Sayler Family Highlights

Winter Wonderland

2011-12-26T12:48:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures taken of our home. We've had alot of snow recently and thought we'd share with you don't have any:)

Fun at Applefest

2011-10-04T22:14:00.000-06:00

We had a fun time at Applefest in Cedaregde, CO. The kids both got their faces painted, and had a blast in the HOGO Balls! The best part, of course, was that we got to share it with my mom, who is visiting from NY:)

Mike's 2011 Antelope

2011-10-04T22:09:00.000-06:00

Mike's 2011 Black Bear

2011-09-18T14:09:00.002-06:00

Here are a few pics of the bear Mike shot last evening. It weighed about 400 lbs. and is close to being Boone & Crocket. Fantastic job, Mike! I'm proud of you!

Mike's 5x5 Bull - Fall 2011

2011-09-11T23:07:00.002-06:00

OK guys, here it is - sorry for the wait. Here's the 5x5 bull elk Mike took this year with his bow. Special thanks to our good friends Wayne, Paul, and Steve Lavy who helped Mike find the bull and get him home. We're grateful for the meat in the freezer.

Waterfalls near Lake City

2011-08-22T09:40:00.000-06:00

Some beautiful waterfalls we hiked/drove to on our camping trip.

Lake City Camping Trip

2011-08-22T09:38:00.000-06:00

Here are a few pictures from the camping trip we took over to Lake City. We had a wonderful time!

Mike's Bear

2011-03-01T12:40:00.001-07:00

Here is the bear that Mike shot last Fall with his bow. We just got it back from the taxidermist and hung it on the wall in the living room. The taxidermist did a great job. It measures 6'4". Come on over and have a look:)

Oh, Deer, Deer, Deer

2010-11-04T21:13:00.003-06:00

Here are a few pictures of Mike's buck (a 500 yard shot!), Andrew's (my nephew) first ever buck, and my doe.

Mike's Bear!

2010-09-19T20:02:00.001-06:00

Here he is ladies and gentlemen (and Wayne:) - Mike's 1st bear taken with his bow at 25 yards. I'm very proud of him, and very glad he's safe and sound!

Dale's Cow and Bear & Steve's Cow Elk

2010-09-17T21:54:00.004-06:00

Congratulations to our hunters from NY! Dale got a cow elk and his first black bear, and Steve bagged his first (very large!) cow elk. Good job, guys!

Jamie's Bull Elk

2010-09-08T21:29:00.000-06:00

Congratulations to Jamie on his 5x5 Bull elk - and a 60 yard, at that! It took 6 hours for the 3 guys (Mike, Jamie, and Steve)to get back to the 4-wheeler with the elk. Mike said it was the hardest pack job he has ever done. Even worse than goat hunting! It was so steep where the elk died that the guys had to tie the bull to a tree to keep it from sliding down the mountain. Truly a hunt to remember!

Katie's First Harp Lesson

2010-09-07T15:31:00.000-06:00

Katie had her first harp lesson today which also turned into a violin lesson. Her new teacher said soon he will bring a cello for her to try. She had so much fun! And Hunter enjoyed it so much he didn't even want to play outside!

Congratulations, Wayne!

2010-09-01T15:01:00.000-06:00

Wayne shot his cow last night - YEAH! Job well done!

Mike's Bull

2010-08-28T14:10:00.000-06:00

Half an hour into bow season Mike shot this big-bodied 4x4 bull. He and Wayne saw a group of 5 bulls just after daylight, and Wayne cow-called this bull in for Mike. What a great way to start off the hunting season! Now, it's Wayne's turn!

New Trail Camera Deer Pictures

2010-08-22T16:49:00.000-06:00

Here are a few deer pictures. Hoping our 12 year old nephew, Andrew, can get one of these!

Perseid Meteor Shower

2010-08-12T22:50:00.002-06:00

FYI - Tonight and tomorrow night are the best viewing times for the meteor shower. You see the most meteors after midnight, but we all layed out on the trampoline (the perfect meteor shower watching venue:) until around 10:15PM and saw around 15 or so. We love meteor showers!

A few pictures from Mike's trail camera

2010-08-03T14:43:00.000-06:00

Mike is anxiously waiting for the 28th of August - opening day of bow season!

Having a 4-wheelin' Blast!

2010-07-08T09:01:00.000-06:00

When we went on the church camp-out last weekend, John brought a small 4-wheeler for the kids to ride. Hunter was a crazy, dangerous driver (we won't be getting one of those anytime soon!), but Katie did a great job driving. She and Hunter (as a RIDER) spent literally hours driving around the campground. They had so much fun!

Coyote Hunting

2010-06-26T14:33:00.002-06:00

Mike took Davey Rhodes coyote hunting last night and this morning. They called in 4 coyotes, and ended up shooting 1. They both shot at the same time, so - not sure who got it. They also called in a bear. Looks like it might be a good year to have a bear tag around here again!

Camping at Beaver Reservoir

2010-06-22T17:04:00.000-06:00

Yes, yes - I know we come here alot, but it's beautiful and convenient. Our big excitement was on the way home when we saw a sow and 3 cubs. She stuck around for a while so I was able to get a picture!

