30 Years

I'd like to congratulate my folks on 30 years together!  Happy anniversary.  (and may you never turn into robots)

Hudson's First Birthday

Down the Middle Drop One More Grain of Sand

A year ago today we lost Greg to cancer.  This anniversary has made me a bit more reflective today – almost how I imagine the new year affects many.  I am looking back over the year and I see

our travels and adventures.  From looking out a plane window onto Alaska to exploring a beautiful steel structure that is only roof now in East Dallas with Laura to having a debate with good friends at a rest stop on the high plains between Vegas and the Grand Canyon.

our struggles and accomplishments. From Structures to buying our house to see St. Thomas bud and flourish.

the joy of new life.  From Eli to Claire to my nephew Hudson.  May they stir our resolve and strength to fight for the good in this world.

the passing and mourning of life in both my Great Uncle Pat and Greg Hewlett.  You both are being missed and you both are loved.  Your legacies are continuing - your great generosity and love that you sowed into this world is bearing fruit.

God has been gracious to me.

Thanksgiving 2011

We traveled out to my parents’ house in Wink for Thanksgiving – the highlight of which was getting to meet my nephew (not that seeing the rest of my family was great as well).  

Me and Elmo entertaining Hudson.

Mom and Hudson

Dad and Hudson (the resemblence is uncanny)

Corey and Hudson (see the pattern here)

Carra and Hudson

Trying to get Hudson to smile for the camera

We had some good Cajun food for thanksgiving then went to play in the park.

Laura with Blevin (my second cousin)

Heath demonstrating his pelican riding techniques

Uncle Mark demonstrating his defeating the fundemental laws of gravity

Bradon and Belvin demonstrating their cuteness

Olive demostrating "the sit"

Pretty awesome family

Hudson Wynn Haynes

Heath and Christina welcomed Hudson into the world on Friday.  We are all excited that he came healthy and that Christina is doing better.  Looking forward to being a good uncle for this little one.

Elk Hunt

This last weekend I traveled to the Sacramento Mountains in New Mexico to Elk hunt with my dad.  It was a great trip – we couldn’t have asked for better weather and we were successful in killing a cow elk on our first morning out.    Some pics from my trip:

(Note: some pictures towards the end involve the skinning of a dead elk.  Fair warning.)

The rolling grassland before we hit the mountains.

Starting to get up into the mountains.

A picture taken by Mom of her bootprint in the snow.

Our campsite before we started setting up.

The completed campsite.

What I figured we would be sleeping in.

What we actually slept in.  My father is getting a bit fancy in his old age.  Not that I'm complaining - they were nice digs for camping.

The inside of the tent. 

The Elk cow Dad shot.  Note that she fell about a mile and a half away from where we could get the truck to.  Lucky for us it was uphill from the truck.

Dad filling out his tag.

The start of the skinning process.  We ended up packing out the hide as well as the meat.  Dad hopes to have it stretched and tanned.

On one of our three trip back to the Elk to recover the meat.

Me with a hindquarter strapped to my back.

Dad with his hindquater headed to the truck.

Mom got to carry the head (we needed it to give the lymph nodes and brain stem to the game warden - so they can check the populations for health and disease)

And one of our ice chests full of backstrap - we'll have a loaded freezer for awhile.