CREATING NEW TRADITIONS

This particular post picks up right where my A Holiday Tradition post left off.  Just about every Thanksgiving for the last half dozen years or so, ends with my brother-in-law Nate and I going on an evening bowhunt.  Some years are more exciting than others based on the kind of hunt we had, but this year was a little bit different.  It was a year for creating a new tradition; one that involved our boys, Reese (4) and Cole (6).  My father-in-law Steve and I had been talking all fall about wanting to get the boys out to “the shack”.  They are both far too young to hunt, but we wanted to give them the “deer camp” experience that we take part in every November.  Ever since these two boys were born they were both exposed to the hunting lifestyle, and I personally thought that a night out at the shack would be icing on the cake for these future deer hunters.  Not to mention, Reese and Cole are not only cousins, but best friends, and if one is doing it, you can bet that the other will want to as well.

During our hunt, Nate was looking to harvest a doe, and I really wish he would have gotten the opportunity.  I thought the boys would have a blast going out in the woods and tracking the deer with us.  Unfortunately, it was a slow night for Nate and all of the does seemed to come by me, although not until right at dark. Even without the harvest of a deer, it was still going to be a really fun night and those two boys never have troubles finding stuff to get into!

Grandpa Steve grilled hot dogs and there was no shortage of craziness among the boys.  Once their belly’s were full, what better than a game of indoor football!

 

It was an absolutely beautiful night and the moon was full.  I think that really helped to bring out the craziness in the boys!  Grandpa Steve had a heck of a time getting them to stand still for a picture in the moon light and even when they did, the goofballs had to make funny faces.

After some ice cream and video games there was plenty more shenanigans to go around, but I think Nate finally wore them out when they decided to try and pick on him.  They were a little over-matched this time.

It didn’t take very long to recover because the boys were up and at ’em early!  It was a good thing they had their Kindle because some of us still needed to catch up on some sleep.

After a good breakfast, it was time to start packing up and closing up the shack for the winter.  Yes, it was only November, but Minnesotans know that it can start looking like winter fast!  Sometimes without warning.

The night was full of laughs and craziness and although the boys didn’t get to experience the end of a successful deer hunt, their first overnight outing at the shack was a great one.  A new tradition was born!