Branding 2014

Every year at the end of May it is branding time. My Grandpa Walker owns a Ranch in Wyoming, and every year family and friends gather to help brand.

Last Saturday May 3rd was my grandma's birthday so even though we usually brand at the end of May, they decided to brand on that day, since we all would be up there celebrating with her anyways! 

The Friday night before that when Blake and I got off work we went to the Quarry and met up with my twin brother Matthew who has recently moved down to the area, and his roommate David. It was their first time in a long time, if ever sport climbing, and it was fun to share that part of my life with my twin brother.

Right when I started rock climbing I took Matt bouldering a few times, but he soon left on his mission so for the two years straight that I climbed he was out teaching the gospel. Matt was a fast learner and actually very strong for not climbing a whole lot! It was really fun to have them there. Blake and I have loved getting back into it from our three month climbing break. 

After that we drove up to Morgan to stay the night, then drove up to Wyoming the next day! I was so happy that Dan Wakeham, our good family friend who recently got back from his mission, came and helped us brand. :) He was visiting my family that night and lucky for him we convinced him to come.

The morning of branding was an eventful one. I just loved how Blake did everything! I was kind of nervous how he would react to it, since it is a very different experience. For the first little bit I just did the paper work, and Blake loaded the tattoo gun for my dad. I tried to take pictures of Blake but I think he started to get sick of it. I am still going to but them up here though. :) This is him with the tattoo gun (if that is what it is called).

Dan also was a champ! It was cool to have him up with our extended family since we all feel like he is apart of our immediate family anyways. 

I also love Jacob in this picture. :) He is so cool!

After doing paper work, it of course was time for me to get in the shoot and wrestle with some cows. Blake got in with me and it was a blast, I guess if getting kicked and thrown around by cows is a blast. :) It was a great experience to have blake help me out. He just jumped right in there and if a cow needed to turn around he would make it. He did a great job, and definitely impressed me.

Since the cows were much smaller than last year my legs were not as beaten up and bruised as they usually are after a day of branding. I just had one big bruise on my knee. This is just a picture of it the day of, the following days it turned a very unpleasant brown/yellow color.

I was also filthy, I am sure everyone there was just as dirty as I was, but for some reason everyone kept telling me my face was really dirty! Maybe it is because I am so white the dirt just showed up better. This is me and blake right after we got done, with a layer of dust on our faces.

After we branded we had a party for my grandma out in their backyard. It was so awesome the effort that my Aunt Kim and I am sure all my Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins, put into making it a very special day for my Grandma Walker, and she definitely deserved it. She is the most caring person in the world, and even if she isn't feeling her best she always makes it to every one of the big events in my and my relatives lives. She is a remarkable woman, and has been an example to me every day of my life.