Cheii's childhood stories (listening, learning and appreciating)

It's a beautiful, chilly overcast day at the ranch.

melting snow equals muddy grounds 

We're with Nana and Cheii relaxing at the ranch.

Today we're going to celebrate Cheii's birthday. 

(his actual birthday is on leap day--so he's actually a lot younger than we think.....)

Birthday greetings and decorations
 are lovingly placed about the house to honor
Cheii's special day.

Bam, Fifi, Sweetheart and Cookie got an early start on decorating for his celebration with signs, streamers, and balloons.

Then Nana and the girls picked up some scrumptious cupcakes for his birthday sweet, earlier, when they went grocery shopping.

Cheii and Bam spent time together too, as they went to feed to the cattle earlier in the a.m.

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  Nana made a delicious home cooked meal. 

We sang happy birthday to Cheii.

Had cupcakes while Cheii recalled stories of his childhood and growing up......

Cheii was very happy and thrilled to be spending his special day with us. (early)

We were hoping to spend another day at the ranch with Cheii and Nana but we had to leave today.

 A huge snow storm was also headed for the area.

muddy van look like she had a great adventure......

The storm was a mix of hard freezing rain, blizzard snow and fierce winds.

--shivering--

waiting in Arizona.......

NM West i-forty

Yes, we're traveling to see Nana and Cheii at the ranch.

But before we go there, we must make a detour to Arizona to take care of some B.I.A. business.
(B.I.A. is the Native American government)

  The office hours state they're opened until 12p today.

Yet when we arrived at 10:48a, they were already CLOSED!!

Ohhhh........geez!

We waited around until noon but they must've CLOSED early without notice.
(perhaps another day B.I.A....)

In Arizona, among the sacred and healing rock formations

Waiting worked up our hunger, so we decided to have lunch in Window Rock.

 lunch at Pinky's......

Afterward we left Arizona, back to New Mexico, to the ranch, where our Cheii and Nana awaited our arrival.

dog days of summer

We're having a good time today at the ranch......

"We're off to survey the land, Mom."

Bam looks forward to riding his four wheeler when we're at Cheii's house. (either that or his bicycle) Sometimes Cheii and Bam take the four wheeler to the cattle ranch to roundup and feed the cows.

**helmets were taken off for picture opportunity only**

Oscar Mayer the Weenie dog loves to go for rides

 Most of Nana and Cheii's dogs love to go on four wheeler rides. The basket was added to the front of the four wheeler for the "four legged kids." The dogs truly enjoy sitting up there with their ears flapping in the wind with a smile on their little face.

Lady Cholula sticks her tongue out at me when I said......."smile"

If you're wondering about Cholulas breed. She's a type of hairless Mexican Chihuahua known as a Xoloitzcuitli. (pronounced show-low-eats-queen-tlee) She is the breed of dog that Frida Kahlo adored. Frida featured many of her beloved Xolos in her art. Xoloitzcuitles are considered sacred dogs or gods by the Aztecs / Toltecs / Mayans, throughout history. Cholula's breed is not to be confused with a Chinese Crested. Cholula is a sweet dog with a heart of solid gold.
(www.akc.org/breeds/xoloitzcuintli/) (www.museofridakahlo.org)

Frida Kahlo and Xolos in Mexico 

The perspective view from behind the piñon tree

 ---In Nana's Kitchen---

Rolling in dough☺

Making homemade tortillas with Nana

A good cook always has a flower in her hair and flour on her face.........says Cookie.

Mmmmmm Mmmmm Good

The girls love to cook with Nana. They say Nana serves the best "cooked from scratch meals" and THE BEST TORTILLAS EVER.  Nana is always happy to have the extra hands in the kitchen/ Nana always says, "Many hands make light work" ***in Navajo***
Everybody loves Nana's kitchen; the place where meals and memories are made.....