Getting ready for Michigan

This is one of Hayden (at the front) running the 1.5 mile training run for his trip to Michigan. We had to drive 5 hours to Raleigh just to train for this trip. They had ice time, then went over to a school to do the run. I think we walked 2 miles to the school, just so they could do the 1.5 mile run!!!

Easter 2009

I know this is old (Easter) but I wanted to post it anyway and try to catch up on our "goings on" Each year, Bob hides eggs and the kids get to hunt for them. Our back yard is not like the one we had in Florida - we have less places to hide them. I am not sure who likes the hunt more..... Bob or the kids. If Ihad to guess I would say that Bob is not ready to "let go" of his tradition just yet.

Oh yes, Nicholas found the GOLDEN EGG yet again this year. He is the only one thus far who has EVER found the golden egg. Sara is certainly not happy about that!

The Barn

Well, what do you think???? I think everyone did a great job painting the fence. This is the "AFTER" picture and I am very proud that the girls stuck it out. It was a windy day, and we all had paint on us. Unfortunately, the only thing that got the paint off of us was gasoline! Ughh. We now have a few horses with gray paint on them, as they all had to be "nosey" and see what we were doing.

Our next project is to powerwash the outside of the barn and then paint it red! Hopefully by the end of March it will be done.

More pictures to follow..........

The Barn

Well, here's a BEFORE picture of the steel girders at the barn. They are so rusted that we decided something needed to be done. Whit powerwashed all of the fence, and we all got together and spent the afternoon painting them gray.

13 Years Young

WOW!!! I can't believe it - already! Mum always told me that they grow up quickly. She was certainly right - mind you, how do you ever doubt your own Mother???

we got Nicholas an ice cream cake and had a fisherman and a bunch of fish (the blue ones) placed around the oreo cookies. He loved his cake.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU NICK!!

Walking the course.....

I thought this was a great picture! Sara, Jenn (our trainer) and I went to Aiken, SC. for a big horse show. The courses are very difficult to remember but if you "walk" it ahead of time, it's much easier to remember. Sara had a series of 14 jumps to memerize and complete them within a certain timeframe. Well, she remembered her course (Yeahh - what an accomplishment) but was outside of her time limit. Not a big deal to us, because the accomplishment of just remembering her course was huge for Sara.

In the picture you see Sara (in uniform) - Jenn in Red Hat and a "seasoned" competitor in the white hat. He was a great help. This show was especially great for us, because Badger did not refuse one jump, did not knock one jump down and Sara remembered all of her courses. We came home ribbonless, but for us we won the world because of all 3 accomplishments! Way to go girls!!!

Hello, anyone in there???

Hello, is anyone home??? This is the little opossum again. He decided to take a peek through the french doors as he heard us fussing and trying to get a good look at him. He does not seem fazed by us at all. He seems to be very young, so we don't really want to scare him off - he's cute now, but I know he will get bigger and end up being a cheeky bugger for sure!