E is for Elevation

We live at a very high elevation. 

We are the only year round residence who live this far up.

Well, not this far up. To get here you have to hike. 

It took Adventure Man all day to do this one. I have yet to do it.

This is more the view I see. Not so high up, but still higher than I'm used to.

my friend Crush in Maui 

My heart tends to drift somewhere else...

I got this quote from Classically Amber. I follow her on Instagram and she posted it there. 

I used my own picture to share it. Yes, that's me in the picture. 

There really is nothing I'd rather be doing than diving. 

I guess you could say I'm a regular fish out of water!

All Photos by Adventure Man

Instagram Love ~ 1000 photos

Today I took my 1000th photo on Instagram!
Yeah, I'm obsessed!

But not only that, I'm only 4 weeks away from being on Instagram for a year. So in less than a year, I have taken, no, shared 1000 pictures with anyone who is on Instagram. I've taken many more pictures then 1000.

So, in honor of this special event...

{Ha!}

I'm sharing some of my favorite shots.

Just a few. A lot less than 1000 anyway.

 You know how I like to do flashbacks. Like, "a year ago today" kinds of things.

So enjoy. And if you want to follow my snap happy madness, just click on the gray camera up at the right hand top of my page. It's a crazy life I lead, but someones gotta see it!

And have a wonderful weekend, Y'all!

Wait, Where Did August Go?

If you've been here a while, you know I am way into fat mum slim's Photo A Day Challenge. Really, it's instagram… well maybe it just gives me something to think about when I'm folding the laundry. At any rate, here is my August shots, which I did all on instagram this month, because I love instagram…. but I already said that. Actually, I lost my camera, as you know, so I used the iPad a lot. Anyway... 

1. outside ~ in the sandbox! 2. one ~ One of many of my husbands Japanese books. 3. coin ~ the Indian Head $2.50 my MIL gave me. It was a pair of cuff links that belonged to a relative who past. Aunt Leila… I think…. My MIL had them made into these necklaces for her and I. I LOVE it! 

4. Where I sat ~ All Day! 5. Logo ~ The old Ford Dump truck we use here on the ranch. 6. Yep, I had lost it. What a shame… that I couldn't find it for almost the whole month… Because it was hiding in my pool bag!!!! 

7. 8 o'clock ~ the microwave. 8. glasses ~ my readers… that I never wear! 9. messy ~ my top shelf where I tuck all the craft stuff I don't want kids to get into.

10. ring ~ as in The Lord of The Rings. We are sharing the trilogy with our oldest daughter who is enjoying them for the first time! 11. Purple. 12. spoon ~ I love how that one turned out. 

13. Simple ~ Black Eyed Susan's on the side of the road at sunset… my kids hate that I am always pulling over to take pictures of stuff! 

14. Arrow ~ my Bean wanted to share her favorite necklace and I wanted to share my favorite sign.

15. Ready ~ for some luck!


16. Food ~ artichoke hearts! Yum!


17. Faces of the American Girl dolls in our household…. this picture totally creeps me out. But when I was a kid I always put my dolls in the closet when I slept. Dolls are just creepy to me.

The other face my 4 year old made with three shells and the arm of a rundown camp chair that forever lives in my yard.






18. inside ~ a bowl of blueberries! yum!





19. hole ~ in my son's toy wood…





20. Today, August 20th.





21. cool ~ our old ice cream parlor. (No Scream for Ice Cream!)




22. home ~ Yes, it's mine.


23. pair ~ of feet at the water park!

24. path     25. Fresh ~ baked     26. Dream ~ my dream come true (Adventure Man that is, but the trip we were on in this shot was a dream too), and the 26th was our anniversary!

27. Tap     28. Clock ~ Alarm ON! for school starts tomorrow!   29. Down ~ the road on my morning jog… with bear spray of course

30. Card ~ now in the mail for someone special!    31. Hidden ~ the toothbrush was hidden in the closet for some reason… 

Well, that's it. Thanks for letting me share! Now go take some pictures! 

