December 2018

December was an incredibly busy month. We got our tree early this year because we knew we would be busy every weekend. We went the weekend of Thanksgiving. This meant Aiden was able to join us this year. We picked out a concolor pine. It held its needles beyond Christmas. 

Sophia had her winter concert. They sang beautifully. Sophia is really beginning to look like a teenager.

I went away for a scrapbooking weekend. It was nice to get away. I didn't get as much done as I wanted to put had an awesome time. We were a very small group so it was nice to catch up with people. The following weekend I went back to the same retreat center for Etna. We had 28 people in the house this weekend. It was an awesome weekend with lots of learning. Michael came in from Hawaii for the series. He spend the night before and after with us. It was great to see him again. Then finally the 3rd Saturday of December was spent running a Girl Scout activity with over 50 girls in attendance.

Sophia rode with the high school team again. Her pony was very poky and didn't want to jump. She still did well bringing home two thirds and a 2nd place ribbon.

Aiden came down the weekend before Christmas so we had our Christmas dinner with him, Leslie, Emma and her boyfriend Matt on Saturday. Sophia worked very hard to make gifts for Nick, Natalie, Aiden, Leslie and Emma. She made them all galaxy shoes. It was hard to color all those canvas sneakers but they came out great. Everyone loved them.

Sophia also made peppermint bark for her teachers and riding instructors. She loves to give gifts from the heart.

Sophia decorated Navajo's stall for the holidays. With all the riding at the new barn we can't do the half lease with Navajo any longer. Sophia didn't want to give him up and asked Jade if she would be interested in splitting the half lease. Lauren was okay with this so now Sophia and Jade both share him.  Sophia is still riding him three times a week.

Sophia gave her presentation about photography to her 4H group.

We spent a quiet Christmas morning with just me, Steve and Sophia. We opened gifts. The last gift for Sophia was a pair of tall riding boots. We sent her on a scavenger hunt to find them. We went to Heather and Todd's for a Christmas evening open house. It was a great day.

The dogs were all dressed up for Christmas. Boba wasn't a big fan of the outfit but he tolerated it.

We weren't able to see Nick or the Acampora family for Christmas. Hopefully we will be able to see them soon.

We also had a quiet New Year's Eve. We celebrated with fondue again. Mr. Twinkletoes eats with every night with Sophia. He especially enjoyed the chicken we had on New Year's Eve.

November

November is always a special month. It starts with Sophia's birthday and then ends with family together to celebrate Thanksgiving. There is always a lot of fun in between and this year was no different.

Sophia turned thirteen this year. We officially have a teenager! I am not sure how that happened. It seems like just yesterday she turned one. We started the day with our traditional cupcake, candle and balloon in bed. You also got your gift from China. When we were in China I bought you a gift for every birthday until you turn eighteen. This year it was a little purse. Otto and Mr. Twinkletoes enjoyed sharing your birthday cupcake with you. Those cats love frosting!

We celebrated your and Tracie's birthday with a dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. Her birthday is on November 2nd. Tracie was your first riding instructor and we remain very close to her. She just started radiation for a brain tumor. It was good to celebrate something positive.

We had a bubble soccer birthday party. You had 14 friends attend. It was a blast. All of the girls had fun playing. I think it was all their first exposure to bubble soccer.

You competed in the Hunter Jumper show, in both the jumper and hunter rings. You did amazing. You took home Series End Reserve Champion for the short stirrup division. You competed in the dressage show. Unfortunately Arrow was hurt so you did your test with Navajo. He isn't the best dressage horse but you did well on your tests. He just needed to be a bit more forward.

You also started competing with the high school equestrian club. Jade started the equestrian club at the high school you will be attending in two years. In this inter-school show series you can compete if you are in middle school and districted to the school you are competing with.  In this show you just hop on a horse and go in to compete without any warm up. You rode one horse for the flat work and another for the jumping. You got two first place ribbons and one second place. You were Grand Champion for the Novice Division. I am always so proud of all you do. You are fearless.

You decorated the house for Thanksgiving. You made it look very festive. Nick, Natalie and Aiden were with us for Thanksgiving. Emma and Leslie joined us for dinner too. It was a great day. We had a delicious dinner and played games after dinner. We got some great photos of all the kids.

Natalie took an intro lesson at the barn. You were able to lead her. She had fun.

October

This month was filled with horses, much the same as every other month! Sophia went on a trail ride with her 4H group. It was a cold and windy day. We left the trail ride and headed to the new barn for a dressage show.  She earned a 1st place ribbon for that and also competed in the Hunter Jumper show at the old barn.

I was not able to be at the Hunter Jumper show because I was running a Girl Scout event. I dropped you off at 6:30 in the morning, watched you warm up and then headed out knowing that your coach, Carolyn would keep you safe. You went home with your friend Rachel until I was done with the all day Girl Scout event. This was the first show you have done with Navajo since last November. He was out all spring series and you were at Comic-a-con for the September show. You did incredibly well. You took home two first place ribbons and one second place. You were grand champion for the division. It was quite the comeback.

You took your first Pony Club rating. They tested you at the D3 level for knowledge and flat riding and D2 for jumping and cross county. You have never done cross country so without that background you can't do the full D3 test for the discipline. I am sure you will be able to earn this rating come spring.

She is riding a new horse for dressage at her old barn. She loves working with Arrow.

Steve and I celebrated our 15 year anniversary. He gave me beautiful diamond earrings. I had always worn the pair my brother and I gave my mother many moons ago when we both started working as teens. I always wore one of those diamond earrings in my second hole. I lost one at the hairdresser last year. In September I went to the hairdresser with the last of my mother's earrings in and decided I would keep it safe and put it in my pocket. Only I came home and threw my jeans in the laundry and the earring fell out. I was so upset because these earrings were special to me. I never will forget my brother and I going to the store every week to put money down on the earrings. My mother never really wanted anything but that year she talked about wanting diamond earrings. My brother and I were so excited about this gift. One morning my father, who suspected what we were getting my mother for Christmas, asked us about it. He had bought earrings too. We were devastated. But he took us to the store. He said that we would give her the bigger of the two earrings, which was his. He then gave us the extra money so we could buy a matching diamond necklace for my mother. My mother loved both gifts.  Now the earrings Steve gave me have a story behind them too. I will treasure them always and put them in the jewelry box every time I go to the hair dresser!

We went to visit Angie at school one weekend. Tracey and Danielle were there too. We took Danielle home with us and she spent a couple days with us. it was nice having her with us. I hope she is able to visit more often now that she is out of college.  Sophia and Danielle had fun making bath bombs.

I finally caught our un-invited guest gardener in action. The flowers and plants in the front were all being trimmed by this mystery gardener. Guess there is less weeding for me to do now.

Our furry family members are all happy. Gracie likely has Cushings Disease. We are trying to decide if we are going to treat it because it is expensive and the medicine can be hard to get right without extensive testing. She is almost 15 years old.  Gracie loves the cats and always tries to chase them.