Browse Tag by My Cowboy
Ramblings

Details

Remember me? It’s been a lot of months! I don’t know where the time has gone, but I figured it was time I talk about where I’ve been and some other details. 

The other week my sister dropped my niece of at BYU-Idaho and we met up with them while we were passing through Rexburg. As always, I reminisced about our time there. As of yesterday My Cowboy and I met nine years ago in Rexburg, during my second week of college. Nine years sure doesn’t seem like nine years. 

Details from butterloveandcowboys.com

I was reminded of a few things about the weekend my parents dropped me off at college. I had known for years I wanted to attend BYU-Idaho and was excited to do so. But for months before heading off to start my young adult life, some stressful things happened and NOTHING WAS WORKING OUT! At BYU-I they have what is called a track system. They have this system to accommodate more students on campus than they would otherwise be able to. So once you are accepted, they send you a letter to assign you one of their three tracks- fall/winter, winter/spring, or fall/spring. Mine never got sent. It took months and hours of talking on the phone to get somebody who was authorized to give me the info. Next, my whole apartment/rooming situation got sticky-I was supposed to room with friends, it fell through, the manager had me switch rooms to accommodate another girl, and the confusion kept going! There were all these little things that continued to build up until I was stressed enough I was second guessing my choices.

I tried to remember I had already felt peace that I was doing the right things and going to the right place for me.  One night, shortly after moving to Rexburg, I was wandering the gardens they have on campus. I found a bench that had a quote. It said, “Bloom where you’re planted”. That hit me and I remembered I had the choice to thrive where I was, regardless of setbacks. Then guess what? School started and something pretty great happened. All of those details that weren’t working out had a direct correlation to me meeting My Cowboy. You know, my future husband and the best part of my life! Without a doubt, God was directing me to him and that likely wouldn’t have happened had things worked out the way I wanted them to. And in retrospect, all of those details that seemed like such a big deal, were really insignificant.

Details from butterloveandcowboys.com

Remembering all of this the other week, gave me some me peace and assurance I needed to continue. God is in the details. It’s something I’ve always known, but have forgot to focus on recently. My load has felt heavy and I had been having a hard time coming to terms with it for a few months. I don’t usually have that problem, so it has really bothered me to feel this way. At the beginning of the year, I mentioned I had been having some health problems. Those health problems have escalated. And while my health is declining, we are grateful to finally have a diagnosis. 

After years of doctors visits, followed by this year’s tests, surgery, then more tests, I have been diagnosed with a condition called gastroparesis.  What this means is my body doesn’t digest food normally. It digests it extremely slow, meaning the food sits in my stomach for hours and possibly days longer than it should. While gastroparesis is different for everyone, and symptoms vary, what it looks like for me is nausea, severe abdominal pain, loss of appetite, bloating, numerous food sensitivities, weight loss, difficulty sleeping, and malnutrition. 

As of the last five or six months, my quality of life has plummeted. Where the last few years, I have had to spend a few hours in bed each morning, now it is a lot more than that. Because of the nausea and abdominal pain, I generally have to spend at least 2-3 days a week in bed all day, and the other days, I can usually be up around 2-3 in the afternoon if I wait for the nausea to wear off. On days I have things going and can’t wait for the nausea to subside, it can be pretty miserable. Occasionally, I will have a better day and get can do with a couple less hours of rest. And some weeks are better while others are worse.

As far as treatment goes, there isn’t a whole lot that can be done for gastroparesis. There is no cure, only aids to help curb the condition. For now we are working on medications and dietary changes to hopefully improve my symptoms. Thus far, nothing has helped, and while we hope we will find something to aid me, I have had to come face to face with the fact that we may not and I have to be okay with that. My last weigh-in I was at 100 pounds exactly. Food is my enemy. I have to eat it to survive, I love food and am a foodie at heart, but now all foods make me sick. Consequences from what I eat, can be really severe. For years, I was able to keep a handle on my symptoms based off of food. I knew what to eat, what to avoid, what to eat sparingly. And while there are still many foods that make my symptoms worse than others, all foods contribute to them. I feel sick no matter what I eat.

