America

And I'm proud to be an American,
where at least I know I'm free.
And I won't forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
~Lee Greenwood


 Rest in Peace Jason, I shall never forget your sacrifice for me.

Our Wood Hauler!

First Day

True Love:  Honey there's a truck bed trailer for sale in Monticello for $50, I think we should go check it out.

Me:  Okay

( inner voice: $50?  wow! That's awesome!  We are blessed!)

So we go check it out.

Put air in the tires.

Pray it makes it home.

It makes it home.

Few Days Later

True Love: Honey, the $50 truck bed trailer we bought, you remember?

Me: Of course! Its awesome!

True Love: Well the bed is rusted clear through.

Me: So what's the problem?

(Inner self: this is going to be ugly I can tell.)

True Love: Need a new bed.

Me: Really?

True Love: Really.

Few Days Later

True Love: Honey, found a truck bed. $75

Me: Oh

True Love: Write me a check.

Me: Oh

True Love: Thanks Honey... Love you.

Few Days Later

True Love: Honey, the wood haulin' trailer is ready go.

Me: Really.

(Inner voice: $125? this can't be true! We are blessed!)

True Love: Yup, just need to find a new rim and tires.

Me: blank stare

(Inner voice: No comment, this is a family blog)

Few Days Later

True Love: Found a rim and tires.

Me: Really

True Love: $40, write me a check

Me: blank stare

Few Days Later

True Love: Let's go get some wood!

Me: Really?

True Love: Really!

Me; ok..hummm

(I am not really sure what they are gazing at.. angels?)

Wood Day

True Love: Wow this trailer is soft

Me: Nahhh its fine.

True Love: Wow, this trailer is soft

Me:Nahhh its fine

True Love: Need better tires

Me: Naaahhh its fine.

True Love: Wow needs stronger springs too.

Me: Naaahhh its fine.

True Love: Yup... it's fine, except for those springs, tires & could use some paint too

I love this True Love, Paul Bunyon, Man of Mine!!

(inner voice: I am truly and forever blessed)

Levi

This here is Levi.

Levi is one of the boys in our ward primary class.

Levi is nine.

Levi has an over abundance of energy and happiness.

One day, I was teasing Levi about coming to work for us at the ranch, if he didn't bring me some of his mothers famous lemon custard ice cream. 

Levi brought me some of his mothers lemon custard ice cream, cuz he is afraid of me.

 Levi still came to work on the ranch.  

He came along to check gates, cows, calves and the salt licks..all the back of a horse.

Levi informed us that this ranchin' stuff didn't seem much like work, but more like play...

We are going to have do something about that attitude of his,

 before he ruins the reputation of all the hard-workin' ranchers out there. :)

Yee Haw on Otis!

There are some disadvantages to being small in this family,

I might add the small-old one in the family. 

 Disadvantages such as:

• Not being able to reach the matches someone tossed to the back of the cupboard (on purpose I am sure of it, I'll find those witnesses to prove it)
• Being unable to find a watch that doesn't cover your entire arm
• Not being able to push the clutch in all the way, unless of course your belly is rubbing on the steering wheel
• And finally... being the only one small enough & light enough to ride ole' Otis (should part of that comment seem like a compliment, hummm...)

It's not that I minded riding ole Oat-Nuts.

It was actually quite enjoyable

Unless of course I was looking at my True Love,

Who took advantage  of the situation and was riding

MY TODDY BOY...

Then my little heart got a frowny face...

But somebody's gotta ride ole Oatie-Oat-Nuts

And it just as well be the

old small one..



Lost Lizard Larry Lou

When Jessi was just a little lass, she chased Lizards.... caught them, played with them, tortured them, collected them in containers and eventually set them free. She lost one in her dads truck, we never found the lost lizard and everytime we climbed in we feared the ole' lost lizard would come crawling out of somewhere and scare the bejeezies out of us. We never mentioned the lost critter when we sold the truck, decided if      

they were willing to buy it "as is", that included a lizard roaming endlessly free in it. 

Jessi now 20, let me repeat that now 20 and married,

I'll repeat that again, just incase you missed it  20 and MARRIED, that means she has a husband and is deamed a responsible, mature adult, right. After I relate the following, you may want to revaluate your definition of a responsible, mature adult.

What a lovely evening it was at the ranch, the gentle breeze was coming down the canyon, the burgers were frying on the grill.  The chatter of little children mixed with the tweeting birds.  It was heaven on earth.  Jessi proceded to hunt the rocks..seeking out lizards, for what I presumed to be for the kids enjoyment.  A little innocent baby lizard soon became capitive in her hands, eventually making it's way to a styro-foam cup cell. 

The beautiful evening continued... it was quite lovely, relaxing and enjoyable.  We later climbed in the truck waved our goodbyes and well wishes to other party members and headed home.  Alot of whispering began in the back seat between my daughter, my 20 year old & married daughter and her hubby.  Being on the brink of becoming deaf I never heard what they were saying.... 

Until she said, "remember that lizard I caught??", Laughter erupts from her my 20 year old  married daughters husband. 

I fearfully respond, "yes".  "Well...she cautiously begins.  About this time, my true love, the father of my 20 year old married daughter, starts to lose color in his face. 

She continues, "well I put him in these two styro-foam cups and put him in the truck". 

"Yes"...I encourge her on, knowing full well the next words to come out of her 20 year old married mouth, whose husband is still laughing. 

"Well...see he's not here", she says.  Silence fills the cab of the big red ford...except for the laughing husband of my 20 year old married daughter. 

My true love in the mean time has a look of confusion across his face...and simply asks, "Where is he?"  I'm not sure why he asked such a question, maybe he had fallen asleep and missed the whole between the lines things going on here. 

She responds, "uhhh I don't know." 

"He's lost in my truck? asks our driver. 

"I don't know, ya I guess".  Hubby continues laughing.  I turn to look at tmy 20 year-old married daughter, who is sitting here holding two styro-foam cups, sliding them in and out of each other.  I have no words. 

My true love asks, calmly, "why were we bringing this lizard home?" 

She responds confindently, "I was going to transplant him to the garden to eat the bugs."  We live in the country, our yard is full of lizards...my 20 year old married daughter is apparently blind. 

 "Jessi, we have plenty of lizards at the house" I say.  "

Well, I haven't seen any she responds."  Apparently they need to stand up and wave a flag so she sees them.  

It is said you can't take the country, farm, cowgirl, city out of the girl.... but when it comes to our 20 year old married daughter, its simply this... You can't take the lizard lovin' and losin' out of her..

Anybody wanna buy a nice, used big red ford?