Tractor parties and family time!

We put on some clothes (rare, I know), loaded up the Suburban (actually we packed it FULL of presents, misc camp gear, and elk camp food) and headed to Dillon to celebrate our Cousin Cash's 2nd Birthday! 

this is the "serious" I am walking and on a mission face

Dad and Uncle Josh were meeting us there, as their 1st week of Elk Camp was done and we were all going to spend a whole 12 hours together, and I was bringing them the haul of food for Week 2. 

Cousin Cash's house is full of tractors of all shapes and sizes and he was nice enough to share them with Matine.

Baby Jhett sure is getting big!  She is quite a strong and long 6 month old.  She didn't like being held by my mom much, but she sure loves her own Mom and it was fun to get to be around a real baby again!

The best part of the weekend was seeing DAD!!!! He sure missed me ... 12 hours with him isn't enough!  At least I get to see him again tomorrow!  When will hunting season be over again?

Me and aunt Amy had some fun.  She sure liked my pretty preppy tight-cardigan ensemble.  Hounds tooth shorts and fun fall colors are sooooo "me."

sharing snacks - "one for me, one for you, one for Brutus"

We know aunt Micca is DYING back at home and misses Josh so much, but we sure are grateful to have him here with us.  He's keeping daddy sane, safe, and relaxed up in Camp.  Thanks Josh (and Micca for sharing). 

It was a big weekend - lots of playing, partying, and driving.  I was so excited to snuggle up with my new favorite wildlife book and practice my "wolf howl" and "elk bugling."  

Real Live Hunting Moment to Make You Laugh

This is not staged or a joke. This was really taken by our hunter during our last week of Hunting Camp. Our very own Keegan Isaly is the guy/guide "taking the picture" in the video and hunter Steve is well, you will just have to watch. I hope you have an empty bladder.

"Uh, Where Does the Time Go?"

Well, this is where:

Josh and Peter had one final week in archery camp. It was great. They then packed things out, made sure camp was safe for the month until Pete goes in again in late October.

They had a ball and became really good buddies. Micca and I are thrilled about this as you can imagine!

Nana Jo has been able to spend lots of time with her two beautiful grandkids. Yay for family!

Cash turned ONE on September 16th!

Peter and I celebrated our SECOND Anniversary on October 5th. He bought me this very beautiful, vintage handmade saddle by Otto Eaton. It fits like a glove. Matine approves too.


We said goodbye to Josh. He was here in Montana working with Pete and hanging out for an entire month! Micca was ready for her hubby to be home, but we really hope they BOTH come back to stay next year.

Pete has loved being able to spend time with Matine. He gets the entire winter (less a few days here and there for making some money) to soak in all of his beautiful daughter he can.


Matine has been growing like a weed! Most of the growth has gone into her cheeks. She LOVES her Johnny Jumper and most mornings you can hear her talking at the top of her lungs, non stop, as she bounces and spins. She may be growing some John Howell cheeks, but this child has the lungs of a Cottongim. When the room and conversation gets loud, she gets louder, and she has LOTS to say about everything (with a big smile at all times of course :)).

The fish are still alive, minus a few. Pete had Brad Cox over to help him change out the water and do a bit of "fish maintenance."

Laurie came along too - any excuse to hold a baby girl.

I have been trying to crank out hours on my medical transcription certification. Yikes! I am a fast learner, but there just aren't enough hours in a day! I HAVE to be done by January 1, so it looks like I will be behaving like a college student again and pulling some all-nighters!

I continue to live in a state of pure "awe" at how perfect and amazing our little girl is. She is amazing and she has made my life more than I ever dreamed it could be. She is still the most beautiful being - inside and out. There isn't a bad day with her around. She is 5 months old now!

Nona Kerri and Jim-Pa are the most amazing grandparents! They adore every second of being here with Matine (and even me too). They have been working on their house, painting, doing little fix-ups. Mom makes an appearance at our super cool community thrift store -every single day - and manages to find some pretty amazing stuff each day. They drop in to pick up a tool here and there (a ploy to see Matine), invite us over for dinner (a ploy to see Matine), and have managed to find any excuse to include us in their lives. What a gift. To me, Pete and the baby.

Matine has been able to see (even if briefly) her friends and boyfriends. Sully gets cuter by the day and is now a strawberry blond, sitting up 7 month old!

Not pictured are William, Ruben and Audrey - who we have been having play dates with too.

Blogger readers, I promise to be updating more often! It's always a whirlwind this time of year. We are adjusting to the change in seasons (we have had snow for a week straight now), Pete gets home after being gone and we do lots of getting re-acquainted, life happens, and we are just busy people darn it!

Western Extreme & Adventures Abroad

Well, week 1 of archery camp are over. They were VERY successful and everyone left "happy campers." They have already committed to coming again next year!

They raved about the accommodations, the food and the entire staff.

