Kolby and I spent Thanksgiving with my family down at my parents' ranch. I took an extra day off of work so I had my first 4-day weekend since I started my new job back in July... it was SO NICE! Our extended family on my mom's side joined us for most of the weekend, but not everyone was able to make it so we maxed out at 16. [This is a different side of the family than who we spent Labor Day down at the ranch with, in case anyone is keeping track :)] As always, we had the best time together... I just love, love, love getting together with our family and the ranch has definitely turned out to be the perfect gathering spot that my parents hoped it would be-- maybe even better than they had hoped! Here are some highlights from the weekend.
My mom is in the process of putting together a photo tour of the ranch, so I'll wait and let her get that finished and then link to the website-- but I did snap a few pictures of our room and of the new pond.
All of the kids' rooms have a queen bed and then a bunk bed with a double bed on the bottom and a twin bed on the top. They are set up a little differently, but they all have a bathroom and a small front porch. We each got to decorate our own rooms, which was fun.
The property had a small pond on it that my parents decided to expand so it would be big enough to make for some good bass fishing. In the picture below, the gray dirt with all of the texture just above the water is where the old pond used to be, and the recent rains have started to fill the new pond.
I took this picture from the top of the dam, looking back towards the house, and the picture below it is a closer shot of the back side of the house.
My dad used to be a farmer. He moved on from farming when Brad and I were toddlers, but his passion and sentiment for land and all things farm-related hasn't wavered. It's a big part of why my parents built the ranch in the first place... to get away from the city life and back to their country roots and be able to pass the joys of a rural lifestyle on to their children and grandchildren. A couple of weeks ago, my dad finally pulled the trigger and bought a used tractor for the ranch. Before any extended family arrived this weekend, he called all the boys up to the barn and taught each one how to drive and operate a tractor. Once they learned, he put them to work hauling some leftover stone from the house up to the barn. 
It took a few trips, and Kolby snapped this picture on their way back to the house. That's Russell driving and Brad in the bucket. So that's my dad, riding his tractor with his two sons... probably hog heaven for him. 
Here is a picture of Kolby and I on the 4-wheeler and dirt bike.
My parents lease some of the land to a neighbor rancher who runs his cattle on it. It's a great deal because they keep the grass from growing too tall and we still get to ride around on it. Unfortunately, Kolby found a fresh cow patty with the dirt bike and the back wheel flipped it up all over the back of his pants. Funny, but gross.
Once the rest of the family arrived, it was non-stop eating and game playing. We play A LOT of games in our family. Mostly cards and dominoes... for hours and hours. It wasn't until college that I learned that not all families do this. We have such a great time, I wouldn't have it any other way.
Since the weather was so nice, we put together a whilffle ball game, too. Brad and Russell were team captains and chose the teams, and for some reason decided to wear helmets to designate themselves as such. And yes, that is Russell's team giving each other high fives as each person joined... we have no problem with pushing the cheesiness limits in this family. Side note: I was chosen dead last. My brothers even chose my mom and my two aunts ahead of me. Needless to say, they think really highly of my athletic ability. 
This picture cracks me up. The whiffle ball got stuck in the gutter so the natural solution was to hoist Remy onto Brad's shoulders to retrieve it, even though there was a ladder 10 ft. away.
Kolby and I made blueberry and strawberry pancakes for everyone one morning.
Since the ranch was completed and my dad brought his nice telescope down there, Kolby has become obsessed with star gazing. And I mean obsessed. I don't find it that interesting, but I do enjoy taking a look when he focuses on something cool, like the moon up close or Jupiter with its moons. Last week he and my dad got an attachment that allows you to hook up a camera to the telescope, and although they're still working out the kinks and aren't able to use the high magnification lens when taking pictures, here's a shot Kolby took of the moon.
Then yesterday Kolby developed a new found obsession: wood cutting.
It was a great Thanksgiving weekend and we are so thankful to have such a great place to spend it at and a great family to spend it with!
I took this picture from the top of the dam, looking back towards the house, and the picture below it is a closer shot of the back side of the house.
Kolby and I made blueberry and strawberry pancakes for everyone one morning.
Then yesterday Kolby developed a new found obsession: wood cutting.
It was a great Thanksgiving weekend and we are so thankful to have such a great place to spend it at and a great family to spend it with!
The leaf piles add one more texture to her backyard line-up. She has a very specific route that she passionately and joyfully runs when she is struck with sudden bursts of energy: grass, wood deck, concrete driveway, grass, leaf piles, ivy ground cover; repeat. Suffice to say that she is definitely making the most out of finally having a yard.
