UT Part 3

I am still trying to catch up on all of the fun we had while in UT. This post is just one day. It was a very long, extremely eventful day; a day so fun-filled that one particular two-year-old didn't get a nap and yet still managed to stay up until after 9 pm.

It was the day before easter...

... and, after a heated debate with Dad, Judd and Jake, it was determined that they would finish branding on this day--April 3. This time they worked the cows in an entirely new gate/fence/pen set-up ( I confess that while I probably should, I do not know the proper "ranch terminology") that was masterminded and built by my brother Jake.

When the branding was underway, the little cowboys and girls had a spectacular time playing on this giant mound of dirt brought in by Jake for just that purpose.

Cowboy Brooks

Cowboy Max

And Cowgirl Jauncee

Of the three days they branded, Paul was finally in UT to help out on this day. I think Paul rather enjoys being a part of it, and the more help the better. Max certainly had a great time with his daddy there.

Paul helping Max ride a calf even after reprimanding me for allowing Uncle Judd to do it with him the week prior.

This time was a little better--instead of carrying a soda around Max toted a truck.

My cousin Brady is such a great help. Here he is pushing the cows up the chute.

My niece Jeslyn is such a wonderful little helper with Max and Sam--they love her. She was so good to hold Sam when he was crying.

Max running wild thru the pasture instead of napping--who wants to sleep thru the fun?

Eventually, my kids got a little cranky after playing so hard and missing their naps; so, we opted for a diversion...

SAND HILLS! We headed to the ones across the highway from where the cows were being worked so we could still feel like we were a part of the big branding day.

This was Max's perfect world--a place with mounds and mounds of sand to dig!

And hills to climb...

Max is the little guy in the cowboy hat at the bottom. I am pretty sure someone had to carry him up that hill. It was probably Paul, though it may have been Brady.

The kids were thrilled when Paul agreed to bury them in the sand.

Except Max, of course. There was no way he could have sat still long enough.

So, he just played some more in the dirt.

After we adults had enough of the sand, we hauled all of the kids back to the field where the branding was just being finished. It wasn't so easy to get Max away from the sand hills, but we managed to do so with only moderately grating outcries. However, when he saw Papa on a horse, the perfect sand-world was immediately forgotten. "I wanna ride with you, Papa!" he happily exclaimed, no longer a whiney tone to his voice.

He even rode all by himself! This made him very proud. He is such a cowboy--born for this!

Even little Sammy--7 months old--got to go on his first horse-back ride with Papa.

Taking a rest after a long, fun day...

Like I said, this was a LONG day. Max was such a good boy--as he usually is. I am so proud!

I think I can finish the UT trip in one more entry. At least I hope so--I need to start blogging about present stuff. If only I could have taken my beloved Mac to Utah I could have blogged in real time...