Another rambling update!

Honestly, I do try to think of posts on a regular basis, but then I get busy and it gets pushed aside and forgotten. But, I have been busy doing lots of things! Mostly house related stuff for the new house, which is getting closer and closer to being done each week, and fitting in an odd run or yoga class here and there.

But first, my birthday! I turned 32 (!!!!) back in August and celebrated with dinner with my family and the day off work to attend a yoga class with one of my favorite teachers. You can kind of see the lady across the table from me in the picture, that’s my grandma and we share a birthday. So it’s fun getting to share my cake and birthday dinner with her. I got some really great gifts, ranging from shoes to watches, including a new Garmin, so I was definitely spoiled for my birthday.

Fast forward to Labor Day weekend and my parents yearly party. I didn’t get to get out and go dove hunting this year, mostly because opening morning was during the work week and then I was busy on Saturday and the party was on Sunday, but Matt went and got a few doves, so for the party I made some dove poppers which were a total hit. I was surprised they went over so well, considering the audience and the fact that they were wild game. You can see my little popper assembly line in the photo. I used jalapeno peppers, sweet orange peppers, cream cheese, bacon, and then a salt/pepper/garlic blend to season the dove, then grilled them once we got to my parents house. I secured them with toothpicks, but will have to remember to soak the picks next time because they did burn, and that causes them to break off really easily, which can be dangerous when eating. No body wants a toothpick chunk stuck in their mouth!

I did manage a couple runs, and ran in a relatively new to me location, around Creve Couer lake. I ran in that park once during TNT training, but this time I actually started by the lake and did an out and back for a total of four miles. It was rough, seeing as how it was in the 90’s and pretty damn humid. But I haven’t been able to force myself out the door once I get home and make dinner, so it was that or nothing.

This was one of a few deer that I saw on my run. The deer in Creve Couer have no fear of people. I tried to shoo it off the trail, but it let me get surprisingly close before it casually stepped down the hill to watch myself and some other runners pass.

Speaking of deer, bow season opens here tomorrow! I probably won’t make it out until Saturday morning, but I have been practicing with my bow a few times recently. It nice to see that even though it’s been a year since I had touched it last, I hadn’t lost any draw strength and at 10 yards, I’m still pretty spot on! I need to practice more to get these kind of groupings at 20 yards, but my shots at that distance still aren’t too bad. I’m looking forward to hunting season this year, and I’m hoping to fill my tags! The past few years haven’t been great because I haven’t seen many deer. I’ve seen signs of them every where I’ve looked, but no actual deer have been around when I’ve been out. I hoping that changes this year!

With the house project nearing completion, I’m hoping that I will have more time for blogging. I also will have some new material when we pick up our new puppy next weekend! I don’t know how on Earth we are going to be able to pick from the four available boys, because they are all pretty stinking adorable, but I guess it will have to be done!