Ranger Lee is 1!

Ranger Lee aka "Baby"!  

We did have a little trouble settling on a name for this squirt.  It wasn't like Reno where it just clicked and that was it.  The kids and I had to call this fella something before he arrived.  It just became "Baby" and even after he was born we continued to call him that.  

It probably explains why when he was about 2 weeks old Scout says, "What did we name Baby?".  A little shocked I answered, "Ranger Lee".  She says, "Ah man, I wanted to name him Spur!". We got a pretty good laugh out of that.  

Mimi would continually correct me from using Baby instead of his name.  He probably should thank her that someday he won't have to answer to Baby Smith.  You hear lots of unique names and nicknames these days, but I haven't come across a grown man called Baby.  I think his name goes well with Scout and Reno. 

Lee is after Riley's paternal grandmother Francis Lee.  I had asked for names from his family before but never remembered that this was her middle name.  A short time before he was born I asked for names again and we tried our first name choices with the different middle name choices.  Ranger Lee is a winner.  Frannie was a very neat, talented woman.

This baby is wise beyond his year about selfies and chocolate chip cookies!

The Townsend, Adams, and Smith cousins!

Farm animal and tractor theme party!!

There wasn't even a moment of hesitation with this boy.  He dove right in!

Brother and sister wanted to help, but he really didn't need it.  

Mimi wanted him to stop eating before he had a tummy ache!

He was pretty well covered in that blue icing, so we took a dip in the sink.

Presents, presents, presents!  Thank goodness for sister's help.  

Jennison loving on our Mesa Dog.

Ranger discovered that he loved the trampoline on the day of his party.  We can no longer leave the stool out by it. He is super dangerous because he no longer crawls, but stands up and runs.

The Riley Smith Family!

Loving his baby bedroll from Gigi for about 2 seconds!

This little man has been such a joy.  He is pretty easy to deal with.  Most of all he loves to eat and to be outside!!

Happy Birthday!

Swimming Lessons

Our swimming lessons are not the normal swimming lessons.  We go to "Aunt Jody's" for some pretty special swimming lessons.

We get to see some pretty special friends that live there in Seymour, the Basshams and Cokers.  Here is Ranger man with Miss Ivy.

This year we had an extra special treat........Aunt Vick and Pappy and Missy and Taileigh.  Of course there was yummy food and crafts.  Jody and Vicky are probably the two craftiest and sewie-est ladies I know.  My kids loved it!

Scout and Jerrin practicing their hula-hooping while siblings are in lessons.

Ranger had a big time exploring Aunt Jody's porch.

Scout and Taileigh were instant friends,  Here they are with sweet, new cousin Maddie that we finally met!

Reno, Colt, Scout, Maddie, and Taileigh

I even took a dip with the kiddos!

Ranger visiting with Uncle Kevin and Maddie.

Each morning during lessons Ranger napped in the stroller.

Little Ranger is not one bit afraid of the water.  It's a wonder he didn't just jump in with the girls!

Our LIFE!

I'm going to pretend that I haven't been absent.  I'm going to tell myself that I will be back tomorrow.

The choices for documenting our lives are numerous.  It seems that this blog has taken the backseat.  Of course, my mom doesn't have scrapbooks.  Instead she has picture albums.  She didn't take pics every day, and possibly not even every month.  I have memories in my mind and in my heart.  I survived and I guess my children will too even if a few events slip through the cracks.  

Here's a little of what we've been up to this summer.  Kids growing like weeds.  Weeds growing like.......uh weeds.  The rain has actually not been that good to my garden.  We've swam quite a bit.  We've killed 20+ rattlesnakes on our new land.  It is now appropriately named Rattlesnake Ranch.  It isn't a ranch (ha ha).  The baby is a year old already.  Home school year #2 has begun.

If you are interested in ranch rodeos, swimming lessons, the first birthday bash, and most recently the broken arm........come back! 

Just Pics

So, in the past few months Preston has started buying a few cattle in Colorado and then bringing them to Sandhill.  What does that mean to us?  It means we get to have Mimi and Papa overnight sometimes.  Sometime not because they have stuff to tend to in New Mexico and are forced to turn right around and go back home.  Either way, we love having them here.

These pics are all from December 2014.  How can it already be 2015?

Ranger and Papa are pretty good friends!!

I love this of my big kids with Mimi and Papa!

Do you know how hard it is to get two crazies and a baby to look at the camera at once?

Sometime in there we had lunch with Cousin Summer in Amarillo.

This girl does love her baby brother and I'm pretty sure he thinks she is a sweetie too.  She just can't let him fuss for a second and Reno won't leave his side.  He is going to be super spoiled because of his siblings and well, maybe his Mom and Dad too!