Gobble Gobble

It was a White Thanksgiving in MN for the Hoods.  Because we are so unsure of where we are going and when, it is kind of hard to plan for a flight back home between now and whenever we get placed somewhere! So, we decided to stay in MN and cook our first Thanksgiving feast together (and probably our last one until we are grandparents! ha!)

A Badger Family portrait.  If you want a good laugh, just estimate how many times we had to try for this pic. Oh only 50 (not exaggerating - I'm learning how to use the timer on my camera pretty well! Thanks Bethy!)

Our badger feast!

Green Bean Casserole

Butter beans like Meme used to make!

Missy potatoes - a Hood speciality! 

(obviously SOMEONE couldn't wait)

Stephen's turkey! It was DELISH! 

Now he will be in charge of cooking more - since I know he is so good at it :)

Impromptu gravy - don't wanna talk about it. :)

Meme's crockpot dressing.  Pretty good for my first try! 

It is honestly the BEST dressing ever! and very easy!

A Turkey carving a turkey! What's the chance of that!

Rocky eats snow like crazy! It is so funny! He usually comes back inside with snow all over his face!

Right when the snow first started! 

Our snow bunny!

Told you, he LOVES the snow! He is part chow so he definitely does not get cold! I wish I had the winter coat he has!

Speaking of snow, it's snowing a lot here lately.. It started last night and hasn't quit! At the bank today, the lady asked "Oh, is that weather getting nasty?" (In her MN accent of course) and I said, "Oh my gosh! it's a blizzard outside!" (In my southern accent - of course).  Her reply was "Oh, honey, this is no blizzard! The blizzard is coming though, you betcha!" (again, her MN accent..)

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We all have so much to be thankful for! 

Last but not least, GO DAWGS!!

I'm so glad I am not a black bear. Just sayin. 

Oh gosh, and how could I forget! I'd like to get my favorite person a plug here. 

Jessica Simpson's new Christmas album came out Nov 22. It is so good! and I'm not just saying that because I love her. Give it a listen!

Tis the season... for Christmas Cards!

I found this information on Kristen Lindley's blog.  I was so excited to find out about the offer that Shutterfly is promoting for bloggers! Stephen, Rocky and I took our Christmas picture for our card in February when we moved to MN (to capture all of the SNOW!) and since that point I have been stalking shutterfly's website for Christmas cards! We have so many cards that we want to send out this year from all of the friends we have made since moving from MS to MN. Some of the cutest Christmas cards we got last year were from Shutterfly! So I am excited to be using them this year. Although, this is my first year to use Shutterfly for Christmas cards, I have ordered a photo book from them as well.  I've attached links to a few of my favorite cards as well as some other great gift ideas they have to offer! I really liked this one and this one. Also a great gift idea for family would be a calender or a coffee mug.  If you have already ordered your Christmas cards this year, Shutterfly also offers other great cards for birthdays, moving announcements, etc.  Click here to check out some of those. Also, if you are a fellow blogger and want to see more information on this amazing offer, click here!

I just finished a batch of Christmas cookies and we put our outside Christmas decorations up today! I'll post pictures soon! Have a great week!

God in all His Glory!

Stephen's training was officially over November 5th.  While most of our friends we've made up here moved away that weekend, we are hanging out until we can get a spot in MS to move home to! (I'll keep you updated with what we find out!) Here is our group of friends all eating at our favorite restaurant, Plaza Morena, one last time!

Later that weekend, we decided to go ahead and put up our Christmas decorations.. Not to rush Thanksgiving, but to get us in the spirit for all of the holidays!

We will be putting out our outside decorations this weekend! (if the snow melts.. see later in this post)

Rocky wasn't excited about Christmas decor... I tried to make him wear the Christmas tree skirt. Fail. 

We also have been trying to walk Rocky more and it is FREEZING ALREADY!

This is at the fire station - my fav building. I want to tour it before we leave.. but I think that might be kinda weird. 

We left on Friday to head to South Dakota (an almost 10 hour drive!!)

We drove all the way to Rapid City on Friday to see Mt. Rushmore and everything around it on Saturday.. Here are some pics!

boring drive.... but so worth it!  - beautiful sunset!

A crowded drive...... :)

So finally on Saturday we make it to see all of this:

Mt. Rushmore was so cool. I can't believe how detailed the faces are!

We drove to Crazy Horse next.. another carving they are working on.. Not as impressive at Mt. Rushmore because it wasn't nearly finished.. They have been working on it for quite some time.... 

After that, we drove around through the Wind Cave National Park and Custer State Park. 

We had a "small" encounter with buffalo... I made eye contact with the one on the left. Rocky started barking and I swear I thought that Tatanka was going to charge at our car.. Stephen thought it was funny and wanted to sit there to see if he really did it. Wow. 

All of the places that we went to on Saturday were located in the Black Hills - BEAUTIFUL! It was snowing on us for a while.. and it was very very cold!

Stephen and Rocky always take great pictures.. and then it's my turn.........

It's always an ordeal... and then finally one semi-decent picture!

This lake was more than half way frozen! It made me want to ice skate!

He wishes he could get this close to a buffalo!

We saw a few deer, a coyote and lots of prairie dogs!

a one lane tunnel we drove through!

Since Rocky liked the buffalo so much, we bought him a stuffed Tatanka! (I'm not sure who likes it more, Stephen or Rocky.. you'll see a little further down what I mean...)

On Sunday, we went to the Bandlands

Wow.. they were AMAZING! God's glory is so prevalent here. You could not look at these buttes and not just praise the Lord for his majesty and amazing creation. We heard to go at either sunrise or sunset.. We went at sunrise and it was absolutely amazing.  If you ever get to go to the Badlands.. GO AT SUNRISE! absolutely worth waking up early for :)

We were wandering off on a little dirt road and saw these guys! Rocky barked again and I'm not sure they were happy!!

We saw two buffalo wayyyyy down in one of the buttes.

beautiful sunrise. 

Rocky loved the badlands!

COLD BADGERS!!!!

PRAIRIE DOGS!

We also found a little museum that had actual Sod Houses where early settlers lived.. Wow. The museum was closed, but the houses were so cool.. So glad I live in 2010 :)

After this, we started the LONG trek home... I'm happy to not have to be in the car for a while! 

See what I mean.. Who loves the stuffed animal the most?? 

As we entered MN, there was SNOW EVERY WHERE! I was not prepared for this!!

It looks like it may stick too! So weird.. 

Again a great picture of Stephen and Rocky.... and mine took 5 tries until Rocky gave up.

Sorry for such a long post, but the pictures do not do the beauty that we have seen any justice!

This weekend we are looking forward to more snow and BETHY'S BIRTHDAY!!! :)

We have ordered Christmas cards and I am so excited to see how they turn out!

Have a great week!