Sprucedale Guest Ranch Reopens

Thanks everyone for your prays and donations we can now official start our season.  We hope to see you all on the mountain soon!

Lady and her colt Flame born before the fire

I have so many wonderful memories from Sprucedale.  The people the came when I was kid, and now their kids are coming back and bringing their kids, and now their kids are coming back and bringing their kids and they play with my kids and my grandkids.  Sprucedale was neat place to grow up on!  I think of all the forts and dams we built, horses we rode and the game we played!  It really was a little bit of heaven, especially a heaven for kids!  These great people that I played with as kids are now adults and what friends we are!  We have made wonderful friends with people of all walks of life; from doctors, to lawyers, movie people, scientist, engineers, and everything in between!  We have met people from just about every state in the union and from several other countries.

First Started taking guest in 1921

Sprucedale Guest Ranch 1921

Xpedition 1993

Sprucedale

Family Gathering

Lipsey Family

Billy and Caren

Ma and Pa: Emer’s health continues to be a challenge for him, but he still finds the strength to watch over the horses.  He enjoys checking on them and breaking the ice on their water tank.  Esther loves her church work and has recently volunteered to work in the gift shop for the Springerville Hospital Auxiliary.  They enjoy their 15 grandchildren and have one more on the way in May.  Esther and Emer are both looking forward to their two Appreciation Weeks at Sprucedale and hope you can come join in all the fun. Here is the news on their children and grandchildren:

Faye: Crystal is a freshman in high school!   She tried out for the volleyball team and made the JV team.  John is working in New Mexico at an Intel site and will soon be going to China for work.  Faye Marie is staying active by being involved in all Crystal’s extra activities and social calendar.

Billy: Sam had a successful guiding season scouting for local hunters.  Billy will be leaving shortly to go to Page, AZ to work at a power plant.  Caren has been part of Alpine’s local theater group and will be  starring in their seasonal melodrama. They are all busy preparing for Beaver Creek Ranch’s upcoming season.

Emer's Kids

JJ and Family

Woodpile

JJ and family are still in Utah.  Bobi works as a school aid with autistic children, plus stays busy with her beauty salon.  Ashley continues to excel in music, school, and is on the Student Counsel.  Breanna enjoys drawing and riding her bike

Stephanie: The Woodpile went on their first family vacation to California.  The kids loved the beach and  Anthony Sr. enjoyed documenting all the fun with his new camera.  Anthony Jr. started pitching this year during the fall baseball season and hit several home runs.  Nolan and Dillon have started a dual language program at school and are excelling in learning Spanish.  Stephanie stays busy with the family and helping run Sprucedale’s office.

Emer: Aleesa has gone back to work at a CPA’s office, while Emer recovers from a back injury.  Emer  is trying his hand at being a stay-at-home mom and is doing a great job.  Isabelle has kept busy with soccer, Brownies, and school.   Avery started her first year of preschool and has discovered how to spell her name. Briggs has become a daddy’s boy and thinks his dad is the best play toy ever.

Whitney

Willis at Disneyland

Katie and Chilton

Whitney: graduated with his MBA from NAU and is working at an accounting firm in Mesa, AZ.  He is also studying for his CPA exams along with managing Sprucedale. Whitney and Janae bought their first house this year in Queen Creek, AZ.  Janae is really enjoying decorating their new home.  Emma started kindergarten and really loves it.  Makayla loves playing with Emma and is starting to find her own voice as a two year old.

Tiffany and Brian had a busy fall with their annual “Willis Pumpkin Patch and Haunted Maze” (www.thewillisfarm.com) located in Snowflake, AZ. Jaycee is enjoys preschool and when she is home she  loves dressing up as a princess.  Landon loves to help Brian drive tractors on the farm.  Their little family is growing and so is Tiffany and she is expecting a new little one in mid-May.

BAWDEN NEWS: Their big news was Katy and Chilton’s marriage on December 29th. It was a beautiful wedding and reception. Katy is teaching multiple grades in a one-room schoolhouse while Chilton is going to school  and working. Margine is working for the Navajo County School District. Little Kevin is still at Walgreens, Big Kevin is leaving for job in Farmington, NM , and Cathy is working at the quilt shop in Springerville, AZ.

Ellis and phyllis

Ellis & Phyllis: Send everyone a warm greeting. They spent the winter at Sprucedale and have enjoyed all the snow that created a winter wonderland! Phyllis  has been using this down time to get caught up on family projects for their 4 children, 6 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren!  They both look forward to another great summer with all of you at the ranch.