Memorial Day Weekend! (Camping and branding!!)

For the first time since we got married, Adam and I joined my fam for camping over Memorial Day weekend. We didn't get to go up until after church on Sunday because I had my first Sharing Time responsibilities but we still got to go! It was raining all morning long here and Adam, I must admit, was not incredibly excited about the prospect of a night in a tent. We camped at Jellison Place, which is about 26 miles north of Harlowton via some gravel roads. It was actually a very nice place with a very nice road for gravel! It was basically inhabited with ATVers, which was fitting since that's what the rest of my family was there for. It was cold there when we first got there and then started to rain. I put Sarah in a snowsuit. It was blue and said all-star but at least she was warm! My kids were very excited about sleeping in a tent. We got it all set up before the rain really hit but spent the evening socializing in my sister's camp trailer. It's so fun because the oldest four kids in my family are now married so it's like hanging out with a bunch of friends. Sleeping that night was not so much my favorite. Apparently after having 3 babies my hips do not appreciate sleeping on the ground anymore! I could feel and hear the snap, crackle and pop every time I moved! Paige and Porter woke up once each because they were cold but we got them tucked and snuggled in and they were fine. That was so much better than I expected! Monday morning the sun came out and warmed up the whole place. It was such a beautiful day! We ate breakfast with my mom, although I wish I had the hook-up like Ryan and Tove! Everyone invited them to eat with them so they took their plates from trailer to trailer and ate! It was so cute to watch the herd of cousins running around together! All the grandkids from Haleigh (5) down to Jordyn and McKayla (1.5) ran around, played in the dirt, threw the frisbee, took turns getting 4 wheeler rides, and just generally had a great time together, so much so that when we finally left that afternoon, Paige pouted for the first 30 miles and wouldn't even look at me! Adam left that morning to go black bear hunting down the road in the Crazy Mountains for a while. He came back early afternoon to report that he had seen two bears: one that he dubbed the meth bear because it was just a juvenile, super skinny, and had rubbed most of it's fur off and another that he saw the tracks (which were huge) but only caught flashes of through the trees. I am glad to know that my husband has some sense because he wouldn't pursue that big bear up into the timber because he was scared. We all ended up mildly sunburned but nothing major, just enough to prove we were outdoors having a good time! =o)

Tuesday Adam worked during the day but we branded that afternoong/evening at his mom's house. It was such a great time. Crystal requested earlier in the day that I bring my pasta salad because she was "having a powerful craving." Adam and Jerob roped, our friend Mark and Skinny wrestled calves for one set and they used the handy north fork for the other. I vaccinated for a while but then Miss Sarah got super fussy so I turned into a specatator the rest of the time. Our niece and nephew, Cydnee and Ty, eventually took all the kids but Kaylie back to the house to watch a movie. It was so amazingly helpful. Miss Kaylie just sat inside the fence for the well by herself playing in the grass and watching until we were almost done. At that point she told me she wanted out so I let her out. I asked her if she could go back to the house by herself but she told me no and took my hand, so Sarah and I walked back to the house with her. I stopped in the driveway and asked if she could do the rest by herself but she just looked up at me and said "Come on!" It was so cute. We ate a fabulous dinner and visited. Adam took me out for a four wheeler ride and actually taught me how to drive it. I can't believe I waited til 30 to try something so simple! It's not at all like the motorcycle my dad tried to teach me to drive! I think it also helps that my husband is such a patient teacher. I don't get nearly so stressed when learning new things because he stays so calm. Adam took everyone downstairs to watch the DVD he made his mom for Mother's Day afterward. It is so fun to see something he worked so hard on have such a powerful effect. His sisters laughed and cried through the whole thing. I have to admit that I still cry at least once or twice during it even though I've seen it 15-20 times now! It was such a great day.