Row, row, row your boat....

Our church had a family picnic at Cougar Lake at the Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville campus....much fun. Even if "scared the death of me" according to Kimberlyn in the canoe. I was quite content waiting on shore with Tommy. Then Kimberlyn got nervous and Tommy too, so I had to go and be "brave." Problem is, I like to be in water I can see my feet...and prefer bodies of water that don't have all that green stuff on top and look like perfect alligator habitats...if it didn't get so cold in the winter, they'd LOVE it up here ;)

Tommy feeling lost and calling Daddy.

Kimberlyn striking a pose.

If you catch this before 3am CST....PRAY....we are under a tornado watch and WORSE yet the older two kids are at church camp and are under same tornado watch....there's not been any fun in them being away...I rather gripe about them fighting than worry about them!!!

Robby had been excited to go... Kaitlyn got a burst of I-DON'T-KNOW-WHAT and decided to go at 3:15pm the day before?!?!?! Thankfully there was room in her friend's cabin/group...I've heard back she's doing fine...she's only slept away at two people's homes before....my aunt's home and a dear grandmotherly-type friend's home.

Kaitlyn and Ruby Rose's First show together!!

Kaitlyn snuggling Sweetie very early this morning right after she woke up! Jealous Ruby!!

If you don't believe in prayer...if I had the time to type out the whole ordeal about getting a trailer ride to the show today...you'd believe in prayer. I seriously couldn't have handled the stress of if we'd get a ride and whom it'd be from even at 7:15am this morning without prayer!
Prayers were answered and the owner of the stable that was hosting the show sent her stable manager to pick us up...in a brand new 4-horse trailer!!! For non-horsey people, that's about like taking a limo ride ;)

All ready, waiting before her first class...

Walk/Trot Open Equitation (all ages)
Riding past the judge's stand all eyes on her! Looking pretty!!

THIRD PLACE out of 8!!!

Tommy visiting the other horses, killing time while sis showed!

Walk/Trot Equitation (12 and under)
Another looking good shot with all eyes on her!

Kimberlyn and her stick horse Bella that she made in 3yr old preschool watching Kaitlyn!

The Line Up!

SECOND out of 9!!!

Yes....mama is very proud of both of them!!! AND Robby was there for most of it, but hiding in the van playing Gameboy :)

PS....yes sassy pony likes to pretend to be bored and SLEEP during photo ops!!

Mother of the YEAR

For certain, I long ago outgrew my desire to play with frogs. And I am the first to tell you I let out a big "ewwww" when the kids play with them or worms and such.
When Tommy opened the sandbox that I JUST closed in preparation for some rain he CRIED! I thought hmmm, delayed reaction he's upset as mama said no sandbox. NOPE, he found a very unwelcome friend!! This frog was in the sandbox and you'd thought it was an alligator!! (oh, Maria...we don't really have those here)

So after trying for many minutes to convince him frogs are cool -aren't all boys supposed to feel this way?- I decided to take said frog inside to get the camera, I mean a girl needs proof to her hubby that she really tried her best to make her boy like frogs! I seriously brought in my trash cans from the road and toted this guy around...so finally I got the camera.

Tommy touched it once and he kissed my hand when I asked him to kiss it, he'll kiss almost anything!


But...here you see he freaked when he realized I set the frog free! I think he felt secure and comfortable knowing I held it captive, but now he's probably fearing a frog invasion in his sand box!

Lazy Summer Day...

Can't wait for more days like this! Saturday was just a casual day full of fun here!

Tommy reading...he loves books and this scene happens at least once a day!


Kimberlyn seemed lost when I called for her, only to find her locked in her room with her best-est pal ever!
No question as to who Rascal still claims as his owner!

Ruby and Kaitlyn having some laid back fun...


And while Kaitlyn and I did horse stuff, Larry was mowing the lawn. I'd say he can multitask fairly well!



All this fun made for tired kids....Kaitlyn and Tommy sleeping together on a recliner, of all the places to sleep- a recliner???
Tommy woke up screaming a few hours after and then squished me the rest of the night in my bed. The joys of him being out of the crib :( I'd say the transition went well until a couple weeks ago. My sheets are in the wash now, we'll see if I can get him to nap in HIS bed since mine isn't made up yet. May make for an interesting post later.

Tonight is Kaitlyn's first Tap Dance class. She's so excited! Last week when we went shopping for her attire she had to try it all on, in fact I do believe she's tried it all on every single day since!

Our summer schedule is getting busy...not so sure how many Lazy Days we'll have....but we'll savor each one as they come in between tap class, guitar lessons, basketball camp, church camp, riding lessons, horse shows, play dates-- not to mention vacations....