Saturday ~ FAMILY Style!!

It was a beautiful day here on the ranch!
 A mite warm at times but you can always find a nice breeze down in the meadow behind the barn. 

This is where we all gathered for a big family style breakfast!

Under the shade of this big oak tree is THE perfect place for a picnic table.

Dean had an outdoor kitchen before outdoor kitchens were 'cool!'

We had breakfast burritoes, sausage patties, orange juice....

and my contribution was a loaf of Friendship Bread.

The pastry in the corner is an apricot turnover from Collin Street Bakery.

I froze it as soon as we arrived Monday to save for Sherry. These are her favorites!!!

While we all sat around the table eating breakfast - guess what we talked about???

LUNCH!!! Louis Dean and I wanted to take them all out to eat to celebrate his son's birthday.

We worked out the time frame - a really late lunch - and then decided what chores and adventures we could do in the mean time.

Louis Dean went back to the camper to take a nap.

He is feeling better but still not back to his normal self!

Sherry told me that when you add up a bit of heart trouble, a good dose of allergies and a large dose of asthma - well, it just takes time to get over all that! We have all been keeping our eyes on him and he is recovering. He just has NO energy and he is usually knocking out projects and working on things.

We all have encouraged him to take it easy and rest!!

Sherry's daughter, Crystal, is a force to be reckoned with!!

She twirled around that John Deere mower like a professional and mowed practically the entire meadow!

While SHE mowed, Robert and I painted a picnic table.

Dean and Sherry hosts several large Karate camps every year and you need lots of tables and benches.

Robert then took over the mowing while Sherry filled a small wading pool and began to give the dogs baths!

All SIX dogs!! Blue, Liz, Little Girl, Rufus, Lucky and then Lucy!!

Dogs were all bathed so now it was time for all of US to clean up and head to town!!

We had some celebrating to do!!

Happy Birthday to my step son!!!

His birthday is Wednesday but we won't be here then so we celebrated tonight!

Dean and his awesome wife, Sherry, and her amazing daughter, Crystal!

On our side of the table is Louis Dean and his grandson, Robert, and me!

We had fun like a PARTY!!!

While they stayed in town to get supplies, the three of us headed back to the ranch.

It is shady in front of the camper so we sat out and enjoyed the scenery and the birds.

This is Liz and she was keeping us company.

So was Lucky! He's the newest dog on the ranch and will be the biggest by far!!!

The mockingbirds are our favorite and we heard one sing 13 different 'songs.'

There are so many different kinds of birds and critters here - it would be a child's paradise!

We spent the evening sitting out under the stars - all six of us.

We were looking at one star in particular and wondered what it was.

Crystal whipped out her phone and using an app showed us it was Mars.

I love days like this!! 

Family.

 Fun. 

Working together on projects. 

Visiting.

I think we made some good memories today.

Memories I can take out and enjoy long after this day is gone.

God is good!

Happy Birthday, Dean!!!