The Empire

 At the beginning of this summer, we went to the ranch.  We had not been in a while and it was nice to get away.  We had planned to be out there more but spent the first half of the year going through Nani's house and getting it ready for the estate sale and to sell the house.  Now that that is done, we are planning on spending more time at the Empire.  We would have gone again but soon after this trip we were blessed to find out we are pregnant, and shortly after I began the long first trimester saga of feeling as though I may barf at any minute, all day long, all the time, forever.  I know I shouldn't complain, many people have it way rougher than I, but it is tough chasing a 2 year old ball of energy all day while everything, especially food, makes you barf.

 But back to the Empire.  I was nervous about going.  Its so hard because that place is just SO Baba.  It was truly his castle and all his things are still there.  It looks like he stepped out to check the feeders and may be back at any moment.  This time I spent a lot of time cleaning and getting rid of toiletries that he had there since 1999.  Jay got to take Linc on his first tractor ride.  The neat thing is we both have pictures with our dads on tractors at this age, and now we have one of Linc too.  The picture above is him retreating behind the screen door to watch as dad fires up the engine.  He was scared and excited all at once.

 He loved digging in the dirt and getting dirty, just like I did when I was little.  Nani and Baba bought this place when I was 1 year old... so its neat seeing Linc getting to enjoy it, just like I did.

 Lola Likes it too.  She looks like a feral rat here.  I like it.

 Lincoln is now at the age that he is truly Daddy's little boy.  He wants to be where Daddy is, doing what Daddy is doing, all the time.  I was on the porch and turned my back for a second and he had run half way down the road between the house and barn, because he saw Dad having fun down there without him.

 The Beans, a neighbor at the ranch, gave Baba this bush hog as a thank you for his help.  It is Linc's favorite thing.  We ride around all day, checking the tank, the fence, and looking for deer.

 Sometimes Linc likes to have a little taste of the local dirt.  He is a dirt connoisseur and I think that means he'll grow up to be a geologist!  Doesn't he look busted in this picture?

A great time was had, and hopefully we will be returning soon.  I'm 13 and a half weeks now, and starting to feel human again. I'm going to catch up on summer posts this week.  We found out that we are blessed to be having another bouncing baby boy... I know Linc will love having a little brother to play with.