Brace yourself, this will be long. Wyoming 2010.

The girls and I just got back from a few days visiting Aunt Charlotte and Uncle Mike in Wyoming. I think this vacation trumps Canada only because horses are included. If I told Hanna we were going to vacation in a pile of puke, but there were horses included, she'd put on her pink boots and do a happy dance. She really has a knack for animals and is especially good at riding. If we were fancy we'd sign her up for lessons at the local equestrian center but we's po folk, so she has to wait until she visits Mike and Char each summer. Ryan left for training in Denver before we got home (which is why he didn't come) so we haven't really been able to talk for almost a week. When I called him from Wyoming, the family was usually around and the girls wanted to talk. When I called him in Denver he was either partying it up (Rockies baseball game) or in his hotel room that he shared. Now, we are no Mike and Carol Brady, we've spent many days apart but I'm missing someone to talk to. I'm getting pretty desperate actually. I called him last night and talked at him, even though I knew it was late and he was tired. I realized that something Ryan is good at is listening and I really missed it. Plus, I can tell him anything and he won't admit to thinking I'm crazy. I have friends that I tell a lot to but there are things that only Ryan is privy to. It will be nice to have him home tonight. Plus, single parenthood is the sucks and I'm almost at the point where I'm going to black out all the windows and tell the girls it's bedtime at 3 p.m.
Photo essay
Very early every morning, Uncle Mike and the girls would drive to Dirty Annie's for breakfast. The girls are so excited about this that I think the first day we were there, they actually beat Mike to waking up. Which means they were up around 5:30. I'm never invited to Dirty Annie's so I have no idea what goes on there. I only know they either eat waffles, french toast or pancakes and that you can buy dream catchers there because Mike bought Grace a pink one. That's about it. I envision there are some characters involved since we are in rural Wyoming. Grace did spill the beans about them both riding in the front seat of Mike's Audi to get there but since it is rural Wyoming and I trust Mike implicitly, I turn a blind eye to this. They also get anthropology lessons while at Dirty Annie's. Hanna observed that people swear a lot more in Wyoming but that they are very nice. To me this says, "We need to swear more."

It was hard deciding which photos to use but I liked this one of Grace on the day of her first ride. She looks so happy.

The girls needed boots because what would a trip to Wyoming be without some sort of western wear purchase. A friend pointed out that Grace's were just like Ariels in Footloose. *Note: Not a real horse.

This is the view from Char's house. Now you know why we love to come here. Well, Char and Mike are the reason we love it but this helps.

Getting ready to ride with Cindy who is a "cowgirl". She's amazing and really teaches the girls how to ride.

I rode Turk, who I think was 20 feet high. We won't talk about how I had to trade saddles with Cindy mid-ride because the stirrups wouldn't adjust short enough for my freaky legs.


I want you to note Cindy's arms. If that's what ranching/riding does for you, sign me up! Cindy is actually an occupational therapist which could be good for arms also.

The view from the top. I let go of some of my mother angst and let the girls go straight up the steep hill on their horses. When Cindy first brought it up I totally made a Marge sound as heard at the end of this clip:

No! Well... 10 beers. sound bite  Homer Simpson sound bites