Independence Day at the Ranch

 We hiked through the woods to one of the lake lots on one of the Lakes at Hilltop Lakes

 We found the shore!!!!!

Greerson was skipping rocks on the water as Brenna and Marshall played

The view on the lake

The cows are hungry!

 Marshall wants to help Christa drive

The new calf

 Marshall and Mimi with the bulldozer

fresh tracks on the beach

Mimi, Christa and Greerson are ready to head out!

 

Greerson, Christa, Grandpa Woody, Marshall and Brenna

 

 

 

Greerson took us for a drive in the woods

 Grandpa Woody helps Marshall with his sparkler

 Brenna brushes up her batting skills

 Marshall takes his turn

 everyone enjoys the cool morning air on the patio

 Brenna and Marshall are ready for the parade

Marshall really likes sparklers!

 Greeson is tired of waiting for the parade to start

 Brenna and Marshall pass the time by collecting pine cones

 Mimi and Grandpa Woody wait patiently

 

We had a great spot to view the parade

 

 

 

 Christa with our lovely snowman blanket on the hood of the car

 The parade finally begins

 Brenna and Marshall collect candy

 Look they even got some cool shades!

 Uncle Sam gives Marshall a present!

 This was the fanciest Llama at the petting zoo

 They even had a fawn (baby deer for you city folk)!

 Marshall was amazed at this goats stomach! It kept kicking!

 Mimi and Brenna are ready for the fireworks! (and the loud booms they make)

 Christa helps Marshall get ready for the fireworks

Marshall is ready!

 

we headed to the ranch July 4 and arrived  before lunch. We drove Mimi to the Blue Moon BBQ to get lunch. Stephen and Shanda arrived mid-afternoon. We played dominos and relaxed and enjoyed the rest of the day. Hilltop Lakes was having their celebration on Saturday so we were under no pressure to  conclude our celebrations Thursday night. We got up early and headed to the land across the road to check out the lake lots at Hilltop Lakes. We had already seen them from the Hilltop Lakes side, but now we were going to actually hike to them from the acreage over there. It was very dense woods with vines and brush growing everywhere. Mimi, Grandpa Woody and Greerson had marked a path with ribbons and kind of cleared some vines out of the way. They were using the bulldozer to clear the path, but it needed some work on the treads so they had to stop before they made it to the shore. We all made it to the shore and checked out the view. We would like to put a dock and small cabin there, but it probably won't happen anytime soon. We made it back to the ranch house and rested before lunch. We played more dominos and ordered food from the Branding Iron in Marquez. It's not a trip to the ranch without eating at the Branding Iron. Greerson got fried pickles and actually share a few with us! After dinner we did some sparklers in the front yard. Brenna was afraid of the until Marshall did it and thought it was great.  Saturday morning we loaded up and headed to Hilltop for the parade. The kids really got into it and collected a lot of candy and loot! After the parade we headed over to the petting zoo and the bazaar. Shanda got some cookies and a loaf of bread from the Catholic church ladies. The bread was really good! Greerson got a parachute bracelet and a 1922 silver dollar. Stephen and Shanda left after lunch to enjoy a week without children. We played dominos with them before they left and Daryl actually won!!!! We had a lot of fun, we had to replay one round, because Stephen was sitting in for Christa and Glynda had such a high count in the hand that they focused on counting her dominos and forgot to count their own. Since Stephen was the score keeper in Christa's absence we decided to forfeit the hand and play it again. Glynda did better but several of us did not! It was a lot of fun.  That night we loaded up the truck and toured the ranch and then headed over by the oil well road and parked along the fenceline to watch the fireworks. They were amazing! We could actually see without trees being in the way. Last year when they rebuilt the fence they took out all of the trees and brush and opened up the view. Marshall and Brenna really enjoyed the fireworks. We got up Sunday morning and watched Duck Dynasty before we left. Lucky was glad to see us when we got home!