, fireworks, and some type of gasoline cleaner. I’m not sure what that last item has to do with New Year’s Eve fun, but P felt it was essential because the Polaris was acting a little temperamental and the last time it acted funny it ended up slamming itself into a wall while being repaired. In other words, better safe than sorry.
We finally made it to the ranch and spent some time hanging out on the front porch until it was time for the evening hunt. P and Caroline planned to hunt deer and pigs. I planned to hunt for the Pioneer Woman’s olive cheese bread that Gulley brought to the ranch. Viva la difference.
The kids all milled around in the yard until Will and his friend A decided that they were going to go on a hunt by themselves and took off in their very own all-terrain vehicle.
Notice that A has his toy gun resting securely on his lap.
A few minutes later we noticed that not only had they gone out hunting, but they’d managed to get a deer and load it into the Polaris all by themselves. Quite an accomplishment for a couple of four year old boys.
Needless to say, it is quite the trophy. It’s not every day that you hunt down the elusive inflatable deer.
After that, the kids were all inspired to get in a little practice with their BB guns.
Mamas, lock up your turtles.
Then it was time for P to take his two buddies out for the evening hunt.
He wasn’t very optimistic about their prospects since there tends to be a lot of hair flipping and giggling that goes on in this particular little posse of hunters. P just can’t resist the urge to flip his hair and giggle. But they managed to have some success in the form of an eight point buck that wasn’t frightened away by all the giggling.
I’ve known for years that deer aren’t as easily frightened by smells and noise as hunting experts lead you to believe because I performed my own very scientific research one time when P put me in a hunting blind by myself. Those deer weren’t frightened away by the scent of the perfume samples falling out of my InStyle magazine or when I started yelling at them out the window to see if they’d run away. Maybe those hunting experts ought to try that method instead of covering themselves in all sorts of malodorous scents. Maybe those big bucks are more enticed by the scent of Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker.
Something to think about, Cabelas.
After the mighty hunters returned, it was time for the big event. The olive cheese bread.
Oh, and an amateur firework show put on by men who subscribe to the theory that it’s not really a fire unless you’re scared.
The kids could not wait for the show to begin.
But then decided to climb up into the truck tower because who wouldn’t want to be closer to the explosions?
The men began to choose from their arsenal of fireworks. And I do mean arsenal.
I’ve always believed you can’t have enough Stampede Super Bombs.
P was a fan of the big W. He’s also a fan of any opportunity to wear his Cabela’s head lamp.
The kids decided to get in on the action with some sparklers.
And before we knew it, P turned his headlamp back on and prepared for the FINAL ATTACK.
Let’s take a closer look.
Oh my word.
The Chinese manufacturers weren’t playing around when they designed that packaging. What is more frightening than a depiction of a general in a tank on a box of explosives? I mean other than the Christmas tree needles that I’m still finding in my carpet a full week after we took our tree down?
But while the FINAL ATTACK was being readied for launch, our kids made up a fun, new game with their sparklers. A little game called LET’S LIGHT THE GRASS ON FIRE.
Oh, it was hilarious.
If you’re a pyromaniac.
It required that some bigger boots be called into action.
I sat there watching the little firestarters light their fires and laugh maniacally while they stomped them out with their boots and thought that none of this would be happening if they still aired those commercials of that Indian crying one single tear down his cheek.
And then I remembered that the Indian was crying because of all the litter. I had him mixed up with Smokey the Bear who always said, “Give a hoot! Don’t pollute!” But I realized that was Woodsy the Owl. Then I thought about Mr. Yuk who was green and warned kids not to eat poison. And then I decided that I watched a lot of television as a child.
The point is that Smokey always said, “Only you can prevent forest fires.”
Which is totally true.
Fortunately, we weren’t in a forest but rather on a small patch of grass surrounded by gravel roads. They were easily contained. It was completely safe, harmless New Year’s Eve fun for everyone.
Except for maybe that 8 point buck. He probably hadn’t planned on getting shot by a sailor on New Year’s Eve.
Glad your ’10 is starting out well. I am ready to call in sick for ’10 and just skip right on to ’11.
Steff
Glad your ’10 is starting well. I am ready to call in sick for ’10 and skip right on to ’11.
Steff
Hilarious! Glad you all had a good time.
Clearly all the cool kids wear camo on New Years Eve in Texas:-)
Happy New Year!
Thanks for the laughs this morning! A little hard to get started as we get the kids back to school in 44 degree weather (we are in southwest Florida!) Glad your new year’s was fun…hope you have a great year and I look forward to more great blog posts from you. Keep up the funny work! Hugs!
Looks like a fun time!
Hilarious and I love it!!!!
Happy twenty-ten!!
Thanks for your brilliantly funny post today! I am debating about whether to share it with my husband or not. We were under the assumption that the deer in Texas were little bitty things compared to the dear up here in Michigan. Deer Envy isn’t a very good feeling.
Oh my. Sounds like we had very similar NYE.
Unfortunately, a certain two year old in our house broke not one but two headlamps this weekend. We had very sad hunters.
