Video Game Marathon for Charity

I SN0W GIDGET will be embarking on an annual 24-hour video game marathon that raises money to help heal sick kids at our local Children's Miracle Network Hospital (Primary Children's) !!

I will play 24 hours of video games if you donate to this charity! $1 $5, ANYTHING!! Would love your help and support!!

Click the icon below that is provided, and it will take you to the donation portion of the site. Tax decutible as well! Thank you so much for your donations!

If your a Hunter, then you have a hunting story!

Well we had one heck of a week last week! We were planning on being packed and up at our hunting camp on Monday, however the axle on our camper wasn't ready until Tuesday. So we went and picked it up, then had to put it on the camper, took a bit longer than we expected, it was getting late, so we decided to stay home, and go up Wed, the day before bow hunting opened, we would have plenty of time! However my phone decided to die, and we ordered another one,they over nighted it to us, so instead of leaving in the morning, we waited until the afternoon to go, (after I got my phone setup) We were on the road Wednesday @ 2pm..

We were about half way to hunting camp when Jamie noticed some smoke...he went and checked out the camper, and figured out that we had lost a bearing. CRAP! So we drove a bit further down the road to a Wyoming Memorial site that had a nice truck area off the road. Pulled in and Jamie got to work, Elijah Summit and I cheered him on, and hiked around when we got bored with that lol.

We then decided to unhook from the camper and drive into Labarge, which doesn't have much, and they didn't have an auto shop that carried bearings, we would have to go all the way into Big Piney, another 30 minutes down the road...we started sweatin, it was 4pm, so I used my handy dandy smart phone and BINGed Big Piney Auto parts, and called Napa, they were open till 530! Then I had to call over to the place in RS that fixed our axle, and find out the bearing size they used.

We got it all figured out and squared away, bearing purchased, and back to our "road side camp" Jamie got back to work, after a couple of hours of huffing and puffing, the remaining barrels wouldn't come off!! We needed a hack saw, which was conveniently at home. We lost day light, and decided to camp there!

Early Thursday morning opening day on the side of the road, driving back into Big Piney to go buy a freakin hack saw! We returned to the camper, and Jamie got once again back to work. It took a while, Elijah and I napped, then dad came and woke us up. He told us he had it fixed and were all ready to get to hunting camp!! What a way to spend the opening day of bow hunting season!!

The camper holds, we make it just fine, and get all settled into camp. Elijah and I explore the woods for cool rocks, twigs, and moo cows!!

Elijah just loved being up at camp, sitting in the dirt, playing with the rocks, and hanging out with his Summit boy!

Opening day about 2 in the afternoon, Jame sets up our targets, and we decided to shoot a bit. He then tell me he is just going to go on a quick night hunt, and probably just call and scout out them Elk!

Elijah and I made dinner, and snuggled up to a movie in the camper. We loved it! It felt odd not going with Jamie to hunt, I was missing it, but still enjoying my time at camp. Elijah and I fell asleep. I wake up to Summit barking, and realize its just Jamie driving into camp, it was dark about 10 pm..I wait laying in bed for Jamie to come in the camper. I hear the door open and shut, and then peaks his wide eyed beautiful face around the corner. " I got one Julie, I got one!!"

I was in shock! I played it off like he was joking, "nuh uh no you didn't! did you!?"

Jamie then told me his "hunting story" I love his hunting stories!!! We stayed up and talked for a couple of hours about our crazy adventure, and how stressful the situation could have been.

We talked about all the praying we have been doing, on top of our normal prayers. We felt like we prayed all day every day for days straight to get things in order, and have them work out. Because of our faith in the Lord, I know he comforted us, and blessed us with the mentality and patience to get through our trials. We actually had fun, considering our circumstances!

I am SO thankful for my amazing husband, for the knowledge not only that he has in the gospel, but for being the hand man he is! I swear he is am automotive technician, carpenter, electrician, HVAC, plumber, pipe fitter, welder...THE LIST GOES ON!!! Such a hard working man, and not afraid of a little labor! He's a mans man! I believe one of the sexiest things things about him is his skill to PROVIDE, and of course the fact that he is a HUNTER, and can go out and get his family some food with a bow!

He is so perfect for me, I love him so much!! Can't wait to make more babies, and have him teach them all these things :O)


So enough with the mushy gushy and on to the KILL! Here are some photos of Jamie Elk. He shot this fella deep in the basin, and had to quarter him up. Oh yes it’s a job! For one thing; any person going elk hunting alone is nuts!

