20 Years and Lovin' Strong

 The Wedding at the Church (thin ties were in again)

 Bringing my Bride through the threshold (spandex was totally in)

 Sharing the cake (turtle neck and plaid will never go away)

This was almost at the halfway mark (8 years)

Since it is Bridger's blog his voice is on the video (Ginni's shoulder was not dislocated)

Always thinking ahead (but was it tears of happy or what did I get into?)

I am the most fortunate guy in the world.

This has been a special Anniversary edition of Bridger's Snippets to honor Bridger's parental units.

"Milady, a woman of your beauty has no need for such... decorations"

Hint:  The theme song was our wedding song.

Black Friday or Play Friday



Bridger decorating the Christmas tree



Waterpark trip in the afternoon. Both Bridger and I could get up on the crab.

We got Bridger to leave because he was STARVING.  We had lots of fun.

Getting the bucket dump

Bridger at hockey game.  Colorado College vs. UND

We had fun at the Sioux Store, where Bridger got the winter hat. 



Sioux won 7-6.  It was a good game, back and forth scoring.  GF love their hockey team!!!!

 Darin was doing the blog last night and because our laptop mouse is s-o-o-o sensitive, he managed to delete everything he typed up.  You were all going to be treated to a Darin blog.

Thanksgiving Day



Bridger had a statement to make today.  His team won today.



Bridger was very helpful in the kitchen today.  It was a way for him to get both math and reading into the day.

Bridger's finished project heading to cool in garage fridge.

And the bird is done.

The North Dakota spread enjoyed by all.

no explanation needed.

Hope everyone had a wonderful day.  We will be in ND until Sunday.  Gonna decide here shortly if we are venturing out for shopping now or early. 

photo book

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Hunting Trip Cancelled

 Elk hunk 08.

 First thing after getting home from school

 making snow angles.

Looking good in his new hunting gear.

The weather turn today as predicted.  It is  a snow storm all the way up to Hulett.  It would be a nasty drive just to make it up to hunt.  Tomorrow is predicted for heavier snowfall and cold.  Temps up there are suppose to be 14 for the high with -5 windchill.  So we decided to be safe, stay off the roads and cancel the trip.  I guess I can take Bridger small game hunting.  The season goes until March.

It is already nasty here in Casper.  Since I got home we have had 4 accidents with injury and one aircraft that went down about 10 miles north of Casper, no survivors.  With this kind of weather I am glad we decided not to travel.

I am not sure what we will do for the weekend.  Whatever it is we will make it fun.

Happy Friday everyone.

"You have to think about one shot. One shot is what it's all about. A deer's gotta be taken with one shot."

Older Pictures

 Bridger at Devils Tower a couple of years ago.

Eagles at Soda lake when Bridger and I were elk hunting.

Bridger did well in the last two games of the hockey tournament on Sunday.  He got another hat trick in the last game.  He played really well the whole weekend.  We were all a bit exhausted by Sunday night.

Bridger has been wanting to go hunting this year but with football and hockey we have not had the time.  We are planning on heading to the Bear Lodge mountains by Devils Tower this weekend to hunt whitetail.  Bridger is very excited and even got new hunting gear.  The bad news is the weather forecast is not good.  Snow and cold.  I have been stuck twice up on those roads hunting during college.  We will see, I hate to disappoint Bridger when that is all he has been talking about.

I hope everyone is doing well.

"Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway."

hat trick and tennis anyone?

 Our boy is front and center, #49.

 Bridger is the one off of center in picture.  This is not one of the times he was able to score a goal.

 Bridger did awesome today.  He scored a hat trick and I got to see two of the three.  The first period wasn't even over and other people started bugging me to open up the souvenier stand and make t-shirts.  I was the first one scheduled to do  it today and it was supposed to be an HOUR AFTER his game was over before I had to open.  I didn't get to see the end of the game.  It was nice that other moms came along and helped out.  They didn't keep score, but I think they beat Cody.  Bridger missed the second game for tennis.  We have two games tomorrow to finish up the tournament.  I get to do the puck toss tomorrow!!!  Yeah!!!

 Bridger did so awesome.  I haven't been able to stay and watch much of his progress through his tennis lessons.  I was quite surprised by what I saw today.  He really had a naturalness about him and seemed very at ease.  He didn't like an opponent getting ahead in points and would look up at me when he started to get behind as he would go retrieve the ball. 

 I only took pictures during his first match.  He played 4 matches.  He readily handed this young man a loss.  I could tell he was pretty proud of himself winning his first match.  The next boy was more of an even player to him.  It was great to see them volley back and forth.  Bridger would catch him back from the net and drop the ball just on the other side of the net.  He got several points that way.  The other boy was as big as Bridger (age 9) and had about the same speed so it worked for Bridger. 

