Pony Ride ~ How we spent her 23 month birthday

The general consensus is that I LOVE my blog, my pictures are "safe" (it's the Internet, NOTHING is safe) and I love documenting my life this way. The $5 was paid and we blog again... bring on the pictures!!!

On Friday last week Minnie had the THRILL of the week. When we went to the fair with the CountryRents Minnie REALLY wanted to "ride a pony" just like her big cousins. As some of you may remember it didn't go down so well the LAST time she rode a pony so at the fair I made the executive decision to not pay for the pony ride. 1) I didn't want to waste the $$ 2) I didn't want her crying and freaking out after only 15 seconds on said pony and 3) I knew that our friend from the library had offered Hickory ANYTIME. (I also didn't think she REALLY cared ~ whoopsie)

She talked about riding a pony FOR THE REST OF THAT DAY. I got home to Husband and said "I have NEVER felt like our girl wants for anything. I feel like she has MORE than we deserve but that day... I was SO sad that I didn't pay the $$ and get the girl a pony ride." Thankfully I did check in with our friend who owns Hickory and she DID say "come ON OVER!!!" and Minnie had her pony riding day. One that didn't cost us $5 and lasted about 10 times as long as the one at the fair :) Oh yeah... and here's how it went down...

Starting with the "fake" horsey ride ~ and THRILLED to be on Hickory. The other GREAT thing about waiting until Hickory the pony was that DADDY got to be there! :) I think Minnie almost loved that part best! :)

There were NO tears and she LOVED LOVED LOVED IT!!!

Hickory's littlest owner :)

Walkin' and talkin' with Nana

Our sweet, generous, lovely hosts ~ please note that baby B is SLEEPING there on his Mama....

The big guy ~ Boone ~ that had to get left behind...

After the pony ride the girl just ran around and had A BLAST in the yard

with the toy tractors

and then there was the JUMPY HOUSE!!!! :)

I think this is my favorite pic of all of them. Two girls, barefoot in cold weather ~ one chasing chickens and one riding a tractor in late afternoon sun. :)

The little B man that woke up and had all kinds of smiles for the nice lady Minnie calls Nana :)

Pa-Pa!!!! :) come on now...

The final highlight of the afternoon for Minnie was actually TOUCHING one of the chickens she had spent so much time chasing. :) She even got to gather an egg from the chicken coop. My girl left her new friend's home with a heart full of memories and dirty feet and clothes. In my book, that's success!

Thank you B family for sharing your home, animals and fun things!!! We had an AMAZING afternoon! What a GREAT way to celebrate Minnie turning 23 months old! :)

EXCEEDED MY LIMIT!!!

Ok, sorry for the quietness... I am in the midst of trying to figure out if it is worth it to me to spend $$ in order to keep up with my blog. I've exceeded the limit of pictures and Husband and I are discussing what makes sense...

The "trouble" I speak of...

it makes me laugh... every time.

They fill me UP

Last night I had the chance to sneak away from the house ALONE as soon as Husband got home from school, to meet up with "the redheads". What a blessing these two are to me. They build me up, they listen intently when I share things from deep down and they are right there to offer encouragement, hugs and love NO.MATTER.WHAT. I am so blessed to have two girls that can speak truth into my life and make me feel like I am OK after spending a few hours with them...

I needed them last night and they were THERE.... :) Thanks girls! I love you!

The Weekend Report

Busy weekend this weekend... started off the right way with a PAH-TY though! Nothin' like a party on a Friday night!!! Nothin' like celebrating THIS young-stah :) It was a big one for her... but she handled it with grace. Just like she always does :) I tried to snag a pic of all the kids...

I said... ALL...

I mean, ALL THE KIDS...

it got a little more silly when we added in the dessert...

and the slide show of pictures on the TV of her friend Pheebs :) Man she loves that girl :)

On Saturday we got dressed up warm and headed over to an old co-workers house for his annual chili-fest... a great night spent outside eating yummy food and playing together as a family...

Fun times makin' memories :)

On Sunday afternoon, Husband and Tricky tackled the kitchen door project. For those that have been here in the last two years you may remember having to, or listening to one of us... KICK the door closed. Well....

thanks to these two strapping guys...

WE have a new door!

in. :)

We ended the weekend with book club and finished our discussion on What Women Fear. What do women fear? Boys who will inevitably grow up and be Men that watch football :)

Pictures Only...

Because I'm at a loss for words... (I know huh!??)

Lest I forget...

What has been going on... I think I used to be MUCH better about sharing the "good, the bad, and the UGLY" before Minnie... I don't want you all thinking I have had a kid and now live in the land of bliss... HA!