Happy Father's Day

2010-06-20T15:06:00.000-06:00

Happy Father's Day to the most wonderful Father I know - my husband! And to all you other dads out there too:)

P.S. How do you think Mike looks clean-shaven? We're in a quandry here...

Beaver Reservoir

2010-06-16T10:47:00.000-06:00

Here are a few shots I took at Beaver on our Memorial Day picnic,

Davey's First Turkey

2010-06-16T10:44:00.000-06:00

Davey Rhodes came to spend the weekend a few weeks ago, and Mike took him on his first turkey hunt. Great job, Davey!

Katie's Post

2010-06-16T10:42:00.000-06:00

Katie painted her and Hunter's face and wanted me to post it on the blog.
Here it is!

Bedroom pictures - FINALLY!

2010-06-16T10:37:00.000-06:00

Happy Spring!

2010-04-29T19:15:00.000-06:00

Yesterday it was 75 degrees here, and today we woke up to this! Springtime in the Rockies:)

Mike's Spring Turkey

2010-04-29T19:06:00.000-06:00

Siding the Back of the House

2010-04-29T18:57:00.000-06:00

Highlighting the Highlights!

2010-04-18T20:01:00.004-06:00

Katie and Hunter turned 8 and 6, respectively, last week. We had to go over to Denver for a checkup on my ear, so we celebrated birthdays by going to White Fence Farm for dinner and spending 5 hours the next day at Mr. Biggs/Fun City. We had such a wonderful time! At White Fence Farms, they brought out a birthday cake with helium balloons and sparklers and sang to the kids. They also gave a certificate for free fudge from their gift shop! The kids had a great time sliding down the 2-story slide (called the "Pig Chute"), feeding the sheep, goats, and ducks, and playing in their play area. At Mr. Biggs (AKA Fun City), we all had a blast playing in the "Ball Room" filled with thousands of balls that you could throw, shoot, propel, etc. all around a 3-story enourmous room. Hunter REALLY loved that! We also played miniature golf, bowled, and rode an indoor ride called "The Twister" (which Mike did NOT love, as he gets sick on any thing that goes around in circles). My mom has been here for almost 2 weeks, and we all have enjoyed having "Gram Gram" here, especially to help celebrate birthdays! We finished the master bedroom, and we absolutely love it! (Pictures forthcoming) It's also nice to not be sleeping in the den anymore. Next up, finish the laundry/utility room and begin remodeling the downstairs bathroom. And as for my ear - I got a good report from the doctor. YEAH! Everything seems to be stable in there, and my hearing has actually improved over the last few months. We are all very thankful to Jesus for this! Here are a few pictures that my mom has taken since being here in Colorado.
Hunter is playing soccer for the first time this Spring.

Katie, on her birthday - feeding a goat at White Fence Farm.

Hunter, on his birthday - dressed up for church.

Katie and Hunter playing on their birthday present.

Bedroom Remodel - Day 2

2010-03-16T19:52:00.004-06:00

Today, the guys did the electrical, replaced an old window, insulated, drywalled, taped, and mudded - and various other things. Here is today's progress in photos.

Bedroom Remodel Part 1

2010-03-15T17:44:00.004-06:00

Because of the way our house was built, in order to remodel properly we had to take out the existing exterior wall and half of our ceiling. Here is today's progress. We hired Lance and Chris to help Mike with this project!
Our bedroom at 8:00 this morning.
After the exterior wall was demolished. (I think the guys rather enjoyed this part:)

Bedroom Remodel, Part 2

2010-03-15T17:35:00.006-06:00

Chris and Lance

On the outside looking in!

Dryed-in, with new door and window in place

Bedroom at 4:30 PM

Now that's what I call a remodel. I kind of like the "open air" look.

Random Shots of the Kids

2010-02-28T21:19:00.002-07:00

Katie helping Daddy paint the upstairs bathroom.

Hunter helping Daddy paint.

Making pretzels during Art/Craft/Activity time.

Erupting a playdough volcano.

The Big Snow

2010-02-28T21:15:00.003-07:00

We got alot of snow last weekend - about 36 inches or so. Here's a picture of Mike stuck at the end of our driveway. He couldn't tell where the drive was and hit the ditch by mistake. This has been a loooooong winter!

Mike's Day of Antler Hunting

2010-02-28T21:10:00.003-07:00

Here are a couple of pictures of the antlers that Mike picked up while antler hunting about 1 1/2 weeks ago - before the big snow that covered everything for time undetermined! He was surprised to find a fresh elk antler already, as they don't usually drop until the end of March.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-14T23:21:00.001-07:00

God’s Valentine Gift

God’s Valentine gift of love to us
Was not a bunch of flowers;
It wasn’t candy, or a book
To while away the hours.

His gift was to become a man,
So He could freely give
His sacrificial love for us,
So you and I could live.

He gave us sweet salvation, and
Instruction, good and true--
To love our friends and enemies
And love our Savior, too.

So as we give our Valentines,
Let’s thank our Lord and King;
The reason we have love to give
Is that He gave everything.

By Joanna Fuchs

More Remodel Pictures

2010-02-14T22:29:00.003-07:00

Here are some more pictures of our remodel project. Sorry I haven't been very good about posting lately.
Saturday, Mike spent the day framing in the bathroom and new closet in our bedroom. The bathroom is on the left and the closet on the right. Since he doesn't have to return to work till next Friday, we're hoping to have these two drywalled, taped, mudded, textured, painted and ready for tile when Mike goes back. Ah yes, and the electrical done, of course.

