Christmas Tree Hunting

About 3 weeks ago, we went out to find a Christmas tree up Eagle Creek in Jardine. We drove all the way up to the gate, which is as far as you can go in the winter. There were already a few cars up there and we learned later that some of them were hunters and others were getting a tree too! Bennett was at a friends house, so it was just Dad, Preston, Fiona and I who hiked and Mom stayed in the car with a sleeping Tilly. It was almost like we were in a movie...the snow was falling beautifully and it was just us and a lot of trees. We had 4 different opinions on what type we should get and as Preston put it "there's too many rules." According to our $5 Forest Service permit, "the tree had to be 100 feet away from the road, at least 8 ft and no more than 12 feet."  After an hour of hiking and no tree, we headed back to the car and stopped for hot chocolate before heading out again. It was starting to get dark out, so we tried to hurry. We found the perfect one uphill about 100 yards away from the car and it was 8 ft! We each took a turn cutting it down after the other person got tired. Preston tied it up with rope and dragged it back down to the car. We tied it up to the the roof and drove off in the foot of snow that had piled up while we were hiking. Mom had already made soup in the crock pot, which was nice to come back to...we were tired!

It doesn't look like much in this picture, but it's prettier with lights on it. :)

Off to the car...

Mom was still pregnant when we got it!

Dad and I by the tree. :)

We saw this ram on the way back down.

It's a Boy!!!

On December 9th, at 11pm, my Mom's water broke and she started having contractions. She came downstairs and woke us up. We loaded our bags into the car and hit the road. The highway was icey and dicey with snow snakes and wind making it very hard to see. I was timing her contractions all the way to the hospital and they were 5 minutes apart in Emigrant! We still had 50 miles to go to Bozeman! By the time we got to the Bozeman pass, it was so windy, that we were driving 40mph. We drove behind a snow plow for about 5 miles and he was like an angel guiding us through the blinding snow. :) Her contractions were getting harder and closer together as we drove down the Bozeman exit. My Dad dropped her off at the hospital and got her situated with the nurses and then drove us to the C'mon Inn. When he got back to the hospital at 1:45am on December 10th, he went into the delivery room and within 3 minutes, our new baby brother was born!! 

I guessed it was boy the whole pregnancy...Ha!

The two ladies in purple were my Mom's nurses and the lady in blue was Cassie the midwife.

7lbs, 14oz!

Getting his first bath.

Footprints...

They wouldn't allow kids under the age of 18 into the hospital because of an influenza outbreak, so we didn't get to meet him until they brought him to the hotel room the next day. :)

He got his own stocking!

We spent two nights at the C'mon Inn...we are now a two hotel room family!

We got two Costco pizzas because it was right across the street, so we set up our meal on the tables right outside of our room. Fine dining! :)

Holding him in the hotel room. So tiny! :)

The hospital gave him his own stocking! 

1 day old!

The hotel was decorated really pretty!

#6!

They have 8 hot tubs and a huge pool!

We took this same picture when Tilly was born...some of you will remember. :)

Hoxie Visit

On July 2nd, we had some friends from Anacortes come visit. They camped out in our house for one night, and then hit the road again. It was fun having them....we love visitors!

Tina, Mom and Tilly.

Bennett brought his fishing pole down to the beach. Fish=1. Bennett=0.

Jacob went for a swim.

Dad and Rob.

Preston and Jacob swimming!

Wedding Work

On June 29th, Mom and I had a wedding booked in Yellowstone at the Mammoth Chapel. We got there at 3pm, a little early, just to set up and get used to our lighting and surroundings. We saw dark clouds coming, but the weather was holding up for the most part, so we got all of our formal pictures taken, just before it started raining. By the time the ceremony started, it was POURING. The ceremony was held inside the Mammoth Chapel, so we didn't get soaked. I was taking pictures with my camera, and was standing in the back, getting those angles. Mom was in the front, getting the wedding party walking down the aisle, and getting all of the close ups. When the ceremony was over, we walked outside and it was still raining and the ground was very wet....the reception was going to be held outside at Hell's A-Roarin' outfitters. They had to move it all inside because of the rain, so the food was very late. They ate dinner at 9pm. =/ We followed the wedding party up the Jardine hill to Hell's A-Roarin and continued to take photos, photos and more photos. We had a lot of fun and learned a lot, but we were on our feet from 3pm-midnight, so we were TIRED!!!

The Chapel was built 100 years ago, and my grandparents got married here!

First time seeing the bride in her dress. ;)

Mom got the front angles for the formals, and I got the side. :)

                          

Since I was the one in the back of the chapel, I got to capture the moments when she was shaking because she was so scared to walk down the aisle!

All done! 

Off to the reception!

Hell's A-Roarin'.

The food....they told us to help ourselves, so we DID! We took a 2 1/2 minute break to sit down and inhale nutrition for another few hours of work.

This is where they originally had everything set up, before they had to move it all inside because of the rain.

The Groom and his Mom dancing. 

Daddy-daughter dance.

Bride and groom.