The staff - Jim, Josh and Keegan were all GREAT! It was Keegan's (Jacqueline's brother) first time guiding and apparently he did an awesome job! On his very first day -on his own- he led his hunters to a bull, called it in, they shot it, and he quartered and packed it out --- all at the ripe age of 20! Yay for Montana kids growing up in the wilderness.

I think the entire group learned ALOT from these hunters - they are definitely professionals and have a ton of experience hunting, filming, traveling. They even "tipped" Josh and Keegan with brand new bows! Not a shabby tip!

As I mentioned, this group of hunters came with a camera crew and they filmed footage for a few of their nationally syndicated hunting shows. You will soon see the footage, Peter, Keegan, Josh, Jim and the hunters on the Outdoor Channel!

Here are some images of the week - there will surely be more to come!

The Gang - Peter, Jeff, Keegan, Keith, Jim, Ray, Jim, Josh, Randy and another Josh (Travis was taking the picture)

Packing out the gear and horns

The Western Extreme Crew - Josh, Jim, Keith, Randy and Ray

The kills.

Apparently they do alot of this between noon and 3 each day.

Peter missing his wife and longing to see her.

Travis set up and waiting for a shot.

Jim Burnworth and his 6x6 bull from the first day.

Elk down!

Randy and Jim Burnworth - the father/son camera and hunting team.

The boys goofing off in the cook tent.

Update from Elk Camp

The Three Amigos Just Before They Hit the Road . . . Oh the adventures they will see together.
Jim Bynum (camp tender), Josh Rasp (camp cook), Pete (the boss and guide du jour)
Don't they look fierce and hilarious!

When your husband lives 10 miles from a road in a wilderness area for 2-3 months of the year, you don't have too much communication. So, you take what you can get and try not to worry too much or worry when you hear nothing. No news is usually good news.

Unless you get a call from someone on the team as they are driving their dead elk meat to a freezer! That is VERY good news!!! Yes, that means they have at least one elk down! I don't mean to sound so much like a cold-hearted carnivore, but it is a good thing when you own a business that makes money when animals die.

One of the hunters, Jim, called me yesterday to ask where he could take the elk that he shot with his bow on the very first day they were in - that was last Wednesday! The phone conversation was brief, but the highlights were:

"everyone doing great"
"all the guys are bad-ass"
"they were able to call this elk in"
"it was a 6x6"
"they have enough footage already for a couple of his shows"
"he's getting the third hunter today and going back in with him"
"Peter needs you to log-in to his acct and transfer some $$" (nothing like honey-do's from the woods)

Yay for good news. I will keep you posted on anything else we hear.

Our Very Own Wilderness Circus

One of these days I will be back to my former blogging glory, posting everyday with little tid bits of interesting (and alot of not-so-interesting) stories of life in a small town, on the range, and on the run...BUT, until then, you will have to be satisfied with the main highlights and big events that seem to consume our existence. It has been crazy around here (this is really an understatement). We have been slaving away at preparations for the 2009 Elk Season! Big year for us. We will make absolutely NO $$$, in fact, we may be losing our asses, BUT we may be famous... which could lead to $$$ down the line. That's what we are hoping anyhow. Remember me telling you about the super amazing outdoor films that were going to be filmed at our camp for the Outdoor Channel? Well, they have arrived and it has come to fruition. As I speak 3 hunter/film makers with their own shows and 2 camera men are on horseback and about 2 hours from our camp.

So where do the latest tales begin? Well, Clark booked his SECOND ticket to Montana in one summer this year. He committed to coming and helping us set up camp. In year's past we have convinced the Blank's, the Cox's, the Rasp's and even strangers to help us do the heavy lifting and work. This year we had commitments from Clark (good strong help), Jim Bynum a.k.a. "Jim-Pa" now (ridiculously handy, a perfectionist, and never quits), mom a.k.a. "Nona" now (amazing help with anything that needs organization and baby tending), Joellyn a.k.a "Nana" (the hardest working little German you will ever meet). Matine and I were of course on the list of "help." She was of course going to the the cuteness factor and I was going to be her food source in between diaper changes, baby tending and doing what I could to help.

We had a crew SET and we were excited. Day before we are set to leave: Nana Jo's slipped discs in her back - waaayyyy to messed up to even try to ride and lift and beat herself up anymore. One man down. Morning we are leaving - 6am, my phone rings and it's Clark. He was supposed to be leaving at 6am from Tulsa, so I assumed the call was to tell me his flight was delayed and we didn't need to pick him up as early. Well, all I remember from the angry and VERY short converstation. "I missed my flight, my alarm didn't go off, I am not coming. No, I am NOT kidding. Flights are too expensive to get another one and there are no other flights leaving today. NO Brooke, I am NOT kidding." CLICK.

