Buffalo Ranch

A group of us went to the Buffalo Ranch Sunday. It was great fun! We took a wagon ride back in the field to meet and greet the Buffalo up close and personal!
They are huge!!! The kids were a little intimidated, but when they learned they had to stay in the wagon to feed them, they felt a little better. We fed them 4 large buckets of corn cobs. There was a new baby buffalo just born a few days ago. That was cool to see. Big Max weighs 3000 pounds. Wow! During our ride we had a corn kernel competition to see who could get a corn kernel to land on the brim of our driver's cowboy hat. Megal did it! Dave, our wagon driver, took it all in stride and had fun with us. We all came home with a few corn kernels in our clothes! Of course, we didn't limit our target skills with just the driver's hat brim!
Take a look at some pics by clicking the link to the right called Buffalo Ranch.
We hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving. We have much to be thankful for.
God Bless!

Friday Dinner

Well this past Friday, Chris actually was gone. She went to Howell to babysit her grand kids. She had a great time and I was really glad she got to do it. However,
I am next in line to do the kitchen stuff. The kids knew last week that I was going to be in the kitchen, so two of the kids volunteered to help me. I made the spaghetti sauce and cake in the morning, and then all the kids had to do was to make noodles, garlic bread, and ice the cake before dinner. Matt made the noodles, Jalen made garlic bread, and Gilbert iced the cake. Between the three of them and myself supervising, we pulled dinner off without Chris! Amazing!! I told Chris she can't do that too many times, though!
We had nine youth here Friday, Donna came and helped with horses, and then Bill and I had dinner with the kids. Because we have grown into a big "ranch family" this is all possible. Matt asked to say grace before dinner, and I know giving honor to God for our blessings is why things go so well on Fridays.

Berkley Benefit

This year's Berkley Benefit was another success. Chip pulled together a great night of fun, food, and music. We saw some friends we hadn't seen in a while and that was awesome. Bill and I appreciate our old friends from the Detroit area pitching in and helping us with funds to care for these kids. This is amazing to me, because they probably will never even meet the kids. The bands were great and by 9:00 the house was packed. A little too crowded, which is good, so maybe another venue next year??? We are trying to raise some funds to get a 12 passenger van to transport the kids.
Brian and Janet put together a great slide show of lots of pictures of kids, horses, water games, archery and just about everything that goes on at the ranch.
Many thanks to Berkley Front for allowing us to have the benefit in their facility.
Our hats go off to Chip for a great night, thanks CHIP, we LOVE YOU!!
Take a look at the pictures by clicking the link to the right called: Berkley Front Benefit.

Group Hug

Two Fridays ago on Y.T. Play Day, the weather was not great. Our first snow flurries! However, we had a few kids willing to bear the cold with the horses and we went out in the arena and played around with the horses. Didn't go out on the field, it was just too cold. Also, the kids came still dressed for summer! The temperature changed so quickly. So, that night we hung aroud in the house and played games and just talked. Chris made soup that night, and after we said grace the kids were in line to get their meal, I announced that Chris finally got some temporary work at Toys r Us. I explained to them how much she cared for them because she told the manager of the store she could not work after 3:00 p.m. on Fridays so she could be here with the kids. After I said that they all ran up to Chris and gave her a big hug. What a joy that was to see!!!
((I'm sure their joy had nothing to do with the fact that if Chris wasn't here on Fridays, that left me in charge of the kitchen and they could starve!!)
This Friday group has become a family to the kids and to us, every time I think about it I get tears in my eyes.