Charlie's Favorite Place

After Meg's Seguin shower, we stayed in Seguin for the week to enjoy seeing family and spend some time out at Charlie's very favorite place: Hickory Hills Ranch!  My dad was so sweet and took Charlie out there at least 5 times.  They drove vehicles, fished, tried to hunt down some wild hogs, and drove more vehicles.  Charlie is beyond obsessed with this place.  It amazes me what a big role the ranch (and especially the Ranger) play in his imagination.  We talk about them constantly, and he is really never happier than when he is putting on his camo pants, boots, and Longhorn hat (the outfit is critical) and heading out to "Vernia."

The best part of the ranch is, obviously, driving the Ranger.

Charlie also loves to help out around the ranch.  He never misses a chance to open or close a gate...

...or clearing brush.  He took his job very seriously and was working so hard--he literally worked up a sweat!

See how happy this makes him? :)

I went out to the ranch with Papa and Charlie one afternoon and had the best time.  We took some back roads that I haven't been on in years and it was so fun seeing parts of the ranch that I almost never see.  It looked beautiful--just a perfect fall day.

Charlie and I loved this little grasshopper. :)

Charlie's latest obsession is trailers (and trailer hitches).  When we got out to the ranch, Charlie immediately noticed that the Ranger didn't have a trailer hitch.  This really bugged him (who knows when you might need to hook up a trailer??), but luckily, his doting grandfather has gone to the tractor supply store and rectified the problem.

Since we couldn't hook the trailer up to Ranger, we did the next best thing: we hooked it up to the truck, and drove Ranger up on it (I know most of you may not be terribly enthralled by this, but Charlie was in heaven!).

Entranced.

Here they go!  Charlie was so proud that they got it on there. :)

Another great find out in La Vernia is Uncle Elam's bulldozer.  Charlie was so excited to climb up in here.  Getting him out was a bit of a challenge...

We also found this trencher while we were driving around.  Are you starting to see why Charlie loves this place?? :)

We went out to the cabin one night for dinner and Charlie and Jackson entertained themselves with an exciting tackle football game.  Charlie has since been fascinated with anything football related--I have done a like of passing, tackling, and football-watching this week.  He is lucky to have such a sweet cousin to play with!

Can't wait to get back out to the ranch.  Charlie is missing it (and the people and vehicles that come with it) terribly.  After we returned to Dallas, Charlie had to call Papa and ask whether the Ranger was missing him. :)