7 blogs in 7 days - Day 2 - The Ranch

Day 2 - I feel like I should post something profound about Sept 11 - (besides) Happy Birthday Aunt Sylvia!)- while it's too personal to delve into, and I don't really want to share my story now (it almost feels selfish to do so, because really, what did I lose? It changed all of us in one way or another. For me, seeing the planes hit on my morning commute up the NJ Turnpike made me realize how much safer I felt in Oregon than in NJ. That day Joseph, Oregon sounded like the safest (and only safe place in the world). And it's weird on this anniversary day - especially spending the first one in Portland a year later. Everyone, everywhere seems to feel that they experienced it "more" than the next guy. The people in midtown Manhatten didn't experience it like those downtown, and those in NJ didn't experience it the way people in the city did, and people in Oregon, Utah, Idaho, Indiana, couldn't have possibly experienced the way people in NJ or the greater tri-state area did. 8 years later none of that matters, we each only know the horror that we felt that dreadful sunny morning as we thought about the magnitude of what was happening and feared what was to come. We know who we thought of first and panicked when we couldn't get through to them. We felt unsafe in a country where we've always felt safe. Anyway, thank you to all the soldiers and families who have sacraficed since then for me and my family and don't forget how lucky you are if your only sacrifice has been taking your shoes off at the airport.

Now on to catching up with my blogs...day 2
Started this blog back in May...
Memorial Day Weekend at the Blanchet Ranch - 3.5 months ago. One of many blogs that was mostly written. Memorial Day was a stopper in my writing because there was so much more I wanted to say about it and SOOOOOOOO many pictures I wanted to go through and post. Any bloggers out there who have a system to filtering the photo madness for uploading to snapfish and shutterfly then uploading to blogs! PLEASE let me know.

We went to the Blanchet Ranch for Memorial Day weekend. It is a Wheat Ranch that my Great Grandfather homesteaded. It is about 2000 acres. This is the property that my mom grew up on, a few of my cousins grew up on, and one where I spent Thanksgivings & Christmases and many weeks during the summer, I have numerous childhood memories. Now that the Ranch has been passed down to my Grandparents 6 children, every year they meet (with as many of their children as possible) for a business meeting that deal with running the place. My Uncle Larry lives there now and my Grandmother's house is a bit of a bachelor pad, so I'm sure he feels invaded when 30+ sisters, kids, grand kids, nieces, nephews and now great nieces and great nephews! He is a very gracious host and since we all grew up there in one way or another we feel at home, and are all anxious to share it with our children and the second generation of cousins that is growing! This year 3 cousins were pregnant so next year there will be at least 3 more kiddos.

Lily and Addie thoroughly enjoyed the Ranch. They loved the tent, the 4 wheeler ("weeeeee" as Addie called it), the wide open spaces, the other cousins, and just being outside for 3 days straight.

They fed horses and touched a snake! Addie learned to crawl out of her pak n play and unzip the tent much to my surprise while I was relaxing after bedtime and I saw her run by with her shoes in her hand looking for someone to put them on for her.

I told my mom I was pregnant (9 weeks at the time) and she was thrilled. So was the rest of the family.

There are SO many pictures here. For those of you who don't like the collage, this is the reason to do it. It condenses. But I don't feel like making a collage so you get 20+ pictures. Keep in mind that it is my mom's fault I don't get these blogs done. She took 500 pictures during Memorial Day weekend, and 90% of them are great pictures. So whenever she is around I tend not to blog as I can't choose which photos to choose.

Lily and Rosy snuggling up
Addie and Daddy on the "weeeeee"
Ewe...Jason getting the snake that was RIGHT next to our tent! Look how close my kids are! They won't get that close to a dog...and below, they are "petting" it. Again...what?


My hottie hubby
Me and Addie
My beautiful mama
Suzy, Amy, me, & Rosy...my cousins and practically my sisters going up
Nick (Amy's son) and Addie
Grandma Lanie and her girls!
Daddy and Lily going fast...for one more ride
Clemintina, Addie, Suzanna, & Lily - cousins

Me and Lawrence
Our car locked and loaded for the 4 hr drive home

The whole group, minus my mom who was taking the picture and a few cranky cousins babies!
Lawrence flying a kite for Lily
The annual white elephant auction, we raised $200+ and decided to have all of Grandma and Grandpa's old movies transferred to DVDs!
Cooking breakfast outside for the gang

Settling down before bedtime with Nick, Shane, & Susannah
Uncle (that's great Uncle to them) Tony watching the girls color before bedtime
Books with dad
Bubbles!!! Addie's favorite before she dumps the entire container...every.single.time.
Putting our tent up, Lily helps, one of the poles broke thus the duct tape. Time for a new tent, but not this year. We couldn't fit another person in this one if we tried anyway.