Our 6th Anniversary Trip

September 16th marked our 6th wedding anniversary! Originally we planned to take a trip to Arizona for our anniversary but Brian's leave request took a while to get approval and by the time the approval finally came, plane tickets had shot up. We were trying to think of local (drivable) things to do and started looking at bed and breakfasts in the San Juan Islands, one thing lead to another and all of a sudden I was suggesting that we go to a dude ranch!

I have actually wanted to go to a dude ranch since I was a little girl. I grew up reading The Saddle Club books, in one of the books the girls get to go to a dude ranch, end up getting stranded there over Christmas, and then help deliver a foal. Awesome! Those are the kinds of intense plot lines that stick with a 10 year old :). Now I wish I hadn't gotten rid of all of my Saddle Club books because I would love to reread them all!

Brian has really been wanting to get horses lately, so visiting a dude ranch was a win win!

I can't say enough wonderful things about the K Diamond K guest ranch. All of the scenery was absolutely picturesque. When we drove up we were greeted by Texas Longhorns just chilling on the lawn. As soon as we drove up I immediately regretted not bringing my big camera!

They have a baby fawn on the ranch whose mother was hit by a car so they give it bottles and care for it. It is the sweetest little thing, I never thought I would pet a deer, let alone feed it a bottle! 

My favorite part of the whole trip was in the mornings when we would go round up the horses from the lower meadow and bring them up to the upper pen. Kathy would whistle and yell "C'mon kids!" and the horses would all come running! It was so beautiful.

This feisty little horse/mule is Daisy Mae. We watched her open the locked gate, she is mischievous and reminded me so much of one of our old horses! She could totally be Doobie's younger sister! (The picture is blurry because it was taken right after she released the gate and went looking for some fun.) 

After breakfast and rounding up the horses we headed out on our first trail ride! I rode Dutch and Brian rode Apples, they were both great horses, though Dutch was a little wide for me. The next day I had to ask for a child sized saddle. :) 

It has been an awesome 6 years with this man! 

Inside the lodge was so authentic, clean, and perfectly on theme without being theme-y! Boots lined the walls for anyone to wear if they didn't bring a pair! 

 We also went shooting!

It was my first time shooting shot guns and I actually hit 3 clay targets! I was shocked! I didn't think I would hit any! Man those shot guns got heavy fast though, after just a few rounds my arms were shaking! 

They have a donkey! 

The meadow where the horses go at night

In addition to the horses, longhorns, donkey, dog, cat, chickens, ducks, pigs, goats, fawn, and llamas they have 2 alpacas! Up close their fur is just like Sadie's! 

The next day we did another trail ride and I got to ride Cody. He was such a great horse and I totally fell in love with him.  I really wanted to pack him up and bring him home with us but I don't think he would have fit in the Beamer :) 

Even though going to a dude ranch wasn't the typical romantic anniversary getaway we are both so glad that we went and enjoyed every minute of it! We can't wait to go back with the girls when they are a bit older!