Horsey, Horsey

When we were little my mom used to sing this song:

Horsey, Horsey on your way,
we've been together for many a day ......

I can't remember the rest of the lyrics (shocking) so I usually make up new ones."

I always loved that little tune. Well it was going through my mind yesterday, as Avery had her first Horse back riding lesson:

They each got a stall to clean out when they first got there. I thought Avery would be grossed out shoveling poop....She didn't even bat an eye, just grabbed her shovel and got to work!

They learned to saddle their horses (ponies).

The satisfaction on her face, as she took off the horses saddle and pads and carried them into the store closet was just priceless. She seemed so old and responsible! I was just beaming with happiness and pride. We got home and she told me it was one of her best days ever. And that she couldn't stop thinking about her horse Katie.

Things That Make Me Smile:

A giant sunflower to stare at while I do dishes.... hey its better than staring at the neighbors siding. Maggie, notice the calender. I think of you every time I do the dishes.



The kids actually planted sunflower seeds at the beginning of summer and they grew to be ten feet tall! It was really amazing.



And hey, who doesn't love glittery nails??? Seriously, make me smile every time I see them! Am I too old to do this?

Seeing these pics definitely make me see I need to improve my photo skills.....

13 Years

September 17, 1997
I'll spare you all the gushy, emotional talk today. All I will say is that I'm so thankful you married me. I know it's one of the best decisions I've ever made. I love you for so many reasons.

143

A good quote to live by:

This was on one of my favorite blogs on my blog role : Yellow Brick Blog.

She got it from here: designcrushblog.com

Isn't it a great quote to live by! I am Awesome.

The Most Wonderful Day Continued

Grace started Preschool today. She was more than excited. I think she has been my only one to not shed one tear on the first day. She got to bring her favorite stuffed animal and use Avery's old backpack.
Putting on her backpack by herself.

She cozied right up on the rug and started doing her puzzle.

When I went to pick Grace up, the teacher told me that she asked Grace what she wanted to be when she grew up. Her response, " I want to be Jake".

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

My sister used this as the title for her blog post of the same nature.....I thought it only appropriate to use it for mine, since I've been singing it for days...

The first day of school. I have to admit I was a little sad for school to start today (although I'm sure you couldn't tell by the grin on my face). We had a great summer and I was just getting into a routine with the kids. I would have liked to have gone to the beach a few more times, and play with friends we don't get to see very often a little more. I would have liked to see my Mom and Dad and Hill's fam a little more too....

But since it rained today I guess it's as good of time as ever to start the new school year, So hear goes:

Avery in the outfit my mom got her for her birthday:

The backpack shot:

The Crater Cougar was out, this is as close as Avery wanted to get:

Flanked by many of her friends waiting for the teacher to come get her:

Bri and I dropped the kids off and headed to the YMCA to work out with Grace.....Then to Costco. Brian said he felt like he was retired and could really get used to this.

So in honor of School starting I wanted to add some things that Bill Gates said in a speech about things that children need to learn, but don't in school (found it on Facebook) and thought it brilliant :

rule 1. Life is not fair - get used to it.

rule 2. The world doesn't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

rule 3. You will NOT make 60,000$ a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

rule 4. If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

rule 5. Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.

rule 6. If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

rule 7. Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in you won room.

rule 8. Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

rule 9. Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on you own time.

rule 10. Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

rule 11. Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

Here's to a great year of preschoolers, second graders and third graders in my life.