The Ranch

When we were out at the ranch last week, I took some pictures of the kids. Someone asked me about the ranch and how it all started. So, here's the story of the Ranch:

For as long as I have known Jason, he has loved to ride motorcycles! I grew up out in the country and rode quads as a kid, but it had been a long time. While we were dating, we bought a quad for me and had so much fun riding together! We wanted the kids to be able to ride with us, so for our first Christmas together, Jason bought the kids little quads!

Jessica and Austin December 2005

We have a friend who owns a ranch just a few miles out of town. He had invited us to come out and ride as often as we wanted. I don't think he knew what he was getting himself into at the time! If Jason had it his way, we would have lived out there! Not wanted to crowd his space or overstay the invitation, Jason offered to lease an unused area of the property. Our friend generously agreed.

We spent almost every weekend out there for the first year or two! Saturday couldn't ever come soon enough and the sun always seemed to go down before we were ready to go leave.

Jason loved to get on the tractors and work on making a track for us to ride!

Jason and Austin

Jason

Last year, a group of our friends got together and decided that we were outgrowing our homegrown track. The kids were getting bigger, the bikes were getting bigger and everyone was getting better and wanted more of a challenge. They hired a guy to come out and put in a professional style motocross track!

The track has taken on a new life! When Jason's mind finally shifts from work, he's thinking about how to keep the track wet, so we can ride year round, without creating too much dust and upsetting the neighbors.

He bought a water truck (the group all went in together on it) a few months ago. We picked it up from the shop one day after Jason got home from work. It was so funny to see him in his shirt and tie driving this monster of a truck! I wish I had a picture! Here is Jason and the water truck out at the ranch.His toys seem to keep getting bigger... Jason recently hired a guy to take him up in a plane so he could take some areal pictures to help him design an irrigation system.

Jason

The Ranch

The track has become part of our life and has created memories that I am sure, the kids will never forget.

Last weekend, we put in a few much needed hours cleaning out our storage container, where we keep our quads and motorcycles. AustinGarrett and Wes came out to help tooLauren (always posing) Jessica and AustinAshlynAustin and his cousins, Wes and GarrettAshlyn and Lauren

Ashlyn and Lauren

It was hard work, but it was actually fun working together as a family. As Jason likes to say, "Someday, when we look back and remember, these will be the good ole days."