Back in the saddle again...

Our first day in Idaho the kids were super anxious and excited to get out to the ranch with Grandpa to ride horses.  The ranch “cowboy” (yes that’s what they call him and actually I wish I had a photo of Chester, he is probably my age and has one of those mustaches that curl up on both ends) has some great horses that his little kids ride, which were really calm and very obedient.  The kids all love helping Grandpa with the horses.  Look at Katelyn's proud face, helping Grandpa.

Here's the peanut gallery, anxiously awaiting their turn on the side of the horse trailer.

Finally everybody gets a turn, riding.

Here I am pretending I know how to rope, ya I know I don't even have a lasso...or Wranglers...or boots...or a cool belt buckle...or a brushpopper shirt (yes this is really what those shirts with the front and back yokes and pearly snap buttons are called)...or a cowboy hat...

 We were playing around like we were "real" cowgirls.  I'm not kidding anyone, including myself.  I am a city girl!  I like to live in the suburbs, have neighbors and shopping close by.  Now that doesn't mean I don't love to visit the country, it's good to enjoy the simple life every so often.

I know it doesn't look like Matthew's enjoying this as much I am, but he loved the horses.

In this picture below he thinks he's really doing all the work pulling the horse over to get saddled up!

After the kids were all done riding, my mom and grandma took them back into town and my dad took my sister, Kristin, and me out on the desert along the canal bank.  I wish I had a photograph of how beautiful the fields of corn, beets and potatoes are on one side and sagebrush, desert for as far as you can see on the other.  The breeze was perfect and it was like the old days (the quiet, kid-less ones).  A nice ride on the horse is peaceful and relaxing.  There’s no phone ringing, no additional distractions;  It’s like a good book, a day out on the lake, or a scenic bike ride.
It was well-needed and something I wish I could do more often.