Our one short day in Dodson, MT

There’s one more thing I just have to mention about the trip up.  Dad had this little wrench sitting on the dash and we found out the hard way that it was a shocker toy and a lazy pointer.  We passed it around and took turns shocking ourselves for the heck of it.  Stacie decided to play with the pointer and aimed it at Becca’s hand.  She had never seen one before apparently and had no idea what was on her hand.  She slowly brought it to her face to look at it and then tried to eat it!  It was hilarious!  Stacie gave it to her at one point and she managed to shock herself with it.  She thought it was funny and did a few more times.  Silly girl.

Anyway, we get to Dodson, and found their house.  I got out and saw Shanna and started crying.  I’m such a sap sometimes.  She started crying and then Stacie started crying, we’re such girls.  I missed her and couldn’t help it.  We get in the house and I see Charlie and start it all over again lol.  We sat and talked for a bit and they got to meet little Becca for the first time, but then we needed to head for the hotel so we could all get showered and rested before the graduation.  We stopped to eat lunch at this little café in Malta called the Hitching Post before getting to the hotel and my mom and step-dad happened to be there too.  Becca decided it was fun to run back and forth between them and us and we all let her so she could get rid of some energy.  The other patrons thought she was cute and smiled and giggled at her.   We ended up not getting to the hotel until about 2:30 and we needed to be back by 5:00 and the hotel is 20 minutes away from Dodson.  The room that Andy and I were first put in had a broken bed and we had to be switched.  By the time we got settled and showered we didn’t have time to get a nap in, which sucked but we survived.  Mom and Steve stayed in the same hotel and they were ready to go when we were so we rode back with them.  It wasn’t the greatest Hotel, but it was cheap.  I should have gotten a picture.

We sat out in front of the school for a bit visiting and catching up.  My nephews have turned into some really great kids and hansom too, or maybe I should say men.  They’re all so tall.  Shanna and Charlie are sitting down, they're not that tall LOL

 

 Here's a decent one of all of us but my brother Scott, Ro, and their kids who couldn't make it and Kyle who was having a bit of an attitude problem at the time and walked off for a bit.  Jesse, Charlie, Brown, Becca, Kenton and Andy across the back.  Dad, Mom, Shanna, Stacie, Me, and Dad in front.

 Now this is what Charlie always looks like in pictures.  Look at those baby blues.

 

I caught him smilin' on camera!  and despite his warnings and insistence that it would break, my camera is still intact!  haha

Charlie was one of five kids graduating that day.  (He's on the far left) Gotta love small towns, my graduating class was upwards of 780+ students and it took forever!   His brother Jesse was also graduating from Jr High into High school.  It was a really nice ceremony for both of them and went really well.  Each of the students put together slide shows about themselves and they were all funny and well done.  They did a rose ceremony after, where the students passed out roses to all the people that had inspired them or helped them along the way in their lives.  That was really neat.  Brown gave one to all us girls and then rushed off saying he needed to go before he cried.  Aw.

 Shanna and Charlie are sure proud of their boys!

I had to add this next pic.  I caught mom sticking her tongue out while I was trying to get my camera settings right.  And she wonders where Stacie gets it...hehe

We had a really good time at the community potluck at the fairgrounds afterword.  The food and company were both wonderful.  We got to visit some more and meet some new people. 

After all the potluck Andy, I, Brown and one of his friends walked back to town talking about video games the whole way.  It was so much fun!  When we got back to town Andy and I went to the bar that Shanna works at and we hung out there for a couple hours.  It was really nice to hang out with my sister and talk and reminisce.  We all got a bit tipsy and had some good laughs.  Dad had taken Stacie and Kenton back to the hotel and then came back to get us.  He sat and talked with us for a bit then we all said good night and headed back.

The next morning we had planned to eat breakfast with Shanna, Jesse and one of her friends.  Big Charlie and Kyle were out helping with the yearly branding and Brown had to leave to start boot camp.  Shanna took us to the local country club for breakfast, it was very interesting.  It was all laid out fancy and pretty, but the atmosphere was totally relaxed and casual.  It was great.  The food was delicious too, but the service wasn’t all that great.  They brought our food out in spurts and then mixed up two of the orders, but they were all really nice about it.  Dad wanted to head out right from there and go home.  What?  We just got here are you kidding?  Keep in mind this only about 10:00 or so in the morning.  We finally got him talked into taking us up to where they were branding.  Yay, we got to stay longer!

They were branding, castrating, and vaccinating the new calves and they had a few of last year’s that missed getting castrated.  This is not a thing for the squeamish.  The smell of burning hair and flesh is a bit overwhelming.  It made Stacie nauseous and I teased her for it as is my right as a little sister hehe.  We were there for a couple of hours watching and I got designated the needle holder for a bit because I was in the thick of it taking pictures and it got handed to me several times. I didn’t mind, I just hoped they wouldn’t ask me to use it.  I could if I had to, but I didn’t want to.  I’ve given my dogs their shots myself several times, and I just don’t like doing it.

 Kyle was helping along with all the other guys.  They'd do seven or so of them and then take a break, for them and the cows.  It's hard, stressful work doing it this way.

For the bigger yearlings it took all of them to bring them down, this one in particular fought with all he had.  I don't really blame him considering what they took from him once they got him down.

This sweet dog was running around the property.  Her name is Copper.  I thought that suited her well.

But, around 1:00 or so, Dad finally made us pack up and head out.  I was sad to leave.  I was hoping to stay for more than a day.  Andy and I even mentioned staying another night and driving all day Sunday, but no one else wanted to as they wanted to split up the ride and not be in the car all day again. So we headed on our way.