The Ranch - Day 7

This was our last day in Florida. But we still had a ton of stuff to do. Our day started early with the Summer Club the sister missionaries put on for the kids. We met at the church at 9:00 and tie-dyed shirts. Seriously. I'm pretty sure it doesn't take a rocket scientist to tie dye, but it would have helped. No offense mom, but I don't think the lady/ladies in charge of this one really knew what they were doing. And I've never done it before so...I don't know. Anyway, we tied off our shirts, and then started dying them. Some kids just started dying their shirts, the tables, the shirts they were wearing. It was quite commical. I just tried to mind my own business and do our shirts.

Noah & I are trying to figure out which pattern we want to try.

Noah helping me dye. What a mess!

While we were gone doing this Colby went with my dad to fix someone's a/c. One way to the ladies house was a 45 minute drive. That's how spread out the homes are on the ranch. Colby loved spending that time with my dad, seeing him work, and working with him. He loved hearing my dad talk about the work he's doing, and how much he likes it out there.

Once we got back to the house, Cutler wasted no time getting back to catching...things.

Some of the lizards were so small that Lexie would try to step on them because they were a 'bug'. I wasn't about to clean up smooshed lizard so I had to teach her not to step on them.

My mom and the kids walked from our trailer back to the house so that Colby & I could pack all our stuff up and get it into the car. On the way they stopped to find shells in the dirt. They don't have rocks out there. When you dig in the dirt all you find are seashells. Then they made little creatures out of them. I'll have to take a picture of one and post it. They're cute. And the boys love them.

The Whip. There's this 10 year old boy on the ranch that makes these whips by hand, out of parachute chord. They're amazing. He sells them to save money for his mission. So my mom got this one for my dad for his birthday/father's day present. We all had to try and crack the whip, and it's not easy.

**the trailer in the background is not the one we stayed in. They're trying to get that one hauled off the ranch because it's just junk.**

I was able to crack it, but not without a price. I was doing a little wrist jerk practicing, and didn't think I really jerked very hard, but the whip came up and hit my face and neck. Right under my bottom lip, and then down my neck. It burned so bad I thought it was going to bleed. I just stood there for a minute holding my neck waiting for the blood. No blood. Just a lot of pain. The very bottom of the welt on my neck stayed for a few days. After that, I didn't really dare to do it anymore.

After a bit, my dad had to go back to work. He left, and my mom put us to work. No, not really. Lexie was having a nap so we tried to do things outside. Colby & Noah washed my mom's car

and I swept the back of the porch and down the stairs.

Cutler took a break from catching bugs and found a friend to entertain him

My dad came back for a little bit. Just long enough to get a haircut from me, then he had to go back to work. While he was working my mom took me and the boys to see the rodeo grounds. Colby stayed at the house with Lexie and tried to take a nap.

Now, the rodeo grounds are old. And they're trying to re-build some parts of it. But they can only do a little bit at a time. They hold all kinds of events here, but especially rodeo's. Duh.

This is the concession stand. The far left is where the freezers are kept. The tiny little building on the far right behind the tree is where the sister missionaries sold snow cones at the 4th of July celebration. (you needed to know that.) And on the far left, where you can't see is where all the tables are. Then on the even farther right, and sort of behind is the actual arena.

So, I'm not so sure I would sit on these bleachers. They're just a board resting on a cynderblock wall. With nothing underneath, or between the walls. I don't know if that makes sense, but they were pretty scary.

I just have to throw in a picture of some of the humanitarian projects my mom has done out there. Blankets, dolls, hot pads, burp cloths, beanies & booties, books, headbands, and toys. The mother goose book is actually a material pattern that they've just cut out and sewn. And the binder book is full of the ABC's, numbers and colors, to teach children. They take all of these things to a main building that deals with all the different shelters around. Then they distribute the stuff to the different shelters that need those certain things.  

We had the most amazing time on this vacation! I was worried mostly about losing a child, but thankfully that never happened. I think most of the things we had to deal with was because of the lack of sleep we all got.

We loved seeing my parents. Spending a whole week with them was so much fun! I loved seeing where they live, and how they live. Seeing the things they do every day, and the people they work with. I'm so thankful my parents are in a position to do this right now.

My dad has always wanted to serve a mission, a service mission. And right now, since there's not much work here, and not much to occupy his time at home, I'm thankful they are there. Serving the Lord. In my opinion it helps my dad and makes him feel good knowing he's a) working; b) helping others; c) serving the Lord; and d) needed. He's the type of person who needs to be doing something all the time. Doesn't do so well when there's nothing to do. And that's definitely not the case out there. There's plenty to do, and plenty to keep him busy.

My mom likes it there too. She's not as busy as my dad, but they're the lead couple so anything that any of the missionaries have to deal with has to go through her. She keeps herself busy with all the humanitarian stuff. And she's re-teaching herself how to play the piano.

I already miss both of them so much, and can't wait to see them in just a couple of moths when they come home for my brother's wedding.