My Hero.

My husband is a man's man. A cowboy's cowboy, if you will. He is handsome, he is rugged. He smells of cow and horse dung...He has the ability to melt me with that boyish smile and sparkly blue eyes.

And he is my daughters' hero. They are the definition of daddy's girls. And of course, the fact that he is their direct access to all things horses is a definate one up on mom...

Here are some photos that I snapped the other night as I chased the girls out the back door after they screamed, "Daddy's Home!" and raced outside to be the first one tossed up on his horse.

David riding our stud horse, Lowry's Last Star ("Leroy"), through the pasture, trying to ignore the fact that I have a camera--he hates cameras. I think he subscribes to the Native American theory that it will steal his soul...And if he is caught by a camera, you will never, ever see him smile...

Riding with trusty cow dog Sam by his side. Sam is just a puppy, but is showing promising signs of being a great sidekick for David. As long as he eventually stops chewing up everything in my yard, I like him just fine...

Oh--the cow he is trying to gather just took off running....Mainly because the girls were standing very near the gate he is trying to push the cow through screaming "I want to ride, I want to ride! No me! No me!"

Notice that David and Leroy have faster reflexes than I do...

Back under control, and headed to the barn...

Ah--my hero. He looks so good on a horse...So calm and collected, so natural--the total opposite of what I look like on a horse. I mean really, look at that--his horse is running full out, and there David is cool as a cucumber, he gets more excited watching bull riding on TV.

This is where the pictures get really cute, and make my heart go pitter-patter. This is why I married a cowboy...to raise a whole herd of adorable cowgirls...

After putting the cow in the barn, he takes Jacklyn on a tour of the pasture.

So, so cute--both of them...I LOVE her little bare feet!

Now with two girls...Yes, Elizabeth is still in her school uniform, and without shoes. Gotta get outside fast when daddy gets home...gotta be the first to beg for a horseback ride!

Rhian hitched a ride on Neighbor Jerry's horse. (Yes, mom, I know, children are not supposed to be riding horses barefoot--but I know you did it when you were little too!)


This is neighbor Jerry. He is pretty awesome. He gets the same greeting everyday that David does--"Jeeeeerry!!" and out the door they go...

This is why David tries to sneak to the barn when he gets home...he now has little "helpers" for everything he does. Yes, my children are standing in the barn, barefoot. Standing in God knows what...

He is petting Jacklyn on the head as he passes. So sweet. You know--a very long time ago, all that sweetness was directed toward me. But then I was trumped--by tiny little girls...with his same twinkly blue eyes...

All in all...My husband is pretty darn cute.