This is My Life

So, 12 years ago when I signed-up to marry Ryan Hawkins there were ALOT of thing I signed-up for that I didn't realize I was GETTING MYSELF INTO!! Hauling cows every spring is one of those things! This it the type of thing though that over the years has become part of my life. The "Men" having JUST ONE MORE MEETING to talk about what we are doing around here. This is one of those things that I think we could TOTALLY AVOID if a girl ran this place!:)
Three of the kids waiting VERY PATIENTLY in the bed of the semi for their daddy! They LOVE hauling cows to the ranch because of the ride in the semi. Dallin has turned into "one of the men" and is ALL BUSINESS....so, he rode to the ranch this year with his uncle Chase.

This is Dale - just being Dale - riding on the ropes of the semi trailer after unloading this truck. Dale is Ryan's right-hand man. I can't even imagine doing this whole "Ranch/Farming" occupation without Dale by our side.
This is my tough and rugged cowboy! He was doing the "pour on" (if you know cow language you will understand...if not....no biggie...you really aren't missing out by not knowing!) and I was doing the counting. That is why there are no pictures of actual cows....I can't take pictures of them and count them at the same time. :) I wonder if Ryan would have known that if he still would have married me! :) Ha, ha!!


After the semi ride this is their 2nd favorite part of hauling cows. They LOVE to run free out here in all this wide open space. They would disappear and I would yell for them to come back and they would have been makin' an outdoor potty or picking wildflowers, etc. They LOVE the ranch! This is one of the parts I am SO GLAD I signed-up for!!

How can you NOT love this life?? Culverts, creeks and my 4 year old!!

Another part of ranch life is the opportunities my kids get to learn and grow. This is my little D standing next to uncle Chase's work truck. Dallin has been working his little guts out since the day school got out. He has been fencing, water changing, spraying weeds and branding cows. This day was the 1st time he got to drive uncle Chase's truck all by himself. I sat next to him on the seat, but that was it....he did great for a little 8 year old driver.

So, THIS IS MY LIFE - AND - I AM LOVING EVERY MINUTE OF IT.....THE PARTS I SIGNED-UP FOR - AND - THE PARTS I HAD NO IDEA ABOUT!!

This is one of two posts for today, so make sure and read on!