Silver Belle Ranch

Last weekend our family go the privilege of going to Silver Belle Ranch to visit our friends the Kelleys. Shelly and I have been friends for nine years. However, we have only met in person maybe a half a dozen times. You see we met when we were each pregnant with our first child on a message board on ivillage (back when it was parentsoup). We have remained friends since and still talk regularly on our now private board with about 20 other moms who all had babies due in September of 1999.

It is always interesting when we see each other because it does not seem like so much time has passed between visits as we talk regularly online. The last time I saw Shelly in person, Charlotte was under a year old, so it has been at least 3 years. I had never met Brenna and she is five. When we do get to see each other it seems like a regular occurrence, not something that only happens every few years.

When we arrived the kids immediately started playing together and having a great time. Everyone that is except Eliza Claire. She was a bit out of sorts to be in a new place with new people. Every time someone looked at her or spoke to her she cried and came running to me. After a few hours she warmed up a bit but still wanted to be where she could see me.

We all took a walk down to one of the tanks. Rehm kept asking what the cows names were. Several of them had ear tags with numbers. He would say "What is number 12's name?" Shelly would say "Number 12!" So he would ask about a different one. I'm not sure he ever caught on. The cows started following us back to the house which made Rehm a little worried. They were just hoping for some food.

At one point in the afternoon Rehm asked me when we would get to ride the "EPGs." I laughed and told him I didn't know but if he didn't know what they were called he had no business riding on them. A little while later Bryan and Mr. Henley were nice enough to take Rehm and Charlotte for a spin on the ATVs. They of course had a blast. Shelly and I also went for a quick drive to see some of the property. It is so peaceful and beautiful.

We enjoyed dinner with everyone and then it was time to head home. On the way home we saw two rabbits, one deer, and one opossum.

My big kids talked about nothing else for the next 24 hours. They had a blast playing with Cameron and Brenna and being in the country. On days like these I realize I really am raising city kids! Yikes!

Here are some more pictures and what Shelly had to say about the day.

I hope it isn't quite so long before we get to visit with them again.
Jenn