Our Trip To Aspen/ Snowmass

My first real attempt at iMovie.....here

Romans 12:19

While I'm not the most spiritual person, I thought this verse was fitting tonight on the news of Osama Bin Laden's death:

Romans 12:19

Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but [rather] give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance [is] mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

A Movie Trailer Worth Watching

My first attempt at iMovie.....

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS 2010

What a great week with family! Christmas Eve service at St. Philips followed by dinner and presents with The Blackfords and Aidai/ Yousef at our house. Presents everywhere.......

Up early for Santa followed by more presents (Stacey scored a MacBook Pro) and the kids have enuf toys to open a FAO Schwartz.

We are blessed.

And for your entertainment pleasure, here is a surprise from our good friends Jim and Louise Malone. A true surprise-----Kate's first deer. A deer skin rug!!!!

My Good Luck Charm

Deer Season opens Saturday! Last year Kate was my good luck charm. This year we have 2 tags to fill and she's locked and loaded and will be looking for Bambi.....hopefully we both have good luck!

19 years and counting.......

For 19 years now, I've looked forward to early November. It's true, Fall is without a doubt my favorite season for many many reasons. Football, hunting, holidays, cool weather, family time and more recently baseball. It's a busy time for us Balckfords but ultimately it all culminates with the evening before duck seasons opens.....which is TODAY.

Duck hunters are, essentially, all creatures of habit. We spend 9 months preparing, scheming, cleaning, building, buying and otherwise pining away for opening day. So when it's 104 outside in July and I'm standing in the garage tying decoy lines, cleaning shotguns, checking waders for leaks, and monitoring weather patterns on the Canadian praries.....yes, my family and friends think I'm more than a bit odd.

So here's to 19 opening day sunrises, a heavy game strap of birds, the smell of burned powder and hopefully many many many more opening days.

Summer 2010......going, going, gone!

Haven't posted in forever so I thought I'd give a quick rundown of our summer that blew by so quick.

June

Captiva Trip

Had a great trip to Captiva FL with our friends the Cummings and Daniels. 6 kids under age 10-----gee, that was fun. Had a great trip and perfect weather.

July

Colorado & Lonoke for Kate

Kate was thoroughly spoiled by both grandparents in Estes Park Colorado and Lonoke AR. See http://thomasblackford.blogspot.com/2010/07/back-from-colorado-and-back-to-work.html
for Estes photos.

I spent most of July playing with my new toy.

August

More Fishing----90 miles out in the Gulf from Freeport TX, the water is cobalt blue and the rigs are sadly idle or leaving to go to other parts of the world while rig workers families hemorhage. But the fish are biting and there's not a drop of oil. 450 lbs of amberjack, mahi mahi, kingfish and cobia were stuffed in the fishbox of the 42' Yellowfin Center Console "Cool Sea". Capt. Casey Cundieff always puts us onthe fish. We also traded a shrimp boat a case of Bud Light for 40 lbs (yes----40 lbs) of gulf shrimp.