This is a picture of Donn cutting out the hole for our new mud room door. Please, don't even ask me about the dust level in my house right now!

This is a view of my new kitchen add-on, taken from my current kitchen window.

And although it's hard to tell what's what - this is the entire add-on of the back of the house. First, you see the kitchen part of the add-on. Next, is the walk-in pantry. And way in the back is the laundry/utility room.

Kids Dresses Up for Church

2010-02-14T22:24:00.003-07:00

Here are a couple of recent pictures of the kiddos ready to go to church. Hunter loves his new "preacher" clothes:) Katie is laughing so hard in the first picture that she really doesn't look like herself, but anyway...

Past Midnight Musings

2010-01-12T00:45:00.002-07:00

It was definitely a Monday! (I'm certainly glad we are now officially in to Tuesday!) The day started at 4:17am when Hunter came in our room because he was cold. The irony of this was that - due to remodeling - half our bedroom floor currently has no insulation (or anything else!) under it, and the sliding glass door in our bedroom is closed at the top, but is gapping about an inch at the bottom. BRRR! (Don't worry, Mom, all of this will be taken care of on Friday:) I couldn't go back to sleep because I knew Mike's alarm was due to go off at 5:15, so I just layed there watching the clock. I thought I would get tons accomplished since I had extra hours in which to work, but alas, all did not go as planned. Then, when Mike got home he told us he had gotten hurt at work - bruised or cracked ribs, which are, of course, very painful. After supper, there was a major problem with a clogged toilet (I don't even want to know what was stuck in there!). After which Hunter projectile vomited from the dining room to the kitchen just before bedtime. He has since thrown up 8 times and is currently sleeping fitfully of the couch. Needless to say, I see no sign of sleep for Mama on the horizon! But all is not lost!!! I get to update our blog at 1:00AM, and keep my wonderful friends and family abreast of all the chaotic happenings in our life! (I hope most of you know me well enough to realize that these are sleep deprived ramblings). But as I do not wish to put any of you in the depths of despair from the accounts of my day, let me add - I did accomplish about 3/4 of my to do list. I was very excited to receive a copy of the cabinet plans for our kitchen remodel. And most importantly, no matter what comes our way, we have the wonderful assurance that God will not put on us more than we are able to bear. He is in control, and we choose to believe Him in spite of any adverse circumstances which may come our way. Indeed, God is good all the time. May you all have a peaceful, restful night as I continue the watchful vigil over my wretching child. I'm glad God has promised strength for each day - I think I'll need a little extra tomorrow - today:)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

2009-12-25T18:15:00.002-07:00

We hope you all had a blessed Christmas day! We just arrived home this afternoon. The roads were so bad yesterday driving across Missouri and Kansas that we decided to spend the night in Denver rather than risk driving over the mountain passes late last night. Here are a few pictures of our afternoon Christmas here at home, and a picture of the Sayler cousins' Christmas in Missouri.

We Thought You Needed a Good Laugh!

2009-12-17T17:19:00.002-07:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

December Update

2009-12-15T13:44:00.003-07:00

Sorry, I have been terrible about taking pictures lately! We had our church Christmas program, "A Christmas Carol" (Christian version) again this year. The young people and children did a fantastic job! I was so proud of them. And as I was one of the directors, and working part of the lights & sound, I did not get any photos. I'm hoping to get some from other people, and if I do I will post those. Hunter makes an adorable Tiny Tim, and Katie played Fan as well as one of the Cratchit children. Mike even played a couple of smaller parts for us, as we didn't have quite enough young people. We had a number of visitors to the program this year, so hopefully some of them will come back! We're headed to Missouri on Friday. Mike's going to whitetail hunt with a muzzleloader while we are there visiting his family. Have a Merry Christmas, if I don't get to talk to some of you before then. And as Tiny Tim observed, "God bless us, everyone!"

The Annual Thanksgiving Morning Hunt

2009-11-27T20:10:00.002-07:00

Mike has a tradition of going on some kind of a hunt - ducks, pheasant, coyote, etc. - every Thanksgiving morning. This year he went coyote hunting with an older man from church, Doc. Doc is 79 years old, and still loves to get out to hunt or fish with anyone he can get to go with him! Mike had a great time, and ended up bringing home 2 coyotes.

Our Newest Remodel Project

2009-11-27T19:56:00.002-07:00

We were not planning on starting this project right now, but things just seemed to work out for us to begin, so... Those of you that have been here know that part of our bedroom upstairs is supported by 4x4 posts. We have begun the process of moving the back of the house out 6-7 feet. When all is said and done, I will have a bigger kitchen, a bigger bathroom, a laundry room, a walk-in pantry, and a mud room! Sounds exciting - but as we are paying for things as we go, it will likely be a sslloooow process:) But, we will not incur any debt along the way! Here are a few photos of digging, pouring the footer, and forming up for the stem wall.

Watching the Tigers

2009-10-27T20:54:00.000-06:00

Ready for a Dive:)

2009-10-27T20:51:00.000-06:00

You could barely see Hunter. He had to stand on his tiptoes for me to get the picture!