Eating has always been more than just filling my body for me. It is an experience. And while this may sound funny coming from somebody who runs a dessert blog, (I also believe in treating yourself regularly :)) I am very passionate about health and fitness. It is extremely important to me and being told by doctors that I have to avoid some of the healthiest foods because they can make my condition worse has been a really, really hard thing for me to accept. My calorie intake is low, thus the weight loss. I have been sick for years now, but the fact that I am starting to look sick from the weight loss has made it more real. Another hard pill for me to swallow is exercise. Exercise is no longer the pleasure I used to find it. I try to keep up with it and am able to do some, but I generally feel worse after and it often does me in for the day. Because of low appetite, and low caloric intake, my energy level is a big struggle as well. Enough of those details. I hope you aren’t asleep by now, if you’ve even made it this far. I just didn’t know how else to set up the picture. 

While all of these things have been and are a constant battle for me, I’m grateful for the knowledge that God is in the details. Maybe I don’t want to be sick everyday. I wish I could eat more pizza and cheese. I wish I could work out more. I wish I had the energy and felt good enough to do more with this blog. I wish I didn’t have to miss out on so much! I wish we weren’t getting set back even further on having babies. I wish I could weed my garden. I wish I could just get up at 6 am. and function! But the other week was a reminder that while things may not be working out the way I want, just like all those insignificant details causing frustration my first semester of college, I know if it is God’s will for me to be sick, He will use it for my benefit, regardless of the outcome, if I have faith and accept it. He is leading me and guiding me to a better future and blessings than I could ever possibly dream up on my own, having things go my way.

Ronald A. Rasband said, “Looking back, I realized I did not orchestrate any of those moves; the Lord did, just as He is orchestrating important moves for you and for those you love…allow Him to make more of you than you can make of yourself…treasure His involvement. Sometimes we consider changes in our plans as missteps on our journey…He is in the small details of your life as well as the major milestones.”

I am so grateful I can look back and see reminders of how God has guided me throughout my life. It is assuring and brings peace that I can’t find anywhere else. I am also grateful my situation is what it is. Many with gastroparesis are on a feeding tube, face frequent hospitalization, and suffer much more than I do. So, it is a struggle, but I am alive and am coping. And am trying to bloom where I’m planted, in the midst of sickness. Life is still good and there is always happiness and joy to be found along the journey. As I’ve written before- I’ve seen this in my life and the lives of those around me- whenever I am in the midst of something hard, there are more blessings than I can count and God always makes up the difference, even when the details aren’t part of our plans. 

Ramblings

The Hunt

So there are a lot of hunts this time of year. The hunt I am thinking of is one of my favorites though. It is not just any hunt it is the hunt. This hunt happens at various times throughout November and December for different families, but for us, the hunt happens as soon as possible after the Thanksgiving holiday. I usually count it as part of our Thanksgiving celebration really.

The Hunt from butterloveandcowboys.com

Have you guessed what the hunt is that I’m referring to yet? Tromping through the snow, trees, mountains, forest? It’s that time of year for the Christmas tree hunt! We spent Thanksgiving at the ranch this year with My Cowboy’s family so four out of the five couples, including us, went to search out our Christmas trees from a canyon nearby.

The Hunt from butterloveandcowboys.com

The climbing.

This little cowboy even brought his sled to help carry his tree down the mountain.

The Hunt from butterloveandcowboys.com

Of course there were some snowball fights. 

The Hunt from butterloveandcowboys.com

The Hunt from butterloveandcowboys.com

We raise self-sufficient cowboys around here. This little cowboy chopped down his own tree for his own room.

The Hunt from butterloveandcowboys.com

We found one!

The Hunt from butterloveandcowboys.com

The Hunt from butterloveandcowboys.com

The Hunt from butterloveandcowboys.com

The Hunt from butterloveandcowboys.com

The Hunt from butterloveandcowboys.com

The Hunt from butterloveandcowboys.com

The Hunt from butterloveandcowboys.com

The Hunt from butterloveandcowboys.com

The Hunt from butterloveandcowboys.com

This is why we love Katelyn.

