:: The Return of Elfie & He brought Donuts! ::

And so it begins. The Elf is back & for a whole month I get to get back out of bed because I'll forget to "make sure he moves". It's a pain in the butt most days but when Ella wakes up so excited to see what he's been up to throughout the night; it's totally worth it.
This morning he came back and brought the kids breakfast.

Elfie brought a letter this year so Coe read that & Chase read the book. It's important we read the book so Ella remember this is all about being on her best behavior. LOL! Okay not really. That's not how we use Elfie but somedays he does come in handy.

The kids got the big tree up in our basement yesterday while I was working. This one is where Santa leaves the gifts so it had to be just perfect. It's full of vintage ornaments and homemade goodness. 

The star was my Grandma's and it's my favorite.

:: A Seasons Change, Blaze Orange, & Twinkle Lights ::

My poor little blog skipped right over Fall didn't it? It's the busiest time of year for both my photography business as well as our everyday lives. It means lots of evenings & weekends away from home for me, many hours editing in my office, and of course as much time as possible for all of us in the woods.

The animals are all doing well. Pistal, my little goat is at a friends farm "getting married" (as my nieces would say) so she can have babies in the Spring. Ella misses her terribly and can't wait for her to be home. Okay, maybe me too. The calves are getting big and the donkeys are starting to tolerate everyone better. I'll try to get an animal update post with pics soon!

The end of November brings lots of little traditions. Starting with Thanksgiving Day. Before we head out to eat, eat, and eat, with both sides of the family; we take the kids hunting. This began as a tradition for Aaron & a few of my brother-in-laws back before we were married. As our kids got older and things changed it became our tradition. The boys love it! The past couple of years Ella & I have tagged along and I'm sure she will soon be getting in on the action as well.

There are many things I am Thankful for this year, but one of them is being able to step out our back door and go hunting.

It was a successful morning.

"Black Friday" isn't about shopping for us (I did that once; never again).
Aaron & the boys take the day and go pheasant hunting with some friends at Beckridge in Sabula, IA.

Ella & I stay home and put up the Christmas decorations! This year I am super excited about my new mantel I bought from Irish Acres Antiques, even if there is no actual fireplace. I've always wanted a mantel to hang the kids' stockings on & I have been wanting to do a little redo in our living room for a long time.

I've been "collecting" the Christmas trees over the last couple of months & ended up with 14 trees (6 lit) to fill our little living room. I love this time of year and how cozy it makes everything feel.
My mom made me the beautiful quilt square & those pottery vases; those are made by one of our neighbors. They are so awesome and made of concrete! You can check out all of her amazing work here : Shale City Crack Pots
These would make awesome Christmas gifts!
The main tree in our living room is my favorite. It's filled to the brim with deer antlers, pheasant feathers, and many ornaments that Aaron & I have collected over the past 18 years.

I hope everyone is finding themselves in the Holiday Spirit and doing well. Our little Christmas visitor "Elfie" should be arriving soon and our Countdown to Christmas activities start on Tuesday so stay tuned for lots of busy fun times ahead!
Enjoy your Sunday everyone!