And since I was too put in a deer blind by myself as a newly engaged girl. Deer don’t even mind when you whistle at them and tell them to “run! run like the wind!”
It’s 3 here- that’d be degrees. I’m just jealous of the t-shirts and light jackets you all are wearing. So much for living in the South.
Just wondering if anyone said “You’ll shoot your eye out!” during the day’s festivities
Nice
Here in Louisianistan, we just stood in our driveway with our wine glasses and watched people light fireworks all up and down our street — and throughout our subdivision. Folks really get into NYE here. It’s fun living right outside the city limit!
Elmer was never represented so well!Fire, fish, fireworks and skeet shoot rang in 2010 for us! All that was missing was that blow up deer!Loved your Gideon message. I am a rear guard person myself! Happy New one.
So funny! I just love reading your blog first thing in the morning. P reminds me a lot of my hubby C.
Yes, P reminds me of my hubby also. “We” had to buy gasoline cleaner stuff (for the car), glad to report the mileage has gone up about 15%.
Happy New Year.
ohmygosh too funny – love your nye celebrations! thanks for the laugh on this monday morning
I can not tell you how many times I have tried to get HH to just hunt minus all the scent block. Do I really need my dryer to smell like dirt? Happy New Year!
Yours is always the only blog where I laugh out loud while I’m reading prompting my husband to come over and see what the source of funny is.
Love it. All of it. P’s hat is a hoot. And I just saw a Smokey commercial this week. He says something different instead of “forest” now though. Can’t remember what. Stomach flu messed up my head.
Thanks for the morning giggle!
Do you guys have your own show yet?
seriously!
You are so funny, BigMama.
Thanks for the recap! Reminds me of our visit to North Florida after Christmas. When we sat down in Sunday school, all the men were discussing the merits and qualities of doe urine (sigh). I like your pictures! I might even have my guy read todays entry. : )
Carol in NC
That was great. Happy New Year.
What a fun time. I totally get the headlamps thing – my husband makes up excuses to wear his!!
I live in the Pacific Northwest and grew up with Smokey Bear – and we even had commercials to remind us that there is no “the” in his name….
As the commercial said, “would you say Santa THE Claus?”
hee hee
Just had to razz you a bit…cause i know you like it!
Amy
great post…so funny!
Wow… OK, so you’re the first person I ‘know’ who really does fireworks on NYE!
Did you know that Smokey now says “wildfires” instead of “forest fires?” California changed Smokey’s campaigns.
Those 4 years old off-roading is the cutest thing ever.
My 4 year old has become suspiciously interested in fires and the starting/maintaining of them. My husband got a firepit for Christmas and she wants to watch his every move.
I am scared that pyromania runs in my family…my brother set fire to the woodpile playing camping when he was 4. I’m gonna have to keep an eye on her so Smokey the Bear or the Indian or whoever doesn’t show up crying at my house.
Another good laugh today! Thanks. My husband used his head lamp for a very early morning run. It was 6:00am, very dark, very cold (17 degrees)and a head lamp led the way. Actually he ran with two other guys and they all wore their head lamps. That must have been a sight!
It’s not much of a stretch at all from the 4 year old men and their inflatable deer to the grown up men and their headlamps, is it?
Thanks for the laughs! You crack me up…
I just love this! A fabulous Texas New Year!! Happy 2010.
And, I love Caroline’s camo fleece…
I am still cracking up over the elusive inflatable deer! Priceless!
This just absolutely blows my mind! I am totally unfamiliar with the hunting and all that goes with it!
Something about that picture of the boys in the jeep with a gun touched my heart. I wish my son could do that kind of stuff more often!
We live outside of D.C. so the opportunities are few!
Seriously, Caroline is going to have a hard time finding someone to fill her Daddy’s shoes! Happy New Year!
It rained right before we went out to pop fireworks and the kids still managed to catch the grass on fire! Maybe it was the sparkler bombs they made. 25-30 sparklers tied together with duct tape stuck in the grass. Oh well it’s winter and everyone knows the grass is always brown or black at this time of year.
Oh my goodness, that was so funny! I needed that laugh today!
Caroline’s camo attire cracks me up. LOL!
I just found your blog via another blog and I have to say, you are a fabulous story teller! I was laughing the whole time and then I got hungry thinking about PW’s olive cheese bread. That stuff would make ya slap ya mama! Glad yall had a good time.
I have got to start trying some of the Pioneer Woman’s food. Or maybe not since my New Year’s resolution is to eat better. Hmmm, but maybe by better I should mean good, tasty food.
I am amazed at how tough Caroline is. I think I would have run the other way if I saw a dead deer at her age. That girl has moxy.
I do hope that P’s snake boots weren’t harmed in the stomping of those grass fires. That would be a fashion tragedy.
You are so funny! I always enjoy reading your posts.
Happy New Year!
Oh. my. heavens. I think your husband and my husband could be friends. pyromaniac deer-hunting hair-flippin friends I tell ya. This mirrors our trip to our ranch in so many ways it’s scary!!