The Hunt from butterloveandcowboys.com

One of the best parts of Christmas and other holidays to me is tradition. Traditions bring us together in a special way, especially families. I am grateful for the traditions my family had growing up and for the sweet memories I can look back on from those times. I am also grateful for the traditions My Cowboy and I have and the ways they bond us. My grandpa passed away earlier this month so I have been feeling especially nostalgic. Reminiscing on traditions from my childhood and those that we have formed or carried on into my adulthood, has been a way to keep loved ones close, including those who have passed on.

I have officially finished decking our halls now that the Christmas tree is up. Merry Christmas season to all of you! I feel so blessed each year as we celebrate the Savior’s coming into the world and marvel at His selfless life and sacrifice on behalf of each of us. I sincerely hope your Christmas is merry and that the true Reason we celebrate this season brings peace to your neighborhoods, homes, and families.

Ramblings

A Cowboy Wedding Tradition

As I mentioned in my most recent post, My Cowboy’s brother and his bride tied the knot this month. He is the youngest cowboy in the family and the final brother to take the plunge. For the rest of us ladies, this means our bride tribe is complete. No more being outnumbered by boys in this family. 

It was a beautiful day and we couldn’t be happier for the newest couple in our family. It is so refreshing to witness two people so in love start their life together as husband and wife. For more thoughts on that topic, click here. Now that all the cowboys have claimed their brides, I can share something I’ve been wanting to share for a while without spoiling any surprises for future sisters.

I am all about traditions. I love them. They can be especially meaningful and unifying when shared in our families. Plus they can be super fun. I love fun. This tradition just might be one of the most fun wedding traditions I have ever encountered. The nature of this tradition totally suits these cowboys too. What’s more western than a kidnapping? In our family, each bride has been kidnapped and held for ransom on their wedding day.

This is my kidnapping on our wedding day. Fortunately, our photographer captured it all.

Wedding Tradition from butterloveandcowboys.com

Oh and no worries, because we always wait to kidnap until after the ceremony has been performed. Kidnapping the bride before then would just be mean. The kidnapping generally takes place during the luncheon, after the bride and groom have finished their meal. In our case, it happened while we were thanking our guests for coming. 

Wedding Tradition from butterloveandcowboys.com

I love that unsurprised look on My Cowboy’s face.

Wedding Tradition from butterloveandcowboys.com

Wedding Tradition from butterloveandcowboys.com

Wedding Tradition from butterloveandcowboys.com

Wait, what? Where are you taking me?

Wedding Tradition from butterloveandcowboys.com

So what happens after the bride has been taken hostage by the cowboys? The boys leave a ransom note which is read aloud to the luncheon guests. In that ransom note, they generally require the groom to beg, plead, sing, or all of the above, for the money to get his bride back. The boys then head towards the nearest store with the bride (Wal-Mart preferred). Soon after, the sisters-in-law bring the groom once he has gathered the ransom money required. Here is an example of a ransom note, from another brother’s wedding a few years ago. 

Wedding Traditions from butterloveandcowboys.com

(Back to my kidnapping photos)

My Cowboy was required to procure a wheel barrow to push me around the store. Unfortunately/fortunately, the grocery store we shopped at didn’t have any wheel barrows! So he had to visit the neighboring store and barter with them to borrow their wheel barrow. To prove he wouldn’t steal it and would return it when he was done, he had to give up his car keys :D.

Wedding Tradition from butterloveandcowboys.com

Wedding Tradition from butterloveandcowboys.com

Once the mode of transportation for the groom to push his bride is procured, they are given a shopping list. This is where the money the groom gathered comes in. The groom then wheels his bride around the store (preferably wedding dress clad) as they search for each item on the list. You know, items needed for a wedding night. If the money they gathered isn’t enough, then they beg some more, this time to complete strangers in the store. 

