Cowboys

My boys have been obsessed with cowboys lately. They've been "camping out" in our front yard for the past few days, with a pretend campfire and everything. It all started when I showed them one scene from Wyatt Earp a few weeks ago. It was the shoot-out at the O.K. Corral. They thought that was pretty much the coolest thing ever. I've listed below, a conversation I heard them having the other day while they were playing. Enjoy!


Here they are giving me their fiercest cowboy looks.


A cowboy is only as good as his campfire...


I'm not sure what part Rhy was playing in all of this. She can't help but dress up and join in.


Asher, looking epic in his full cowboy ensemble ... duster jacket, vest, badge, bandana, canteen, chaps, hat etc.


Asher works on the campfire.


So does Gabe!

Here is the conversation they had:
G: (consulting the map) You go to Wolf Rock and I’ll camp at Forever Canyon.
A: I don’t want to. I don’t like wolves.
G: You have a gun. You can shoot ‘em and make chicken out of them.
A: I’m scared of chickens.
G: Cowboys eat a lot of chicken.
(Ash refuses to budge an inch toward Wolf Rock)
G: Fine. Come with me to Forever Canyon.
(Ash starts shooting his rifle wildly)
G: Are you shooting the wolves? They’re running away. They’re scared of me because I’m bigger than you. They’re scared of me because I’m WAY big.
A: Oh. They think you’re a giant?
G: Yeah. Pretend I’m dad’s size.
A: (Looking at Roxy) This is my horsey.
(Gabe fires a round) (Asher fires back)
A: This is the shootout. (In case anyone is wondering)
(Asher makes machine gun noises with his rifle)
A: MOM! Could you help me? I’m getting shot!
G: If you’re getting shot, you’re supposed to be dead. (Asher obliges and falls dead, Gabe walks up to him, nudges him with his boot. Asher fires into him, utilizing the classic ‘fake out’ technique to perfection)
G: Just a second, there’s something wrong with my vest.
(more firing back and forth)
A: Momma! Help me!
Me: (butting in for the first time) Why are you shooting at each other? Are you enemies?
A. Nope.
G: Well, sorta.
(more shots fired) (Asher threatens Rhylah, (possibly for making the cowboys dance with her five minutes earlier) Rhylah puts her hands in the air in surrender as Gabe jumps to the rescue)
G: (randomly) Did you know bullets, when you shoot them, if they go into outer space and come back down, they have fire and then sort of blow up in mid air.
(Asher has nothing to say to that, so he fires at Gabe, who throws his hat at him)
A: Let’s go find the bad guys. (apparently these cowboys were just passing time trying to kill each other, but were not, in fact, enemies.)
(Rhy walks into the room and hits Gabe in the head with a small gun.)
R: You dead.
(The boys ignore her, as a girl has no business in a western, unless there’s a sudden need for dancing)
A. I’m gonna be Wyatt Earp.
G: Wyatt Earp?
A: What’s you’re name?
G: I don’t know. (Ash points his gun at Gabe) You mean if I don’t tell you, I get shot?
A. (nods) uh-huh.
G: I am the world famous ... (thinking fast, but coming up blank) I’m a pro cowboy.
Asher (clearly not impressed) opens fire. Gabe falls dramatically.
A: Now I’m the only one standing. (Looking epic as he stares into the middle distance, standing over Gabe’s beaten form. He quickly gets bored of being epic, and fires another round of machine gun fire at his fallen brother.)