Happy Birthday to a Bestie!

Today is one of my very dear friend's birthdays. She and her husband just recently moved to Austin from Waco. Kris, you've been such a huge blessing in my life. I hate that I couldn't come up with a recent picture of us...we'll have to take some when you're here in June. I know that no matter where life takes us...we'll always be close. I'll try and avoid all random questions...involving your favorite and least favorite fruits...until your next birthday! To my favorite 'running diva': have a wonderful birthday! I love you!

Here she is (on the left) with one of my other besties, Becky, at my wedding.

Mother's Day

This Mother's Day my grandparents came down and we all went to church in Wheeler with my parents. We ate lunch and came back to my parents' house. After pictures and opening gifts we decided to take my grandparents to our ranch. They hadn't been out there in a while and they always enjoy going. We had a great day. I hate that we couldn't be with both our families on Mother's Day...Hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day! Marty asked my grandmother when it was going to be Son-in-Law's Day...I guess he felt a little left out. Silly boy...

Me & My Boys
Marty, Joe, Gma & Dad

Three Generations

PaPaw & his granddogs
JoePa & Dude

While we were walking around on the ranch, we came across this little guy.

Dad thought it would be neat to get a picture of him next to a coin. He was so tiny!

JoePa & Gma in front of the outdoor fireplace.

The ranch looks so good. We've had a little rain in the last few weeks and everything is greening up beautifully!

Brendan David

My cousin, Tristan, and his wife, Aubrey have a new little bundle of joy. Brendan was born April 21, 2008 in Pampa, TX. He was 8lbs 7oz and 20 inches long. I've seen him quite a few times, but he's always sleeping. I haven't been able to get great pictures of him. But here's a few.

Tristan holding the little outfit Mom & I got Brendan. Sorry for cutting you out Miss Aubrey.

Daddy's Little Boy.

Sleeping...

Auntie Cass & Brendan. He looks afraid here...

Pioneer Days

Well, the first weekend in May is Pioneer Days in Guymon, Okla. The festivities are very similar to Shamrock's St. Patrick's Day celebration and Gilmer's Yamboree. My best friend from college is from a small town close to Guymon. In college, we always talked about going, but never made it seeing as it was ALWAYS the weekend prior to finals. Since we're getting older and we're out in the real world now, we were able to make it this year to the festivities.

I drove in Saturday morning. I was shocked at all the pheasant! I counted 12 while I was there, just along the roadside. Becky's parents said they've had some roost around their back porch! I tried to get a picture, but none of them turned out.

Anyways, we drove to Guymon and made it to the parade. It was COLD! We had not prepared for it being that windy. It was a decent parade. Becky and I even caught some candy. Although, towards the end, the only requirement for your parade entry was that you have nice rims. The last 10 entries, I kid you not, were pick ups and SUV's blaring music w/ new rims. That's the only thing that was special about them.

Becky's grandparents live in Guymon so we went to their house afterwards and cooked out. Then we headed down to the arts and crafts fair. My prized purchase of the day was a Wahoo! board. For those of you who aren't familiar, the game is much like Sorry! or Aggrevation. I was so excited, though. My cousins and I grew up playing it...Now I have my own! We had game night last week w/ my cousins and I brought the Wahoo! board. Good times!

We did a little more shopping and headed back to Becky's grandparents'. They taught be how to play Gin and I won the first few hands. Then we got ready and went to the rodeo. It was a PRCA rodeo so it was fun seeing a few guys you recognized from TV. Although, Becky, her sister, Sara, and her friend hadn't been to very many rodeos and they were intrigued by the 'stretching' that the bull riders do before they ride. Our seats were close to the area behind the chutes. Needless to say we laughed a lot.

I want to congratulate Miss Becky. She just got promoted from co-manager to manager of her own Bath & Body Works store in OKC! I love you, friend!

Us at the parade. Doesn't it look cold?

Sunday morning before church.

Cowboys Like Us...

Our Spring cattle working was the last week of April. On Monday there were 18 cowboys to help with our annual roundup. By Friday, there were 11. Their mornings typically start at 4:30 a.m. and finish around 4 or 5 p.m. They ride miles of country and the days are long, but there's something about it that these cowboys can't get enough of. Most of them have jobs other than day working, but it's only to support them so they can do what they love. I've always had a fond respect for this lifestyle. Granted, it's how I was raised, but there's just something about it...

Here are several of my favorites shots...

Brock 'flanking' a calf.

I got lazy...I took WAY too many pictures to put on here. I have hundreds of pictures, but this is all for now. Maybe, I'll get overzealous and post some more later.

TIRED...

So, this past week has been spring branding (where they gather and work all the ranch calves). Marty took off the entire week and I took off several days to go take pictures. We've been staying with my parents because the ranch is only about 15 minutes from their house and about an hour and 15 minutes from ours. The boys have been getting up around 4:30 every morning. Of course, Mom and I wake up when they do and try and go back to sleep after they leave which hasn't been working out so well. It's been great. It's so neat to see Marty take part in something and be such a natural at something that is such a huge part of my family and our lifestyle. He loves it! I do feel bad for the guys that were flanking though. Typically, the pens we work in are all sand, but yesterday stickers covered the ground. Marty and several of the other guys would get up and their rears would be solid stickers. Poor things...Anyways, I will have pictures posted soon. I took around 500 or so and don't feel like I got that many great ones, but I'm still sorting through them. Y'all have a great weekend!