04/02/2008

Yesterday we spent several hours with family at the Oil Ranch. I have been to the Oil Ranch with Nathan twice now. The first time I took him I was about seven months pregnant, and he was much smaller. For everybody else, this was a first. Nathan and his cousin Jackson loved the tractor! Here is Nathan (with Boo, of course) on the machinery.
I believe this is Nathan's first-ever pony ride. Although he likes ponies and horses, he has been timid when it comes to riding them. However, he got on and enjoyed himself tremendously.
One of our favorite activities was the hay ride. We had the ride to ourselves...I mean, just our family (grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles!). We were given special cow treats and were driven out to the "back forty" to feed the herd. The cows heard us coming and danced their way over the wagon. Apparently we were not the first visitors to come bearing treats. This man was our tour guide.
The cows were not timid! They came right up and ate the treats, the hay off our wagon, and were just generally people-cows. It took the kiddos and Mom/Gma a little while to warm up to the herd, but once they did we had a great time. The flies that accompanied the cows, however, were a bit overbearing. What is it about cows that attracts flies? Gross!
Nick had an opportunity to try and lasso a calf. This was their mechanical-lasso-a-calf-while-riding-a-fake-horse-machine. Basically, you sit on the horse while this fake calf goes speeding by you, and you try to lasso it and pull it back to you. Nick was a natural! I guess it is all the experience he's had in lassoing children...dogs...and Boo.
That was our day in a nutshell. We also rode a train, picnicked, and ate snow cones. Even the QUEEN liked snow cones! And we were TIRED after all the sweating, running, and playing. But, it was great! What a fun place!