8 Ways You Know You're on a Hunt With Your Wife

This weekend was a good one.

Wanna know why?

Cause I went on my first ever deer hunt.

My first ever archery deer hunt...there's a two-fer if I ever heard one.

I didn't kill anything, though. ...which would've made the weekend even better.

But I think my mom is happy about it - that I didn't "kill Bambi."

Thanks mom. Thanks for wishing failure upon me.

Even though I didn't kill anything, I saw six bucks and 2 does (the plural of "doe,"...don't worry I googled it) between Saturday and Sunday, and as long as I see an animal or two, and know there out there somehwere, I can't even be mad about not killing one.

I'm still a newb at this hunting/archery thing, so I didn't have high expectations for myself.

I just enjoyed the weekend with my husband in the great outdoors.

...Speaking of my husband.

Like I said, this whole hunting thing is still pretty new for me. So, likewise, having me around on a hunt is new for Nate too. 

That said...

You know you're hunting with your wife when...  

-You have to hike slower.

A lot slower.

-The noise coming from the ground blind is louder and more frequent.

...I just can't sit still for three hours straight.

I just can't.

-It takes longer to describe where the deer are when you find 'em in your binoculars

"Where? I don't see them. Where did you say? I still don't see them." 

-You have to take pictures...often...cause your wife's a blogger.

...and if you don't, she will.

...picture taking is really hard when you're in a camp full of men.

Men just don't appreciate picture taking the way women do.

-It takes 3-4 alarms before you're up and ready to go in the morning

...5am is freakin' earlllly for a weekend

-You have to hear about how "cute" the "little" does are

-There's pink in your camo bin

-You have to keep using the Scent-Away cause your wife keeps putting on 

lip gloss and hand lotion - which naturally, smells much too human

And there you have it.

I asked Nate if he regretted taking me with him this weekend, and he said 

"No. I just know I need to change my tactics a little now."

Thanks for putting that softly.

'preciate it.

Shark Week: What You Won't Find on the Discovery Channel

This week marks the beginning of Shark Week

I'm gonna let you in on a secret that the Discovery Channel won't tell you...

There's new species of shark to be feared:

The Lab Shark

The Lab Shark is a sub-species of the Labradonian Shark, and can be found in the residential pool waters of the Southwest.

They are known for their endurance and size, ranging anywhere from 75-90 lbs.

Lab Sharks are the primary predators of marine-chlorine mammals, and prey on mostly bottom-feeders and plankton of the like.

For example:

They also rank the highest for having the most attacks on tennis balls.

Lab sharks live in any chlorinated bodies of water, and are most active in the months between May and September. One of the densest populations of this species is found at the King residence in Chandler, AZ, a suburb of the Greater Phoenix area.

These sharks have been recorded at depths as great as 5 ft, and have no migratory patterns known to researchers at this time.

Lab Sharks have a large, robust snout, and a unique fur-coating, unlike any other of the shark varieties.

If there's one thing to be noted: no tennis ball, noodle, kick-board, or hat is safe.

Rid your pools of any potential toys, or anything which can be chewed, and you will enjoy a safe and happy summer.

Below you can observe the Lab Shark in its natural habitat.

Caution: viewer discretion is advised.

Happy Shark Week!

Summer Bucket List Progress

I figured with the arrival of August I'd check in and see how I'm doing with my summer bucket list.

Shall we?

-Graduate with my Master's degree
Check out the post here

-Go camping at least twice
Check out one post here

-Watch fireworks on the 4th of July
Check out the post here

-Hike Kinder Creek
Check out the post here

-Make my own Happiness Project

-Get a blog design

-Lots of pool time

-Lots of grill time

-Try new summer smoothie recipes

-Try new summer cocktail recipes

-Go to at least two baseball games

-Go on at least two day trips to northern AZ

Check out one post here

-Re-organize and (potentially) redecorate guest room/office

-Read at least four books

-Get out of town (i.e. out of state)
Check out posts here and here

-Go on a stay-cation 

-Rock some sweet summer sun dresses

-Take a picture like the one you'll find at the top of this post that I found on Google Images
(cute pic right? Oh so summer-y)

-See a concert
Check out the post here

While other bloggers are already counting down until Fall, I figure I'm gonna make the most of the 4(ish) weeks left of summer, and see what kind of a dent I can make in my list.

Here's to wrapping up summer time!

Kinder Creek 2013

This weekend consisted of one really super fun and active day, and one really super lazy unproductive day...which is totally fine by me.

Since you probably don't wanna hear about how I slept in, read blogs, lounged around, ate Chinese food, and watched a Harry Potter marathon, I'll tell you about the hike I went on with my family instead.

I'll sound way more fun that way.

Each year since we've done this hike (check out previous years here and here) I always hesitate whether or not to blog about it. Cause quite frankly it's my most favorite spot in Arizona and I really don't want people finding out about it and making it all busy and populated and stuff.

Cause I'm selfish like that.

But alas, I'll share with you cause it's just too awesome not to.

With any luck you'll forget all about it after this post.

Or maybe I'll give you wrong directions if you ask me where it is?

Muahaha

Kinder Creek is my favorite day hike because it's short, fairly easy with the exception of one really steep, really rocky part, and once you get to the bottom there's water to swim in, scenery to take in, rocks to naps on, and crawdads to catch.

This year, priority one was catching crawdads.

We caught a bunch last year, but wasn't expecting it, so we had nothing to put them in but empty waterbottles. So this year we came prepared with traps and buckets and all sorts of shenanigans.

But first we had to get down there.

The summer monsoons usually roll in and out all day up in northern Arizona, but they started early this particular weekend and made for one really wet, really slippery hike down to the water.

My dad however, was prepared.

We couldn't even make fun of him for looking silly, cause we all wanted his rain jacket.

But we definitely didn't tell him that.

Guess he got the last laugh on that one.

Our first spot is this really neat sandy beach area. I promise, the pictures don't do it justice.

The guys didn't waste time and started catching crawdads...

...and my mom and I didn't waste any time getting our float on

The water was really cold.

After Nate and Adam caught all the crawdads they could, we moved on to our next spot...to catch more crawdads.

It doesn't get much prettier...

We spent the afternoon on our favorite rock, watched the guys catch crawdads, enjoyed the monsoon rain...and it just doesn't get much better.

My sister, unfortunately couldn't get off work for the day, so Adam created a stand-in for her.

This one's for you, Audrey.

Once we got home, some serious dinner was in order.

Before:

During:

After:

So you know, it was a super fun day, and that's really all I have to say about that.

I love AZ.

I love Kinder Creek.

I love hiking with my family.

I don't love the fact that it's Monday however.

Bad Monday, bad.