Wedding Tradition from butterloveandcowboys.com

Wedding Tradition from butterloveandcowboys.com

Wedding Tradition from butterloveandcowboys.com

Honestly, one of the best parts of this whole ordeal are the looks strangers give the bride and groom. Some offer congratulations, some look confused, some appear annoyed, and some are pleased. One lady even commented, rather unkindly on the bride’s wedding dress. Fortunately however, most onlookers are plain amused! It all adds to the enjoyment we take in this tradition. 

Wedding Tradition from butterloveandcowboys.com

Wedding Tradition from butterloveandcowboys.com

Wedding Tradition from butterloveandcowboys.com

Wedding Tradition from butterloveandcowboys.com

Wedding Tradition from butterloveandcowboys.com

Wedding Tradition from butterloveandcowboys.com

Wedding Tradition from butterloveandcowboys.com

Another kidnapping I took a few pictures of. I always thought the cardboard sign was a nice touch. Especially outside of Wal-Mart!

Wedding Tradition from butterloveandcowboys.com

 

Wedding Tradition from butterloveandcowboys.com

Wedding Tradition from butterloveandcowboys.com

Wedding Tradition from butterloveandcowboys.com

What made our most recent kidnapping even better was when we discovered the grocery store didn’t have pregnancy tests out on the shelves. The groom had to push his bride in her shopping cart up to the pharmacy and ask for one. Other wedding night valuables were also nowhere to be found on the shelves. Where would they be? Behind the counter, with the cigarettes. Red-faced, the groom wheeled his bride up to that counter and inquired after the items needed. Fortunately, the youngest cowboy in the family was the best sport. He was definitely the most willing of all the brothers to do everything we asked. 

This tradition really is so fun. I find it one of the best parts of the wedding day!

Does your family have a fun wedding tradition? I’d love to hear about it! 

Ramblings

Six Years For My Cowboy and His Bride

Six years ago today I woke up very early in Logan, Utah. I did all the things you imagine a girl to do the morning of her wedding day. I powdered my nose, primped, used plenty of mascara, primped some more, and left my hair to a professional.

My Dad drove me to the hair appointment. I still remember that early drive with the beautiful view of the Cache Valley mountains as we descended from the hill where my Dad’s close friend lived, who my family all stayed with the night before the big day. I really don’t remember what we talked about. Maybe that’s a little sad, I’m sure as father and daughter we talked about the big day ahead of me, but all I know is we were together and that made it special. 

Six Years from butterloveandcowboys.com

My Cowboy picked me up from the hair appointment and together we drove to the Logan Temple. There we met our parents and appropriately prepared for the biggest thirty minutes of our lives. He may have seen my hair and make-up before the ceremony, but he didn’t catch so much as a glimpse of my dress until just moments before we became husband and wife.

In those moments he stepped on my dress, and a loud “crrrrch” sound followed. Fortunately it was the puffy slip underneath. Don’t worry folks, all he ripped was my slip.

Six Years from butterloveandcowboys.com

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we perform temple wedding ceremonies, called sealings. They are short, sweet, and beautiful. Ours was no exception. I tried so hard to hang onto every word that was said, but can really only remember a few phrases here and there. Regardless, I certainly felt the solemnity of the promises we made to one another and to God as the two of us started on our journey of becoming one. 

It is hard to wrap my head around the fact that this day was six years ago.

I know six years is so short compared to the lifetime and beyond we have together, but I still sit here in disbelief of how fast time speeds by. 

Six Years from butterloveandcowboys.com

Six Years from butterloveandcowboys.com

These have been six full years- six years full of innumerable good things that have come our way. Along with those good things has been some sorrow, testing, much happiness, and a lot of growth. Together, these things have served as strengthening forces for the foundation of our marriage. 

I am grateful for the ways the last six years have shaped us and I look forward to the years together that will continue to do so as time marches on. The last seven months found me in a place emotionally that I had to cling to my spouse in a way I have never had to before. I have always relied on My Cowboy and will continue to do so, because it is part of sharing your life with someone, but the depth at which I had to rely on him changed. It was hard- hard for both of us.

