Our trip to the Ranch

My mother birthed four children. She was told a few times in there that there would be no more and yet she didn't feel complete until she got her little boy. While her three girls are very different from each other, they seem much more similar when compared to Boogs. You see, each of the girls has proven their impressive ability to drop an impressive load of cash (dad's, of course) on 5th Ave, Madison or any high street in London for that matter. The only thing Ben has in common with this experience is that his Wrangler's are dangerously close to being as fitted as his sister's designer jeans. Don't get me wrong, his sisters have accomplished their own pretty amazing feats including strapping on a pack and climbing each of the seven cathedral peaks in the Grand Teton Range, sleeping for weeks at a time in dirt and with bugs in Nepal or heaven forbid, consenting to have a taxidermied wild animal grace their walls... but none compare to this brother of ours. He is currently working at a ranch in the middle of nowhere (really, I drove there) and Cooper and I went to see what was so great about it. He even offered to make us dinner... how could we refuse??

Our grub, brats on the grill. The boys sure thought they were tasty! That's my mother-in-law's car in the background. It didn't quite feel welcome among all the dirty enourmous four-wheel drive vehicles surrounding it.

This is Ben's humble abode. Yes, the wodden box, inside a garage. It's actually quite nice inside... I was really impressed with how clean it was. All I felt compelled to do was the dishes which he claims are easier to do just once a week when the sink is finally full.

We took a ride out to check the water for the cattle

Learning to drive

Uncle Ben and Cooper with "Ol' Sarge." This ancient army jeep is Ben's project some evenings. It always has something to replace, upgrade or tinker with.

Coop couldn't wait to see the horses.

This is Ben's horse. He named her Lady in hopes that she would learn to become one. It hasn't happened yet.

It was getting late and I still had quite a drive through nowhere to get back to civilization, but there hadn't been a tractor ride yet. Seriously mom, how could we even consider leaving without a tractor ride?!

We had a great tour of the ranch. I learned more about cattle than I'll ever really need to know in my life. I still think it's stinkin' desolate out there, but I can see the love of the land my brother has and I respect his desire to follow his dreams even it means going against all norms we were raised with.

And my little boy thinks he has a pretty cool uncle. Can't dispute that.