Tomorrow morning we are headed back to the ranch
after a beautiful holiday vacation in Utah.
We packed up our luggage, stuffed it into the car, and now
we're sitting in my mom's living room watching Little Women while
dad cooks us spaghetti for dinner.
I feel heartsick having to leave them.
It will be nice to return to the quiet ranch
where I can roam freely (and Angus can poop wherever he wants).
But having to say goodbye is always the worst.
I've been looking through my photos of our Christmas
at the ranch, here are some highlights:
The girls in the ranch kitchen making gingerbread cookies.
Fixing fences:
My boys (in full army gear) unloaded three loads of wood for me.
We go through wood so fast around the ranch,
especially since it's been freezing all day long (JUST ADD SNOW, please!).
We had quite the Christmas card wall this year!
It sure helped with the homesickness I was feeling.
The favorite card goes to Angus's parents!
Decorating:
We cut down and decorated four trees in the ranch house.
We set up the luminaries on the ranch roof:
My brother Andrew came to visit us on the ranch.
Fun fact: did you know I call Andrew "Leonard"?
I have been calling him that since probably 6th grade and still do.
He hates it.
Loads of wrapping. I felt like I wrapped 2000000 presents,
most of which was on Christmas eve.
Each morning during our break, the boys would put on their
army gear and drive off on the 4-wheelers.
In their backpacks, they would pack breakfast and lunch, gear, walkie-talkies,
along with some essential emergency items; scissors,
flashlight, bandages, band-aids, flares, and a few MREs.
I didn't see them until the sun was setting. It was a little boy's dream come true.
Lottie remembered the ranch cat Kevin and
wrapped up some of Angus's dog food nibbles. She found a broken
Christmas tree branch and placed the "present" under it.
5 seconds later, Angus went outside and
ate all the bites inside the wrapped present.
It's the thought that counts.