Touching and Feeding Sting Rays

2009-10-27T20:47:00.000-06:00

Face Painting at the Denver Aquarium

2009-10-27T20:44:00.000-06:00

Denver Aquarium

2009-10-27T20:35:00.004-06:00

We had a fantastic time at the Denver Aquarium today. The kids got to see and identify many of the animals we had studied in our Science unit - Daddy was impressed with their knowledge:) They especially loved touching and feeding the sting rays. They both got their face painted (of course, Hunter chose a dinosaur!). It was an especially great day because of the news that I, Kim, received from the ear doctor. He said my ear looks perfect and my hearing has really improved also. We truly thank the Lord for this!

Mike's Stag

2009-10-24T19:28:00.000-06:00

I had a 2nd rifle buck tag. I hunted up high at first looking for a big buck. Couldn't find what I was looking for, so I hunted in the middle and down low. I went 2 days without seeing a buck at all. So, the last day I was willing to shoot anything. I saw a buck in velvet this morning, but I wasn't sure if he was on public land. So I figured out that he was on public land this afternoon, and went back after him. I found him bedded down at 50 yards, but only could see antlers. I couldn't even tell which way his body was. Finally, he jumped out of his bed and I shot him running. He has an extra main beam on one side. He turned out to be a stag.

1st Rifle Elk Hunt with Dad

2009-10-14T13:52:00.002-06:00

Dad and I hunted very hard all season and only saw 2 cows. 2 years ago there was a bad winter kill in that area, so the unit was not nearly as good as it once was. Still had a great time with my dad. So everyone that was wanting to see how we did in Unit 66, I wouldn't recommend hunting it for several more years. My dad said it best, "You can't always measure a successful hunt by blood." It was still fun spending time with my dad.

Field Trip to the Dinosaur Museum

2009-10-02T10:05:00.001-06:00

Our family took a field trip to the Dinosaur Museum in Fruita, CO yesterday. Mike had never been before, and Hunter can never get enough of dinosaurs. We especially enjoyed the interactive displays - the earthquake simulator, excavating dinosaur bones (reproductions, of course), and getting squirted by a robotic dinosaur were some of our favorite things.

Autumn Photos

2009-09-27T16:22:00.000-06:00

Mike's Mountain Goat Hunt

2009-09-27T15:44:00.004-06:00

I just returned from my Mountain goat hunt. It was the toughest hunt of my life. A couple of times I feared for my life and was praying all the way up (and back down!) that steep mountain. It took 4 hours to climb to the top where the goats were. On the backside of the mountain where I had to climb, there was snow. I had to lean on both my rifle and shooting stick to be able to lift my foot to take another step. I had to pick small rock out-croppings to get a foothold. It got so bad, I could not turn around and go back down, so I had to go up. When I finally reached the top, I spotted 6 goats bedded down, 258 yards away. I shot the only billy in the group. First shot was a double-lung hit. I was afraid he would fall 1,000 feet down the mountain, so I shot again hitting him in the shoulder. He fell and rolled a couple of times before stopping. Then the work continued. After skinning him, I put him in my pack. I wrapped the meat in a trash bag and my coat because I was not making another trip up the mountain. So, with about an extra 125 lbs. I found a wash, and slid down the other side of the mountain because it was impossible to stand up. And I feared for my life again. It was a hunt I will never forget. The pictures do not do these mountains justice. It was incredibly steep. (NOTE FROM WIFE: It's a good thing this was a once-in-a-lifetime hunt because I don't think I could let him do this again. Way to nerve-wracking!)

Here I am with the goat back at camp. I forgot to take the camera with me on the hunt.

The goats were in the saddle between the two peaks.

Here is a photo of where I was when I shot my Mountain Goat. I was at the very peak - 13,000+ feet.

Happy Autumn!

2009-09-22T11:39:00.002-06:00

Today is the first day of Fall, and the weather has finally cooled down here in Colorado. Last night it got down into the 30's, and the kids and I are wearing sweaters today! We love to celebrate things - so, of course, we are celebrating the beginning of our favorite season. So far today we have made leaf pictures, caramel apples, and pear bread. (Sorry no pictures - I need to get new batteries for my camera:( After lunch, we're going to Big B's to get some freshly pressed apple cider - YUM! We are leaving this Friday to go camping/hunting for Mike's once-in-a-lifetime mountain goat hunt. Hopefully we'll be posting some pictures soon!

Also, CONGRATULATIONS to Brad and Brenda - Anna is beautiful! And to Matt and Lyndi - I hope you'll bring your little guy to visit us in Colorado!

Mike's Bear

2009-09-10T14:09:00.000-06:00

I filled my bear tag this morning on the mountain behind our house. I had to make a 500 yard shot. The bear weighed close to 300 pounds. My friend, Jamie, is here from Missouri with some friends to hunt, and he got to be with me for my bear hunt. A big thanks to Jamie and the guys for helping me get it out.

Unit 66 - Camping/Scouting Trip

2009-08-17T14:01:00.005-06:00

We went camping last week in Unit 66, where Mike and his dad will elk hunt in October. The kids had a great time rock climbing, and trying to kill squirrels and chipmunks with the throwing sticks Daddy found for them. (I know - we're a bloodthirsty bunch:) We camped at over 10,000 feet, and on Wednesday night watched the Perseid Meteor Shower while cuddled up around the campfire. It was truly awe-inspiring!

