Up in cowboy country with our Cowboy Sebastian

Sebastian raised the flag on our mountain cabin for the summer, where we’ll live until the snow starts falling in November.  

He was wearing his new birthday cowboy boots that we found for him in our favorite shop in Pine, a totally tacky and interesting store named Moose Mountain.  An odd name since our local herd of elk owns this town, and there are no moose around for hundreds of miles.  We think it should be called Elk Mountain.

He displayed such respect and pride for the flag that represents our glorious country….

Every evening Sebastian requested a cowboy movie, and Grandpa has an endless supply of all the best cowboy movies ever made….Sebastian’s wish came true!

Perfect place for our grandson to sleep in the cabin….up in the loft while watching a classic John Wayne movie with us.

The apple tree in our back forty was in full bloom, with the Mogollon Rim towering 2,000 feet above our cabin.

Note, that the apple tree branches start six feet above the ground.  Only the branches and apples that the elk can’t reach are able to survive.

It will be so hard to leave our sweet cabin when Sebastian has to return home, but we’ll be back in a week and have endless months to explore this mountain rim country….

Patches of snow can still be found in the Rim Country, and Sebastian just had to race to the top:

Since we left our horses down in the desert, we had to pack our bags on our back and use our own legs to go on a hike.  But it was well worth it to see the views from the top of the Rim.  

This is the part of the area that was ignited during the controlled burn of the 15,000+ acre  West Fire above our town of Pine last September.  We were happy to see that the firefighters were able to save many of the stately pine trees when they ignited the dried grass and scrub brush….and they protected our lovely town from the forest fire.

It is also the top of the rim where we hiked two years ago to with Sean, Emily, Soren, and Sebastian….

And hiked a year ago there with Ryan, Rachelle, Ida, Alden, and Wilder….

Then last summer Danny and I camped, hiked, and danced for five glorious days on the same spot….

And today we hiked to this favorite area of ours with our dear grandson, Sebastian….burn scars, but still spectacular!

We have so many loving days up here in Rim Country, and now we have another memory that we will always cherish.  

Thank you, dear Sebastian, for this wonderfully adventurous Cowboy Week that you gave to us.  We love you.

The perfect place to go rollerblading….Leisure World

We have miles of roads and golf paths where our grandchildren can skate and show us their rollerblading skills.

Sebastian brought his new hockey skates to our home, and we got to enjoy having him demonstrate the vast array of moves that he uses in both an ice and a roller hockey game.

He can skate forward, backwards, and sideways better than we can walk in a straight line!

Ride ‘em cowboy!

We found some Texan longhorns roaming in the desert.  If Sebastian hadn’t forgotten his lasso, we could have fresh beef for dinner.  Darn!

The 1986 Three Amigos….

The 2025 updated Three Amigos: 

Two Amigos and One Amiga….

Every cowboy needs a log cabin, so tomorrow we’re riding up to our mountain cabin in the Rim Country.   

Cowboy week with Sebastian…..day 1

Sebastian is our Cowboy Grandson.  He has always loved everything cowboy.  So while he visited us for his spring break, we planned day after day of cowboy fun.

But to be cowboys, we needed a few supplies, starting with matching cowboy shirts and an old west gun and holster for Sebastian.

Today we started out our cowboy week with a BANG!

Of course, we needed a hearty cowboy breakfast.  The best place to get that is at the Leisure World cafe. Do you like our cowboy shirts?

Our cowboy joined us at Grandpa’s heart doctor appointment.  He asked the doctor if Grandpa is cleared to ride horses with us, and the doctor said, “Yes!”

Have you ever had your heart doctor take a photo of you with your grandson?

Every cowboy has to practice shooting with a hand gun every chance that he can get.

To round out our first perfect cowboy day with Sebastian, we watched “The Outlaw Josie Wales,” and ate a special desert that I made for our dear Cowboy Sebastian.

Tomorrow we’re headed out to ride horses in the desert….hope that we see a rattlesnake, or better yet a mountain lion!

All too soon….time to say goodbye

Our last few days with our youngest grandchildren went all too fast…but we treasured every moment together.

Grandpa played and sang to Hannah and Vernon—the same songs that that he sang to Emily, his daughter, as he put her to bed when she was a little girl, 40 years ago.

It was beautiful to see my dear husband singing to our little grandchildren.  And even at their young age, both Hannah and Vernon were touched.

Tennessee Babe to Hannah….

And For Baby to Vernon….

They showed Grandma and Grandpa their artwork….

Hannah sat in the rocking chair that her Great Grandpa Graybill sat in when he was a child, 100 years ago….and that all of our grandchildren have sat in through the years!

New googles and jellyfish toys for the swimming pool, because of course, every grandchild need special goggles and fancy pool toys!

Off to the swimming pool for the fourth day in a row….and the excitement had not diminished for any of us!

Truly a Precious Moment with little Robert asleep in Grandma’s arms.

And more precious moments cuddling and warming up the babies.

Our only quiet time of the day….and we missed their love and excitement so much that we could hardly wait until they woke up!!!

Hannah brought us several gifts from home.  She gave Grandma three pairs of earrings and a silver locket that will soon hold photos of these dear grandchildren.  

She picked sweet smelling pine boughs that Grandma is holding in her hand….and colored us a picture that Grandpa has in the photo below. The picture is of Grandma and Grandpa wearing crowns and, “Grandpa helping Grandma with her broken arm.”

We will treasure these gifts forever.

Off for the another of our exciting grandchildren traditions….feeding the fish!

And Vernon didn’t even fall in the water….amazing!

Since Hannah is the big sister she got to stay up and not take a nap on their last day with us, so she could have some special quiet time with Grandma and Grandpa.

And we loved this time with Hannah, as we always cherish every moment with each of our grandchildren.

Story time and holding dear Hannah….

Funny faces….who has the funniest face?

And endless loving kisses….

Then it was time to say goodbye to this family that we love so very much.  Sad but sweet, because we have so many new memories that we will always treasure.

Owen said a prayer before each of our meals..  He thanked God for all that we have been given and asked that we receive God’s blessings.  

Thank you Owen, Mila, Hannah, Vernon, and Robert for bringing sunshine, so much love, and God into our lives.