Random Photos

Daddy's hands with baby Daraby's hands


Enjoying time with Dad!


Jackson was laying outside on the blanket with Dara and I.


Harley was laying on the other side of us.


This picture was taken by Daron when he was here- I love Abby's expressions.

In the afternoons Daraby and I have been known to lay out on the lawn in the great weather or take a walk. For some reason she loves being outside and will coo in the front carrier as we walk about. Every night weather permitting we take a walk over the sandhills. The last couple days/nights she has been inhaling her milk as fast as it comes out the bottle. It seems she is going through a growth spurt.

Our new cat is adjusting well and he finally decided to be buddies with Jackson. At first Harley cried and meowed incessantly. It drove us crazy. He was so loud at night outside our window. It's bad enough to have a screaming child in the night and then we had a yeowly cat. Eventually he started to like Jackson. They curl up in the camping chair on the patio. In fact Jackson taught Harley how to nurse Abby. These two half grown cats nurse our dog. Abby will even lay on her back with all four feet dangling in the air with two cats laying over her. They are quite a sight. At night the dog and both cats walk with us down the road. Our neighbors think we have deranged pets. Very few people walk their cats- let alone a yeowly one. For a while there when Andrew's allergies were so bad I had to take the entourage for a walk without him. I thought I was really losing it as the babe screamed, Harley yeowled and I tried to soothe them by talking. We are one strange bunch.

South Dakota Visit

She is so alert and awake now! We love laying on the floor and chatting!


Dani my niece is shooting the gun. She is adorable.


My Mom and niece Brittany.


My niece Dacey holding Daraby.


My nephew Denton.

Last Tuesday Daraby and I traveled back to SD to visit my family. While we were home I was able to hang out with my mom and catch up with many of my nieces and nephews. It was fun to attend a couple volleyball games and a football game. The girls are so busy. Dawn, Deryn and Brittany play volleyball, Dacey runs cross country and Daly is starting to play football. The two little tykes Denton and Dani just have fun being little. It was great to talk to Denton about Kindergarten. He loves going to school. I can't believe how much he has grown. He looks so much like my brother Darrell. Dani is just a hoot. She is so fascinated by Daraby.
The older nieces aren't kids anymore and are talking about college and hard HS classes that I never took. It is wonderful to go home and talk to the girls about life. I used to babysit them and now they are driving their own cars and taking care of themselves. I think I feel like a parent when they see their children become who they are created to be. It is fun to see their personalities and their different goals in life. What is hilarious is when I say, "I remember when you were this big." I hated when people did that when I was little and now I say it to them. I especially like it when I tell them, "I used to change your poopies." I still hate to change poopies. Thank goodness I'm married to Andrew- it doesn't phase him a bit.
While in Pierre I took walks with mom/Daraby and caught up on some delayed shopping. It is always good to stock the fridge again. Andrew loves a full fridge! Andrew drove up to Pierre on Friday night and then we traveled back home on Sunday. Today was a day of catch up at home. The laundry and dishes always multiple while we are away. I think they throw parties. Daraby and I also went out with Andrew in the pickup as he had some pasture work to do. Daraby loves the bouncy truck and falls right to sleep. The suburban must be to smooth because she screams when riding in it. Haha!
Daraby is getting so big and can hold her head up and look around. She loves being awake and often coos and even laughs. We melt when she smiles at us. During the day she likes to sprawl out on the blanket- kick her legs and wiggle her arms. She stares at the craziest things. The leg of the chair and the arm of the swing are currently her favs. At the end of the day I always ask myself what I did with all my time and I realize I don't do a whole lot but sit and talk to Dara. :)

Andrew's family visits

Andrew and Joel


Uncle Daron and Aunt Rachael


We walk every night to calm Dara.


