Happy Holidays 2016,
We hope this holiday letter finds you healthy, happy and preparing for the season. 2016 began with our winter ranch roundup. Colter planned well, so the roundup, preg checking, and separating cows from calves was done in a day and a half. In late January, we met Whitney in San Diego for a few days. While there we caught up with Bob and Paige over dinner and enjoyed some beach time.
We went on an Arizona driving trip in February, with a stop in Prescott for lunch with Mary. We hiked in Sedona and the Grand Canyon, and visited Wupatki and Walnut Canyon. The Arizona landscape is beautiful! We volunteered on Tuesdays for our third year, at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Tucson. We had a big group of high school seniors this year, so BGC hosted a graduation ceremony for “our kids” in late April. We attended several of their graduations in May. We continue to stay in touch with many of “our kids” over meals and email. We are so proud that most are now first generation college students!
We spent a few days with Audrey’s family in Chicago in March and had fun with Lauren and Taylor. In late April, we flew to New Orleans and had dinner with Louise’s childhood friend, Pam, and her husband Kenith. They drove three hours each way to meet us. Thank you Pam and Kenith! We drove up the Natchez Trace Parkway and on to Kentucky to visit family and attend cousin Elizabeth’s wedding. A few days later, we flew from KY to NJ to visit Whitney’s family. We watched Toby play hockey and helped get their house ready to put on the market as they move to Dallas in the summer.
Dale turned 70 in May. We celebrated with Mary over lunch at the Ritz Carlton and later in July with our children and their families, on a week-long beach visit to Eleuthera, Bahamas. So many memories made! We went to Mexico in late June, for a few days in San Miguel de Allende and then to Doctor Mora for a friend’s quinceanera. It was an unbelievable cultural experience that we loved! Louise flew to Florida in June to spend a few days with friend Joy, while she was receiving medical treatment. Time in Joy’s garden was a treat!
Our ranch branding was in July, a busy and unforgettable time each summer. Claire came to the ranch in early August with Emerson and Colby. Emerson took riding lessons, and she and Colby roped goats. We enjoyed sharing the ranch with our friend Joy in late August. We flew to Dallas in September for a few days with Whitney and Brian’s families, plus time with long-time friend, Linda. Throughout the year, we enjoyed dinners with Linda and Bob in Tucson, the Mayhall and Salinas families coming to the ranch, hosting a donor party for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Tucson in October, breakfast with Brenda and Newton, and so many more moments with friends.
We left in late October for five days in Spain, visiting Cordoba, Granada, and Sevilla. We went on to Portugal for a month-long visit. Whitney joined us for Thanksgiving week. For most of the trip we stayed in castles, palaces, and other national monuments. We love Portugal!
Our big news this year is that we sold the ranch to Colter and Carly in October. We are going to stay on the ranch until we figure out what comes next. The past thirteen years on the ranch have been like icing on the cake of our lives together. We’ve made incredible memories, hosted friends and family, hiked and discovered the beauty of Winchester Ranch, while running a cattle operation. We are looking forward to having our girls and their families, Louise’s Mom, and Mary spend time with us at the ranch over the holidays.
We wish you and your family a very happy holiday season and a happy 2017. We love hearing from you! Be in touch when you are coming our way.
Love,
Lulu and Papa
Lulu and Papa
