“I can't wait to start being a cowgirl!” Genie said. “I'm going to find me a fine, strong cow, saddle it up, and go for a ride. This is the best wish ever”

Ali burst out laughing. “Genie, cowboys don't ride cows!” she said. “They ride horses.”

“Oh, right.” Genie frowned, looking down at the lasso. “And what's this for? Tying up annoying people like Jake?”

Ali giggled. “I think it's for catching stray cattle and bringing them back to the herd.”

Genie looked puzzled. “Can't you just ask them nicely not to wander off?”

Ali shook her head. “I can't see that working,” she said. “Do you speak cow?”

“I guess not—but I could try!” said Genie. She walked a few strides, listening to the swish of her chaps. “When do I get to rodeo?” she asked hopefully.

“I don't think there's a rodeo here,” Ali said. It looked more like a working farm than a place that would put on rodeo shows. “But, well, maybe you'll get the chance to ride a bucking bronco.”

“A bucking bronco?” Genie echoed. “Great!” She smoothed the fringes on her chaps. “But … what is a bucking bronco?”

“It's a wild horse,” Ali explained. On second thought, Ali hoped that if there were any bucking broncos at the ranch, Genie would stay far away from them. She looked around her room. “Cowboy Joe said we were supposed to get changed. Do you think there's a cowgirl outfit here for me?”

“Try the armoire,” suggested Genie.

Ali opened the door Inside she found a fringed sky blue jacket, leather chaps, and square-toed tan leather boots. A matching bandana completed the outfit.

“I think I'm going to like being a cowgirl!” Ali said happily as she changed into the clothes. “I hope I win a Stetson like Cowboy Joe's.”

“I wonder if they have pink ones, like mine,” Genie said, waving hers around.

Ali giggled. “I don't think pink is Cowboy Joe's color,” she said, adjusting her collar

Genie tapped her boot. “Hurry up, Ali. I want to go explore the ranch!”

“We'll go together,” Ali told her “I'll just unpack your lamp.”

On the bedside table there was a large porcelain lamp shaped like a cowboy roping a steer Ali pushed the Lava lamp out of sight behind it. “Perfect.”

“If I'm going out there with you, then I need somewhere to hide,” Genie said thoughtfully, looking at Ali's outfit. “Got it!” She snapped her fingers. There was a puff of pink smoke and a sky blue pistol holster appeared around Ali's waist.

The pistol holster was perfectly Genie sized. Ali carefully helped Genie inside and, making sure Little Genie was out of sight, went out into the living room.

“Yee-haw, pardner!” Gran waved at Ali. “You look mighty fine!”

“So do you, Gran,” Ali replied with a grin. Her gran looked so different—and very chic—in her fringed white cowgirl outfit.

“Out of my way!” Jake yelled, jostling past Ali and Gran. He wore jeans and a blue and red cowboy shirt “I'm chasing a runaway steer!” And he galloped off into the kitchen.

“What do you think?” Ali's dad came out of the bedroom, adjusting his bolero. He wore a checked shirt and jeans like Jake's.

“You look great,” Gran assured him.

“How's Mom?” Ali asked. She still felt guilty for wishing away her mom's spa vacation.

Before Ali's dad could answer, her mother hurried out of the bedroom. She wore the exact same outfit as Ali, except hers was dark blue. Ali was relieved to see she was smiling.

“I think I'm going to enjoy this, now that I've gotten over the shock,” her mom said. “This will be a real family vacation. We'll be outdoors all day, bonding with nature. And I can't wait to try cooking over a campfire!”

Ali felt relieved. For once, it looked like one of her wishes was completely problem free!

“I'm a Texas ranger and I'm coming to catch the cattle rustlers!” Jake shouted, zooming back into the living room. He flopped onto the couch, panting. “Wouldn't it be cool if there really were some cattle rustlers? Then the rangers would come and there'd be a shoot-out!”

There was a knock at the door Gran opened it.

“Howdy, folks.” A young man with dark hair stood outside. “I'm Tim, one of the cowhands here at the ranch.” He was dressed in a spotless cowboy outfit with shiny silver spurs, and he carried a large lasso.

“It's time for your first activity,” Tim said, blinking a little at the sight of Gran in her dazzling white cowgirl outfit. “Practicing lassoing. I have some lassos outside for you.”