Grandma Brenda with baby Daraby


Newest Family Photo


Everyone minus Daron-he took the photo


New Aunts and Uncles


New Grandparents with Sugar and Dually


Susan- her first time on a quad



Last Thursday through Sunday we had members of Andrew's family here to visit. From Thursday through Saturday his parents, brother-Joel and sister- Susan came to visit on their way home to MI. They had spent time in CO with Daron and Rachael and had went camping/hiking in Estes Park. It was Susan's first time out here! On Friday night Rachael and Daron drove up from CO- so the whole family could hang out. It is a rare occasion that all of us together. We were able to take family photos and just catch up on life.
During their stay we went down the creek in the canoes. I promised Susan we wouldn't tip and then I panicked when we were going to run into the fence that I thought was HOT and over we went. :) Oh and the dogs swam beside the canoes all the way. We had an obstacle course not running them over or hitting them with the paddles.
In the mornings, Andrew got the horses out so people could take a few turns around the arena. Andrew and his dad were able to get out and ride the hills. The horses are always a big hit but it always makes me nervous when we put people on them. I would feel horrible if anyone got hurt here.
At night we would take walks over the hills. We found that Daraby calms right down when we put her in the front pack and walk. It is a good thing that she is fussy until we go for our walk because it gets me exercising and out of the house. Sometimes when she gets really cranky during the day I load her in the front carrier and walk around the house or go outside. It usually does the trick.
While they were here we did have some excitement. Our hot water heater broke and poured water on our basement floor which made us turn off part of our electricity. Andrew's mom made pancakes and sausage on a skillet that morning because the stove wouldn't work. Then Alice's goats ran away- no kidding 57 goats ran away and vanished for 2 days. She even had a plane looking for them and he didn't see them. Her and I went looking for them on Sat. morning and never saw hide nor hair of one. We did, however, get to see an old abandoned homestead. It was a beautiful home in its' day. It is amazing the history that is here. Alice remembers the place when people did live there. She said it had beautiful windows that were transferred to another home after the people left in 1956. The place no kidding is very hard to get to- I mean really out in the middle of somewhere. Our boss owns the land now but I know why no one moved there after those people left- even if it was a gorgeous home. Anyway Alice did find her goats that night a long way from her home in the opposite direction that they left. Those silly goats.
All in all we had a great time with Andrew's family. They were able to help us out with several chores that we haven't been able to get to so that was really nice of them. Of course, they loved on Daraby and Abby. I think both of them are going through withdrawals- Daraby would like me to hold her all day and Abby has to sleep in our room now- all her sleeping buddies left. HaHa!
Well I better jet and get some stuff done before pip squeak awakes.

Weekend News!

Daraby and Me!


My good friend Lisa and Daraby.

We had a great weekend. My brother, my niece Dawn, and nephew Daly were able to meet us in a nearby town. Although it was just a few minutes of hanging out it was good to see him and catch up. Then on Sunday night our good friends Lisa and Cecil came to stay with us from MI. They were taking Lisa's daughter to Wyoming and were able to stop in for a couple days. It was wonderful for us to see them and shoot the breeze. Of course, I took them on the ranch tour and we fed them buffalo. Lisa loves babies- so Daraby was cuddled and loved. It was a relaxing time for us to talk about life. We miss seeing them and hanging out. Thanks Lisa and Cecil for stopping in and making the extra effort to come.

Kyle and Taya's Wedding

Andrew with our friends- Kyle and Taya who just got married on Saturday night-Aug 16th.


The 1st Father and Daughter Dance at Kyle and Taya's Wedding.


Andrew cuddling with crabby Daraby- It is his birthday today!

Last night we attended Kyle and Taya's wedding. It was beautiful! We are very excited for them but will miss them after they move. Many people at the wedding wanted to hold Daraby so Andrew and I got to dance a little bit and catch up with several people. It has been a blessing for us to have so many people to love on Daraby. We are really starting to enjoy Daraby. She has started to sleep in 2, 3, or 4 hour increments. It makes us a lot happier and more awake. I've finally got her on a schedule and now and I am starting to get some stuff done. It really helps that she is sleeping in her crib at night so we don't hear every sniff, grunt or soft cry. She is having great awake times where she looks right at you. We can't believe she is almost a month old. At night we have been taking long walks over the hills and Andrew puts her in the carrier that he attaches to the front of him. I think the fresh air is great and then we come home to scrub her in the tub.

My Mom's Birthday was Saturday, Andrew's Birthday is Today and my brother Dan's Birthday is tomorrow! Have Happy Ones! Much love!