Canadian Winters

It finally got cold enough for the rink to freeze! Everyone was ecstatic! But Penny was beyond that. I have had to drag her into the house every night at dark to force her to eat. Hopefully it stays sub zero so we can have a hockey tourny on Christmas!

Milliseconds

Today I got to hang out in my favorite place with my favorite little guy for a moment. It was only milliseconds until my phone started ringing with to-dos but in those milliseconds I caught this. His mini stick, helmet, and suckie. This is his favorite attire lately- with the addition of some of his sisters pink ariats.... (But no boots on mom's bed!)

Hopefully we can find some more seconds of this over Christmas!

A New Life

The past year I have spent my life going from one event to the next with the hope that we would eventually find ourselves through the chaos. I have decided that this notion will not transpire. We have entered into a new season of our lives. It is busy and stressful at time but we wouldn't chose to cut out any if the activities. 

This month saw us at 2 horse shows, a rodeo, hockey games on the weekend, weekly horse practices, hockey practice, power skating, piano lessons, choir and recorder practices, 2 fairly large church activities, a community dinner, starting a new year at the Ag society and all those meetings, decorating for Christmas, cookie baking and all those other fun details. 

There was a time my biggest worry was dinner. Now we are lucky if we eat. We should take up shares in Kirkland granola bars and yogurt.

He's so big. All the kids are. We have been struggling with what to get ELLIE for Christmas. She is too big for toys.... But too young for make up and clothes. Because of the struggle we have had finding things ELLIE (and the rest of the girls) need our family has been compiling a list of all our blessings. We are so grateful for the bounty we have but mostly for our health. We have 4 very busy healthy kids that can do anything they want to do. We are so grateful for that and we will gladly take this new season in our lives.

Horses and Hockey

That title might be my version of heaven (along with chocolate cake... But that's for another post).

Our fall has been consumed with both these two things. We have had clinics and rodeos and shows and then lessons and recreational riding. Plus we have been at the rink at least 3 times a week. Penny usually has her hockey stuff on with her cowboy boots headed to the rink! It's a zoo!

On Halloween the girls got to get all decked out with the horses. They had a great time and are already scheming up new costumes for next year! 

And as November rolled in- Penny actually got to play in her first game!

Life has been very hectic but it's been filled with some of the things our family loves a lot. I actually can't wait for more!

Restless

We have had a few restless nights.

A bug is circulating in our home and our little children seem to be most affected. Last night was spent with a very hot, very nauseous little girl in bed with us and when she would finally settle then a very tired, very grumpy little boy would cry out from his crib.

Tonight Penny is comfortable and happy but Andy keeps loosing his suckie and will let out a wail followed but two very esasperated grunts. Those little sounds are numbered in our house. I do enjoy a full nights rest and I am filled with gratitude for the restless nights too.

Double Digits

Ellie is 10.

She is a great kid and always so easy to please. She is always the one who "caves" and does whatever anyone else wants to do. So we wanted to give her a surprise. We asked her what she wanted to do- have a party with friends or family or go somewhere. She picked go somewhere (which we knew she would since she really doesn't like birthday parties- especially hers)

We ALWAYS take her to the zoo. So that's what we did.

She had a great time. She loves the penguin and flamingos but the highlight was the black bears. We got to watch them feed the bears!

She thought this was funny!! After the zoo we took her to bass pro shop. My sister then phoned us for dinner. (Which was totally pre-planned but unknown to Ellie). As we pulled in the whole outside of the house was covered in balloons and poofies. As we got inside it was just as decorated. She was totally surprised. She had an awesome cake and ate pizza until she almost popped! 

The next morning we surprised her with tickets to calaway park. They had the best time. It was halloweenie and they got to do a scavenger hunt. We did tons of rides and ate tons of bad food!

Ellie on the bumper cars.

The log ride was a huge hit. (penny's favorite)

Lucy loved the rollercoaster and Ellie loved this other ride that was really high and then would swoop down. The first time she went on it- I couldn't breath because I was laughing so hard at her.

It was a great and memorable 10th!

First Words

Andy is a man of few words

He is happy to yabber away in baby babble

Unless....

He wants you to buy him a tractor-

In which case he can say that word perfectly.....

Lucy's Day

This past June Lucy decided to get baptized.

It was a lovely day.

and

it should of been

because 

she is a lovely girl.

THE horse show of the Year!

Its hard to believe that last year this was their first show ever!

It was amazing to see the difference in a year. We have all worked very hard and there has been some (a lot) of hours put in. The girls did amazing but they had a heck of a time!!

Ellie won second for English in hand, second in English pleasure, first in Equitation, first in command, first in handy horse, Grand Champion in PeeWee English, first place for trot poles and 6th for x-rails.

She placed fourth in showmanship, fifth in pleasure, second in equitation, first in reining, second in command, third in trail, and Reserve Champion on Western day.

Her highlight of the show was being fiends with Lauren! And her favorite prize.... Everything! Haha

Lucy did so well! A huge improvement from last year. The English day she did very well on Rocky and on the western day she did really great on 38!

This is the very last show she will compete on Rocky in. They have had a brilliant run this summer! He is nothing but consistent for her! She has only had 4 rides on 38 before this show and I they did great together! We are only going to see them get better and better! She rode him all over! It was so nice to see them just hanging out together!!