A Celebration of Each Other!

They did it! They filled the warm fuzzy jar! 

It helped that I started using it as an incentive to get chores done. 

That helped a lot! Helped ME! 

And the reward was a trip to Big Town to the water park! Woo Hoo!

It also happens to be Adventure Man's Birthday this month and our Anniversary! So we were out celebrating it all! (Might as well get it all done at once, right!)

 It was such a fun day! 

I got to go on the slides with the kiddo's 

due to Adventure Man's spill earlier this month. 

That was hard for him. He likes to play with the kids.

He still got to have some fun. And he was good at sitting with Bunny. 

Until Bunny wanted to take a nap. Which she did… in the pool! 

We had a lot of fun!

And had a lot of snuggles. 

(She loved it, but wouldn't let go of the death hold on my neck!)

So, way to go kids! 

Happy birthday, AM! 

And here's to 17 years of adventures! 

Lost and Found

I found it!
Orangie, My camera!

I mentioned before that I had lost it and now it's found. I'm so happy. Not being able to take pictures on a regular basis was killing me! It was actually Lulu who found it. It was in the side pocket of my swim bag. The bag I carry around to the pool, with spare diapers, crackers, fruit snakes, goggles and things. Do I feel dumb or what!?

I remember going out to the car, the day after we had taken it to Big Town. I remember it was in my hand while I walked into the house because I remember thinking how hot the camera felt and I had the thought that I hoped it didn't hurt it. That was the last thing I remember. But now that we have found it, I think I know what I did. The next day we were having a pool party for my daughter's birthday. I put it in the bag, so I would have it for the party.

It's a waterproof camera and we love getting great underwater shots of the kids as well as awesome dive board shots.

Adventure Man

It also takes really good close-ups and landscape pictures. I've used it with all my wildflower captures.

wild rose hips 

And sunsets. It seems to like orange, just like me. Plus, having an orange camera helps if you loose things often. It's a good bright color that stands out on a cluttered counter top of a dark bag… well, usually!

SO I had it with me ALL THE TIME! Ugh!
Hahahaha!

Digg'n Some Photo Challenge

Here is my last half of July! Can you believe it? If you missed my first half you can check it here. Or better yet, follow me on Instagram, like my Facebook page, and don't forget about Twitter! And to do it yourself, I mean, to play the game, go to fat mum slim to get the August list! You'll be glad you did!

Starting from the top left and heading over:

Sign
Your addiction
Animal
Plate
Eyes
9 o'clock
Upside down
Mirror
A stranger
Heart
Sunshine
On the road
Cup
Last thing you bought
Calm
Toothbrush

In the past I haven't been posting these to Ranch Mama's Facebook page. But I am thinking I will start. I always try to remember to tweet them and I use Instagram to edit them. I don't always take the picture with my iPad. I don't have an iPhone, it wouldn't work here so what's the point? But the iPad is old and the camera sucks. I use my point and shoot Panasonic or my husband's nice, but old, Nikon. Then I load them to the iPad and use Instagram. It's more work than it should be, but it's still fun.

Have a great day!

Fabulously Fabulous

It was Mod Mom Beyond IndieDom who graciously bestowed the Fab Blog Ribbon to me. I am so flattered. I never in a million years thought that I would be honored for blogging. It's not like I spent my childhood dreaming of a blog. Seeing as I was graduated from high school by the time the internet made it's way into the world. No, I'm the kind who woke one morning and said, I live in the middle of nowhere, I have very few adult conversations and my life is kind of crazy and unique. I should write this stuff down. Yeah, that's about how it happened. At first I was thinking I would call my blog "The Sunday Nap" because I figured that was the only time I would ever get to write anything. When certain people in the family were napping on Sunday. But then inspiration took hold and I became Ranch Mama. The City Girl who somehow wound up on a ranch. And for some amazing reason, I have found that what I'm writing about is enjoyable to people other than my folks! So Thank You for reading! 