Hard is good. Hard passes and sometimes there is a little reprieve. Then eventually more hard comes. I learned there is nobody I would rather share the hard with than this cowboy. 

Six Years from butterloveandcowboys.com

Six Years from butterloveandcowboys.com

I love My Cowboy and am so grateful our paths crossed six-in-a-half years ago. We met when I was eighteen and were married six months later when I was nineteen. I don’t know why I was blessed to find him when I was so young, but there is no doubt in my mind God intended it to be that way. We have a lot of similarities, similar backgrounds, similar interests, and we also have some differences.

All in all, I knew from the start we were a good match and as time passes that truth unfolds more and more clearly to me.

Six Years from butterloveandcowboys.com

Here’s to six years!

PS. I just had to share this last photo, because it has a lot of great faces.

Six Years from butterloveandcowboys.com

Ramblings

10 Reasons Why I Wanted to Marry a Cowboy

I have wanted to marry a cowboy almost as long as I can remember. There are a lot of reasons that has been my ideal and I decided to compile a list to share. What the world says a cowboy is and what a cowboy really is are, in some ways, completely different things. 

Why Marry a Cowboy from butterloveandcowboys.com

If you were to type cowboy in google or pinterest, you are likely to have a thousand photos nail you with shirtless men in Wranglers four sizes to small, leaning against a fence, and a cowboy hat atop their head. He is probably holding a beer in one hand and likely his back pocket contains a package of Skoal. In no way does this represent the kind of man a cowboy is. It certainly does not entail what a cowboy means to me. Nor does it represent the many reasons I love and admire My Cowboy.

The world paints a picture of the cowboy as an extremely restless and reckless individual that doesn’t stick around, or keep up with commitments outside the spotlight of a dusty arena. This is so far from the truth of a what real cowboy is. I hope this list will help you understand what I mean.

Here are a few of the reasons why I wanted to marry a cowboy:

  1. A cowboy knows how to work. Not only has My Cowboy put in countless 14-15 hour work days to provide for us in the last five years of marriage, but he has a strong work ethic that I admire. I so want that instilled in our future children.
  2. A cowboy is respectful. I knew I wanted to marry a man who not only respected his mama, but my mama as well. If he couldn’t respect these two, why would I expect him to respect me or treat me as an equal partner in marriage? 
  3. A cowboy is God-fearing. Religion is everything to me. Finding someone with similar beliefs and commitment to God was an absolute must. My Cowboy is tough, tough enough he understands His need to rely on God. 
  4. As mentioned, A cowboy is tough.  A couple months ago, My Cowboy was working on a spud planter and fell off. Long story short- he landed on his feet but caught a lot of metal and bars, on various parts of his body on the way down. He always lands on his feet, but always seems to do the most damage that way! (Like the time he shattered out his teeth, but that’s a different story for a different day). He writhed in pain as he caught his breath a few minutes. He felt really nauseous, but got back up on that planter and worked another hour until he got the job done! Now whether that was the best thing to do or not, I won’t say.
  5. A Cowboy has a soft heart. My Cowboy can lift a hundred pounds, yet I have watched him tenderly bottle-feed a shivering calf, who lost their mama, in freezing temperatures. He is every bit as compassionate and caring as he is tough and strong.
  6. A Cowboy has a hearty appetite. I love food. I love to eat. I love sugar, if you didn’t know. I believe food is more than eating, it is an experience. I knew it would take a man with a real appreciation for good eats to keep up with my hobbies in the kitchen!
  7. A cowboy loves his animals. I believe how a person treats not only people, but all things under their stewardship says a lot about him/her. 
  8. A cowboy loves to ride. Riding a horse is fun and in the ranching world, very useful. It provides perspective and the opportunity to see the world from a horse’s point of view. Besides, who doesn’t wanna spend date night saddled up beside a cute cowboy?! 
  9. A cowboy loves the country. I’m a country girl through and through. I love visiting the city, but I don’t wanna live there. No offense to those who do, it’s just not for me 🙂 This girl desperately wanted someone who wouldn’t make her trade alfalfa fields and blue skies for Wal-Mart and asphalt roads.
  10. A cowboy can change the oil. My own Dad’s ranching background made him a competent mechanic. He may not have been able to fix everything, but he wouldn’t lug any vehicle of his into the mechanic until he had at least tried! I always hoped for someone who had this mentality and could take care of their own oil changes. 

