A Sonny and Beau Reunion

Kelley and I decided the weather did not look good for a family get together at the lake yesterday... but it didn't turn out to be a total washout. So, Cindi and I opted to try to squeeze in our much anticipated ride together! I took Beau up to the barn where she has Son so we could finally see their new digs and get to hang horses for a while. Cind has been doing so well with the trainer up there, riding more than ever and has even started with some western work! I keep getting phone updates, but haven't been able to see the progress myself... So, yesterday I made the drive (about an hour and a half) to ride with them.

It was a lot of fun to ride with my buddy again, I really miss having Cindi and Sonny here... it made me a little sad (not to mention the fact that Beau was calling and calling to Sony!) but they are doing so well where she is at... it's hard to be anything but thrilled for them! Sonny looks great and is such a "sexy bitch" in his Western wear and Cindi is riding all the time~ and looks great up there on that big palomino stud!
As you may remember Sonny's one big vice was shipping. This is the hole in his training that precipitated the move to the western trainer... and I must admit major progress has been made in his trailering! Yipee!! Now, this beats that terrible day at the beach~

Since he's now a big, loading horse; maybe next time we can meet somewhere for a ride?!

Perspective

A couple of comparison pictures for Mom. Certainly some size difference. Poke is about 15.3 hands (4 inches in a hand don't forget... measured to the withers) and I'd guess Grace is easily 17h!

They were not cooperating too well for my photo shoot, but maybe you can see the difference?! This one shows her size better though:

She and Little Anna; already fast friends!

Uh Oh

This is what I found when I went out to feed this morning. Yup, even thru my coffeeless eyes I could tell there was one extra dark colored horse on this side of the fence. During the night super girl took the stone wall to join her buddies! All was well at 9:30 bed check, I gave her extra hay, took off her fly sheet and she promised to be good. Well, somehow between then and morning she couldn't take it any more... There was a big handsome white stud on the other side of the fence line just waitin for her. She and Poke are quite an item already! In fact I tried to separate them back again (this time putting Poke and Anna in the lower paddock) and the two fools just ran the fence line screaming to each other! Oh well, nobody got hurt (she took down the line and must have climbed the stone wall, but no injury!) in the introductions and she seems quite happy to be part of the herd. So I guess what she wants, she gets! I've locked them down off pasture, and will slowly let them out an hour or two at a time (its ok, the others could use a break from all the green grass anyhow) until she is ready for all that grass... welcome to the gang Grace!

Introducing Ghracious aka Gracie

We have a new horse on the farm tonight! Meet "Ghracious" or "Gracie" She is a 14 yr old Hanoverian mare that came to us thru one of Bill's clients. She is a pretty liver chestnut with 4 stockings and a thick blaze... we picked her up today and despite the terrible heat and Billy's stomach bug we got her home and settled in here at the house after a few weeks of "thinking about it."

The crew were glad to have her here- they have been waiting for a week or so... I wasn't too sure we needed another horse. But, Bill is quite taken with her and having a well bred mare with great confirmation and temperament is never a bad idea right?! After Bill and I went to try her last week I kept telling our gang that she was coming, and today was finally the day! We knew she was a bad loader (I know; right, I said I'd never own a mare OR a bad loader!) and so felt like we had to wait for a day when Bill and I were both free all day; didn't want to have to feel rushed or stressed about it at all. And, as it turned out she wasn't as bad as some I've seen. We tranqed her and it did take an hour and a half or so to get her on, but we were patient and she wasn't stupid, and eventually we wore her down and she went right in. Once we were over that hurdle she rode fine and is home, happy now! It was funny watching the other 4 over the fence. Anna took to her right away, and Beau wants to love her SO badly, but Poke won't let him just yet. And Squeeke, well Squeek is just watching it all!
Here is the funny girl itching on a pine tree- she was pretty hot and sweaty when we finally got here- we are in the midst of a bad heat wave, and the bugs are loving it to boot! She will be in the lower dirt paddock by herself for a week or two until we can get her integrated... and maybe we can spend some time working on trailer training?!

My plan for her (as much as I can have a plan) is to be a back up mount for Beau. She is a little rusty with her training, but I'll really enjoy riding her. She was fun when we tried her out, and is so sweet and willing- I don't anticipate any issues from her! If we can get her over the trailering hiccup, and it all falls like I see it, she will be more my arena girl while Beau will be my trail guy! Not to mention the fact that Bill really likes her and will be able to hop on her when he gets the itch to ride. Plus, with a bit of touch up I think Olivia could get a leg up too if she were supervised. Then, in a year or so I'd love to breed her and get myself a young Dressage prospect coming ready right about the time Wes goes to kindergarten! It's very exciting, I've never really let myself think about breeding before, oh the cuteness of a foal!! I'll admit to surfing stallions already... Welcome home Grace, we are so glad to have you!

Independence Day '10

We had a really nice, relaxing 4th of July. We spent the day with Bill's family at his parent's lake house- and it was a perfect day to be on the water!

