horse parts and paranoia

Today I was rubbing lotion into Penny's feet

she has really dry skin

but that is beside the point.

I am rubbing the bottom of her foot

and she looks at me

like only a 3 year old can

and asks,

"why is my frog so ticklish?"

I cried.

This may be a sign that we might spend too much time

with our furry friends in the barn 

and not enough time

with the human variety.

(a frog is a part of the bottom of a horse hoof)

Lately we have spend more than are usual

time out with the horses.

We have been moving pens and changing up

who is where 

so

we spend more time checking on them making sure they are okay.

Yesterday was no exception

so Penny and I go out and check everyone.

When we got up to the top of the hill

(which takes a while between her short legs and my lack of being able to breathe)

we noticed Biscuits

(my old mare)

wouldn't use one of her legs....

I couldn't find anything wrong with it.

but

with the way our week has been going

(Dusty's horse broke it's leg... and not in a normal horse break it's leg sorta way)

(and two horses pushed through fences)

panic and paranoia set in.

Anyways

she is going to be fine

my very handy and helpful neighbour came down

he figured out what was going on

and today she is back to her

regular hay-burnin' self.

I am very much looking forward to sharing the load

and perhaps with all my "free" time I might actually

teach Penny

the parts of a HUMAN foot!

Cookies and Soup

I tired to write a post a couple of days ago 

but

I just couldn't get my head together.

We have been busy doing lots of things as usual

the kids are thrilled it's Christmas

we made Christmas tree cookies today

they decorated them with mm ornaments and green frosting

I am surprised they are sleeping from all the sugar.

We also made a huge pot of soup

so 

hopefully we can just eat that and I won't have to cook for a while.

The girls have been busy skating

and riding

and playing

and cleaning.

We have been trying to get our act together and get a few neglected places sorted out.

it has worked out pretty well.

I hosted a girls night out last week and did a toy swap

Dusty and I took the left over toys to the sally-ann

it turned out pretty good.

Dusty crossed off his "good deed" for the week

although I am pretty sure he could of crossed out a few more....

I decided to paint the office...

So

dusty painted the office this week and it looks great

so much better and brighter.

The girls love it

and I love it

which means the room is actually being used again for what it was supposed to be used for.

Everyone has been super helpful lately

which either means

I am cantankerous or

I look like I need help

either way it's been nice to have the kids be extra thoughtful.

Especially Penny...

I don't remember the last time I had to bend down to get anything!

This week felt long

but I think that next week will probably be better.

It's supposed to be warmer

which means Dusty and the girls will be out riding their ponies

and the chickens will lay more eggs

and there won't be frozen hoses to string out and drain

and its report cards and the last week of November and the relief society Christmas party

and I don't have a doctor's appointment...

Tomorrow promises to be the start of a good week...

a Winters Evening

as promised...

some skating pictures.

Dusty took the kiddos in during the week

This was Penny's first attempt at real skates

up until now it has been bobskates

she was pretty good.

she was impressed with herself

I might actually get a hockey player.

I am not going to hold my breath though.

This Month

November

I haven't taken nearly as many pictures as I should be.

Lucy is in skating 

and loves it

Dusty has been skating with her during the week

plus her lesson

We will probably put her in for the winter term.

Penny has enjoyed being an only child

she does look forward to her sisters coming home

she has developed a new friendship with her dad

it involves fast speeds

snow

and the quad.

Ellie went into school this year

really looking forward to the year

and while she is enjoying school and her friends

she is beginning her retreat

to the "quiet" of home.

Dusty never feels like he has enough time

which is not new

but added to his plate are all of the things to get ready for winter

plus we had a really hectic fall.

I have all my Christmas stuff out and most of it up

I have slowed my days down.

I am back to knitting

(multiple things)

and crafting

and baking

and cleaning

all the quiet centering activities in which I love

I am almost done creating my gifts

it feels good.

With the snow and the melting 

the riding is slowing down

(that and it's almost impossible to get on)

I might need a stool to get into bed never mind on a horse.

the animals are getting settled into a new winter routine.