Why Marry a Cowboy from butterloveandcowboys.com

These are just some of the reasons I am so grateful I found My Cowboy. The list really goes on and on though. I try to constantly remember how blessed I am to have found a man with all these wonderful traits and qualities!

Ramblings

Cowboys and Wrestling

The Cowboy.

He knows how to do a hard days work and give his all, often leaving the common amenities of daily life behind. For instance, a day spent out on the range requires that basically all modern comforts are out of reach. That means no running water, no bathrooms, and complete exposure to the elements, including whatever mother nature decides to send our way. And it continues until the work is done. Often, all four seasons will reach a cowboy on his ride in the same day.

Through it all, you rarely hear a cowboy grumble. They are too happy spending time in their most favorite way. There are always remarks on the weather, but no complaining. Sounds like a pretty tough group right? That toughness is a combination of inner strength to endure unfavorable conditions as well as muscular strength. 

So much of a cowboy’s life involves animals. Animals are unpredictable. No matter how well you know cows, horses, or any other type of animal, they are still an animal. In this case, we have a branding day. Most of the calves get drug in and their head caught with the head catch. With a little manpower from a cowboy, this will hold it down for the branding just fine, but there are always a few, usually larger calves, who put up a fight. 

This year, there was one in particular that I just happened to have the camera up and ready for. Here is a calf who didn’t even make it to the head catch. I thought I had caught the whole event, but I didn’t quite get the final fall, just everything leading up to it. 

Cowboys and Wrestling from butterloveandcowboys.com

Three of My Cowboy’s brothers are wrestlers. Now, I’m not a big wrestling fan nor do I know much about wrestling. My brothers are basketball players. I am no good at it myself but it’s an exciting sport that I have always thoroughly enjoyed watching. My hometown was a total basketball town. High school basketball was always huge. We didn’t have much time for wrestling nor did we have many wrestlers. I went to one wrestling tournament my entire high school career. 

And then I married My Cowboy and got some wrestling exposure from his younger brothers. I still don’t care much for wrestling nor do I really enjoy watching it, but I definitely have a respect for the sport I didn’t have before. It takes serious strength. It’s no wonder My Cowboy’s younger brothers are good at it! 

Cowboys and Wrestling from butterloveandcowboys.com

I can’t help but think experiences like this paved the way for them to have the skill, strength, and technique to do well in the sport. Cowboys and wrestling go hand in hand, I’ve decided. 

Cowboys and Wrestling from butterloveandcowboys.com

This Cowboy doing the wrestling and I share the same childhood hometown. It’s always fun to find people you have a connection with when you grow up and move on. My Cowboy and I actually have HIS daughter to thank that we ever met at college. She was a roommate to one of my good friends and introduced us on the dance floor. Are you gawking at how romantic meeting on the dance floor is or what? I had always felt the dance floor HAD to be one of the cutest ways to find romance. 🙂

Cowboys and Wrestling from butterloveandcowboys.com

Cowboys and Wrestling from butterloveandcowboys.com

And………………………………………..that’s where my photos of that whole ordeal end, but it was pretty great. Cowboys and wrestling- sometimes they win and sometimes they don’t. However, they DID eventually get that calf taken care of.

