Willy Autumn Retreat Day 4: Willardsons are Hard Workers

I made fruit and yogurt parfaits and hot sausage cheddar biscuits for breakfast. We packed up the van, and finished the puzzle triumphantly at checkout time, then said goodbye to the pretty little Baker Ford cabin in Saint Joe Arkansas. The boys grabbed the dessert pie leftovers and plastic forks and we passed the pies around and finished them off on the drive because we are super classy. 

We planned an important stop in Harrison Arkansas today. We haven’t seen Calvin and Lindsey in far too long! I took a picnic lunch and we spent the afternoon outside at their ranch in Harrison, which is also where Lindsey runs her non profit: Branded Equine Therapy Services. Lindsey offers OT, PT, and Soeech therapy, but also runs a very successful program where she teaches veterans how to break/gentle wild mustangs. After 16 weeks, they adopt their horse at an 80% success rate. Lindsey has built this business from the ground up over the past three years and she puts her whole life into it. 

We had planned to just visit, but she had a whole team building session ready for us today. We tacked up and harnessed 3 of the therapy horses and rode them all around the arena. After seeing 4 year old Hazel climb up onto her horse and ride her around the ranch completely unassisted, even Sloane decided she could be brave and get on a horse. We all took turns riding and guiding one another, and then rode independently. Everyone groomed the horses, and the at the end of the day, the littles and I took them back out to their pastures, and the older boys and Aaron helped Lindsey put all the saddles, harnesses, helmets, and blankets away. 

Weekends like this are magic. But not magic at all. It was wonderful but actually took a lot of careful intention and some thoughtful preparation. I know core memories were made. I hope the children remember this weekend forever. 

You know, I tried everything to make today’s theme: Willardsons are not cat people, but my people disagree. They were super grossed out though when they woke up to Lucy the cat meowing loudly at the cabin door. Sloane opened it and then screamed. 

Lucy brought her a dead chipmunk. 

Then, to her horror, ate it on the pouch. Barf! 

Cats are adorable and also gross little monsters. Lucy was not snuggled any more. 

And then arrived at Branded and there were kittens and cats everywhere. And THESE kitties are so used to Heston and Hazel loving on them, the Willy Littles immediately forgot about the rodent murder scene in the doorway from the morning and instantly re-joined  Team Cats 

An hour later, we discovered the van door had been left open and a kitty was inside, licking a pie plate clean. 😂🤮 at least it wasn’t a dead animal haha! 

See? Dogs are so much cuter.