Lucas Mulder 1988, Kendall, Kansas, 8 years old.

He was a cowboy and truck driver from age 4. Luke has 4 children now that may be more western than ever. Note the teal boots, Lucas was trend setter even at a young age.

 Levi Mulder 1988, Kendall, Kansas, 7 years old.

Levi was the same size as his older brother most of their young lives. Now Levi is much bigger but a gifted horse trainer. Everyone thought they were twins.

Moninya always said they were the best toys ever invented. We were never bored. They played card games or did puzzles way above their level before they went to school, that may be why they were always in the gifted and talented classes. The kids hated to stand out so they were allowed to go to other classes and help the kids in the grades below. They were great kids. Now they are good men that we are very proud of.

The brothers figured out that together they could drive mom's Volkswagen. One night while Bret and Moninya were herding sheep back to the barn,  they noticed that lights were coming up the road from Kendall and turned in at the house. When they arrived at the house there was no one there except two boys who couldn't stop blushing. We laughed until we cried but mom didn't leave the keys to vehicles that needed two driver to get somewhere. The pickup was all they had and their dad had them driving it for years, no fun if you have to drive back and forth to the barn and field.

 Jordan Mulder 6 years old       

That reminds me of story about Jordan, Luke's oldest. From the time Jordan was able to stand and hold a steering wheel he has "guided" the truck as his pawpaw put out hay. We never thought much about it because our boys always helped drive. When Jordan came back after a trip to see his other grandparents, his mother was bragging on how well Jordan drove the speed track cars. We tried not to laugh when Jordan matter of factly told his mother he has driven all his life! I don't think she knew and Luke "forgot" to tell her exactly what feeding the cows meant.  

May 2005  Arnie smelling her hair. August 2006

 Mikayla Mulder 3 years old

This picture requires some special explaining. She, " the child", is an escape artist. No matter what dangers await her, she will go to the worse possible situation that scares her mother and even her mawmaw who understands being a tomboy and a strong individual. Toto wanted to go out into the horses. We tried locking gates and watching her with a dozen eyes. Forget saying no! So her pawpaw saved her from a spanking or worse having to go to the house. He let her stay where she caught her clothes on the pole and waited until she stopped throwing a tantrum. Finally she was ready for pawpaw to take her to see the horses. We laughed (out of sight) because she was so heartbroken her tantrum didn't work on her beloved pawpaw. Toto has a strong little personality.

 Kylie Mulder 2 years old  August 2006 with Jordan

This beautiful little girl is happy to be left alone to do her own thing, unless her mawmaw is doing something then she wants to be in the middle. Even through her father is Luke she reminds me so much of her uncle Levi. Same personality and same size as she is 10 months younger than Toto but almost as big. She may be heavier. Gummy is happy just to go and is easy to be around.

 Sophia "The Cat None Sees"

Schizo, as we lovingly call her, is a fruitcake. She is very pretty with her big blue eyes but she sees boogers even in ceiling fans. Wiggle your foot in bed while watching TV and she will leap straight up three feet and hide for hours. While our daughter-in-law, Lindsay, knows the cat exists, she has yet to see the cat except for a flash of fur. The cat hides from everyone except Moninya and Lucas. She has been in the family for 9 years yet none of our friends have ever seen her. Putting her on the website proves to our grandson, Jordan, that Sophia is a real cat, but one that needs peaceful surroundings before she will come out of hiding. If you are a really special person she will come out for attention. She is very demanding when she wants something. She must feel she doesn't have all the options available to her (because she is what a person would call "not all there") so she has to force attention when she feels the need. At least she is clean and a tidy cat!

Toto is getting instruction from pawpaw but as she figured it out she wanted no help riding 'her' horse. Jordan has been riding bullet for about a year and is surprisingly well balanced and natural horseman. A side note on Toto's cute haircut, there was a problem and brother fixed it!  A hair band was knotted in her hair so Jordan cut it out. There was hair everywhere! Mawmaw asked permission then gave Toto her first haircut. It is so cute!