Cowboys and Wrestling from butterloveandcowboys.com

Cowboys and Wrestling from butterloveandcowboys.com

Cowboys and Wrestling from butterloveandcowboys.com

Cowboys and Wrestling from butterloveandcowboys.com

Cowboys and Wrestling from butterloveandcowboys.com

Cowboys and Wrestling from butterloveandcowboys.com

Cowboys and Wrestling from butterloveandcowboys.com

Cowboys and Wrestling from butterloveandcowboys.com

Cowboys and Wrestling from butterloveandcowboys.com

Cowboys and Wrestling from butterloveandcowboys.com

Cowboys and Wrestling from butterloveandcowboys.com

Cowboys and Wrestling from butterloveandcowboys.com

Cowboys and Wrestling from butterloveandcowboys.com

Cowboys and Wrestling from butterloveandcowboys.com

Cowboys and Wrestling from butterloveandcowboys.com

Cowboys and Wrestling from butterloveandcowboys.com

Cowboys and Wrestling from butterloveandcowboys.com

Cowboys and Wrestling from butterloveandcowboys.com

Cowboys and Wrestling from butterloveandcowboys.com

Cowboys and Wrestling from butterloveandcowboys.com

Cowboys and Wrestling from butterloveandcowboys.com

Cowboys and Wrestling from butterloveandcowboys.com

Cowboys and Wrestling from butterloveandcowboys.com

Cowboys and Wrestling from butterloveandcowboys.com

Ramblings

The Art of Roping

Shortly after My Cowboy and I started dating, he invited me to watch him compete in a team roping with his boss at the time. I was all for it so I tagged along. As I enjoyed the evening of observing him, I remember thinking, “I really need to marry this cowboy.” Nothing was as attractive to me as a man on a horse. That was even multiplied in my smitten mind by the whole roping part of the deal. 

I still love to watch him rope. It never gets old. I certainly can’t rope myself, even attempting in the least scares me, because it takes a lot of skill. Although, that very first night I ever saw him rope, he told me he would have me roping in no time. Psh…five years later and I’ve  never even swung a rope on the ground! Maybe someday.  For now, I will just continue to enjoy gawking at him. 

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

See? Doesn’t he look good? I can never seem to get enough of it. As I’ve already mentioned, in my five years of marriage to this cowboy, I have learned that very few things bring him as much happiness as a day spent roping and riding.

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

This family branding that I have been telling you all about is where all of our cowboys started to rope. With a little help from those who are older and already had the skill mastered, they slowly learned themselves. Fortunately, My Cowboy has a great roper for a father, who was able to pass on what he knew to all five of his boys. Isn’t that one of the greatest blessings of this life? Learning a skill at the feet of someone who understands it and was once in your shoes, progressing and growing themselves. And the understanding that they once needed a master of the art to teach them and started out just like you, with that thirst for any knowledge and a willingness to work so they could eventually land on their feet, in a place where they would have the skill and abilities to teach others who likewise will need the benefits of their instruction. Like these cowboys, I imagine most of us owe a lot of what we have learned to our parents. I sure do!

This post is entitled “The Art of Roping” for a reason. It is an art. All of the things a roper has to keep their focus set on to glide that loop right were it is intended to go is so impressive. There is such a beauty and eloquence in these skills amidst the seeming rudeness of animal behavior, unpredictable weather conditions, manure, and days laden with dust.

Looking into these faces and getting a glimpse of the satisfaction they feel from a long day’s work, participating in ways they thoroughly enjoy is something that is a privilege to see.

I’ve shared several pictures of this little cowboy nephew of ours. With help from those who have been where he is, he dragged in his first calf this year!

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

 

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

Roping from butterloveandcowboys.com

I am so grateful for the many individuals who have blessed my life, by sharing with me what they know so I can grow and progress in ways that bring me closer to my goals. The patience and love that it requires to effectively teach someone has touched me many times from the countless individuals who have helped me learn throughout my lifetime.

God’s patience is another gift for which I am continually thankful. A seasoned roper sees the potential in the eyes of a little cowboy, like our nephew, as they remember how they got their own start with a rope. The fact that God doesn’t just view me as I am now but with the potential of all I can become if I choose diligence and hard work is something that is extremely special to me. 

