The Great Deer Hunt of 2010

Okay, follow me here people...this may be a tad bit long, but well worth the read. As my faithful blog followers know, I have lots of goals that I am constantly trying to accomplish. I did my triathlon last summer, my half marathon in October, and my next goal on the list was to shoot a deer. Now, I am an avid animal lover, pick up cats on the 6th Avenue kind of person, so I know this doesn't make sense. But I wanted one, and only one deer head to hang in the river shack. I just thought the decor needed a deer head to be a true cabin...well, and it actually needs 4 walls to be a true cabin, but more on that later. So my great friend Ray Ashby from church decided to brave it and take me to his hunting camp.


Please notice my hunting hat won't fit on my head with my Big Sexy Hair and my nails are perfectly polished... :)

So we head out to the shooting house and I am so excited I can't stand it. So we get in position, I am ready, just waiting for a deer to peer its little head out of the woods....so I wait, and wait....and wait some more. So literally, 3 hours have gone by and I haven't seen so much as a bird fly by. When all of a sudden, there is movement....I jerk my binoculars up and give Ray the sign to look. He puts his binoculars up and the following conversation happens....

Ray: What is it? I don't see the deer where are you looking?
Anna: I don't see a deer, its a opossum
Ray: A opossum?? We are not here to watch them
Anna: Its the only thing I've seen move in 3 hours, I'm going to take a shot...
Ray: At the opossum???
Anna: Yes, at the opossum

Needless to say I didn't shoot the opossum, but I wanted to. So meanwhile here is what I was doing....

P.S.-That face cover could come in real handy if you had a big zit or something...I digress....So for 2 more hours I sat and stared as hard as I could at this....

Beautiful I know, but after a while, I felt like those people wandering through the desert that think they see water....I could have sworn I saw these deer walking out, but that was just in my head. So into hour 5 I was getting beyond impatient. You know how I said at the beginning that I was an avid animal lover...well by this point, if a mama doe and her tiny newborn baby would have walked out, I would have blown both of their heads off. We had to be out of the stands by 6:00 because it would be dark and guess what happened at 5:45....yep, we heard a deer coming out of the woods. So Ray tells me to get my gun up and be looking through my scope because it sounded like it was right on top of us. I wait some more, listening as closely as I can. He asks me if I see anything through my scope and I don't...it is so dark at this point that I can't see jack squat. So, we had to leave....no deer....no head for my wall. However, I have found that I absolutely love hunting...or at least sitting in the stand and waiting for something to come out. So don't give up on my yet, there will be a deer head in my future...but who knows how soon that will be!! :)

Vote for David!!!

Please join me in voting for David in the 2010 Best of the Tennessee Valley wedding photographer contest. David is extremely talented and I am so proud of him! We need your vote though!! And all your friends votes!! And your family....come to think of it, anyone you know, pass this along to! :) Click here to vote!!

Drunk Wilson

This was actually another picture from the National Championship night...but it gets the point across. Wilson is deathly afraid of thunderstorms...and rain. Kind of weird though, if he is outside, he will lay out in it, but he is still afraid. Anyways, Saturday night we had those big storms come in and it was not pleasant. David was on the couch...in trouble...just kidding, he was sick and coughing, so Wilson and I were sleeping in the bed. I woke up to what I thought was a leak in the ceiling, but nope, it was Wilson laying over my head with buckets full of drool coming out of his mouth. He gets so scared that he pants so hard and drool is like gushing out of his mouth. So after several unsuccessful attempts to calm him down, I went for the big guns. His prescription sedation pills that are for when storms come in. I hate sedating him, but its for his own good. Well, that pill took 3 hours to kick in and we were up from 2:00-5:00 Sunday morning. I thought I was going to die. However, when he is sedated he is sooo sweet, and drunk! He fell off the bed trying to get down that morning and he slept for almost 2 days. Bless him....my poor drunk puppy!

The Stars Aligned!

Yes, they did just that. It is very rare that when Lindsey comes home that we are able to meet up. You would think it wouldn't be that hard, but our schedules are both so busy, and she was here interviewing and spending time with her boyfriend, so the window of opportunity was small. We had a very last minute double date with Lindsey and John Robert and had a blast. The food was great, minus the cupcake from Starbucks, (gag me with a spoon) and the conversation was even better. I don't know if it is old age, or just being comfortable with each other, but our conversation could have been viewed as a little hairy, especially if you were a by standard. There were a group of teenage girls that walked up right when I said, "I married him for his big weiner..." It was a joke, but of course they didn't know that and only heard that statement taken out of context. I don't think I have ever seen my husband turn red from embarassment, but he surely did there. I on the other hand thought it was hilarious! I wish we had time to see each other again and do a little girls night, but I also understand the old long distance relationship thing and know how that goes too. I am also going to be visiting Lindsey in Lubbock Texas before she leaves watch out Texas!!

Just shoot me....

I uttered those words multiple times throughout my latest case of the stomach virus....yes that is right, the stomach virus. Also known as Satan's Stomach Bug...it all started out a week ago Saturday....woke up, didn't feel quite right...cooked breakfast and then got back in the bed for the rest of the day while the great virus came on. David had a photo conference in Nashville at the Opryland Hotel and so on Sunday, I went from the bed to the car, back to the bed in our room. Monday, stayed in the bed all day as well...(this trip was a real winner). By Tuesday I was feeling a little bit better so I took the shuttle to Opry Mills...and did some major damage there. I went to my favorite store....you guessed it, Bass Pro Shop.





