Traditions of the Ranch

(I LOVE this picture of Keith and Kendall driving over to the coral. Sweet!)

One of Keith's happiest memories of his childhood, was going to "The Ranch" every year. Garrett loves to hear stories about Keith's experience at the ranch. The huge ranch in southern Arizona owned by Uncle Devon and Aunt Lilian, Delwin's sister and husband.
Keith loves the whole experience of the ranch. Keith loves riding horses. A trait he past on to Garrett because he definitely didn't get that from me. Keith loves the dusty primitive living conditions, which thanks to Uncle Devon did vastly improve this year. Keith loves the traditional meals that they fix, like chili boats, aka Frito chili pie. But most of all he LOVES having the cowboy experience. And now as a Dad he loves watching his kids gain those same experiences. So because Keith loves the ranch, I will suck it up and continue to go to the ranch every other year. Hopefully someday I'll be able to go to the ranch without being pregnant so that I can learn to love it as much as Keith.

After a delicious breakfast, we loaded all the kids up in the back of the truck to go over to the coral to saddle up the horses for a ride. As you can see from the many happy faces riding in the back of the truck is almost as exciting at riding on the horses.

While waiting for the horses to be saddled, Garrett amused himself with the tire swing. Later in the day I let him try his hand at driving the truck while sitting on my lap. We was easily distracting by the many cows on the side of the road. Let's hope he works through that by the time he is 16.
Garrett also found himself a souvenir horseshoes, and received a lesson on branding from Uncle Devon.

I didn't get very good pictures of Garrett riding a horse, but he made plenty of memories by riding the horses non-stop. Every time he could get on one he was up there.

Kendall was just at excited as Garrett to get up on the horses but she didn't have as much fun. Unfortunately, she was bucked off the first horse she was placed. I don't know who it did more trauma too, me or her. I thought I was going to have a baby then and there watching my baby girl fly off the back of a horse. But we went back to the house, discussed the events of the morning, to which Kendall decided that not all horses are bad just the one that bucked her off. By the afternoon when they brought the horse back up to the house, Kendall wanted to get back on one. I would have been perfectly happy if she never rode one ever again, but she wanted to ride. It's Keith's blood running through her, not mine.

Although Kendall wasn't at fond of the tire swing. She never really took to liking it, and I personally thing this is the funniest part of the ranch because it's SAFE!

I LOVE this picture of Garrett pushing his cousin Ben on the tire swing. Garrett is really struggling to pull the swing, but Ben is just kick'in it!