# 194 - Behind the Scenes is Beautiful!

Spending a day at a ranch is not so bad, especially not when you are trying to build a similar life yourself. You look around, take notes, take pictures and wonder if they'd mind if you simply moved in quietly?

For the filming of today, we will be shooting partially outside and partically inside the pool house. Heck, the pool house in my book would make an excellent THE HOUSE on our acreage! And what about that massive tree house in the background?

Simple sliding glass doors on each side of the house provide ample entry and exit points while bringing in tons of natural light --- solar-shaded by the tint of the glass.

Deputy Dave and I loved the rustic use of beams with old tin roofing. The effect couldn't be beat. The simple bead-board pine style walls coated lightly with varnish made for a wonderfully welcoming atmosphere.

The kitchenette is perfect for the purpose of these guest quarters. This space can also be used for video gaming,for practicing music, and for all of those activities that are loud and rambunctious. For years, the Momma of this house allowed NO CURTAINS on these windows, so she could see across from the main house and it'd more more difficult to get by with much. 

There are plenty of chairs and extra seating in this space. It's definitely a hang-out zone that's easy to hang out in!

The floors are regular stones with just enough roughage to make them free from being slippery, but flat enough to not cause problems with the furniture being level. This floor has a light layer of sealant, not too much to create a glossy, slippery issue, but just though to make clean-up easier and for it to feel more comfortable under-foot.

Of Course, most of the furnishings must go with the country theme of this place on the ranch. Gotta love the bedroom suit.

Even the little nightstand that serves a greater purpose as the game control organizer, is quite cute with its rugged wittle appearance. Coochie-Coo you cute little nightstand! You might be a little boy, but you sure have a big job there buddy!

And about this time, the film crew is arriving. I'm finding that my bad reaction to the penicillin is growing worse and my jaw is swelling out further. Now, it's great...I'm running fever.

Why do things like this happen with each worst case scenario following the next?

At least I had a comfy red leather chair to sit in and to try to keep my stomach contents in their proper place. For me, on this day, that was MY important job to fulfill.

But, I still had quite a bit more roaming around to do before my body got my full attention, so those roamings are to follow shortly. For now, I'm going back to bed, trying to keep my fever down and to try to get rest that I can only get in spurts because the jaw hurts so intensely. I've had root canals before, but this one has been a booger!

Anyway, the best is yet to come with this ranch, along with some shots of Heather being filmed for "Randy to the Rescue." I can't wait.  Although it looks like I handed over the reign for the daddy to do the main interview and he's become the focal point --- the Bride and her Daddy --- which I think is so sweet and a neat twist.

My husband has been the best daddy a girl could ever want. There was nothing he wouldn't do for his daughters. No macho-attitude or sexist roles to keep them separated...when the girls were out practicing their drill team dance routines, their daddy was out there with them, "Point those toes and keep those fingers together, fluid, be fluid!" And he'd demonstrate the best he knew how.

Mom was doing the same things and more things behind the scenes, but dad just had this enthusiasm about him when supporting his daughters that could not be beat. He took their dancing at half-time during the football games very seriously and he took the football games themselves very seriously. He's a well-rounded man, that's for sure.

I guess the girls saw too many fathers popping in and out for an obligatory appearance. I'd sit for hours taking pictures of everything, in my quiet spot, but I'd notice these dads who didn't feel it was important to do much of anything other than give a Hi/Bye kind of run through. If they'd only known.

Sometimes, just being there...being present, not even doing anything directly with your child during one of these extracurricular activities other than to be THE ALL IMPORTANT PARENTAL EYES that are watching every move because it MATTERS! Just HEARING about it second-hand, well, it might as well not be spoken about because being there first-hand is everything.

I look back at all the pictures I took of Deputy Dave with his daughters during those dancing team days, and even though my kids may wonder, "Hey, where was mom?" I remind them...see that picture of you and your dad on the sidelines? Who do you think TOOK that picture and the next and that one and those...mom. Rarely was another picture taken with those girls smiling or dancing unless it was mom clicking the shutter to do its job.

I think they do remember that I was stuck behind the camera trying to take every imaginable picture I could snap...every moment was a "keeper!" And since I had the camera most often, that meant...I was absent from being included in most shots. It's been sweet of Deputy Dave this past year to really try to make sure his girls have a few pictures with their mother in there with them as well...he's trying and doing a pretty darn good job of it. But, most of all, being behind-the-scenes as a mom brought me treasured moments such as when my kids always knew that MOM'S bed-time never came early, especially when the girls' needed anything, like a ride home after the game...even if dad rushed off to bed, momma was always the one to sit waiting, sometimes until 1:00am to drive them home. THOSE were some of the best late nights of my life! And there were years and years of those kinds of nights!

Those were my moments to treasure...to get the precious down-time when all had become quiet and calm; the girls would fill me in on the moments that no one else got to hear about. Gotta love being a mom. 

As for the team's photos, I tactfully refer to the near 6,000 photos that I took of my child and of team events...it's clear to see that the photos were taken by this mama because they were often skewed, and I'd manage to gravitate the lens back toward my daughters." And that's what you get when it's my camera, my time, my skill and my untold hours of photo editing...that's life in the big city. Since Deputy Dave wasn't exactly capable of taking thousands of shots on that level with him being busy in other areas, as "Security Dad"...the photos were mostly my job and I loved capturing those precious moments. Loved it.

So, here we are behind more cameras, but I'm not in charge. I'm on the side-lines, watching my beautiful daughter and her handsome father talk about the wedding day that is creeping up on us. However, guess What? I still have my camera tucked next to me and I am STILL doing the same old thing...catching a shot here and there. I'm there, chilling and clicking away in 007 manner. I get to watch Henry's expression as we sit across from each other as the movie camera films Deputy Dave and Heather, the two of us in the shadows are trying to not giggle.

I get to again have the beautiful view, a Heavenly experience, to be my daughters best-friend and to be here for her off camera.

Yep, most moms know exactly what it's like to be behind the scenes and to treasure that position because of the overall, amazing view that it affords...one that you'd not see otherwise.

I am one very blessed Momma!