“You were right, Ali,” her mom whispered as they all trooped out into the yard. “This is going to be fun!”

“Now, don't get too downhearted if you're not very good,” Tim said, handing out coils of rope. “No one is, at first.” He puffed out his chest. “I've been roping for a long, long time.”

Ali glanced down to see Genie peeking out of the pistol holster She was rolling her eyes. Tim obviously took his “roping” very seriously!

They began by throwing the ropes onto the ground to get the kinks out. Then Tim showed them how to tie a noose at one end and coil the lasso up again, ready to be thrown. From the movements Ali could feel in her pistol holster, she guessed that Genie was doing the same with her miniature lasso.

“Are we going to rope some cattle now?” Jake asked after Tim taught them how to swing the lasso overhead and let it go.

Tim shook his head. He pointed to a big clump of cacti in the middle of the yard. “We'll begin by trying to lasso something that isn't moving. Pick a cactus and try to rope it.”

“Me first!” Jake shouted. He waved the lasso enthusiastically and flung it at his chosen cactus. The noose fell to the ground two or three feet away.

Mr. Miller and Gran went next, but although Ali's dad got close, neither of them was able to rope their cactus. Then it was Ali's turn. She chose a short, stumpy cactus with a furry top and stepped forward. She tried to do exactly what Tim had shown them. But timing exactly when to let go of the rope was tricky! The coils flew out of her hand and the noose ended up even farther away from her cactus than Jake's and Gran's had been from theirs.

“Ali's terrible!” Jake shouted gleefully.

“Don't worry Ali, ”Tim said, motioning for Mrs. Miller to take her turn. “Beginners can barely rope a cactus during the first lesson. Like I said before, it takes time to become as good at lassoing as I am.” He stopped in amazement as Ali's mom threw her lasso and the noose fell neatly around her cactus.

“Way to go, Mom!” Ali cried as the rest of the family broke into cheers.

“That's what happens when you learn from a pro,” Tim said approvingly. “Let's see if the rest of you can do that.”

Mr. Miller stepped up first, but this time his aim was way off target. So were Gran's and Jake's. Taking a deep breath, Ali tried again but ended up almost lassoing Cowboy Joe, who was strolling across the yard.

Tim let out a big sigh. “People, people. You're not remembering what I told you.” Tim picked up a spare lasso and began coiling it expertly. “Watch me. I'll rope Ali's cactus and show you exactly how to do it.”

“Ali!” Ali heard a tiny, muffled whisper from her holster She moved away from the others. She didn't want to look stupid staring down at her hip and talking to her holster! “He's such a show-off!” Little Genie said. “I think he needs to be taught a lesson!”

And before Ali could say anything, Genie snapped her fingers. A wisp of sparkly pink smoke drifted toward Ali's cactus. As Ali watched in amazement, the spiky green plant gave a tiny twitch, nodded its furry head, and shuffled farther away across the yard. Alarmed, Ali glanced at her family, but they were busy watching Tim coil his lasso, and Tim was facing the other way.

“Now,” Tim announced as he waved the lasso over his head, “watch how a real cowboy does it!” He spun around and hurled the rope spectacularly toward the place where Ali's cactus had been. But thanks to Little Genie's magic, there was nothing there. The lasso fell to the ground, empty.

“You missed!” Jake said excitedly.

“What?” Tim burst out. “That's never happened before. It was almost like the cactus moved out of the way!”

Gran chuckled. “It looks like even pros make mistakes.”

“Why don't you try again, Ali?” Mom said.

“Yes, go on, Ali,” whispered Genie from the holster “Quick, while everyone else is coiling up their ropes!”

Ali stepped forward and threw her lasso. Immediately her little cactus dashed toward the noose. It ducked its furry head inside and came to a full stop as the rope fell neatly around it.

“I did it!” Ali yelled, punching the air with her fist.

Everyone turned to look.

“Great job, honey!” called Mom.

“I hate to burst your bubble, but that doesn't count,” Tim said, shaking his head. “You need to rope your own cactus, not someone else's.” He pointed at the cacti. “That's not your cactus. It just looks the same, that's all.”

Ali sighed. She had roped a cactus—with a little magical help!

“Don't worry, Ali,” whispered Genie, peeking out of the holster “There'll be plenty of things here you're good at!”

Ali watched as Tim stomped out to the cacti to retrieve the lassos. Making friends with him was definitely not one of them!