Moose at Cottonwood

2009-08-17T13:32:00.002-06:00

While Mike and our friend Lance were scouting for mountain goat, they ran across this bull moose - which is a very big one for Colorado. (For a better view, just click on the picture:)

Cottonwood Lake in Colorado

2009-07-09T23:32:00.000-06:00

This is a beautiful photo of Cottonwood Lake near where we camped earlier this week. We took a 3 day jaunt over here so Mike could scout for mountain goat. It's about a 4 hour drive from our home.

On Top of the World!

2009-07-09T23:26:00.000-06:00

Here are a few pictures that Mike took on one of his scouting excursions near Mt. Princeton. He was hiking at about 13,000+ feet in search of the elusive mountain goat that he plans to hunt in September. Mike says that a person feels very close to God up there.

Ghost Town - St. Elmo, CO

2009-07-09T23:19:00.000-06:00

Feeding the Chipmunks

2009-07-09T23:12:00.000-06:00

While on our camping/scouting trip, we took an afternoon and visited St.Elmo - a ghost town which used to be a silver and gold mining town. There are hundreds of chipmunks and many hummingbirds now inhabiting the town. Feeding the chipmunks was the highlight of the kids' trip!

Katie and Hunter at South Cottonwood Creek

2009-07-09T23:05:00.000-06:00

NY Vacation - Boldt Castle

2009-07-09T22:58:00.000-06:00

We were able to have a wonderful visit with my family and friends in Upstate NY for 10 days in June. Here are a few pictures of our day trip to the 1,000 Islands to see Boldt Castle. Boldt Castle was built around 1903 but was never quite completed - such a sad story. 77 years later restoration began on the never lived-in castle.

On our way to the 1,000 islands, we stopped to look at this neat osprey nest!

Here is a view of Boldt Castle from across the St. Lawrence River. We were waiting to board the ferry that would take us to the castle.

This building is called the "Playhouse". There is a bowling alley in the basement!

The kids (mine and my brother Greg's) posing on a rock with the clock tower in the background.

Picnicking at Beaver Reservoir

2009-07-09T22:45:00.001-06:00

Our first family outing (in June) after I finally began to feel better. It was a long haul, but I'm back to relative normalcy. (My friends would question this:)

Ear Update

2009-04-27T15:32:00.004-06:00

Just a quick update on my ear - Mike and I leave tomorrow for Denver for my pre-op visit. My surgery is scheduled for 2:30 on Wednesday afternoon. I'm not certain of all the details but do know that the surgeon will be removing scar tissue which is now closing off my ear canal; replacing my thickened eardrum with a skin graft; removing a (possible) clostiotoma from behind my eardrum; removing alot of extra bone that has grown in my middle ear; possibly replacing my stapes-incus prosthesis; and giving my middle ear a thorough cleaning. Hopefully everything is OK in my inner ear. He won't know for sure until he gets in there. I'm quite nervous about it all, as I don't do well with the pre-surgery routine. Usually I pass out or go into shock after getting the IV. Your prayers would be greatly appreciated:) Recovery time is about 3 weeks. My mom has been here for almost 2 weeks now helping out, and she will stay for another week following my surgery. What a blessing she has been!

Mike's Spring Turkey

2009-04-21T22:49:00.001-06:00

After several truly grueling days of turkey hunting, Mike finally shot his turkey this morning. (I'll try to persuade him to write more details later on:) Congratulations to my husband! We had a delicious turkey stir-fry tonight for supper.

Happy Birthday Weekend

2009-04-14T15:22:00.000-06:00

Hunter turned 5 years old on Saturday!

Hunter and Katie on Easter Sunday morning.

Katie hugging Daddy after she sees her birthday present:)

200 Inch Mule Deer Sheds

2009-04-09T13:42:00.000-06:00

Finally, after several years of antler hunting, and many, many miles of hiking, I finally found a big set. Each antler scores 90 inches, with an inside spread of 20", making this a 200" buck! And I'm going to be buck hunting this unit this Fall:)

I Have Returned!

2009-04-05T22:07:00.003-06:00

Sorry for the VERY long hiatus. I haven't actually been anywhere - except to Denver to the ear specialist and the hospital for a CT Scan. Other than that, I have been hidden away here in my home with an overwhelming case of dizziness. I haven't been able to drive anywhere by myself for 6-7 weeks. To say that this was getting really old would be a considerable understatement! (My husband quite agrees - he despises going to the store!) But I should have the results in the next day or so, and my Mom is coming to rescue me in 9 days - yeah! "Rescue" in the sense of helping clean my house, take care of my sorely neglected children, relieve my overworked husband, and give me some much needed adult, female companionship! (Sorry, Mom, but you did volunteer for the job:) Other than my physical ailments, the only other noteworthy excitement was Hunter's broken wrist. It was actually a buckle fracture that he obtained while doing an unsuccessful monkey impersonation - in other words, he fell off the top of the swingset! Never fear, he is already back to his primate practices - some people just never learn! I hope to give you a medical update soon. Until then...