Well, man 2 down. So now we are left with Jim, Peter, Mom, me and Matine... Our labor pool picture has drastically changed. Long story short, angels from Heaven sent us Ron and Sherry White from Clyde Park, MT. They love to ride their horses and camp out. They met Peter in the parking lot at the trailhead and thought it would be SO much fun to come up and break their backs WORKING at our camp for 3 days. So, we had to the extra food, we packed in their things, they rode their own beautiful horses, a). they worked their ASSES off for 3 days. Seriously, we kept pinching ourselves... Are these people for real? They were creative at building jacks and tables and anything that needed fixing, they were strong, hearty, and full of energy and smiles. In short - they were angels.

Their energy and extra hands really paid off b/c I was sick going into camp, Peter contracted the world's worst flu while in camp (fever, shakes, trots to the camp John every 1/2 hour, general yuckiness). I got sick AGAIN the day we get out, Jim got the crud the day after that, and now mom has it. What? Don't worry - it's not the water or my cooking (we think).

Ron and Sherry, Willy and Snickers - the extra hands/cast members of the Willow Ranch Circus

AND, Sherry took many of these beautiful pictures of our week.

Somehow all our stuff gets on to the horses and all the way to our destination - a bit like carnies.

Line em' Up.

The team looks ready . . . Sorry Stumpy, you are NOT a Norwegian Fjord be we will let you come anyways... We need you (this statement pissed Stumpy off and he later took it out on Jim-Pa in the form of a bucking bronco rodeo on the trail).

Getting acquainted with all the smells, noises, and faces of the extended family.

Our Fearless Leader /Ring Leader /Outfitter Extraordinaire - "handsome Pete."



Mama bear wasn't about to strap herself of her 3.5 month baby to the back of even the tamest horse - so we chose to use our legs as transportation the 5.5 miles uphill to camp. Matine "The Princess" loved the view from her Chariot.

All the dogs were excellent help and do amazing tricks. Barking at any intruders (moose), making sure you made it safely to the bathroom, creek, or wherever you went, and of course were thoroughly entertaining in general. Little Annie Bynum will NEVER blend in the City again. She is now a wilderness pack dog (sorry mom and Jim). Annie even "got tired" of walking into camp and rode on the BACK of one of our horses the entire way up - no kidding. Now that is a circus trick if I have ever seen one!


Up, Up, UP go the tents. Each tent takes about 1/2 a day. You must find and cut the beams and center poles, get it tethered and straight. Straighten it again, and again and again. Then once the stoves and rain flies are on - 16 more adjustments need to be made (and that's if you tied your knots right the first time).


Ron, Sherry and Jim had a great idea to build some saddle racks for the riding and pack saddles in our Tack Tent. It turned out very nice.

How can you make this part of camp better? Not sure . . . I guess the views are better than at home?


Matine loved sitting on the saddles in the Tack Tent. This kid LOVED being up there... Dare we anticipate a rodeo gal? Mom and dad really hope not...


Once tents were set up, leveled out and looking good on the outside - everyone got to "pimping out the interior." Ron and Sherry had client tent #1 looking like a magazine photo!



"Where the heck is Clark? I just saw him. He always skips out on all the hard work!" - was the quote du jour. We really missed him. And will be sending him a new alarm clock soon.

Did we tell you that you are not getting paid for any of this Jim? What, you have NEVER cut wood with a cross cut saw before? No, we aren't done yet. We need a few more CORDS cut before camp starts - keep cutting!


Regardless of how hard you have to work in this business, you can't help but see the beauty in everything ALL around you . . .

It's Bullwinkle the Bull Moose

Each night and like clockwork for her naps, Matine was bundled and put into her little Kidco Peapod personal tent. Protected from bugs, licking dogs, and the occasional run-away horse in camp, she slept like a rock.

Yes, there is a baby bundled in there. . .

We had lots of good laughs, some OK food (I was cooking) and plenty of tired muscles.

So, on the way out the real rodeo begins: mom tried to show off by doing tricks on our Helga Horse. Reality was that her cinch was loose and the saddle just started spinning, dumping Kerri to the ground and the saddle under the horse's belly (who proceeded to buck like a rodeo bronc). Mom crawled and clung to a tree while we all tried to figure out how to calm the beast and rider.

Five minutes after all is well on Helga, Jim's Stumpy horse becomes a crazy man and starts bucking Jim - he stayed on for about 5 seconds before being ejected right onto his rump. Not sure Jim has a career in the rodeo circuit yet.

Again, "where is Clark?"

Pete cursed his pack string the entire way down, having to stop every few minutes to run into the woods to "do business" associated with this awful virus, Matine, 4 dogs and myself kept walking and plugging along down the trail, praying the entire way that the rest of the Zoo would make it to the trailers.

We were utterly exhausted, filthy, sore, sick, worn out, and ELATED that all is done in camp and that Willow Ranch is ready for it's first week of clients.

All Pete had left to do was take another 4 horses in with hay, I had to buy, pre-cook and pack food for 10 people, and Jim needed to REST so he would be as good of help in camp as he was during set up.

Josh Rasp arrived from Oklahoma with his truck and long hair - ready to be camp cook!

It will be quite a crew in this month.