Shannon Ranch

Laredo Enters Preaching School

Monday, January 9 –

Laredo began a two-year program at the Sunset International Bible Institute in Lubbock today. Since he’s starting in January, he’s having to jump in with the second semester students that started in August of 2016. We’re so proud of him and know he’ll do well.

September 2017 Update –

Laredo completed his first semester and spent the summer doing an internship at Midland, Texas with the Fairmont Park church of Christ, working with Mike Crowley, Jr., his father-in-law. He’s back at Sunset now and seems to be really enjoying the work but reports that a lot of study time is required. He’s done quite a bit of public speaking among other things since he first started. He’s now preaching on every first Sunday at the Matador church of Christ and doing a great job. Please join us anytime you are in the area and hear him for yourself. If you can’t come in person, you can watch him online by going to the church website and clicking on “watch a sermon online”. www.matadorchurchofchrist.org

The Power of the Cross on Vimeo.

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Wonderful Christmas Day

Sunday, December 25 –

The day started out with presents from Santa and then we went to church. After which, the married kids joined us for lunch at the house and more “Christmas-ing”.

Rogue One + Babysitting

Monday, December 19 –

The kids joined up with Cim, Courtney, Laredo and Andrea and some of the Phipps and drove to Plainview to see the new Star Wars movie, Rogue One. Aspen, Stockton and Carolina even dressed up in costume for the event.

Stockton spent hours making this cardboard shore trooper suit and finished it just in time to wear. (the glue was literally drying as we took these pictures)

Aspen recreated the lead female Rogue One character of Jyn Erso

Carolina dressed as the iconic Princess Leia in her Hoth snow outfit.

Meanwhile back at the ranch…

…Grammie and Granddad got to babysit sweet Bella.

Fall Visit with the Goodwins

Wednesday, November 10 –

We had a wonderful visit with Atlanta & Jordan and our little Goodwins, Marian and Alan. They are so darling. We kept busy mostly around the house playing with toys and games, playing restaurant in the playhouse and enjoying the warm days in the sandbox. They got to ride horses one day and we took a long walk together, another. One of the highlights was getting to know their new cousin and spending time with family. It’s always so sad when they leave and we immediately begin looking forward to the next time when we will be together.

Marian inspects Stockton’s lizards while Alan is busy in the living room shooting a play snake.

Enjoying a snack.

Meeting little Bella for the first time.

Sweet cousins.

Catching up with Siblings at Mambo’s house in Matador

Another fun day together playing games

…and watching the kids play

New baby and significant baby bump.

Yummy pizzas and proud Aunt

Selfie time

Marian and Carolina romping on the trampoline

Hanging out and driving around

How about a tea party?

Atlanta with Great Granny

Andrea stirs up a white sauce and Bella practices adorableness.

Fun with the Tidwells and Granny

Welcome to Marian’s Cafe…

The boys played Risk all day…

Time for some pony rides!

Story time with Gram Gram

Bella teaches class…

Fun with playdough

Playing with legos…

Going on a walk…

Big Group for Supper

Sunday, November 6 –

Today we had first Sunday potluck at church. Several friends, some of the Robertson’s from the Floydada/Crosbyton area, as well as the Goodwins who are visiting, and Cim and Laredo and their families, came with us and enjoyed all the good food and fellowship. After church, we had a big group come out to the ranch and continue the visiting. For supper, everybody pitched in to help and we had some more yummy food. I thought we could all fit around our big table, but we had to spread out a little more than that.

Baby Shower at Matador church of Christ

Sunday, August 14 –

The ladies at the Matador Church met Sunday afternoon to honor the upcoming birth of Courtney and Cim’s baby. Lots of gifts, lots of visiting and lots of refreshments were enjoyed by all. Family and friends from Matador, Turkey, Floydada, Afton, Roaring Springs and Northfield were present.

Video

Summer Storm

Friday afternoon, July 8, 2016. This blustery little storm rolled in and dropped some rain. Hey, we’ll take it however we can get it. Watch full screen with the volume up for best effect.

Good Supper

Saturday, June 25 –

After a hot afternoon riding horses, nobody wanted anything too heavy for supper. Biscuits and eggs really hit the spot. Especially when teamed with fresh sorghum and Mennonite-made raspberry jelly from Tennessee.

Dragging Practice

Saturday, June 25 –

Nathan and the kids spent some time in the arena today riding horses. They had a lot of fun.

Stockton practiced dragging a heavy piece of wood around to get his horse used to the idea.

River Run

Sunday, June 5 –

This is the kids having a blast in the river on Sunday afternoon when the Tidwells and Renkens came for a visit. The weather was perfect and the recent rains put some water in the Pease river on the northwestern border of the ranch.

The Renkens are from Germany. Rudy came to study at the Sunset International Bible Institute in Lubbock. We’re so glad that we’ve gotten to know them.

Cim and Courtney came out, too.

Cane Creek

Thursday, May 26 –

Atlanta and Jordan took us to a new place on Cane Creek to swim.

Jordan saw a little turtle swim to the top for air. Stockton was able to dive and find it.

I stayed dry on the bank except for that moment when I slipped on the slippery rocks (with Alan in my arms) and completely fell on my back. No one was hurt, but Alan basically got dunked in freezing water. He was not happy about it at all. Later, after he played in the sand and puddles, Atlanta had to all but dunk him again to get him clean. Hopefully, he’ll forget his bad experiences at the creek moving forward…

Here’s a video I put together with these pictures and a little footage I took with my phone:

The Memphis Zoo

Tuesday, May 24 –

While on our trip to Tennessee, we took a day trip to Memphis to visit the zoo. We were impressed with the size and style of the zoo and the exhibits. It was so special to be with Marian and Alan as they saw many new animals in person for the first time.

I think we all agreed that Alan’s favorite animal was the elephant. Marian says she likes these wolves the most. Atlanta has been reading to her out of the Little House on the Prairie books and she’s keen on wolves right now. (In solidarity with little Laura Ingals and her special fears) After the zoo, we were very hot and tired so we found a place downtown to get something cool and refreshing.

When I say downtown, I mean downtown. It was the famous Beale Street that so many jazz and blues music stars made famous (including Elvis). Live music was already blaring out of several interesting looking establishments, but we stayed away from the clubs and finally found our intended destination, an old department store called, A. Schwabs, that had been operating since 1876. It had an old-fashioned soda fountain, lots of souvenirs and gifts, and other interesting things. They were just moving out a lot of ladders and lights and cameras as we arrived hot and tired. Apparently, they had just shot some kind of movie or TV show there that day. They told us that the store was open EXCEPT for the soda fountain due to the filming. I think they must have noticed all our faces falling in unison, because they quickly changed their minds and opened it all back up for us. Thank you, A. Schwabs!

If you’re wondering if the kids liked their treats, watch this video: