Thanksgiving 2013

Welcome to the Bar 10!  This is where I grew up... every summer my entire life.  Well, until I got married, I guess.  Living in NYC and having a husband allergic to horses doesn't bode well for me getting out there much anymore.  BUT -- we love it whenever we can go. 

 Below is the view from the front lawn of the lodge.  You can see the Grand Canyon just 6 miles to the south.  It's such a barren and beautiful place where our ranch is.  In the middle of NO WHERE.  I love it that way.

 And... here is that cute husband that lets me go to the ranch as much as I want, even though it's pretty miserable for him sometimes with his allergies, etc. :)

 Thanksgiving with ALLL the Heatons.  We are all here in this shot.  I have such an amazing family.  I love them all!!

 Making dinner was quite the feast... glad we had an industrial sized kitchen to work in!  Here is all the ladies in the Heaton Family.  Each of these ladies are fabulous cooks and so fun to hang out with. L2R: Heather, Andrea, Annalee, Heidi, Tara, Me, Mom

 Here the boys are getting the meat ready.  I need a picture of Kelly here -- because he is the meat chef.  We had 3 turkeys a ham and smoked ribs that were AMAZING.  All thanks to Kelly.

A view of the feast before devourement!

 And a few photos of all the happy eaters around.......

 Laura and Hannah

and the not so fun part of Thanksgiving..... DISHES.  I can't believe how many there were!!

 And after we eat we just hang around and relax... perfect Thanksgiving and perfect weather.

And here are a few pictures of the fun we had..  First pictures are of my nephew Gavin.  He wanted to grow a rats tell.  It got pretty long and all the uncles and cousins bribed him to cut it off.  He made quite a load of cash from the ordeal. :)

 And we did all sorts of fun ranch things that we LOVE while we are there...

Riding Horses...

 Gavin helping the kids with horse rides.

 Cute Gavin and Luke

Four wheeler rides and ranger rides

We rode the horses and four wheeler a few miles to find a good place to repel.  

I love this look, the horses and the rangers... it looks so cowboyish (plus my cute nephew Kade is such a stylin' cowboy to add to the picture).

My brother Kelly watching the repelling. 

 above -- picture of them waiting for turns at the top of the mountain ... 

below --  picture from the top!

 My turn... Thanks Taylor for belaying me so I didn't die. :)

 Lonny on the left is showing his style and safety with the helmet. Kelly is on the right and I just think he looks like a rocker with his beanie and glasses. :) That's what I love about my brothers.  They are all cowboys to the core... but are so good looking and normal at the same time.

 All the boys were helping the kids repel as much as they wanted.  It was a long time!!  Thanks to uncle kirk and uncle lonny for bringing all the gear.  My brother Kirk -- (below helping Jake)-- is basically a professional outdoorsman by hobby.  I love to have him around because he knows everything. Really,  he does.

 Jake on the left and Cam, Ty, and Kade on the right... Lukie below.

 Aunt Heather and Aunt Annie took the brunt of the heat and belayed most the time!

 Grandma doesn't just sit around, she loves to do what everyone else does, and won't let the grandkids show her up. 

 Jake patiently waiting for his turn.. again, and again.

 I love these 2 pictures up above.  My mom enjoying all the family around and also the ones of everyone helping each other.  The older cousins are so great to help and I really notice it because my kids are some of the youngest and need all the help they can get.  I love that the cousins do it willingly all time.

Spending time

 around the fire and just hanging out with family is the best thing about having large families.

all the kids love grandma.  My mom is so sweet with all of them and loves to do things.  She takes them hiking, paints with them... teaches them sewing.  Below is a picture of her singing songs with them... itsy bisty spider and going on a bear hunt.  WE LOVE GRANDMA!

We had a great thanksgiving.  So glad my mom and brothers put up with all of us at their business and make us feel welcome!

First Snow 2012

 YAY... it dumped on us and we were so excited.  Jake and Ryan went straight out to build a snowman.  We love the first snow of the year... Talk to me in March and I'll be SOOO sick of it.  November and December however, I say "Bring it On."

 As I always say.. Taylor is just a big kid.. He loves to plow with his 4-wheeler and drag the kids behind it.  He really never says no when they ask to play, and even wakes them up to come help plow in the mornings - because he thinks it's so fun..

 Nate doesn't like the sleds so much, but LOVES riding shot gun with dad while he pulls the other boys around the neighborhood.  This is also Nate's official spot for plowing.

Just some fun shots of the cute boys I have this winter... we are getting all cooped up and have to take some silly camera shots to pass the time.

 Jake made the 4th grade basketball team... he's only a 3rd grader, so he was THRILLED to be on a team at all..  He has slept in his uniform for 3 days now.. Just a little excited about it, I'd say.

 Luke is LOVING school... well, that might be an over statement.  But he for sure doesn't hate it and has yet to cry about going.  His new school is so fun. They have a school theme song and they do a little dance to it at every assembly.  Luke is 2nd in from the left doing the little jig.  It really is pretty catchy and I love the music.

 Nate never has cloths on and the boys are always wrestling!  Weird combination, but it's funny to watch.  They do pretty good together Sam and Nate..  I hope all my boys can stay buddies for life.  I wanted them close in age so they could be close in heart.  So far so good -- as you can tell from the pictures. :)