We did loads of outdoors things, fishing and swimming, canoeing and kayaking. The weather was beautiful, warm but not too hot and pretty humid- perfect for being at the lake house!

Grandma had made a yummy bar-b-que... lots of good summertime foods. I love corn on the cob homemade beans and hamburgers. Yum Yum!!

The kids (as always) had a blast in the water- they pulled out a lot of the water toys and spent a good portion of the day splashing around! Bill took Billy and Savanna out for a kayak (both kids did great paddling their own boats) ride. They went over past the loon's nest into the "swampy" part of the lake... when they got back we had a serious problem! You know that scene in "Stand By Me"?! Yup. You got it. Well, actually BILLY got it! I'll forever have that image burned on my mommy brain.

Him: from the shower- "Dadddddy"

Me: "He's still outside"

Him: "Well, I need you."

Me: "O.k."

Him: from inside the shower door "I think I need to go to the Doctor!"

Me: "Oh, yeah. Why?"

Him: sliding back the shower door, penis in hand, leech firmly biting...

Me: "Uhh, YEAH!" removing offending bloodsucker and trying not to die!

Despite the large hematoma we still enjoyed the day, it is so nice to just relax with family and be outside.

Thanks to all of those men and women who fought for our freedom~ Happy 4th of July!

Sitting up 7-2-10

Wes seemed to think the day after we got home from 6 flags was, well, a little boring! After all the fun we had with Auntie Krista he was happy to play with all of his stuff. But that lasted about an hour, then he realized there was not nearly as many exciting things to do around here...

So he worked on sitting! He has been doing well, but mostly leaning forward and balancing on his forearms for most of his sitting time. But, on Friday he really got it! He has been sitting for stretches at a time now, and is very proud of himself! He can wobble and get himself back up pretty well. And, although I don't trust him yet to walk away he can stay up for 5 or 6 minutes at a time! Wow, what a big boy!!
Not one to stay in one place too long, he is also working on his crawl! He "bull dogs" and can roll up on his fists and get his weight totally off the floor. When he pushed he tends to scoot backwards rather than forwards- oops! He just now is getting his knees under- it wont be long now!

6 flags 7-1-10

Bill, the kids and I as well as Grandma and Grandpa Houston and Auntie Krista went to 6 flags over New England yesterday! We had a perfect day for our trip (after getting rained out a few weeks ago!) and had such a good time.

Krista and Brad live about 15 minutes from the park and Auntie has a client who is head of PR for the park, so we got a great deal on season passes! We got our passes a month or two ago, but this was our first time down there since we opted not to go on our original trip due to some thunderstorms in the forecast that day. And, even though they live so close Krista had never been there either! Despite a recent surgery on her hand, she was a great hostess and we had such a fun trip.

Our "in" at the park got Grandma a motorized cart so she didn't have to walk all day. Westley thought it was the best ride there! He sucked the controls and pulled and pushed all the levers and had a ball sitting there while we went on all the rides!

There were loads of BIG rides- roller coasters and all sorts of serious stuff like this upside down ride! There were quite a few that Billy missed the height requirements for- which bummed him out... but there were plenty of others and lots of games and such!

Not to mention the fun we had just hanging out! Wes was really good- he stayed with Auntie and Grandma a lot while the rest of us did the rides. He was pretty quiet and happy rolling around in the stroller and playing with everybody! I was glad it wasn't too hot... we will plan to spend the bulk of our next visit in the water park.

It was about a 3.5 hr drive, and we were so happy to stay with Auntie and Uncle. We packed lunches but the walk back to the cars was really long and Grandma's cart needed to stay in the park so we just ended up eating there and having our sandwiches on the drive home!

The park is bigger than anything else around here, and there were some major thrill rides as well as some of the "classics" like tea-cups and bumper cars! There were many little kid rides, and as Wes gets older there will be so much for him to do! He liked the characters and wanted to suck on their hands and such. There were quite a few "midway" games and shops. Billy really wanted to win something for Wes, but never quite got lucky enough! Olivia did win a stuffed otter in this water gun game- after I assured everyone that these sorts of games are a waste- NOBODY ever wins! I had to eat my hat~

Wes and Grandpa loved this Trash Can Band we found. They kept going back to watch and listen. Wes loved the drumming- they were using metal garbage cans and lids, big rolling recycle bins and the like to make music. The percussion was amazing, and the two of them danced and watched and even got up close to "feel" the vibrations!

My throat is sore today from all the screaming I did! The roller coasters were like nothing else around here! There were inversions and loop-d-loops and all kinds of crazy stuff. On one coaster your legs dangled down! I screamed and screamed and man I'm pretty hoarse today! Bill and Olivia did some of the spinning stuff- things I wasn't too keen on doing. I was mindful not to scramble myself too badly with the spinning stuff so I could enjoy the other rides.

It was such a fun trip- I love Olivia's oh sh*t face here- this was as they were about to go upside down! We really did enjoy ourselves- I sure wish 6 flags was a bit closer- but since Auntie and Uncle welcomed us back anytime we will be sure to make use of our season passes! And next time we need to do the water park