STAMPEDE GAME.

Every month Big Brothers Big Sisters hosts a match activity.  Last month's activity was a Stampede game and Seriana and I were most excited to attend!  In addition to receiving free tickets to the event, we were also given matching Big Brother Big Sister t-shirts.  We were all asked to sit in the same section and, of course, to don our new shirts.  I have to admit that as Seriana and I made our way through the crowded arena, we were stopped several times by people who were thrilled to see a match out enjoying an event together.  I think most people are familiar with the organization itself but really have no idea what being a "Big" entails.  I hope anyone who might have been intrigued enough to pay some attention to Seriana and I that night would immediately notice that we certainly enjoy each other immensely and always have great fun together!  We had cheering contests, discussed the teeny-tiny cheerleader uniforms, marveled at seeing a female referee and were astounded by a world-record holding unicycle riding bowl flipper!

And we got to see some D-League basketball to boot!

~SERIANA MODELING OUR NEW SHIRTS~

I HAVE TO ADMIT I WASN'T THRILLED TO BE WEARING A SHIRT AROUND THE ARENA THAT HAD,

"I'M A BIG"

PRINTED ON THE BACK OF IT.  SEEMS LIKE THERE ARE WAY TOO MANY WAYS TO ACCURATELY FILL IN THAT BLANK.  I'M A BIG_________!

SERIANA AND I

WELL HELLO!

February was calving month out at the ranch and I was so excited to see another calf birth!  Unfortunately the sneaky Mama cows kept popping out calves during the wee early morning hours--before anyone even realized they were in labor.  As you might remember, I missed the actual birth of the one calf we had been patiently waiting ALL evening for.  After that the calving was pretty eventful!  One calf was backward and after days of labor, the vet finally came and pulled the calf.  Missed out on that one!  And then there was a parrot-mouth calf born.  Missed out on that one too!  AND THEN came TWINS!  Missed those too!  Needless to say, I was pretty disappointed!  Most of the herd had calved without me witnessing a single birth!  However, one warm evening, Aunt Dee called and asked me out to the ranch to see all the adorable new calves.  I love watching calves be born but I have to say, the calves are so much cuter cleaned up and dried off!  Additionally, as the calves were all at least several days old they were feeling pretty frisky!  I love watching calves run, buck and frolic!

THE HERD

  

  

JESSIE PLAYING COWGIRL!

WRESTLING CALVES SO UNCLE JIM COULD LOOK THE TWINS OVER!

THE TWINS UP AND RUNNING!

I AM SO SAD I MISSED THEM BEING BORN!

THE FROLIC-ING BEGINS!

THIS CALF IS THE INSTIGATOR . . .

AND DEFINITELY MY FAVORITE!

I LOVE HOW HER TAIL CURLS UP OVER HER BACK WHEN SHE RUNS!

I HAPPENED TO SAY, "SHE LOOKS LIKE A LITTLE PIG WHEN SHE RUNS . . ."

SO NOW HER NAME IS PIGLET!

WHILE WE WERE OUT WITH THE CALVES, I KEPT WATCHING LACY, ONE OF ONLY TWO COWS LEFT TO DELIVER.  WATCHING HER WALK AROUND THE PASTURE, HOLDING HER TAIL A BIT FUNNY, I ASKED IF SHE MIGHT BE IN LABOR.  THE CONSENSUS WAS "PROBABLY NOT"--HER MILK BAG WASN'T BULKED UP ENOUGH.  HOWEVER, BY THE TIME THE SUN SET FOR THE EVENING I HADN'T GIVEN UP MY CURIOSITY ABOUT MISS LACY.  AND APPARENTLY MY PERSISTENCE HAD INTRIGUED JESSIE TOO.  JUST BEFORE DINNER SHE RAN OUT THE PASTURE TO CHECK LACY.  SHE CAME FLYING BACK TO THE HOUSE--A CALF WAS COMING!

POOR JESSIE FORGETS SHE INHERITED THE ASTHMATIC GENE!

SHE HAD A MAJOR ATTACK DURING ALL THE EXCITEMENT AND HAD TO LAY DOWN

RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PASTURE UNTIL SHE COULD CATCH HER BREATH AGAIN!

SHE IS GOING TO BE SO THRILLED I POSTED THIS PICTURE!

I LOVE YOU KIPPER!

BEWARE--GRAPHIC BIRTH SCENES!

MISS LACY WAS PRETTY VOCAL DURING HER DELIVERY!

CAN'T SAY I BLAME HER THOUGH!  OUCH!

LOOK AT HIM STEAM IN THE COLD NIGHT AIR!

AWWWW!

I LOVE PLAYING COWGIRL AND I WAS

SO THRILLED I JUST HAPPENED TO BE THERE

FOR THE DELIVERY!

  

WHAT A SPECIAL TREAT FOR ME!

FARMER/RANCHER UNCLE JIMMY

day after pictures . . .

  

GABRIEL DANIEL.

After staying up all night for Laura's delivery, I headed home to catch a few hours of sleep.  Meanwhile, Mom and Dad took the older kids to McCall to meet their new little brother!  Poor Laura and Danny had a pretty difficult time deciding on a name!  In fact, they were discharged from the hospital without having yet made a decision!  Several days later, after much anticipation and great deliberation, they finally agreed on a name . . . 

Gabriel Daniel.

photos courtesy of my mom

LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT!

NANA

SHE'S A BIG SISTER--AGAIN!

HE IS HAPPY TO HAVE A BROTHER FINALLY!

BIG LITTLE SISTER CLAIRE!

PAPA

THE BOYS! ")

BEN, LIN, BILLY, XARA AND CORBIN DROVE UP TO MEET THE BABY TOO!

LOOK WHO FINALLY GOT UP!

I DROVE BACK TO MCCALL MUCH LATER IN THE EVENING

AND WAS SO THRILLED TO HAVE BOTH GABE AND LAURA TO MYSELF!

  

I LOVE HIS MONKEY FEET!

BUT MY HOW TIME IS FLYING!

  

ONE WEEK OLD

TWO WEEKS OLD

AUNTIE LOVES YOU BABY GABE!