BuRs, SpurS, and BeaR ScaT

  It has been a crazy few weeks, but we are starting to calm down, I hope.  Between 3 birthdays, college, ranch life, kids school stuff, and beginning to get involved with our new life.... I have to say I am a touch busy.  That is how I seem to roll.  Here are the kids school pictures ( a few of them anyway).  They take several at the school, cause they can when there is only 10 kids.  Oh, and when I am the photographer!  But wouldn't you know it is your kids that give the fake smiles out of the whole group.

 And here is the whole school, all ten of them.  They are a great group of kids.

 What can I say about the last few weeks?  Well, I have spent a lot of time horse back with my boots and spurs (or Mike's spurs anyway) on, gathering cows.  Oh, and this is what it has looked like while out and about while on the back of a good horse.  Tough to take, I know.

We have been gathering the cows, getting them ready for shipping day.  Reed has loved getting to be out there with us.  The other day I left him and Gunner by a gate to turn cows and rode away with the lead.  I was almost a mile away for about half an hour and he did his job perfectly.  How many 4 year olds can ride their own horse, work cows, and stay by themselves on an important job with no one else in sight (in bear country).  Anxiety for a mom though.....  Heart skips a beat just thinking about it again.
We have been dealing with weed sprayers, weed pullers, and ditch diggers (in a sense).  The gosh awful hounds tongue is trying to take over here, so we deal with burs everywhere.  Our cows, horses, dogs, and even myself have been plagued with those irritating burs.  We did have 4500 gallons of weed spray go out, and 3 full days of weed pullers declaring war, trying to make a dent in our "problem".
Recently, I have found out that when the phone rings, it could be the fish and game calling to let you know that a collared bear is hanging out around your house.  Little bit scary knowing she is there, but you don't ever see her.  We have seen her "bear scat" a few hundred yards from the house, taunting us.  Just as long as she doesn't want to see what a Reed steak tastes like, I'm good.
Also, we are finally adjusting to the fact the grocery store is 50 mins. away, you have to keep your tank half full if you don't want to run out of gas, and it is so worth an hour and 40 min. round trip with the kids for a night out.  What can I say, life is good.