We have definitely been having a rough-go of it with the Min-ster aka Pushy-Pants, aka Screechy-Pants, aka FREAKY-Pants! For about a year and 1/2 we have been able to put Minnie down for both naps and bedtime by walking upstairs, pulling her shade, turning on her sound machine, giving her a bink and putting her in her bed. We walk out. She sometimes chit chats to herself but she does her thing quietly and ALONE and goes to sleep. For the past week or so it has gotten progressively WORSE. She has started crying and SCREAMING in her bed. Because she really hasn't done this in FOR-EVER I of course would go in to rub her back or make sure she was OK. She.WAS.Fine.

Last night we listened to her at bedtime SCREAM in her bed, blood shrilling "MAMA!!! DAAADDDDYYYY" for about 40 minutes. FORTY MINUTES!!! Brutal!!! Husband thankfully just sat quietly next to me on the couch and then said... "if she's hurt or scared... I'm THERE for her... but this screaming out in temper... yeah. No." :) I love that guy. He's right. She was having a full on temper tantrum in her crib. AAAHHHH....

She's also REALLY come into pushing her friends. It is almost her way of "greeting" except not quite as nice as that. She just walks up to those she loves, her age, and two hands on the shoulders... PUSHES them. I am at a LOSS. I reprimand, I correct, I instruct and I even ask other Mom's to please tell THEIR child to manhandle her... but so far nothing has worked. :( I don't want her thinking that it is "fun" to get a reaction of TEARS out of her friends. This makes me SO sad.

Any sort of meal time is typically met with "I, no YIKE IT!" aka she doesn't like whatever it is I'm putting in front of her. Most of the time mind you it is something like a PB and J or pasta. The girl doesn't EAT! It's not like I'm serving liver and onions!!!

I am definitely seeing that this girl is coming in hard and fast to TWO YEARS OLD and that Husband and I had better get our ducks in a row in order to stay 3-4 steps ahead of this one. She is asserting the things which she *thinks* she can control (thinks being the key word :) Looks like I'll have to get creative in giving her some choices that she CAN control. Cucumbers or Tomatoes? Rain boots or Party Boots? Skirt or Jeans? You know... the BIG decisions.

In other updates... Husband's soccer season has come to an end... I am happy to get him back after school for a week... until I become a hunting widow :) I guess he's entitled since he *thinks* he's bringing home meat for his family. ACK! :) He HAS done a great job getting our wood together for this winter to keep his little ladies nice and toasty warm! :)

As you have seen I've been busy with Minnie during the day at the park, play group and with our community, family and friends. I've also had the privilege of being a part of a new Moms In Touch group started by a friend. What a BLESSING this has been. We meet every other Wednesday to as they say "bathe a child in prayer". I've never been comfortable praying out loud in a group and this is SUCH a step for me and it is AMAZING. I am loving the gals and really taking the time to dedicate to praying over a particular child. It is also a great encouragment to me just being with these other Mom's of young children who are ALSO in the thick of it, ALSO have kids that aren't sleeping well and ALSO want to run for the hills somedays but who ALSO see the amazing gift that we have in staying home with our kiddos. Who remind me that we are gifted these precious little people from God.

Bri Bri's B-day Pah-ty

On Sunday we headed to the "big city" to celebrate a certain gal turning the "sweet 16". THANKFULLY it wasn't THIS girl... Seriously one of my current fav. pics... I love these kids and I LOVE this pic!

I think this could get titled "hey... Aunnie! WATCH!" :) (her face is PRICELESS, click to enlarge)

Always time for math...who cares if it's your b-day pah-ty right?? :)

Did someone say "math?" Yeah. I tune out and get silly instead. :)

A great time celebrating a GREAT girl with amazing family. Almost makes the girl crying ALL.THE.WAY.HOME. worth it... almost. :) Kidding. :) Kinda.

:)

Wednesday Play Group

Last Wednesday these two lovely ladies picked up Minnie and I and took us to our every other Wed play group at Pheeb's house. We had a special project planned for the day and there was a HUGE turn out! Speaking of special projects...gotta love Mama H's borrowed outfit. Ask her about it sometime... hee hee hee Shhhh.... don't tell what we were working on...

Do you think little E there on the end wants to share? :)

ssshhhh....

We were also celebrating a little man who turned TWO that VERY day! We all enjoyed treats provided by his Mom!!!

My girl was LOVIN' LIFE!!! Pheebs, Yiz, "wings" (swings), toys, treats... yeah. She loves life.

Speaking of lovin' life... how SERIOUSLY cute is this kid? He was SO ready for my camera any time I pointed it at him :)

I mean...

EVERY time :)

What a GREAT day!