Great Bumper Sticker:)

2009-02-20T21:01:00.001-07:00

Happy Anniversary to Us!

2009-02-09T21:10:00.002-07:00

Today is our 8th anniversary - which is very hard to believe. My wonderful husband secretly arranged for someone to watch our kids, and took me to Outback Steakhouse for supper. It was a great date, and it has been a fantastic 8 years! I would definitely do it all over again;)

Goodbye, Dad

2009-01-21T12:57:00.002-07:00

Calvin Floyd Zimmer, Jr. (July 13, 1946 - January 17, 2009), my father, died unexpectedly Saturday night of a massive heart attack. I haven't blogged about it sooner because I have been dealing with so many crazy emotions and thoughts. I still am actually, but thought it was about time - so here you have it. In my early years, Dad was a great father. I have many good memories of my early childhood. I remember him taking just me out to breakfast, and taking me rabbit hunting. I remember all our fun summers of camping and fishing. One time, he and another man, Gary Patraw, took me and Shelly (a friend) camping - no one else. Times like that made me feel special. He let me help him build our front porch.He played ball with me. He always seemed to like having me around. But Dad made some bad choices. He bought a tavern; he had affairs; he stole some things; he lied; he left. Dad started another family, and I have 2 half-sisters that I loved being with whenever I went to visit my father. Dad was a good father to them. He was there for them until the end. Dad never met my husband or children. I hadn't seen him since the summer before I got married - 8 1/2 years ago. I have no assurance that I will ever see him again, but I dearly hope so. I desparately hope that Dad had enough time to trust God as his Savior. We had talked about it many times - but my Dad had a hard time with forgiveness, mainly forgiving himself. I know that "God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." And I know that God is always faithful. So I hope that I will see my father again someday...but I don't know. And I hope that I never have to see another loved one die without knowing they have trusted in the Lord.

Kim's First Elk

2009-01-19T20:57:00.000-07:00

I shot my first elk this evening. I had a late season cow tag (private land only) and permission to hunt on a couple of places close to home. I actually shot this cow less than 1 mile from our house. It was by far the easiest pack job that Mike has ever had to do on an elk (Wayne, eat your heart out:) Mike and Lance just winched onto the cow and dragged her on home with the 4-wheeler. We waited until we were at home to get pictures, as I shot her so close to dark. She was very big - Mike said she was bigger than some bulls he has shot. All the more meat for the freezer! Hunter was VERY excited. He said, "Mama, she's as big as a horse!":)

Ice Fishing

2009-01-15T18:43:00.001-07:00

On Saturday, we went ice fishing up on Grand Mesa with our good friend, Lance. It was a beautiful day for it, and the fishing was fast and furious - just the way we like it! We caught our limit in 30-40 minutes, and boy were they ever good:)

Mr. Snowman!

2009-01-09T09:28:00.000-07:00

It's sometimes difficult to build a snowman here because it is so dry that the snow does not pack well! So, everyday the kids go outside and try to make a snowball to see if it's a good snowman-making day! This day was:) So, here is our Colorado snowman. The poor guy has an underdeveloped nose - I only had baby carrots to work with!

Gingerbread House

2009-01-09T09:22:00.000-07:00

This is one of our New Year's traditions - making Gingerbread Houses! We do it on New Year's Day for several reasons. 1 - the kids love it! 2 - we already have enough sweet stuff over the Christmas holidays. And 3 - after Christmas, the gingerbread houses are half price:)

Congratulations!

2008-12-27T21:31:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of our adorable, new nephew - Joshua Andrew Sayler. He was born on December 24th! Congratulations, Jeremy, Kim, Emma, and Zachary! Wish we could we could see him in person. Thanks for the picture:)

Also, congratulations to the James and Jodi Randel clan. Their new little girl was born this very morning! Her name (although I'm sure to spell it wrong) is Joashlea Lynn Randel - making it a grand total of 7 "J's" now in the Randel family.

I'd love to babysit for you both, Kim and Jodi. Bring those little ones on over:)

Whence cometh my help - for Wilma

2008-12-26T22:15:00.001-07:00

Christmas Day

2008-12-25T16:14:00.000-07:00

We've had a wonderful Christmas day so far. We started the 12 days of Christmas this morning, and Katie and Hunter got Webkinz for the 1st day (thanks to Gram Gram:) Katie's big gift was a Singer Sewing Machine for kids. Her piano teacher is going to give her sewing lessons each week. She is very excited! Hunter's big gift was Kota the Triceratops. He's been wanting one "SO BAD", but we told him that it was just too much money. UNTIL, one day I found it online for 1/2 off, plus I had 2 coupons codes for free shipping and another discount. I think this might have been the cheapest Kota on the planet - YEAH for sales and coupons! We've had our Christmas dinner and gone sledding - even Mama:) Tonight we will watch a Christmas DVD and play games. And of course have special "Christmas devotions". We like to do "What God wants for Christmas?" each year. It's a neat teaching tool. Hope you all had a wonderful, blessed day. I will never get over the wonder of Jesus leaving the spendours of Heaven to be born in a manger. He is our Immanuel - God with us!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-24T20:47:00.000-07:00

We finally got our new camera! Merry Christmas from the Colorado Saylers:) As you can see, we definitely are enjoying a white Christmas, with more to come! May your holiday season be filled with God's goodness and blessings! And may each of us, as the Wisemen of old, continue to seek after the Savior!