The first trip out of the basin he brought up the head and a hind quarter. He said that was the hardest part, SO HEAVY!!!

By the time he took the second trip his brothers showed up, and brought Jamie his special pack to put the elk in. He fit the rest of the front and hind quarters and a few other parts of meat. It was heavy as well! He packed out over a hundred pounds of elk out of the basin, one hell of a hike by itself, let alone to add an elk into the mix...I love my buff and strong hubby!!

Elijah and daddy's kill.

All in all a fabulous trip!! Now to get my deer!!

Almost Hunting Season!!

Few things can bring you more joy than to pursue two of your passions at the same time. This is easy to do by taking your children snowboarding with you! However Eli is too small, see it being the off season from snowboarding, my husband and I do a plethora of other outdoor activities, that help keep up in shape, and ready for the following season of snowboarding! Hunting is right around the corner!! Our first trip with Elijah...wow..we took our 6 and a ½ month old son hunting with us for the first time. I have been so excited to get our baby out and about in the great outdoors!

Obviously Elijah wasn’t old enough to be walking, so he wasn’t able to actually get out and hike, and hunt with us. My husband and I took turns on babysitting between hunts. This was made possible by having a 3rd person in our hunting party, we call him Grandpa!

Getting out in the country, on long dirt roads eyeballing turkey’s could not have been any more fun. It was great to take Eli out of his car seat, sit him on our lap, and watch him squeal with excitement at all the new things he was seeing. The trees, the cows, and the old run down Wyoming barns.

When hubby, and grandpa were out on a hunt, Elijah and I would play outside, and feel the leaves of the trees, grab the rocks, and long grass on the ground, and just look at all the wonderful beauty that was surrounding us. Not to forget of course, changing diapers in the back seat of the truck, rushing to make bottles for a fussy wee Elijah, and cuddle and rock my sweet baby to sleep, while settling in for a movie on the DVD player!

Jamie and I would often bring up what it will be like when Eli is 4, and we take him out to actually follow us on a hunt! We imagine it will be a far different experience. One that will include us walking only a few yards, to then “need a break” to sit and rest on a nearby log. Then a few minutes later needing to stop for a potty break, only to then be told he doesn’t want to relieve himself in the middle of the woods, but that he wants to travel ALL THE WAY back home to potty.

Stories about having young children with you usually do not conclude with the description of the trophy buck that you shoot, but the memories of being there with them are better trophies. We can’t wait until we see Eli jump out of his skin when a grouse takes off nearby and scares him, or of his first buck that he shoots!

I loved hearing all the hunting stories that my husband told me over that weekend, of him and his dad when he was younger, and the experiences he had. They truly are precious memories. I absolutely love being out with my little family and creating our own!

As much as I adore hunting, I am surely missing the snow. Not necessarily LIVING in it, but shredding the heck out of it! My baby will be 1 in September, and hopefully by the time the snow comes yet again to our backyard, he will be able to be towed around on the Burton Mini Shred After School Special Snowboard!

"RAW LIVING" Strawberry Cheesecake

I LOVE THIS RECIPE! I could seriously talk for hours about raw food, as well as vegan recipes! I find that I like to make a raw food dessert about every week and a half, I then munch on a slice a night, and it fills me up, and is OH SO YUMMY, and healthy too! So here is is folks, the strawberry cheesecake recipe. Big thanks to Priscilla Levac!

Crust:
2 Cups Macadamia Nuts, unsoaked
½ Cup Dates, pitted
¼ Cup Dried Coconut

“Cheese”

3 Cups Cashews, soaked for at least 1 hour
¾ Cup Fresh Lemon Juice
¾ Cup Honey
¾ Cup Coconut Oil, melted
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
½ Teaspoon Salt

Berry Sauce:
1 Bag Frozen Strawberries, Rasberries or Blueberries.
½ Cup Dates

Crust:
Process macadamia nuts first then add dates. Sprinkle coconut on the bottom of an 8 or 9 inch spring form pan. Press crust onto the coconut. This will prevent sticking.
Cheese: Blend all ingredients together. Add a little water if necessary.Pour the mixture into the crust. Place in the freezer until firm.

Berry Sauce: Blend berries and dates until smooth. Pour onto cheesecake when firm.

Pretty in Pink (Green) Smoothie

2 large,  frozen bananas
1 1/3 C almond milk
1 tbs coconut butter
1/8 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2-4 ice cubes

Blend in blender, enjoy! <3