Back to the Ribbon! 

Here's the rules:

1.  Post the rules on your blog

2.  Name 5 of your most fabulous moments either in real life or in the blogosphere.

3.  Name 5 things you love

4.  Name 5 things you hate

5.  Pass the ribbon on to 5 other bloggers

1. I think starting this blog. It's become a fun outlet for me and I hope it continues to be interesting to the world, and not in a creepy, stocker kind of way. You know what I mean.

2. My four amazing children. I could list them individually but that might be seen as getting out of this part, so I won't. But the fact that they are turning into their own people is an amazing thing to be a part of and I am grateful.

3. I make a fabulous chocolate chip cookie. I'll share the recipe with you. Look for it, Coming Soon!

4. My husband. Not just our wedding or our ever meeting, but him. He's the best thing in my life, and really without him, this blog wouldn't have catch phrase!

5. Ok, now I'm thinking I should have listed the kids sepretly...

Moving on,
Five Things I Love:
1. Dark chocolate
2. Hand bags
3. Shoes (hmm maybe I should just say accessories...)
4. ( ), ...'s and this little thing: ~ I use them a lot.
5. Spell check. Oh my gosh did the spell check ever change my life!

Five Things I Hate.
1. Brussels sprouts
2. Spelling
3. Homework. (When they get home from school, they should be mine! They are on that bus for a whole hour! They don't have time for homework!)
4. ants
5. really slow internet… but beggars, who live in the middle of nowhere, can't be choosers!

And the Fabulous Five winners of the Fabulous Blog Ribbon are:
1. Creatively Blooming
2. Southern Belle Mama
3. Life, Experience Needed
4. Crazy Baby Talk
5. Crazy Mama Drama 

So please go check out these great blogs. And to the Fabulous Five, Feel free to come by and pick up your awards anytime, we're always here! Please pick up any trash you may have dropped and stack your folding chairs in the corner. Thank you, thank you. And drive safe.

Being Kreativ

As I mentioned before, I have been graced with the Kreativ Blogger Award from Bev at Black Ink Paperie. I'm sure this is because of my own creative spelling errors that I showcase on my blog. Here is how it all works. 

The requirements:

1. Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to their blog.

2. Answer 7 questions about yourself.

3. Provide 10 random factoids about yourself.

4. Hand the award to 7 deserving others

Bev, here is a Haiku just for you. Enjoy.

Black Ink Paperie

Thank you for the complement 

It is an honor.

Now, the Q&A. The questions were provided by Robin From Thoughts and Reflections. Robin tagged me in 11 Questions and I haven't had time to participate, so I'm adding her to the fun! Thanks Robin! 

1. If you could go back to any year of your life, what would it be and why?

I guess I would say, at this point in my life, the year my husband and I taught English in Japan. That was a nice year because it was just us back then. We were young and I haven't gotten to go back to Japan since.

2. Are you still friends with your best friend from High School?

Yes, it's the beauty of the Internet hard at work. I am very lucky to have fiends who, after not seeing each other for ages, can feel as if no time has past when together. That being said, these people are saints to put up with someone like me!

3. Is your spouse or significant other good at buying you gifts?

Yes, he has very good taste! But he works so much that he doesn't have time to shop, so mostly I get stuff from the resort's gift shop. It's really a win/win. I get a new sweatshirt and he gets a walking advertisement! Of course I could bring up the thermos I got as an anniversary gift... It was the "keep liquid hot" year... Which ever that is! Luckily for him, I make up for his lack, in my ability to shop.

4. If you could only take ONE thing (other than your children) from your home during some horrific, catastrophic disaster, what would it be?

