The Apprentice!

I have a new farrier-in-training!!

(farrier = one who puts shoes on horses)

Paul, on the right, is our farrier and he has been taking Hudson along on his jobs.

At first, Hudson was just taking shoes off.

Paul has really encouraged and helped him along.

He can now fit and size a shoe...

He can trim and file the hoof...

Pull the shoes off....

1. And this last time he nailed the shoes on.
2. Yessss! 
3. He did all four shoes on his horse, Ranger...
4. ALL BY HIMSELF!!

Now, he is saving money for the tools he needs.

I am one thrilled mama to have a farrier "on hand".

Wordless Wednesday!

We Went All OUT!

At the Lake!!

Rockport Lake

This time we rented a beach/picnic spot.

Grant's family (my bro) joined us.

They brought their ski boat!

We had fun toys, yummy food and hot sunshine!

ON THE BEACH...

Our beachfront

the "City of Sand"

Water Fights

Lunch on an Island

The Bathing Mudhole

Cousins Playing

ON THE BOAT...

Dani and Tess trying the tube.

(Hudson weighing it down to avoid flipovers)

Dani Rae

Julia and Tessa

Elizabeth

Jacob

Hudson

Abbi

Hudson

Caleb

Lake + Cousins + Boat + (Uncle Grant) = Great Times!!

Let's Play!!

How many times a day do you hear the question - -

"Mom, will you ____ with me?

(Fill in the blank as it relates. )

Color? Swing? Play catch? Read? Play a game?

Now, let me ask you - "What is your answer?" 
If you are like me - a busy adult - then you probably say, "Not right now", "After I finish folding the laundry", "When I am done making a few phone calls", etc. 

Instead of being a busy "adult". I want to be a very busy "mommy" spending time with my precious children who are growing so very fast right before my eyes.

I want to color so much that my hand hurts,

 I want to swing so high that I feel sick,

I want to ride a horse so far that I am sore the next day,

 I want to climb a tree so high that a fireman would have to come get me down,

I want to run through the sprinklers until there is not one inch of me dry,

I want to laugh so hard that my belly aches,

I want to read so many books that I lose my voice, 

 I want to play in the dirt so much that I have to take a shower, and so on!

The busy "adult" things can usually wait. So wait they must!


I have children to play with!!!

Suspicions...

(This took place back in June. Yes, I know - a slogger)

So, we had a 100 men at Big Canyon for a retreat.

HUGE weekend!

Lots of men, lots of food, lots of details...

HUGE!
Did I mention it was HUGE?

We, the kitchen staff, pulled it off.

How? I have no idea.

Nonetheless, we did it.

It was INTENSE in the kitchen.

Lots of tension.

None of the men sensed it, felt it or saw it.

But, it was tense!

Ok.

So, Friday night after we had finished serving the 100 men a very yummy and I might mention successful dinner, I began to do dishes.

About half way through, I told Deanne (kitchen help), I must be pregnant because a glass of very cold milk with lots of ice sounds so good right now.

Mind you, I am not a milk drinker. I like milk in my cereal but I never just drink a glass of milk - let alone with ICE!

Well, I thought about the milk.

I kept thinking about it.

And kept thinking about it.

The craving was not leaving.

So... I got me a glass of milk with lots of crushed ice.
So very yummy.

Crazy!

Then, as I was finishing up the dishes I was asking Steve (our cook) a question. We began to discuss it and for some reason, I started to cry. 

Crying.

Crazy! (again)

Deanne laughingly patted me on the back and said you must be pregnant.

Went home. Went to bed exhausted.

Next morning. 

I kept thinking about the possibility of me being pregnant.

Ah ha. I had an extra pregnancy test.

I will take it.

Immediately it read - Pregnant!

I was shaking with excitement.

Ran into our room and jumped on Brian while he was sleeping.
(It was very early)
Without opening his eyes he questioned me with a "seriously?"!!
I quickly got off and remembered that he had gotten home at midnight the night before and he had a full day ahead of "man games" with the 100 men. (I felt bad - but I was excited!)

I left for camp to prepare breakfast.
I did not see Brian again until lunch.
He was rushing through the line to get food.
I grabbed his plate and wrote on it,
"I'm pregnant".
He looked at me with surprise and excitement,
"You are!?"

And there is how we found out about our new blessing.

A Sneak Peek...

at Big Canyon's newest addition...

The Bog Crossing

on a 

Burmese Bridge

Wordless Wednesday!

Ignore the following words so that this will be wordless...

Fresh from my Dad's garden and YUMMY!