Ranch Trip - Part 1

I have been so wrapped up in everything going on with Christian and Stephanie that I never finished posting about July and the beginning of August. Since this is my journal, I need to do some catching up, so, here goes:

The day after Mary's birthday (end of July) I worked at registration at the school. I am the treasurer of our school's parent organization so I had to collect dues and money for shirts. (I am so glad our school just collects $20 dues from each family once a year, rather then send the kids door-to-door selling junk.)

The next morning we left for the ranch. We took our time, making a couple of stops... first in Holbrook, where we visited the 100+ year old county courthouse that is now a museum. The building is beautiful, and was used until the mid-1970's. (the kids on an old wagon out front)
We explored the courtroom and the kids got to pose in the judge's bench. The had a law library still filled with old law books.
But the coolest part was the old jail. Here the kids posed in one of the cells (gross). They posed for the camera and smiled as usual. We told them to look sad instead. "Pretend you are in jail!"
Later we exited the freeway and drove part of historic Route 66, stopping in Gallup to visit a local historical society there.

We finally arrived at the ranch in the late afternoon. The ranch looks so good! It's been in our family for several generations so it's been showing it age. But my dad and brothers have made a lot of improvements over the last few years. I have to admit that I really enjoy going to the ranch now; I didn't used to because it wasn't very comfortable, but it is now... and lots of fun too!
P.S. See Stephanie's posts about the ranch trip here, here, here, here and here.