Try Swag Bucks With Me

2008-12-19T21:48:00.002-07:00

Hi, all! Sorry it's been so long. My camera bit the dust, so I haven't had any pictures to blog lately. It is also, of course, a very busy time of year. Anyway, if you haven't heard about Swag Bucks, it's a way to build up points or "swag bucks" to "purchase" new merchandise. I'm just now giving it a go, but have read great things from fellow bloggers. Anyway, if you sign up, and mention that I referred you, I gather swag bucks even faster. So, here's the link, should you care to try. I have another camera on the way (thanks, Mom), so will be posting more interesting things soon.

Cabelas

2008-11-26T21:59:00.000-07:00

On the way home, we stopped off at the Cabelas in Kansas City. We spent 3 hours looking at the incredible mounts, shooting in the shooting gallery, feeding ducks, eating things like venison brats, and taking pictures of the wonderful Mule deer display (for our neighbor, Chris:) It was a fun way to end our Missouri vacation.

The Rolling Pin

2008-11-26T21:52:00.001-07:00

Mike's brother, Jeremy, has become quite famous in the Glasgow, MO area for his wonderful bakery. He's had several articles published about him in the newspaper. We're very proud of you Jeremy - and thanks for lunch!

"Hunter" Deere

2008-11-26T21:48:00.000-07:00

This a one of our favorite pictures of our "Hunter" Deere.

A Day At the Farm

2008-11-26T21:45:00.001-07:00

Actually, we spent 2 very fun playtimes over at David Shane and Lydia Doctorian's house. Their 2 children quickly became buddies with our 2! The kids rode ponies, jumped in the "Jumporama", picked up hickory nuts, played dress-up, and all kinds of exciting things!

Going Bonkers!

2008-11-26T21:38:00.000-07:00

After having a Sayler family supper in Columbia, MO at Mike's cousin Regina's house, we all went to a great kiddie playland called "Bonkers". The kids had a blast. Or as Katie said, "Mama, this is the best day of my life!"

COUSINS!

2008-11-26T21:31:00.000-07:00

Here are Katie and Hunter with their "Sayler cousins". We've been on vacation in Missouri for the past 12 days and just returned last evening. Mike was deer hunting, and I'm sorry to say that I have no big buck picture to blog for you:( But we do have some more meat (of the doe variety) for the freezer. We got to spend alot of time with family, and the kids had so much fun.

Boy in Tree

2008-11-12T22:20:00.000-07:00

Katie came running upstairs today yelling, "Mama, you just have to come see!" So, this is what I saw - my little monkey up in a tree. I watched and took pictures through the blinds as Hunter climbed down (with some supervision by his sister:)

BULL - BRRRR! - and BARGAINS!

2008-11-05T23:22:00.002-07:00

Katie walked out the front door this afternoon and said, "Mama, there's a cow in our yard!" Actually, it was a rather large, but seemingly friendly bull. Cattle "free range" on the public land behind our house all summer and into Fall. This guy is apparently a straggler, but I think I found the rancher who was missing this particular bull. He enjoyed munching around in our yard for a couple of hours first though. (You just never know what's going to happen at our house:) We finally have snow on the mountain that has come to stay! And it is a might chilly around here - BRRR! And the final picture is showing my bargains for the day: 4 cans evaporated milk, 1 lb. cottage cheese, 1 box Quaker Oats, 2 juice concentrates, 7 boxes of cereal, 3 boxes of Betty Crocker potatoes, 1 box Hamburger Helper, 3 Powerades, 2 DanActive drinkable yogurts, 1 bottle of Shout, 5 lb. sugar, 1 pkg. Betty Crocker cookie mix, 2 boxes of Toaster Strudels, 2 packs of Duracell batteries, 2 boxes of Swiss Miss cocoa, and 1 lint roller - for just under $25! I saved $63! It's funny - I used to despise shopping, but now it's a challenge - so , it's "kind of" fun:)

Katie's Fall Soccer Team 2008

2008-10-25T21:19:00.000-06:00

Katie's team finished up a 3 game tournament today. Here team has come a long way this year and has done very well! Katie is a good defensive player, just like her Uncle Mike:) Congratulations, Katie, on a season well-played.

Black Canyon

2008-10-23T22:16:00.000-06:00

We went to the Black Canyon today. Paul and Dale are heading home in the morning and wanted to see some more of Colorado's beauty. Although they didn't get an elk, it's been a good trip. They hunted hard, and we all had fun. Katie cried herself to sleep tonight - she loves company! I really like this picture of Hunter!

NY Hunters

2008-10-21T15:16:00.000-06:00

We have 2 friends and hunters here right now from northern NY (my old stomping grounds) stalking the mighty wapiti (elk:)Paul and Dale arrived here around 12:30AM on Friday. So far, they have put in 2 1/2 days of hard - and I do mean hard - hunting. (Even Mike has been sore!) Mike is on his 7 day off rotation, so he has been able to guide the guys. Here are Paul, Dale, and the beautiful Rocky Mountains. Good luck, guys!
P.S. I (Kim) shot a doe late this morning, but forgot to get a picture. Here's to a little more meat in the freezer!

