Cowboy Camp

Awhile ago, Will's Cookie & Lovie promised him a trip to Cowboy Camp the next time he visited them. He has a great memory & has since told lots and lots of total strangers that he was going to Cowboy Camp this week.

So, last night, we loaded up the car and drove to our friends' ranch - the Clapps. I've known the Clapps my whole life and grew up going to their ranch to ride horses and play. Many a night was spent out there in high school with our youth group.

About 13 years ago, the Clapps began a Christian camp on a working ranch - you can read more about it at www.rockincranch.org

It's an incredible place. Kids do learn about working ranches... and they get to play lots!

There were 96 campers there this week & they were having a blast! Will was ready for me to drop him off & come back in a week for him.

The camp serves kids from all over the USA and all sorts of backgrounds. Next week, they are hosting a special camp week for kids diagnosed with Down Syndrome or Autism.

Matt & Janie have a heart for kids - if you're looking for a great camp - check them out!

(Janie, by the way, in an incredible baker - she's even been featured in Southern Living and her cakes are one of Oprah's Favorite Things. She used to design the most incredible wedding and birthday cakes... her final one was my wedding cake! Now, she sticks to fabulous pound cakes of all different flavors.)

We enjoyed one of her made from scratch peach cobblers last night - yum!

Thanks, Cowboy Matt & Cowgirl Janie! Will had a blast and has made incredible memories at his first Cowboy Camp!

Ellie in the Belly & Cowboy Will at their first rodeo!

The campers were doing their rodeo last night - so fun to watch!

Be still my heart- he's such a cute cowboy!

Will rode his first horse last night at Cowboy Camp named "Caddo." He wasn't afraid at all - he LOVED it! In fact, he has informed me that when he is 6, he is going to cowboy camp and he will spend the night and he will run through the fields on a horse ALL BY HIMSELF!

Pray for me.

He was not happy when we said he had to dismount - especially because he never got to run.

Little daredevil of mine

It's hard to tell who is having more fun!

Singing the National Anthem prior to the rodeo.

The ranch has several new dairy calves. Will got to feed them milk from a bottle which he thought was so exciting!

Whenever we talk about how mommy will feed Ellie her milk, Will refers to me as a cow. I have a feeling that this experience today will not help me in my crusade against being compared to a cow when nursing or bottle feeding Ellie.

But that's okay. Something about watching his face as he carefully helped bottle feed the calves- just precious.

R's "Little Grandad" would have been proud, I think. He was a dairy farmer.

And, my goodness, I may be a city girl but aren't those calves beautiful?

Will & Cowboy Clapp (Matt)

Cowboy Will gave the calf a little snack of hay

& enjoyed petting their soft noses

He loved counting all his eggs (& thankfully didn't break any - even though he put all his eggs in one basket. :))

Ever the fact finder, Cookie & Will learned some interesting facts about eggs

(We have always laughed at how my dad will go pick up an encyclopedia and just open it up to read. However, he does know lots of interesting information thanks to World Book. This chicken coop fact thing was right up his alley!)

Will wasn't scared at all to venture into the henhouse. He marched right in & helped collect lots of eggs!

Will thought it was great fun to go with Cowboy Clapp into the goat pen & watch the real cowboys try to lasso two goats.

I love this crouch position he gets in to get a better look at the pig.

A cowboy in shorts & boots & a hat - he's too cute, if I do say so myself!