Post Thanksgiving 2012

Whew! What a holiday! This Thanksgiving, my parents and sister came down. Jason and I were really hoping both sides could make it, but it just wasn't possible this year. It was the first Thanksgiving at our house, and the first Thanksgiving that I had cooked the entire dinner (minus the cranberry sauce, because my mom's is the best!). At 5:00 AM, Jason and I woke up to throw the turkey in the smoker. The day before, I brined it using an Apple Spice Brine. The brine smelled like spiced wassail (an orange spiced beverage) and scented the entire house. We used apple wood chips for the smoke. Now, Jason had previously admitted that he was disappointed that we weren't doing a traditional roasted turkey, but as we were eating the turkey, he was thrilled by the result! It was our first smoked turkey, and took from 5 am-5:30 pm, which was about 2 hours longer than the site said it would take. Anyways, we rounded out the meal with garlic roasted sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, homemade rolls, my husband's family's salad, and of course, GRAVY! My mouth is watering just thinking about it. This dinner was followed by lemon meringue pie, pumpkin pie, and cheesecake. Wow! Talk about stuffing yourself.

Of course we went shopping on Black Friday, and unlike so many, we did wait until Friday morning to go. Things aren't worth leaving the men at home on Thanksgiving evening. Although we didn't go crazy, we sure found a few deals, and the time spent with my mom and sister was great! So thankful they were able to come down.

I think that is about all for now, but who knows what will come up between now and Christmas! Can't wait to see more family around that holiday!

2012 Elk Chronicles: Weekend 2

We got them! Yay! It took us a week of butchering after work to get the two of them processed, but it is such an amazing feeling knowing we did this on our own after all of the outdoors education we have gotten our whole lives! So, taking a moment to thank all of those in our lives who kindled this love and knowledge of the outdoors!

 

I really wanted to be "cute" in my first elk picture, because I always thought I looked dorky in my kill pictures. Turned out, I was layered up, freezing cold, and tired (like a real hunter, not some pretty girl who was only out for the morning or evening-HA!). So the cute thing really didn't work out for me. The most important thing is that I now have a lucky hat, and I'm sitting on my first dead elk!

 

 

Then there is my incredibly handsome husband on his elk (much bigger than mine, but contrary to what I said earlier, I was okay with it!). Geeze, I am one lucky girl!