December is HERE

I'd better get you caught up with November.   

The weather here has been so up and down.  One day it's darn near 50 and then it's in single digits with the wind chill.  It's way too early for that crap!!  On one of the last nice days out Ms Krista took Danny out for a walk....he just loves being outside.  Another reason we hate WI winters ... we're pretty much confined to the house not just because of the cold crappy weather, but the illnesses that are all over.  It's warmer and healthier to stay indoors. 

 The High School Girls Diving season has come to an end, but not with some exciting State competition.  I took Avrianna and some friends down to Madison to show our support to the girls that dive with the Fox Valley Diving Club along with Avrianna.  It was a first for me, but I'm sure it's not the last time I will be at the state pool.  Avrianna is looking amazing on the boards, but she has some pretty BIG shoes to fill with her team mates :)  Way to GO Hazel who won State Champ!! Congrats to Becky, who hit her head on the board during practice, but still managed to place 12th ~ Caitlin placed 18th ~ Lauren 22nd.  Woot Woot!!

 Now lets see what the boys can do!!  I've started a new "job" and I'm working the scoring boards for the diving meets.  It's exciting!  I have alot to learn yet, but by the time Avrianna is in high school I'll know it like the back of my hand.

Gunner just checking out what Danny is up too.  How cute!

  We've already seen a few snow flakes fall here n there.   The fireplace is ready and has had some pretty amazing fires in it already.

I got a start on decorating the house for Christmas on opening weekend of deer hunting.  To my surprise my schedule was open, and with Dan being gone Up North hunting.....Let the decorations BEGIN!!  I only did the basement as we had Thanksgiving here at the house so I left the fall decorations up upstairs.  Here are some photos ~
My Willow Tree Nativity on the stairwell.

 The Bar area

 The living room

 The whole basement view

 The corner when coming out the elevator.  With my window full of our Christmas cards of years gone by.

On Saturday Nov. 23rd, First Day of the 2013 Deer Hunt, I got a phone call from Dan around 5pm saying that one of the Shack members and a close dear friend, Jay Leggett had passed away.  I'm sure it was a very somber mood up there this year, and deer hunting will NEVER be the same without Jay.  Jay will be missed dearly.  Jay came back to the shack on his ATV 4-wheeler, they found him collapsed over the wheeler, and his brother did CPR until the paramedics arrived.  It was found through an autopsy that Jay had a massive heart attack.  The only humbling thing is that Jay died doing what he LOVED to do and in a place he LOVED to be.  His memory and stories will live on at The Newwood Club.

                                                             
Jay 50,  lived in LA where he lived out his life's dream to be an writer, producer, actor and comedian.  Some of the shows he appeared in where "Ally McBeal", "In Living Color", "NYPD Blue", "Employee of the Month", "Factory" and he went on the write, produce and act in several movies.
                                        

Dan's 2013 deer ~ a very nice fork :)

We had ourselves a "white" Thanksgiving ... and of course Dan had to try out his new plow.

 We had my nephew over and the kids were out there shoveling.  They are definitely not related to me as I try my hardest to stay out of the cold snow and they just LOVE it.  Brrrrr

Danny and I stayed in doors.  Seeing we had no nursing he was "stuck" with the "head nurse".... MOM.   He had a great day!  Sporting his Turkey tubie whoobie :)

 Happy Thanksgiving !!

 Danny was smiles all day :)  Later I found this was the calm before the storm as the next day and still today he is having alot of discomfort.  So this smiley face is no longer and it's replaced with frowns and tears.  We are heading the Dr tomorrow in hopes to figure it out.

 The kids were warming up from being outside, before the guests arrived for dinner.

 We ended up having 13 people over for dinner.  It was a great day, with amazing food, and wonderful company.  Another perfectly smoked turkey!!

Then it's game on with Decking the Halls!  The weekend was full of me getting the rest of the house decorated and getting our tree up.  Here are more pics of the house
Elevator hallway, stairwell, and front entry

 Kitchen

 Kitchen

 Bar

 Dining/bar

 Our 2013 Tree

Living room

 Living room

If you can even believe it there is an ice shelf already on Lake Winnebago.  Avrianna slept over at a friends house this weekend, they live on the lake, and even know the weather was gorgeous there was lots of ice.  Eeeekkkk!

There is more building and craziness going on over here.  We are finally getting our garage in the backyard done.  It's been another "Osero" project with dead ends and loop holes, but it's finally been approved and in the works.  The RV will get it's home soon :)

As I said before Avrianna has been doing amazing on the diving board.  This last week her coach had sent me these videos of her on the 3M board.  He is so impressed with her and I couldn't be any more prouder.  Her Coach is so excited that Avrianna is the youngest he's ever taught the Back 1.5 somersault 1.5 twist off the 3M.  She's a pro!  

Unfortunately since Thursday evening my MS has decided to show itself.  It started with both of the bottom of my feet numb and tingly, then I could get the back of my legs of tingle when I dropped my head down, now I'm finding myself dropping more things along with not so great coordination.  Working out has proving to be an even bigger challenge so I've had to cut back...but I'm going to keep moving.  I didn't work this hard to have it all go away.  With that being said I'm going to try my best to get this in check myself and not go in, as the first thing they will want me to do is steroids. But I do have to say 4 days of this and it's getting old real fast ~ UGH!!