Jimmy V

I married James Victor Robbins on April 5, 2008 and when that happened we joined together 14 children and two dogs to make our happy family! L-R in the photo starting in the front (sitting) is Clint -16, Brittany - 19, Megan - 7, Michael - 24, Nicole - 21 and Jessica - 26. In the backrow is Stacey - 13, Nathan - 17, Heather - 13, Matthew - 11, Victor & I, Rachel - 27, Rachael - 11, Brooke - 15 and Kayleigh - 17.


I call my wonderful husband, Jimmy V. He is a terrific man with a wonderful sense of humor and is very much like me. We have never had a fight in the 1.5 years we've known each other, though, we pretend to argue. :) We live in the beautiful home he built on a mountainside outside of a small town of 6,500 people. I really don't think there are that many people in town; I think that is really the population of the county as a whole. Our town has 2 grocery stores, no mall, no WalMart, 5 hunt-til-you-drop & fishing-lure shops, 10 farming & ranching outlets, 151 churches (ok, an exageration) and 151 bars.

Dear Reader, I want you to know that we worked feverishly to grow a lawn this year. We planted seed and it actually took hold. Victor was excited that he got to mow it 3 times during the summer! The rocks that line the yard were gathered by the children. They rode in the back of our 1979 Chevy Pickup, we looked like hillbillies gathering roadkill for our next meal, as we drove around the mountain choosing just the 'right rock'. Nathan even mowed once but mowed down all my new spirea bushes. You can't see them in this photo... cuz THEY'RE GONE!

This is the typical view out our front door about 3 months of the year. Usually we can see herds of 5-20 deer or 10-30 horses or rackrabbits. We can hear coyotes howl at night, which just sends our dogs into a lather.

Tonight we had 15 mares and about 10 colts grazing about 100 yards from the house. Our dogs, Ali (5 year old golden retriever) and Bo (13 year old Cockapoo) tried to chase the colts. Two large mares, I guess the protectors of the herd, put themselves between the rest of the horses and our 2 dorky dogs. Bo must have been feeling tough because he wouldn't back down. One of the mares stood on her hind legs and tried to kick Bo, the dumb-yappy mutt! He managed to come back home, head held high and tail wagging wildly. He has no idea that he came within inches of a very quick death.

The other nine months of the year we see this view out our front door. Snow, Snow, SNOW! What you can't see is the 40-150 (no exageration) mph WINDS! We can only get up and down our 100 yard, built on a hill, driveway with 4 wheel drive and that's after we have made it up the 1.25 mile gravel road from the highway. It's treacherous, but oh, so lovely.

We cleaned and organized the garage so that we pull the cars right into it and unload everyone in warmth and out of the snow, ice and freezing wind. Real luxury to me is NOT having to scrape ice off the windshield in 20 below temperatures with a 50 mph wind on your face every morning.

You may find this hard to believe, but I LOVE THIS PLACE. It is beautiful, remote, peaceful even though there is never a dull moment, and fun. We love NOT living in a city and would much rather fend off animals (see rattlesnake on Wikipedia) and weather the elements than live in our car on I-5. Most of all, I love living here with my Jimmy V and our 9 children still-at-home. It is truly heaven on earth here and I am happy!

Signed, Lori, the dorky dog's mom