Emergency preparedness is very important to us. We have 72 hour kits, large amounts of food storage and extensive first aid kits. But I've heard once, by someone who has had to evacuate a home in the night, that what they needed was their shoes. They recommended keeping a set of shoes in a bag on the doorknob of each bedroom. We can never find matching sets of shoes in this house. This is actually something I have lead awake at night and worried about, "where are the shoes? And would we be able to find them in time?"

5. When you retire, what is your ideal plan for the rest of your life? or will you ever retire?

"some beach, somewhere..."

6. If you could have any vehicle, regardless of price, what would it be?

Such a car does not exist. It seats at least seven, has loads of cargo room, is all wheel drive, runs on trash... Oh, I know! The time machine from Back To The Future! Not the first one, the one that runs on trash! That's it! But with all the above things...

7. Do you prefer the beach and sunshine or Mountains and snow?

The beach and sunshine. And yet I live here in the mountains where the winter is by far the longer season. But I learned to SCUBA dive while living in the Rockies and I've always loved the ocean. Don't get me wrong! I love it here, but if here was also a deserted island… you get the idea. 

10 Random Factoids +1

1. I live on a guest ranch. 

2. In the mountains.

3. Very far away from anywhere.

4. The guest ranch was started in the summer of 1930, they had one guest from NY that summer.

5. People come to ride horses, hike, fish and swim in our 80 year old pool. And hey, just because it's old and was probably dug by a shovel, doesn't mean squat! It's awesome!

6. We have 31 horses.

7. That's the only kind of animals we have...

8. Other than a really old dog who can't hear a darn thing and uses it to his advantage to not do what we want him to do and a really old cat who spends his time sleeping, meowing so loudly that it will wake the dead in the Indian grave yard across the field and puking.

9. But we do have an employee who has a dog and a horse, and another who has 2 horses and two dogs, and another who has 2 dogs and 4 horses and a pet magpie.

10. All but 3 of our employees live here on property with us but all six of the said horses we keep here, and 2 of the 5 dogs, and the magpie.

11. Wait, the employees don't live WITH us, but in the employee cabins here on property.…

And now that you have endured all this… 

On to the winners! 

In no particular order:

Wonky Wonderful

Emily's Thought Blog

Thoughts and Reflection

Everything Your Mama made & More

Frugalistablogdotcom

You Know It Happens At your House Too

Off Wellman Way

Now please go visit these dear bloggers, they are lovely. 

June in a Nutshell

I actually got all my Photo a Day pictures taken! What an addiction! I will not bore you with the details only to tell you that the July list is ready for you at Chantelle's Blog, Fat Mum Slim. 

Please come and play with me! It's so much fun! 

These are my shots, plus a few more I really liked, as I really can't get enough of Instagram. 

Find me on Instagram @ranchmama. 

This month we did lots of fun stuff. These are the highlights:

• Last day of School! 

• Cleaned house to host a lunch 

• Had the church over for a wood cutting project & lunch

• Went to the orthodontist, again. 

• Had allergy shots. She's only getting them every 3 weeks now! Yay! 

• Had "No Scream For Ice Cream!" 

(This is to keep the poor kid from screaming when she get's her allergy shots.)

• Had vaccinations for a 4 year old and a 15 month old

(Don't do that at the same time! It will kill Mama!)

• Got bad colds 

• Had teething pain

• Did more laundry than I've ever done in one day in my life

• Cleaned house for company

• Welcomed the in-laws! 

• Went on a hike through the Aspen Grove to the Indian Grave Yard

• Flew kites with Grandma

• Went on a horseback ride in a rain storm

• Got to have an amazing view of the valley

• Some kids got to ride horses for the first time

• Hiked to the ridge in a wind storm

• Went to the museum in Little Town and the Made in Montana Store

These two were made in Montana too!

• had a kid get carsick

• Went on an overnight trip to Idaho's Yellowstone Bear World

• Kids fed bear cubs

• got home before dark

Don't worry, I'll go into more details in the future. 

Have a wonderful rest of your weekend!