Branding

These days I am spending a lot of time marketing socks and building a "brand".  On this particular weekend I took a break from business to spend some quality time with friends and family and work on a whole different type of "brand".

Whether we are helping friends make sausage, building a deck or branding I love to see how our kids pitch in.  They are naturally curious, energetic and love to be part of the action.  Especially when it comes to something new.  If only the same could be said for cleaning their room.

Some great friends invited us out to their farm for the annual branding.  This is our second trip out and the last time was three years ago (click here for the link)!http://www.thecircushouse.com/2009/07/rokochy-rodeo.html

 Here comes the Rokochys!  Let the branding begin!

 Guess what's in the bucket boys. They are called prairie oysters. Yummmmmy!

 Don't look at me to do any work. I'm a princess, I'm scared of cows and I just got a manicure.

 The three stooges.

 The hot brand.

 Pat imparting some wisdom.

 Carson's favorite part was the refreshments.

 Just moments later he stopped to water the grass but didn't set down his rootbeer.

 Olivia's job was herding the cows into the pen after they were branded.  She is good at this from all the practice she has herding her little brothers and sister!

 They said this cow looked different than the rest so I thought they should name it Lady Gaga. 

 Kesley is very brave and jumped in to push cows down the chute.  

 Olivia was taking it all in.  She even lost a tooth in all the excitement. 

 Everyone had a job and I could only keep busy so long taking pictures so I asked our host if I could help out thinking I could maybe make a salad for supper.  Instead she handed me a scalpel and a handful of balls and after a brief Prairie Oyster peeling tutorial I had a job.

This picture brought to you by photographer in training Olivia. 

 I didn't know cowboys ate popcorn twists. 
 Farm Life.

 I know these are going to be the times that the kids look back on and have fond memories.  I am so grateful to the many friends we have made and how they treat us like family.  It definitely takes a village to help raise these kids!

 Finally Olivia had one cow that she had to push all of the rest would be scared of her.  I am sure she was thinking maybe I could borrow this stick.  It may come in handy at home!

After the branding was over we enjoyed great food, a lot of laughs and we were even brave enough to try a few battered Prairie Oysters.  This was definitely an unforgettable day.  Thanks to the Dickies for making us part of the farm for the day!