I used to love the snow and winter

and then as I have had children

I like it less

it's a season for a  lot more work

but

I have appreciated the weather this year.

It's slowing me down.

giving me more excuses to just be home.

Hopefully next post I can bombard you with awesome pictures of the girls and all their November activities...

Look out Disney!

we have a lot of dress-up clothes.

a LOT!

AND

because of that

the girls

have the luxury

of a costume change.

So

school costumes have to be

-easy

-able to do school in

-no make-up

-not scary

Lucy picked Brave aka Merida

and she was fab!

although I don't know if the hair was "school friendly"

Ellie decided to be Tangled aka Rapunzel

and she was lovely.

She loved her costume so much that 

she decided not to partake

in the costume change

for trick or treating.

Our evening Coven.

except for Ellie

Lucy won best girl costume at the church

(we decided to hit up the church instead of braving the wind)

a super smart plan...

and now our candy is packed away

so I don't eat it

and 

Halloween is officially OVER!

Canadian Parents

so generally, 

I put myself in the slacker category for parenting

I don't do much with them

(intentionally)

I figure they are young..

lots of time to play and just be little

EXCEPT

Lucy want to skate.

So I signed her up for skating

and specifically she wants to figure skate

so being the "good" parent I am 

I called around for figure skating clubs in the area

There isn't any...

Now this is a sub-tangent

HOW IS THERE NO SKATING CLUB?!?!

we live in the land of snow and ice...

skating is part of our culture

skating is our past time.

My dad taught me to skate

when I was young

AND

granted I am a slacker SOOO 

I haven't force taught them 

YET

it was coming though

always on the "to-do" list

Well this whole phoning around for skate club

has made me realize that there 

may be a few of us

"slacker" parents

who are responsible for killing 

iconic Canadian past times

NEEDLESS  to say

we are going skating tonight.

and yes

even I intend to strap on the ol' blades

and pay homage to 

something

that 

should

truly 

be cherished

and perhaps in my new resolution

of not being a slacker

i will

give my children

a love of ice

and skates

and small town rinks

and hot chocolate

and cold toes

and rosy cheeks.

Monday Night

I love thanksgiving.

Most holidays, actually.

I like getting together

with our extended families

eating

visiting

you know the usual holiday stuff.

but

after 2-3 very busy weeks

attending family things

church things

It was really nice to have

Monday

all to ourselves.

we got to do what we wanted to do

Dusty took out Lincoln with Penny

Ellie rode Roxy

Lucy rode Midnight

(for the first time since breaking her leg)

and I got to ride

Zola

yes I finally named her- 

it means lump of Earth. 

She gets called moose when she is bad...

which is never

but I will contain my love.

We all came in last night

and

felt 

happy.

Lucy couldn't stop professing her love of riding.

Ellie was thrilled we all went.

Dusty was glad Lincoln was back to being himself

and I couldn't move..

haha

but seriously

I thought I might have to sleep up there.

It was some good quality family time.

Drum Roll Please....

So if you know me

you may have noticed 

that I have gotten fatter.

Well it's not just from food....

(thank goodness)

 

So hopefully I'll be less fat the beginning of January.

Penny is THRILLED

(which is good 

because I was worried 

about her and Dusty

coping

with

the 

change)

Lucy wants a boy.

Ellie has been here so I think she mostly thinks

about crying babies

diapers

and me

being too busy.

Dusty and I are both pullin' for a girl

but

it really doesn't matter to us.

so that's it.

life in a nutshell.

I've done a good job ignoring it

this has seemed to go by

faster than the usual

snails pace.

I have about 10 weeks left

which almost seems like a homestretch

after 30...

Ellie's Baptism

She was true to form

totally uncomfortable

with all the attention.

but

it went off fairly smoothly

nothing major

just a nice simple evening.

New Love

This is my new love.

It's a girl.

She is three.

The

only thing I have left to do

is name her.