Memories

My wife is an extremely generous person and just loves to do for others. This is especially evident at Christmas time, but she is also smart enough to know that the best gifts are not always found in stores.

For Christmas this year, we gave our children and grandchildren a family trip to “The Alisal Ranch” in Solvang, California. The Alisal is western style working cattle ranch, where you can ride horses on more than 1000 acres of beautiful countryside covered with green grass and awesome oak trees. Cattle roam free and so do deer, hawks, bald eagles and the occasional bear. We’re not really sure about the “bear story” we heard while we were there, but the bartender says his friend, has a friend, who has a friend who has seen one, so it’s obviously gotta be true!

As I write this story, we are just finishing up our vacation at The Alisal Ranch. Our family trip together this year consisted of 12 people, including eight adults and 4 small children, and yet there was definitely something to interest every single person. Besides horseback riding, members of our family took a hay ride up into the hills for an early morning outdoor breakfast, fished at the lake, swam in the pool, played billiards, ping pong, bingo, and board games. And while the four adult men played golf on Sunday, the ladies had a spa day. Like I said, something for everyone.

There was so much to do, that everyone had a ton of fun! But the best part was the evening meal at The Alisal Ranch Restaurant. Girls get all gussied up and men are required to wear jackets and they even reserve the same special table for all 12 for us every single night. While the food was great, the fellowship, the stories and the conversation at dinner was the best part. I doubt my kids will remember the store-bought gifts we bought them at the Christmas celebrations years past. But I know for sure they will remember the family vacations we have taken to places like Tahoe, Arrowhead, and The Alisal Ranch. Store bought gifts are fun and create nice excitement but meaning-full memories made with family and friends… those are gifts that will last a lifetime!

Memories are a way of holding onto the things you love, 

 the things you are, and the things you never want to lose.   

~ from “The Wonder Years”