Brady's Oryx

I just got back from my once in a lifetime Oryx hunt in New Mexico I was lucky enough to draw. It was a great experience from start to finish. My good friend Cody Stokes and I put in together and made the long trip down with our friends Garret Larsen and Dave Edwards. Total travel time from Boise was 20 hours one way. The hunt was held on an 800 square mile government missile range outside of Alamogordo. Oryx were introduced there from Africa in the 70’s and have since flourished. There were 100 tags given for this hunt.

The hunt is different than any other hunt I’ve ever been on. Because it is on a missile range, you first have to have your truck searched before entering the premises. They have all hunters and their parties meet together to go over rules and stipulations for hunting on the range. This lasts about a half an hour and then it’s off to the races. When the orientation is over you have literally hundreds of hunters and hunting partners running for their trucks trying to be first out of the parking lot. Then everyone races down the main road trying to get to their “secret spot”. Our strategy was to take it slow and make sure we were spending time glassing right out of the gate. Our strategy paid off. Not 5 minutes from the parking lot we spotted a herd of oryx on the horizon. They were out there a long ways, but one looked like it warranted a closer look. We made our way out through the desert sand in an effort to get closer. I was amazed at how many 50 caliber casings and the amount of shrapnel that we found scattered throughout the desert. It was a good reminder of where we were hunting.

After a 45 minute stalk we found ourselves within 400 yards of the herd. After putting the spotting scope on them we immediately spotted a big bull. The adrenaline started to flow as I knew this was a definite shooter. We slowly navigated the desert terrain and found ourselves 125 yards away from the big bull. I put the crosshairs on the bull, took a deep breath and slowly put pressure on the trigger. The shot rang out and the unmistakable connecting sound echoed back. Just like that, the bull was on the ground and my hunt had ended just how I had hoped.

We made our way up to the animal and that’s when things got exciting. Only after putting my hands on the animal did I realize just how big it really was. A trophy bull oryx would measure 34”. After putting a tape to my bull, the celebration really started. He measures 38” and has 8” bases. At the end of the day, we checked the bull in at the check station. He was the biggest oryx harvested that day and the manager said it was one of the biggest that had come off the range in recent history.

I feel very fortunate to have harvested such an incredible animal. This is one of my best trophies yet.

Ashlyn's Visit

We miss you already sweet little Ashlyn!

Just busy playing!

Six weeks apart, and Ridge is catching Ashlyn fast! We loved having Amber and Ashlyn here this week! Thanks for coming!



Nash liked having two babies to play with.

Brynlee and Nash couldn't keep their hands off of Ashlyn. Nash wanted to teach Ashlyn to walk like he does with his little walker, he kept trying to pull her up to the handle bar, then he'd take a couple steps forward and with Amber's help, he'd pull Ashlyn up to where he was.

He was quite proud of his effort!

I had to have a couple pictures of Nash playing with Bryn and her friends because I love it when my kids are kind to each other and play nice together. I thought this was really sweet because earlier that morning Brynlee had specifically requested that no boys (meaning her brothers) come to her play date with her friends, but then when her friends came and she saw how excited Nash was to see them, she changed her mind and told me it was okay if Nash played with them. It made his day and mine!

Ridge Man and His Giggles

I was talking to my brother Ryan yesterday and he was telling me he really wanted to see Ridge, so here you go, more pictures. We'll see you for real next month!

I can't get enough of his sweet smile or his little giggles!

Baby of my babies

Thanks Monica for zooming in on this picture for me, I love it!

The baby of my babies is 3 months old today! He is such a snugly little fellow, I love it! It's so peaceful and warm when he snuggles up on my shoulder, I can't put him down. I always wish that I had pictures of me snuggling with my kids, kind of like a moment frozen in time so I can always remember their peaceful little sleeping noises, their cozy warm little toaster bodies and their sweet baby scent!

Nash's Goal in 2010

I decided for Nash that his goal for 2010 would be to walk. He has physical therapy 3 times a week now, so hopefully it won't be too much longer. I think the biggest hang up we have is that it's my goal and not his. I know I might long for the days of scooting when he's running everywhere and I can't catch him, but my back is telling me its time! He's getting good at cruising around the coffee table and the couches, he hasn't taken any steps on his own yet but he is so close! Just a little more strength, balance and confidence and he'll probably skip walking and go straight to running! This first picture is of the pictures his therapist at Jump Start gave me. (I don't have a scanner) He loves bouncing on the little trampoline, and balancing on the donkey ball thing he doesn't love so much but he's a good sport about it.

These next two pictures are of Nash at Tumble Time with his therapist Amy (dark pink shirt, not sure who the girl in the light pink is, she was shadowing Amy) Nash loves Amy, she has been working with him since we moved here, almost 2 years now! She comes to our house on Monday mornings and then we see her again at Tumble Time on Wednesdays. She only works with kids in the infant toddler program, so we will really miss her when Nash turns 3 this summer.

2010 will bring a lot of changes for our little Nash. He'll turn three this summer and be eligible to start public pre-school this fall. At first I thought I would like to keep him home at least another year, he's so cute and little. I love having him close by and Brynlee will be jealous if he gets to go to school first. But now that I've seen how much he is enjoying the Jump Start program I'm thinking maybe I need to not be selfish and let him start school in the fall. He loves socializing, he is surrounded by amazing people (the other kids and the adults who work with them), he is learning so much and it gives him something constructive (vs destructive!) to do in a safe structured environment. So we'll see how it goes...I'm sure Nash will be fine with it, its me I worry about!

Here's a short little video of the big boy from Tumble Time yesterday!

Sledding

Before sledding...

and after!
They were two little frozen icicles but they didn't mind!

Brady was every bit as excited about the snow as the kids. He called home from work twice just to make sure the snow hadn't melted off the road, then he came home early so they could get out before it got too cold!