Oh Penny! She is a show stopper! A brilliantly funny demanding little girl! She bossed that pony around everywhere! There were times I thought that she was done but then she would be back on and in the next class! She did so well all day (especially in showmanship!). What a kid! Even in the back she was caught "groundworkin'" rocky!

But the really winner of this year were the boys! Dusty was phenomenal. I was so busy I didn't have time to breathe! He got the girls ready and into their classes and he rode himself!! He did a great job for his first show! He placed 6th in pleasure, first in equitation, and first in trail! 

Plus he even got Andy on his horse for his first ribbon!!!

Long Hours

I have logged some pretty long and tedious hours the last few weeks.

The horse show is just days away and I have been stuck on my computer making the final preparations to the lists.

Tonight a friend texted me to go out and look at the meteor showers

I needed a break

I love the summer air

I love how it is warm and cold all at the same time

I could hear the hum of harvest all around me

and I smelled the dusty dirt earth smell that just hangs in the air

I looked up waiting for meteors 

I saw planes.

I love flying at night- I wondered where they were off too. Was it the first time away from home-going off on an adventure? Or was there someone coming home?

and the stars.

Stars and night make me feel small. 1 tiny creature in something so vast that it is incomprehensible. breathless almost. It fills me with awe and amazement.

As I stared up, I wondered and am still left wondering,

that maybe if more people saw stars instead of screens, 

there would be a return to awe and amazement,

 a return to a belief in something bigger than ourselves and our little lives,

a return to God

 and play 

and dreams?

I just really needed to write that before I returned to my screen.

July

It's hard to believe that it is already the END of July!!!

We have filled July with lots of memories.

We had our last lamb of the year....

Check out our farm blog for that exciting story!

www.cattailcoulee.blogspot.ca

and we did summer games

(see below post)

and we ACTUALLY FINALLY made it out to our favorite spot

(besides our home)

And mixed into this was a family reunion 

and 

our regular duties.

I can't wait to see what August brings....

Summer Games

Summer Games 

The girls were so very excited to compete- they could barely sleep!

We headed up Tuesday night

and our horse trailer wasn't too bad to sleep in.

All three girls slept in the back on cots and 

Dusty and I and Andy slept in the gooseneck.

I banded and braided for a good long while into the night 

and

when I got back Dusty said the girls FINALLY

fell asleep about midnight.

HAHA

They did very well on the English day.

(or their ponies did very well on the english day...)

 English Pleasure

 Gold for Ellie and Midnight

 Bronze for Lucy and Rocky

 Ellie and Midnight riding a dressage test.

(midnight jumped that lovely white fence-going off course and DQing)

They let her ride again just for a score.

 Rocky and Lucy in their dressage test!

They did great!

 Could we go to anything and have just pretty pictures?!?

To wrap up English day-

Ellie won

Gold- English Pleasure

Silver- English Equitation

Lucy Won

Bronze- English Pleasure

Bronze- Dressage

 Western day

Ellie and Midnight being Judged in showmanship

 Lucy and Rocky about to start in showmanship

 Ellie and Midnight in Western pleasure

 Lucy and Rocky in Western Pleasure

 Lucy and Rocky opening the gate in the trail course

Ellie getting some feedback after the reining class

The run down of western day

Ellie won

Silver- showmanship

Silver in Western Equitation 

Silver in Polebending

Gold in Keyhole

The day ended with gymcanna.

Lucy scratched. She was pooped and wanted to watch and eat chips and drink pop.

but

we saw Ellie shine.

She started to breathe.

Her pony did great- there were some really great barrel horses there 

so we prepped her that her little pony 

just doesn't have the stride

BUT

that little pony was smart.

She made every turn.

She watched where her feet landed.

and

Ellie was over the moon.

Great experiences

but

now the girls are ready to get to the lake!

Oh Rotten Bananas

I had a counter full of mushy brown bananas. This heat wave has not been kind to them. I did not want to heat my near equator feeling home.... So Pinterest to the rescue.

http://www.repeatcrafterme.com/2012/05/crock-pot-chocolate-chip-banana-bread.html

It worked perfectly. I recommend a big bread pan because mine spilt over. And it cooked 3 hours on the nose and was done.

I cooked it outside so not even the slowcooker heated up our haven from the heat!

First day of Freedom

The kids have been dying to go boating and since our CRAZY schedule hasn't let us get to our most favourite boating/camping spot we just loaded up and headed for the nearest water. It was a great way to finish school and start summer!

Ellie still doesn't love the tube but Penny was a little insaine- it makes me scared...

And please notice the sky-

They have been calling for rain- it never comes! 

It came- a lot- with hail.

The kids hid in the front of the boat and dusty and I took cover under the tube. It had a few leaky spots! (Understatement!!)

Andy did not enjoy being trapped or the noise!

We managed to get the boat loaded after it blew over us- but then we followed it all the way home. 

Good things it's hot today so it can dry out!

Lucy- our Triumphant Triathlete

I am so proud of Lucy!

Her school puts on a mini triathlon

And they give the kids the option of running it in a team

Or

Alone

And she did it solo!

She had a good swim

A fantastic bike ride

And she ran the whole way!!!

Way to go Lucy!