Happy Birthday, Mike!

2008-10-15T10:24:00.005-06:00

Today is my wonderful husband's birthday. He is 34, and thinks he is getting old - boy, is he in for a shocker! Here are the top 34 I love about my husband (in no particular order:) - 1) He is a great Daddy! 2) He is a hard-worker 3) He is a wonderful provider 4) He is a strong Christian 5) He is a faithful church-goer 6) He reads his Bible everyday 7) He thinks I'm wonderful 8) He can "bring home the bacon", or turkey, or elk, or deer... 9) He can tell jokes for hours on end (and some of them are funny;) 10) He loves my mother 11) He cares about lost humanity 12) He is not ashamed of the Gospel 13) He witnesses to the guys he works with 14) He tells our kids some amazing stories 15) He supports homeschooling 16) He says I'm his favorite hunting partner (sorry, guys) 17) He's a great carpenter 18) He likes everything I cook 19) Sometimes he makes me breakfast in bed 20) There's not a lazy bone in his body 21) He doesn't ever get mad at me - even when I back our Explorer into our camper! 22) He loves to do things with his kids 23) He gives me all his money:) 24) He lets me stay home and raise our children 25) He is very giving 26) He's a great shot with a bow 27) He is not negative 28) He wants to do God's will 29) He says I'm his best friend 30) He looks great in camouflage - hubba, hubba;) 31) He really appreciates me 32) He is very handsome 33) He's younger than me, and, drum roll, please... #34) uhhh, some things you just can't blog about;) I love you, my wonderful, 34 year old husband! Happy Birthday!

Continue to Pray for Francis Weingard

2008-10-15T10:16:00.003-06:00

Bro. Weingard has has trouble with bleeding in his nasal cavity. He has had to have it packed and repacked. The doctors now think this could be due to the carotid artery that was damaged in the accident. This is very serious, possibly life-threatening. Please continue to pray for him, his family, and the doctors involved.

Fall Decorating

2008-10-12T15:20:00.000-06:00

The kids (and Daddy:) collected some beautifully colored branches for me to decorate with. Here is my favorite Fall arrangement - the kids are very proud of it!

Fall Party

2008-10-12T15:14:00.000-06:00

We had our annual Fall Church Party last evening at our house with 42 people in attendance! It was so much fun, even if it drizzled rain off and on! Our friend, Donn Cox, brought over and set up a self-designed awning, a volley ball net, and horseshoes. The guys shot trap and had a blast! We had a big campfire and roasted hot dogs. The ladies brought different kinds of soups and chili. It was definitely soup weather! We had cider, hot Autumn tea, cocoa, coffee, and lots of yummmy cookies. Some of the kids made S'mores. We ended the evening with a nice, long hay ride! What a great party! I forgot to take pictures most of the time, but here are the few times I remembered.

Update on Bro. Weingard - written by his daughter, Heidi

2008-10-09T00:34:00.000-06:00

Dad came through his 5 hour surgery on his arms amazingly well. The orthopedic surgeon came to talk to us and was very pleased with how things went. She was able to put his left arm back together using only one plate instead of two. She said she went through 3 drill bits putting the screws in, which made her very happy. His bones are very hard and strong. She repaired his right wrist with a metal plate. She also had to insert a pin, because the ligament was torn from his ulna. This pin should be removed in approximately 6 weeks.

Any wrapping and or casting on his left arm will be removed by Friday, at which time they will begin therapy. At that time his arm will be in a hinged splint. It was originally thought that Dad would only have 45 degree extension of his left arm, but the surgeon was able to extend it fully and therapy will be done with that goal in mind. The wrapping and casting on his right arm will be removed on Monday and therapy will begin.

The next 24 hours will be crucial as they cannot start to thin his blood again until 4:00 tomorrow morning. The surgeon was amazed at how well things went together. That was definitely an answer to prayer. The surgeon said she definitely felt the presence of God during surgery. The nurse said in regards to his brain bleed that she has never seen one stop and reverse as quickly as his did. They usually cause extensive brain damage. She agreed that it was definitely God, because there was nothing they could do to intervene. So A GREAT BIG THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR PRAYERS. God is good!!!

Written by: Heidi

Urgent Prayer Request, plus Update

2008-10-03T21:44:00.007-06:00

I have a very urgent prayer request. Francis Weingard was in a serious car accident Thursday morning (October 2) and is in ICU at St. Mary's Hospital in Grand Junction, CO. He has multiple skull fractures, a serious compound fracture in his left arm, a compound fracture in his right wrist, and 3 broken ribs. His lungs and heart are badly bruised. His left lung is also partially collapsed. His right eardrum ruptured, as well as a blood vessel behind his nose. It was determined today that he did suffer a heart attack sometime after the accident. He had been on a blood thinner prior to the accident due to his heart, and that is causing some complications now. The doctors are also concerned about infection. Please pray for Bro. Weingard and his family during this time. He is still in critical condition.
***UPDATE***
Sunday - The doctors are concerned about bleeding in the brain, and think that the artery from Bro. Weingard's heart to his brain could be damaged. There is also concern that he could have another stroke. This could, of course, cause serious complications. There is no sign of infection in the left arm, and we do praise God for that! Please continue to pray.