Idaho Country Life

So, I need to confess something.  My entire life I have gotten defensive when people say that Idaho is just one giant potato field hickville. As a kid, I always thought we were pretty metropolitan here in the great city of Boise. I certainly never grew a potato, that's for sure.  But after having lived elsewhere, and returned, I'm realizing there might have been something to the rural setting that is Idaho...but DEFINITELY not the hickville part.  Idahoans are so much cooler that that. :) Being back, I have realized that there really is a lot of farmland about 20 miles from my childhood home. We have fully enjoyed the stunning vistas that we are afforded in our farmland surroundings.

 And I've already mentioned how we have benefited from the barns in the surrounding areas...Joel is in the process of making me a dining room table that hopes to put every other table to shame.  I promise to show it off when it becomes a reality. :)  So it only makes sense that we had to take the kids out to ride horses in the farmland mecca.  A few weeks ago, Grandpa Jim's coworker Randy invited us out to his house in Notus to ride their very tame old horses. Perfect way to start out our newbie city kids to the prospect.  So, we got up early on a Saturday to go.

 Claire was excited to get going!

 And when we got there, everybody was just about frozen from the start.

Amelia loved riding with Randy's daughter. After that, she was fearless.  So fearless that I was afraid she would get herself kicked.  She kept trying to charge straight up to the horses so that she could "take a wide!" whether they were ready for her or not. We kept her under our watchful eyes after that.  

 Ellie loved it, and didn't hesitate to hop up there solo.

 Grandpa took the girls who were waiting for rides to see the pigs and cows.  I just thought this scene was adorable. :)

 Haddon was cautious as usual, but as soon as he got up there, he loved it.  A funny thing about his solo ride - he hopped up there and was trying to show how independent he was.  He figured out how to lead the horse with the bit and squeezing the sides with his legs, so he took off at kind of a quick pace.  We watched him for a while, and he was doing so well, all of us turned our attention to the other horse and rider.  Little did we know that his horse quickly found a tasty section of grass in the far outfield, and was completely ignoring Haddon's persistent commands to move.  When I finally looked back towards him, he was alternating between feverish yanks on the bit, and then defeated, leaning over the neck of the horse trying to 'horse-whisper' to the thing to get it to obey.  It was kind of hilarious to watch.  We ended up having to send Randy over to help him get the horse moving. 

 Claire was enjoying it all, despite the biting cold wind.  I think her purple snowsuit did the trick. 

 Grandpa Jim helped with the kids and watched the entire time, but did not want to get up on any of the horses.  He's terribly allergic to horses, and was just nervous to go down that road.  We finally convinced him to do so, and he sat stiffly on it while it walked in a little circle.  The kids thought it was pretty funny to watch. (It was!)    

 I spent most of the time riding with Amelia or Sydney...they couldn't get enough.  Little Paige was having none of it.  She stood happily at the edge of the field watching, but anytime we would even look in her direction, she would run and hide behind someone screaming "I don't want to ride!"  We didn't push her.  Right when we were winding things up, she announced that she absolutely would not ride, but that she thought she might like to lead the horse by the rope.  It was absolutely adorable to watch her beam with pride. <3 p="">

 Joel was there!

 Somehow, I didn't get a closeup of Sydney.  How that happened, I have no idea.  She is our little cowgirl.  She asked for cowgirl boots and a toy horse for Christmas. Sheesh, I stink.  But believe me when I say, she was in heaven.  Which is probably why I didn't get a good picture of her...she was out in the field on one of the horses at every point that morning. :)  

 This horse, Smoky, was just a bit too rowdy for the kids to ride, but while they were looking at the new calves, he decided Paige was pretty cool.  Randy's wife kept shooing him away, and he would come right back to Paige.  She finally picked her up in an attempt to keep Smoky away...it didn't work.  Paige loved every minute of it. :) As you can see, he's licking her shoe in this picture. 

After the horses, they all played around in the barn for a bit.  And were grateful for a fun morning in Notus, ID.  So I finally have to admit it.  Idaho might be a giant potato field with cities sprinkled around it.  And even if I can't defend myself against would-be critics of my beloved potato-field state, I think my city kids are going to like living here, just like I did growing up!