A Montana Branding!

 Well, most of you know that I was born and raised in Montana BUT that I gave up this beautiful life for a Californian STUD!

You might also know that after 11 years under the Californian sunshine, we decided to pack up the troops and move to Big Sky Montana!

We lived here 3 years and I would like to think that we mastered the art of mixing California and the Wild West.  We could look country like the best of them.  ;)

 Long story short...

We had our fill of the Wild West and so we moved back to sunny California...

for 1 year.

Yeah, I know, we have now earned the nickname, Ansolabehere gypsies.

We are now BACK under the Big Sky...

FOR GOOD!

Unless, of course, the Lord should decide He would like us somewhere else...I am praying the He keeps us here for a good while!!

THIS TIME, however, we do not just want to look the part...we have moved here to embrace everything (not just hunting) that Montana has to offer.  We want the Montana LIFE...for us, but even more so for our children!!

What better way to get started than a good old fashioned branding?!?!

We are here in my mom and stepdad's home and up here on their hill, there are 4 families...all amazing Christian people...you can see that God has handpicked who He wants up here.

To one side of the ranch is a family that invited us to their branding.  Gabrielle was so excited because she got to go horseback to round up the cattle.  Superman up there gave his super hero a gumball for the road!

I had to sneak in a little prayer time because even though I believe Gabby is gifted when it comes to horses and all animals...I worry.

 She is in her happy place.

 SO BEYOND THANKFUL for my little sister, Katy, who shares the same passion and gift as Gabrielle...they are two peas in a pod!!

 Ususally kiddos are a huge part in the branding action...but not exactly helpful...

They practice their roping and riding skills...

Needless to say there were quite a few bumps and bruises when the boys got home!

Abraham even jumped of a huge hay bail and knocked himself out!!  LITERALLY!!

 It is always fun to get to know the folks in the area.  Everyone helps everyone when it comes to things like this.  It is like the Little House on the Prarie...if a barn burns down...everyone shows up to help put up the new one.  

They probably had a good 50 people there to brand I think 80 cattle.

 I have learned that I like to do the cooking for brandings.

I dang near got my teeth knocked out while wrestling a calf and I would have cried...

and never stopped had that happened...

 So, I leave the wrestling to the strong people.

Like my sister and brother-in-law!!

We are just loving and soaking up every moment of being in this beautiful (albeit wet and cold) state.  So much to learn and so MUCH to do.  Hardworking people...I am so blessed and humbled to learn from them and excited for my children.

I promise that I am going to do a series on organization very soon...with some fun lists and such!!  I got a little backed up in blogging with all that we have been doing and for the sake of journaling for our family, I don't want to leave anything out so I just have a few more to go to catch up!!  ;)