I needed some hunting gear for my deer excursion coming up....

Then I met back up with David for lunch at the hotel and to hear all about his nerdfest...I mean, his conference. Actually it was very informative and he got a lot of great ideas. We met up with some of the other Decatur photographers for dinner...and yes it was a $26.00 buffet in the hotel. That is a whole other story. Coming off the ol' stomach virus, needless to say I didn't get my moneys worth. If I had known it cost that much, I would have stuffed my pockets! :) All in all it was a good trip, lots of rest for me and a little shopping too!

My second Phi Mu Niece!

Yesterday at 12:05 p.m., my second Phi Mu niece Lucy was born. Is that not the cutest baby you have ever seen??? She is so alert! I spoke with her mommy Lawren, who was still a little drugged, and everything went well. We are so glad to have a second little girl added to our group. If you remember, I made a dress for all the Phi Mu babies to wear to their first game in Tuscaloosa....

That is Emily...she was the first baby to wear it, and now it is being passed down to Lucy. I guess I need to make a boy outfit in case the next baby is a boy....actually, that thing gave me such fits making it, the boys can just wear the dress too. :)

Number 13!!!

I know I am a little behind in posting this, but in case you have been on a deserted island for the past week or so, BAMA won their 13th National Championship!! Wahoo! I was lucky enough to be at the 1992 National Championship, and my mom found a picture of me with Gene Stallings that I will have to post and put on here...anywho, this is how we watched the game...

I think Wilson knew we had it in the bag...we usually watch the game with friends if we are not at the ballgame, but on these intense games, sometimes its better to watch it by yourself...especially if you are going to be throwing things, yelling, and beating your seat cushions (see David Higginbotham). I am very proud of our team and I know they worked extremely hard to get where they have. Way to go BAMA!!

December Birthdays...

Whoops, I forgot there was one last post of 2009. Wait...I think we actually did it in 2010, oh yeah, but it was celebrating the 2009 December birthdays. Whew...that was confusing. Anyways, we went to Gina's house to celebrate mine, Hayden, John and Bobbies birthday. We had yummy soups and delicious cake. Ya'll know I am NUTS about the river, and as I have said before, we have all the furnishings for the river house, but no house yet. Let me correct that last statement, its not a house, its more of a shack...Talk about putting the cart before the horse! If my first lot would sell, than, we would start building, so if you know anyone looking for an awesome lot, send them to www.sugarcreeklot.blogspot.com. I digress....so you can imagine the squeal of delight I let out when I opened this....

Yeah, I know....super cute! I also got a year long subspriction to Taste of Home Cooking and the gift that always fits, money. I'm sure we will buy something for the river shack with that! Anyways, here are some other shots from the night!

Mobile Bay Bride Magazine

Have I ever told you all how proud I am of my husband. He is the most amazing photographer and is so humble about his work. Case in point...he was asked for the 2nd year in a row to go to Mobile to do their bridal shoot for their annual Mobile Bay Bride Magazine. It was such a neat trip and I can't ever say that I have been around/touched dresses as expensive as these...I'm more of a bargain girl myself. However, I decided on that trip that my next wedding...ahem, I mean vow renewal, I will wear the Vera Wang dress shown in the pictures below. See if you can pick out which one it is??? Anyways, here are some things that I did on this trip:

1. Sweated like a whore in church
2. Ran stray dogs off multiple times who were trying to ruin the "tea party." (see below)
3. Was on alligator watch, armed with a stick, while we were on the dock shooting the models...
4. Carried these gigantic dresses up way too many flights of stairs
5. Was never more excited to take a shower and eat Papa Johns Pizza at the end of the day
6. Loved spending time with one of my best friends

So, without further waiting, here are the great shots...oh, by the way, go pick up your own copy of Mobile Bay Bride at Books-A-Million!! And for all your 2010 brides, call David fast...he is booking up! www.davidhphotography.com

Wrapping up 2009

On Wednesday night, we went to my Mother's house for my birthday dinner. As always, for the past 28 years, I had strawberry cake and it was delicious! She got me some Alabama tailgating stuff as well as a portable fire pit for the new river house. We have joked that the house is completely furnished, we just need 4 walls and a roof now. :) Anyways, then on Thursday night, we got together with Justin and Micah for a rockin' New Years Eve. We went to Red Robin, which I think has the best soup and salad, and then to the Monaco to watch Sherlock Holmes. I wasn't terribly interested in seeing this movie based on the previews, but it was pretty good. We got back to our house about 11:30 and watched Planet Earth until it was time to ring in the New Year. That is when the party really got started....Justin and Micah left at approximately 12:08, and we went to bed. How's that for being old people!! Hope everyone has a wonderful 2010!

The Final Christmas Post

Whew...who knew it would take this long to post all the stuff about Christmas. We are truly blessed with such great family and traditions. Here goes. Christmas night, we go to Mamoo's house for the Gover Family Christmas. It is always eventful, and there are always plently of laughs to go around. Here are some shots from the night....

The annual calendar pass out by Mamoo....




Me and Joy


Emily and Lauren



Money time!


All the grandchildren bought Mamoo a new TV. She wasn't as excited about it as I would like. But, being from the generation of less is more, she didn't think she needed it, and felt her 11 inch TV was fine. :(


Gare and David putting the tv together.