I Married Into...

Two years ago today I became Mrs. Ingram

I married Matt - Son, brother, cowboy, truck driver, dog trainer, work-a-holic, roper, eater, manly-man.

Today, my happy 2nd anniversary, I thought id reflect a little on what I married into.

Horses

And when I say horses, I don't mean a cute little pasture pony who whinnies and has other cute little horse antics... I mean, buck-you-off, run-off-with-you, spook-at-a-rock, "you-better-ride-me-daily" kind of horses.  And who would have ever thought that i would like it!?  And by like it, i mean LOVE it!

We now have 4 horses. 

 Our eldest is Matt's old ranch gelding Ace - a pretty bay guy, he is lovely to look at.  He is retired, although he is a great rope horse and i just happen to be light enough to ride him every now and then without making him crippled.  

Then we have Tic - he is a very pretty sorrel gelding.  Matt's had him for a while now, and has made him into quite a nice boy.  I remember when i first met Matt, him and tic would fight like an old married couple... an old married couple who would beat each other with their canes and bite each other with their dentures.  It was a lovely relationship as you can imagine.  After an evening ride, they would both be so hot and sweaty you'd think one of them would've given up! But my hubby and his horse are too much alike... very stubborn and very strong! In the end, they did work it out, and they are really the best of friends now.  They make a great team.

Matt and Tic at our last branding

Next in line for the boys is Yellow, aka "Streakin Hornet".  He came from Oregon, originally from New Mexico.  He is a beautiful light palomino color, very handsome.  We bought him so that i could have a horse to ride as we were kinda running out of horsepower here on the ranch.  He was so solid in the sale, even had his rider stand on top of him in the arena.  When we got him back to idaho, i rode him and loved him! He didnt have the best rein on him, but he was gentle. Then one day, he bucked me off... and do i mean BUCKED!  This horse not only showed me how high he can kick up those back legs, but showed me why his name is "Streaking Hornet".  He was a yellow blur all the way back to the barn! He has since bucked quite a bit, but Matt softens him up on the ground before we ride him now, and he is as sweet as pie... a sour lemon pie :)

And our prettiest little horse is Oakey, the lady of the bunch.  Although you would never know that she was a lady with the manners she has! (or doesn't have i should say!)  She is by far our best horse, knows it all, can do it all, has been everywhere - she is amazing.  However, she is quite a brat... she knows she is good, and is not about to be humble!  She is quick, snorty, and very opinionated.  Her and i did not get along at all at first... we've come to an arrangement now where we can work together - its not always pleasant, but by the end of the day we are two happy campers.  She bucked me off recently and as i was lying on the ground looking up at her, she just stared at me with that look of, "How'd that feel?" ... at least she didn't run off...

This is Oakey... in the house... IN the HOUSE... best part about the picture is matts face...

He is lovin it!

Camping

I LOVE camping... i love the campfires, the wilderness, the wildlife.  However, my idea of camping and my husbands idea of camping are quite different.  

Im not a prissy girl by any means... i was raised by my father, which led me to believe i was a boy until i experienced middle school - middle school girls are not very nice to girls who wear khaki knee length shorts and BigDog tees... and lets just say the boys aren't too nice either! 

But I digress...

I'm no sissy-la-la.  Thanks to my dad, i can change my own tire, start my own fire, you get the picture.  But we always camped in a tent or trailer when i was younger.  We would camp somewhere where we would ride bikes, fish, just enjoy being outside.  Sure, it was in a campground, but whats wrong with a little bit of pavement?? 

My husbands idea of camping is sleeping in his bedroll in the middle of nowhere.  No tent.  No pillow. No campground.  The more desolate, the better. Heck, his ideal camping spot is one without any road, any trail.  Just him, his pot of coffee, and his bedroll.  

Now i know that a tent isnt bear proof... but there is something about sleeping inside it that makes you feel a little safer.  Id rather be a free meal thats wrapped than a piece of meat lying on the ground.

Needless to say, we have both given in a bit.  Now our camping consists of loading a big tupperware bin full of camping supplies into the back of our dodge, driving into USFS or BLM land, continuing until the road ends (sometimes a bit further) and then setting up a very small tent.  We have a campfire, we roast hotdogs, we even wash our hands! :) And matts favorite part of integrating my camping style? S'mores...

Camping along the Virgin River on BLM - the camping trip when Matt popped the big question :)

Hunting 

Hunting is something i was never into before i met my husband.  I come from a family that does hunt, in fact Matt and my uncle even go hunting together.  But it was never something i was interested in.  Matt was a hunting guide for Bitterwater Outfitters when we first started dating... 

(little plug, if you need a guide, choose them!! you wont be disappointed! bitterwateroutfitters.com)

... and he invited me along one day for an early morning pig hunt.  We got up around 3am, left the house around 3:30am so that we were at the headquarters ready to pig hunt by 4:30am.  I was cold, tired, and pretty sure these men were crazy... how would we ever even see pigs this early??  Just as daylight approached, so did the pigs, swarms of them! Let the adventure begin! It was wild, and i was hooked!  I began to go with him every chance i could get, and i became quite the pig spotter and pig skinner (!!!). We no longer hunt pigs as we live in idaho, but last year Matt got a cow elk, and this year we are planning a buck hunt.  I also got a doe antelope tag! (Wish me luck!) My husband has fully converted me into the camo-wearing, rifle wielding woman i am today.  

Chloe has even turned into a hunter! (see background) 

(if this offends anyone... i apologize... but remember, its a coyote, not your house pooch)

and finally...

a LARGE Family

I guess you can say that everyone has a large family, if you include enough generations.  The Ingram/Lombardi family isn't all that big when you think about it i suppose.  It has your grandparents, your aunts and uncles, your cousins, etc.  But what is different about the Ingram/Lombardi clan is that they actually LIKE each other, and they are close!  They have weekly dinners, invite each other over, send birthday cards, the whole bit! 

My close "Clark" family includes me, my sister, my dad, and my Grandma.  I love them all, but unfortunately we don't see all that much of each other.  And i have a great extended family, but i'm lucky if i see them once a year. 

NOW, i get to add the following to my family! 2 grandmas, 1 grandpa, 5 uncles, 4 aunts, 10 cousins, 1 sister, 1 mom and 1 dad.  And whats really cool, is my MIL's and my FIL's sides mix!  They will come over for dinner together!! Isn't that so cool!  

But the best part is that they all love me like im their own!  They have all fully adopted me.  Im so so truly blessed to be part of the Ingram/Lombardi family.  

Our Wedding Day with the Lombardis/Ingrams 

So today, 730 days after marrying the man of my dreams, i look back at all i married into.  

I married into horses, into camping, into hunting.

I married into a large, loving family.

I married into Adventure

Into Fun

Into Silliness

Compassion

Honesty

Sacrifice

Dedication

Respect

Hard Work

Gentleness

Affection

Generosity

Integrity

Forgiveness

Understanding

Confidence

Encouragement

Appreciation

Acceptance

God

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