November 2022

November always begins with celebrating my little brother's birthday. I was able to go to breakfast with him, Taylor, and my parents. I left right after eating so that I could get to work. Happy 32nd birthday to this guy. 

Brinley and I went to see the UK Basketball team play their exhibition game against Kentucky State. There were hardly any people at the game so we made our way down to sit a couple of rows from the court. Also we sat next to one of my co-workers (Thanks Andrea) and her family. She knows how big of a cheapskate that I am and she wanted Brinley to have an ice cream cone. Brinley was really surprised and very happy. Our traditions for going to games at Rupp have become having dinner at Goodfellas and picking up ice cream on the way home. 

Our November started out with our first family 5K. It was the DanceBlue 5K to raise money for the clinic where I work. Landon and I were running together and then my calf started to hurt me and I had to walk the last mile of the race. I told Landon to keep going and he was killing it. Jennifer and Brinley were running together as well. Brinley ran ahead at the end to beat Jennifer too. As you know how big of a competitor, I am this was extremely difficult for me to lose to my 9-year-old son. I've got to get back to more consistency working out so that I can keep up with the little guy. 

After the race we went downtown and got some gelato. We enjoyed it until the wind picked up and blew leaves and a feather into Brinley's ice cream. We also stopped by to say hello to Lexi while McKinley and Taylor were out of town. After we got home we played Potion Explosion which is a board game that our friend JK gave to the kids. 

The kids and I also decided to surprise McKinley and Taylor with cleaning up all the leaves in their front yard. I think it was about 24 bags full. I had forgot how much work it was to rake and clean up leaves. 

Landon went to watch the wildcats play ball too. They gave Oscar his player of the year award from last year. We moved down to some empty seats to sit with MiMi and Pap. We again had our Goodfellas before and ice cream on the way home. We also went down courtside after the game to meet Tom Hart. He is one of the TV announcers and is a really nice guy. He throws out a lot of KSR references during the broadcast which are always fun to hear. 

Landon has definitely been putting in the work at Grassroots practices. I am very proud of the hard work that he is putting into his training. 

I ask a lot of questions around my workplace. One of the questions I asked everyone was what their favorite Halloween candy was. After getting everyone's responses I sent the results out to everyone. There were three of us that really loved DOTS. We have been nice to each other and will occasionally leave a little treat for each other. I had this little box sitting on my water cup one afternoon. It definitely put a smile on my face. 

Jennifer and the kids made it to their one UK football game of the year. It was a cold, rainy, and miserable day to watch the Cats come out and not play very well. They left at halftime and didn't stick around to see that we lost to Vandy. The kids were mostly excited about all the treats that I kept getting for them. 

After the football game I drove back home to Western Kentucky to spend the weekend out in the woods with my cousin Rossy. He set me up with the right gear to stay warm out in the tree stand. The first morning was awesome. If you ever get a chance to sit outside and just see the Earth wake up I would highly recommend it. It had snowed the day before and it was still covering the ground which made it really easy to see everything out wondering around. Early I spotted a couple of deer out of range, a fox, and 3 turkey. After about 4 hours in the stand I finally got my phone out to send my cousin a message. I kid you not a doe all of a sudden ran right out in front of me at about 20 yards. I slowly slid my phone in my pocket and got ready to shoot. The doe was perfectly positioned for the shot, but when I clicked the safety off it spooked it and I didn't have a good shot at it. Then again out of nowhere a little buck came running up chasing the doe and they both ran off. I thought I had missed my opportunity. I didn't see another deer the rest of the day. The next day I saw one a little out of my range, but I didn't want to miss my opportunity like I did the day before. I unfortunately missed. About another hour later I had a chance at a doe, but totally missed it. I guess my nerves got the best of me up in the tree stand. I had a great time visiting with my cousins Rossy and Tricia for the weekend, but I went home with nothing to show for it except some memories. 

I did get a nice surprise when I got home after hunting. Jennifer had put a lot of my sports memorabilia up on the walls. I thought it turned out pretty great. 

Jennifer got to come to a game with me. The only thing that Landon would rather do besides go to Rupp with me is to go over to Uncle McKinley and Aunt Taylor's house. They watched the kids for us so that we could go to the game. I had a friend who let us sit in his seats for the game so Jennifer and I got to sit down in the lower arena. It was like we were back in college again. 

The kid's school had their first breakfast with dad since the pandemic. It was really nice to get back into the school and see some of the kid's friends. 

One of my patients at work was in the clinic for their last chemotherapy treatment. The mother made the staff some shirts which had the child's allergies on them and some awesome orange ribbon cookies. We are always very excited for each child when they finish therapy and are always excited to celebrate with them. 

Another UK Football home game means that the golf cart crew is back together again. We had a good time this year driving the future CATS to and from the game. Can't wait to see them out on the field in the coming years. 

The very next weekend I called up my cousin and told him that I wanted to go hunting again. This was something that I needed to do and I was determined to get a deer. One of my patients at work that knew I was going hunting the weekend before said that she didn't think I could do it. Well that only added fuel to the fire. We got up Saturday morning and headed back out in the woods. After a few hours up in the stand this young buck headed out to my left hand side. I quietly got in position and took my shot. I was ecstatic! 

Here I am with my first deer, a six pointer. After getting some pictures my cousin Rossy showed me how to gut a deer. Then we headed off to the processer to have them do the rest of the hard work. In a couple of weeks I will be able to eat the meat of an animal that I shot on my own.

The processer cut the antlers off of my deer. I showed them off to my cousin Tricia. I really enjoyed getting to spend two weekends with them. It really makes me wish we lived even closer to back home so that we could spend more time with family. 

Another two months it was finally time to donate blood again. I will be a supporter of donating until I am no longer able to. I have personally been able to see firsthand the benefits to patients when they receive the blood. So get out there and save a life.

I had something that kept me from going to the UK basketball game. I asked Brinley and Taylor if they wanted to go. It is the only time Brinley has been excited about going to a game. Of course, Tay Tay got Brinley ice cream and they snuck down into the lower arena. Taylor sent me these pictures of their fun night. 

We had a family Thanksgiving with all the Kentucky Heflin's. We celebrated together on the Wednesday because Taylor and McKinley were going to her family's celebration on Thursday. We only missed the Maitland's who were visiting family in New York. 

For the last couple of years we have gathered with the Grassroots Run Club for a Turkey Bowl two hand touch football game. After a school yard pick we had our teams. Landon came out the victor this year and actually scored 2 touchdowns for his team. 

We spent our Thanksgiving playing games with the grandparents and trying to finish building the Hogwarts Castle. 

The Saturday after Thanksgiving was the biggest game of the year for the football team. Little brother, Louisville came to town. We were an underdog according to betting websites, but we easily handled the Cardinals. It is always a great day to beat Louisville.

Jennifer and the kids went to celebrate Thanksgiving with her family while I was at the Louisville game. They had a great time with their cousins and playing on the farm. Of course, Brinley has never met an animal that she didn't want to play with.

When we got back home it was time to decorate the house for Christmas. 

This will be our first Christmas in the new house. So, we are just trying to figure where to put the trees and the rest of the decorations.  

Most of my time in the month of November was spent in a tree stand or thinking about being in a tree stand. I am so glad that I was able to kill my first deer. I am very thankful to my wife and kids who allowed me to head out of town for two weekends to let me do something that I wanted to do. The rest of the month was spent at UK sporting events. It always gets much busier when basketball and football season overlap. This year and every year, I am extremely thankful for my family that are the most important people in my life. Thanks for reading and God bless!