Ramblings

Branding Part 3: Roping and Groundwork

Howdy all. I still have a lot of branding pictures to share and I haven’t even gotten to the best part- the actual branding! While some of our cowboys and cowgirls rope the calves, there are also bodies on foot, who take care of the groundwork. Groundwork includes vaccinations, castrating, earmarking, and, you guessed it- branding!

Here’s how it goes- a cowboy/cowgirl heels a calf and drags it towards the branding iron, where someone on foot will place the head-catcher on the calf’s head. The head catcher helps keep the calf in place as those on the ground proceed to vaccinate, castrate, earmark, and brand. Once finished, they release the head catch, and off the calf goes- usually pretty swiftly!

The roping part is the part My Cowboy lives for. Few things in this life make him as happy as a day spent on the range branding, where he gets to ride and rope. He despises anything that has to do with a calf table. All operations are different and have to do what works best for their outfit, so absolutely no disrespect is meant towards any calf-table users. There are pro’s and con’s to roping, just like there are pro’s and con’s a calf table. I’m simply highlighting how much our crew LOVES their time spent roping. 

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Clay’s oldest brother’s wifee! She is also known as “The Rancher’s Wife” as she has a blog where she shares all about what happens on the ranch- you can find her here. Check it out!

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

My Cowboy. My favorite cowboy.

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

 

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

How cute is this little cowboy?!

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

Branding from butterloveandcowboys.com

While I still have more pictures to share, as for the explanation of a typical branding day, there you have it! It is always a full day of cows, dust, roping, singed hair, good food, family, friends, horses, and photos.  I will be back before long to continue sharing all that I captured that day with you 🙂

Like my recipes and ramblings? Don’t forget to subscribe and never miss an update!

Ramblings

Cache

Every cowboy needs a good cow-dog. My Cowboy is no exception. We have been wanting to get a puppy for years but it hasn’t really been possibility, because of the rental houses we have lived in. Ten months ago, however, we moved out to My Cowboy’s family’s ranch- the perfect place to have a puppy! In my twenty-four years of experience, I don’t think hardly ANY dogs are as happy and content as ranch dogs. 

Cache from butterloveandcowboys.com

Cows to chase, wide, open spaces to run around and discover, other dog-friends, owners who love animals, what could more could a puppy want?!

Any-who, how cute is my puppy? His name is Cache. I love him.

We are buds.

He still gets in trouble a lot.

Cache from butterloveandcowboys.com

Cache from butterloveandcowboys.com

A couple of months ago, when we were still puppy-shopping, my sister sent me a meme labeling a box full puppies as anti-depressants. I laughed, then told My Cowboy he better get me a puppy. And Soon. And he sort of did- in a “it took two more months kind of way”. That is okay though, I love him too. He even found me my absolute favorite kind of puppy-a fluffy border collie with white on his face!

Cache from butterloveandcowboys.com

Cache from butterloveandcowboys.com

A few weeks ago, I was sick enough I spent a couple of days mostly on the couch resting. During those days, I found “Babe” on Netflix and watched it for the first time in YEARS. It was one of my absolute favorite movies as a kid so it was great to see it again after so long. Does anybody remember the puppies on that show? They are fluffy border collie puppies with white on their faces. You know, they were that ideal puppy I was searching for and they were so cute! So cute that I was even more determined to find one just like them that I texted My Cowboy and reminded him we needed a puppy like those ones on “Babe”- and ASAP.

Side note: this picture cracks me up.

Cache from butterloveandcowboys.com

Now, back to the puppies being like a box of anti-depressants part. We live in the middle of nowhere. While there are many wonderful things that I love about that, I spend a lot of time alone and some days, most days, I get lonely. That is another reason I told My Cowboy he better get me a puppy- I needed a little companion, a little friend. Yes, a friend, because he is my friend and I even talk to him sometimes, or a lot of times. 

Cache from butterloveandcowboys.com

Just look at those puppy-dog eyes!

 

*Enjoy my ramblings and recipes? Then don’t forget to subscribe and never miss an update!