 Darin brought a fire crew by to watch while they could.  Bridger was having a slump about then and he got pepped up seeing he had a fan club.  The coach, guy in black above, joked with Bridger about being able to have firemen come and watch him.  I had never noticed the pole by where the coach is standing.  They would keep track of points on the pole.  You got a point anytime the other person screwed up-whether they served or not.  I kept watching the pole and holding my breath.  Honestly, this was about the hardest thing I have watched with Bridger.  Everything else he has done has been team sports.  It was hard to be polite and calm with the opponents' moms sitting right next to me.  They were being polite as well, though.  Everyone had nice things to say about Bridger.  They all seemed to know who he was?

And he got second place!!!!!  He was very happy and very pleased with himself.  He remarked that the 1st place person is very tough and conceded easily that he was a better player.  That boy is age 7 and has been playing since he was 2.  The mom told me it wasn't very focused at age two, but he has always loved playing.  That kid has a mean left handed forehand.  I did hear, again, more than once about how nice Bridger is and how good he actually is in playing tennis.  It makes a parent very proud to hear those things.

coming home from school

 Darin gets home now about the time Bridger's school lets out.  We decided to let Bridger walk home from school all by himself.  Shouldn't be a big deal, but we had a hard time letting go as parents to let him walk home by himself.  Darin was waiting around the corner of the house and captured the photos. 

 With the wind blowing like it has over the few days I could have raked, I haven't been able to rake.  This is nothing to the last 3 years of leaves that accumulated.  I feel so fortunate to have had the trees trimmed.  This seems so manageable.  There are still more leaves to fall, but they seem to be hanging on, even with the wind.

Hockey tomorrow starting at 6:40am.  Busy day.  Darin has a fire dept thing with showing kids what happens to those drink and drive-with bad outcomes.  Bridger has a tennis tournament he will play in starting at 10am.  Back to the ice arena for most of the afternoon for Hockey clinic.  Darin is supposed to attend the clinic as a coach, Bridger as a player.  Maybe I will get some alone time in there then ;)

Have a great weekend.

Trails Museum and belated Happy Anniversary

 Wednesday, Bridger and the third grade at Verda James went to the Trails Museum for a field trip.  Since I usually have Wednesday afternoon without patients, I headed up to join as soon as I could.  The kids had been divided up into groups and using the different areas as stations for learning about Trails.  Some of the guides were good with children and some were not.  As usual when the kids were asked questions they couldn't just answer, they had to expound on why they answered the way they did.  On our last station I decided to help Bridger out with some of the answers.  His job was to be the first called on, which didn't happen, but he did get the right answers!  The first time he couldn't hear me and another child did, who popped her hand up right away and said the answer.  It got comical between us as Bridger would turn sideways to see if I was going to tell him, if I responded, his hand shot up.  I wasn't ever wrong.  My parents should be proud to know that I paid attention in US History.

 Learning about the Pony Express.  Did you know only one rider was killed, but 8 station masters were?

Crossing the North Platte.  Bridger was inside and couldn't get the answer from me on that question (what river are they crossing).  We usually just say "the river" when we talk about the North Platte here-so Bridger really wouldn't know what river runs through Casper.

As usual for birthdays and anniversaries, I have not gotten on the ball and wished my parents Happy Anniversary!!!  Way back in November 1983 they were married.  Happy 28years of marriage!!

The NC varsity are out of the playoffs and the season is finished.  They lost to one of the 3 Cheyenne teams (East) on Friday night.  It was a very painful game to watch.  They got behind, which had never happened all season.  They started to come back in the fourth quarter, but just never got a rhythm going that allowed them to catch-up and take over.  There was a dropped ball fumble that sealed the deal and was heartbreaking to see.  They still all came together at the end of the game in the end zone and talked to each other, players and coaches.  Some of the guys had tears in their eyes.  What could you say, really, it just wasn't their night.  Wrong night to have it not be their night.  But, Bridger and I welcomed Darin back into our fold with open arms!!!   He is ours once again!!!  Until late July 2012 anyway. 

Hockey game tonight for Bridger.  Next weekend is a tournament.  Only one team (Cody) agreed to come and 3 teams were made up from Bridger's division to play.  Kind of frustrating knowing  that some moms put alot of effort into making phone calls, organizing parent sign-ups for helping and planning the parent part of the tournament.  Hopefully, Bridger will get to go to some of the away tournaments since the next home tournament isn't until late Feb 2012.

Bridger also decided to play in a round robin tennis tournament.  He wants to forego one hockey game during the tournament to play in the round robin.  I have to call the tennis instructor today  and see if we can still get him into the round robin.

 Judi-enjoying hearing about your Mequite adventures.