a week at the ranch

We arrived in Hutchinson at about 11:00 p.m. on Monday night. Colton was fast asleep and ready to get into his bed. Monday was the windiest day in the midwest! It was gale force winds out there! The drive up was super windy, so it was nice to finally be out of the car and into our beds.

On the ride up to Hutch, we were telling Cole that we were going to see Great-Grandma. He kept calling her, "Big Mama!" I thought that was SO funny, because she is so tiny! By mid-week, he was saying, "Great-Grandma!" He loved to be around her. It's funny that when he says, "Great-Grandma", he actually says Grandma, but when he says, "Grandma", he really says Mama. What a funny guy!

Billy spent nearly every day of this past week at the ranch helping his Dad get things cleared, burned, and mowed.
The old red barn and silo.Colton even got to have his first ride in a tractor! He loved it. All he could talk about for the next week was "BIG TRACTORS!"
Colton with Grandpa H in the big tractor.Watching with Daddy as Grandpa H puts rocks into a deep mud hole.Even Billy got on the tractors to work.Billy mowed much of the yard on this tractor. I drove it ... keeping the wheel straight is actually a pretty complicated task!Here are some pictures of the ranch and of Colton hanging out there in the beautiful weather we had ... and the wind!Colton and Grandma H.Driving the tractor ... just hanging out for a while.In the grass. He actually hated sitting in it, but he disliked the thought of putting his hands down on it to get up more ... so he just sat there and picked blades.Colton with his "big Daddy stick", as he called it.Colton with an apple tree that Grandma and Grandpa H. planted on the ranch. They will grow together.
The winds blowing us away!

Billy and Grandpa H. were burning some trees and old wood from some buildings that they tore down, so we decided it would be a great time to roast some hot dogs and marshmallows. It was a delicious meal! Colton must have had seven or eight marshmallows! He loves them! Look at how big the fire was!It's huge!Roasting our hot dogs over the fire! Mmmm .... mmmm ....Grandpa H. enjoying his roasted hot dogs for dinner.

Every day we were at Great-Grandma Ellstrom's house, Colton enjoyed playing outside in her yard. She has a huge yard, so he was really having fun exploring. He found rocks, sticks, leaves, weeds, seeds, and more ants than he knew what to do with! He even helped Grandma H. in the garden a few times. He learned how to pick out weeds. Cole finds some weeds and seeds to occupy his time.Taking a walk with Grandma H.Playing in the yard by the garage.He found some "BIG STICKS!"By the tulips that blew away by the next day. They were beautiful, though.Running around the back yard. His favorite place at any house!Finding his favorite toys--rocks!Throwing rocks!

Here are some more pictures of the Ellstrom house and property. It's just so pretty there!



On Thursday afternoon, we went to visit Billy's cousin, Taya. She had a baby girl, Aliyana, about 5 months after Colton was born. We had never met her before, so we wanted to stop in and say 'hello'.Colton (18 months) and Aliyana (13 months).Aly with me! Isn't she cute? Poor baby fell down some stairs just before we got there, but she couldn't have cared less ... she's such a brave girl!Billy and Aly playing.Aly tackles Colton with a hug.Colton found some bunny ears in Aly's toys. Isn't he cute?

Of course, we couldn't go to Hutch and not see Steph and Andy! I found out while visiting with them that Lindy moved there, too! We were so excited to visit with them. Steph is due in the next week. I can't believe it! She's having a baby boy. I'm so excited to meet him. If I'm lucky, she'll have him while I'm still in MN.Steph and me ... both pregnant! She's 38 weeks, and I'm 25 weeks. Is it sad that we look the same size? It's my second, people! You get bigger faster with #2. I tell myself that.Lindy, Steph and me. I miss these girls!The Heinrichs and the Larsons.Steph and Andy with Cole.Lindy and Cole.

On Sabbath, we went to church, and I found Steph ... we were wearing the SAME dress! Not the same color. Not a similar dress. The exact same dress from the exact same store. There are a limited number of cute outfits for pregnant women. I guess great minds think alike! We sat outside on Sabbath afternoon, because the weather was so beautiful! Colton and I played a peek-a-boo game. Isn't he so cute!

That night, we went to feed the geese and saw some deer at a conservation area in Hutch. Colton had so much fun chasing the geese!




The last day we were there, Colton and I made sure we hung out in the back yard one more time. He found some dandelions, and we blew the seeds everywhere. It was so much fun! I'm glad that we got the chance to visit with Great-Grandma Ellstrom and Grandma and Grandpa H.




We had a fun time in MN with the family, and we look forward to our next visit. I won't be there ... since it'll be Dad H's 60th birthday at my 38 week mark, but Billy will take Cole up there ... and hopefully, Sissy Wally will stay inside until they get back!

From here ... we headed out to Chicago to see our great friends Mark, Steph, and Monroe Murrill. The next blog will tell all about our Chicago trip.