Ever since I was a little girl we have gone to my grandmother's house (yes, it has to be grandmother, she won't have it any other way :)) and celebrate what we call our Cooper Christmas. We celebrate it a week before Christmas day. When we lived in Texas we went every year, but since we moved to California we go as often as we can. We were fortunate enough to go there this year. It is and will always be one of my favorite places on earth. My grandmother lives on a farm so when we were young we would play in the barn, walk to the tank (pond) and play in the creek. My grandmother and Big Dad raised cattle, sheep and chickens. I have seen my Big Dad deliver calves and have seen them branded. It was just one of those places that will forever be engraved in my childhood.
This is my grandmother and the kids LOVED her. She handled the chaos of children really well, since she lives on her own usually.
Looking at her house from the barn.
Inside the barn! There was a ton of hay and there was a rope from the ceiling that I would swing on from hay bale to hay bale when I was a kid. The kids were too young to swing but they had fun jumping in the hay anyway.
Going to see the cows!
My mom and the kids! Cooper kept saying "Ride them" and try to walk up to the cows. There was one bull that was eyeing us, so we kept our distance! :)
My Aunt Kittie! She is like my second mom. I seriously ADORE this woman.
My dad with the kids!
Throwing rocks into the creek. Cooper couldn't get enough of it! I wish we had a place like that for him to go to all the time!
OOOPPPPSSSS! Duplicate! :)
He's hilarious! Cooper got his name because it is my mom's maiden name.
Picking up pecans in the orchard. My grandmother and Big Dad grew the pecan orchard and would sell their pecans for a little bit of profit. I was raised on pecans! :)
Our profits!
Cracking and shelling the pecans!
This is actually where I got engaged. Chris asked me right in front of this silo while we were sitting on this old tool box (which isn't there anymore). We sat and talked forever and then at the end he popped the question. He said he wanted to ask me at my grandmothers house because he knew that this was one of my favorite places. I love that I can say this is where I got engaged. And right after he asked me I ran in the house and told my family and my grandmother. She was so PROUD that he did it at her house!
The pecan orchard. Obviously not in season!
I loved this wheel barrel.
The back of the barn.
Just a few of my 2nd cousins. There were 58 of us that came to my grandmothers house. It is all my mom's siblings and their kids and grandkids. It was so fun to see all our family that we don't see very often.
After lunch we always go on a hay ride! Pulled by a JOHN DEERE tractor of course! :)
The barn.
My brother with the kids. I love him so much and wish I saw him more often!
I just loved this picture of inside the barn.
A Texas sunset!
My grandmother is one of the strongest women I know. She has had more trials in her life than any one I have ever known and she still has an unwavering faith in our Lord. I love her so much and consider it pure joy to call her "Grandmother".
