Thanksgiving!

We spent Thanksgiving up in Nevada City with my parents and sister. We were very excited for snowy weather - and my parents were excited that their electricity finally came back on at 11pm Wednesday night, after being off for 5 days!! Just in time for some serious cooking! After dinner at home we all went over to my uncle's barn for dessert. Eli had a great time with the horses and Uncle Ed even let him borrow his cowboy hat!

On Friday we went to visit my cousin Mark and his family at their ranch. They raise grass-fed cattle and have a bunch of animals! We took a nice walk and Eli went on his first hay-ride (a real one!...we got to feed the cows).

My cousin's daughter, Riley, has a goose that thinks she is her mother. Apparently it sleeps with her sometimes!!

On Saturday it was nasty weather, but my dad and I had plans to go pheasant hunting. So we all piled into the car with the dog. Mike, my mom and Eli stayed at headquarters with the heaters running full-blast and my dad and I tromped through the fields through the wind and rain to get us some birds. Cassie, the dog, did quite well chasing up the birds - I think she found 8 or so for us...but I only successfully shot one...what can I say, it's been a long time!

Though it poured rain on us while we were hunting, it filled the hills with snow! So on Sunday, Mike, my dad, Eli and I all headed up to go cross country skiing! We fashioned a mesh curtain around our backpack as sun protection for Eli - yes, only camo mesh would do!!