Happy Anniversary!

Today is the Rancher's and my 11th Anniversary! That may not sound like many years...but when you have added five children to that mix, it really is something! Just like with other couples, there have been great days, good days, everydays, bad days and hate days...There have been days of great fun and days of great depression...Loving kid moments and those "I hate my parents moments"...Can't live without each other moments and LET ME OUT OF HERE! moments....

In all of that, today is a good moment...a peaceful moment...a moment filled with two people that are enjoying every moment - good, bad or indifferent...and that are finally bound by a wonderful commonality...Jesus.

What's ahead for us?  Well, our Hill Country house as you can see in our blog...

we still have our two puppies, Jig and Buzz (the Saws)

and we are looking forward to GBs! (grand babies)....

What's behind us? Everything!!!!

and finally...

What's with us TODAY? Jesus, Love, Forgiveness, Hope, Sacrifice, and Respect. What a really nice day today is!  I love you Mr. Bill.
Happy Anniversary!
Lana

Last Weekend...it rained.....but at the end of the day Sunday....

Glorious!

Laboring to have a little fun!

Ok, so it was a LONG holiday weekend...we had lots of work planned, but we also had some fun planned too! We weren't sure the weather was going to cooperate, but we didn't care because, the Ranch sure did need the rain!!!
On Saturday, we invited our neighbors, Dad, Aunt Barbara, Uncle Faybert, John, Angela and their girls - Alyssa and Leah; then we had some of dad's neighbors, Herb and Cathy as well.... All together 15 of us, gathered in the house and out on the pathways for dinner, great conversation...
all of which I kinda missed...and here's why...

remember i mentioned Alyssa and Leah? Well...we girls were out runnin' the roads in Harpie - Laughin, singin, and chanting "Go Harpie Go!" What a blast...

note to self...

TAKE PICTURES NEXT TIME YOU
SILLY RANCHER'S WIFE!!!!!

anyway.... (man looks like the pups think that is funny too!)

Meet Buzz and Jig (the Saw brothers)...it was a holiday, so they went on a vacation of their own with us! They were only there a few hours when they found some real live CACTUS needles...poor babies! So just the fact that they were smiling in this picture is AMAZING!
Actually, these two were quite the well-behaved puppies! Every morning, they wanted to go for a ride in Harpie (aka: the golf cart)...and so off we would go! Finally on the last day, I had the Rancher take a photo of us all in Harpie...they weren't as calm then...but oh well!
















Monday, the Rancher and I really got to work! I drove the lift and helped lift boards and the like so he could "staple" them in place and just every once in a while when I wasn't helpin...I remembered the camera in my pocket and just had to take pics- especially of all my boys...and not to mention to show you that the "Saws" WERE VERY good... they never even chased off the first deer! (isn't that Rancher of mine the cutest thing you've ever seen?)

and of course...just to prove I really was way up in the sky...(PATTY) here's the proof! see my pathways below? That's me!!!!! and then there was the Rancher....that pic is overlooking our future front yard...

So, as you can see, we did get some work done on LABOR DAY...there is siding all the way up on the front and right sides...windows are framed...and me- the designated "caulk girl" has gone behind the Rancher's work and caulked up a STORM!

Before I leave you this week, just thought you could sit with us for a moment and look at the view from where the front porch top deck will be...
awwwwwhhhhhh....
nice.

What a difference a Day Makes!

I want to go home already...

Ok...Saturday went like this...

Day 1

1. we woke up at 8:30 a.m.
2. we drank coffee and sat and watched the deer for about 2 hours
3. we put some siding on the mud room and took another break for water

4. we put some more siding on

5. went to Harper for lunch

6. ate at the local corner store, got homemade pizza, and listened to some shop gossip

7. bill spent another 30 minutes talking to the owner's son....

8. bought cat food on the way out the door ( you will see why in a bit)
9. went back to the ranch to take another break from lunch

10. took a nap after our break
11. slept for 2 1/2 hours

12. jumped up when car door slammed (it was papa!!!)

13. visited with papa for another 2 1/2 hours AND texted Patty while she was at the Cowboys game

14. took a break when papa left

15. hung a couple more boards (siding on the house) and in the dark...

16. ran into Segovia for pie and coffee!!!!!!

17. came back - took another break (it's 10 p.m.) before bed

18. ran and got camera to take pics of the new "pet" on the ranch (P-Diddy Pork, for short)

19. tooks lots of pics and then some more (see the reason for the c-food) Can anyone out there tell if that's a girl or boy? I can't get any closer to it than you are right now from where you are sitting...but what a cutie huh?
20. at 11:30 p.m. - kissed my sweet hubs goodnight....

Day 2
Sunday

1. we woke up at 7:30 a.m.
2. drank two cups of coffee

3. got dressed

4. started cutting boards

5. hung the first side of the mudroom siding

6. hung the other side of the mudroom siding

7. hung the third side of the mudroom siding
8. I raked the entire area around the house and picked up trash

9. bill cut more boards for the rest of the back of the house siding
10. we ate leftover cold pizza for lunch
11. I continued raking rocks / bill continued measuring and putting up siding

12. we took a break, watched the deer for 15 mins

13. went into Harper for supplies and my man bought me an ice cream....yum!
14. came back went right to work on the inside of the house sweeping/bill picked up all the tools

15. finished all the siding on the first story of the house and started filling in the last gable on the second story.

16. left for home at 8 p.m. What a nice weekend! :)

Has It Really Been over a MONTH?

WOW! Time flies!
So much has been going on at the Ranch and at the S&L house, that I see MORE THAN A MONTH has gone by and I haven't updated!!!! ok, and plus, everyone is sending me messages and posting my facebook to UPDATE, UPDATE, UPDATE! So hang on to your hat - Here we go....

The neighbors ARE BACK!!!!! YAYAYAYAYAY!!!!

Then once again....it's all Bill....I love this one...it looks like a modern day ARK!!!
It sure rained a LOT this week!!!

AND WE HAVE A ROOF!!!!!!!!We have windows.....this is one of two in my kitchen over my sink....

and here is two of two over my kitchen sink....awwwhhhh...
I can just see those GB's outside playing in the sprinkler now....

The Living room and fire place...Looking outside in... those two small windows are my laundry room windows!House is all wrapped...too much rain in the area these days...a race against the clock for sure....Lovin that Roof and that RANCHER!!!!

The View above the house with the roof almost done!!!

AND NOW SIDING....

and MORE SIDING...

and next week, I will introduce our friends Butch and Patty and our amazing DOORS!!!!!
Off to the ranch we go... :)