Busy, Busy, Busy!

I haven't been blogging much lately... I must confess... facebook takes up more of my cyber time! I also launched a meetup group for riding with my horse buddies in November and it has been going gangbusters. We now have 114 members and have held 22 meetups. A very busy group that I am very proud of. The snow here has been amazing. Ella has had lots of fun sledding. Just before Christmas she got the flu so we have been taking it easy since then (well trying to). Christmas was full of wonderful time spent with loved ones. I had a prime rib dinner at our house Christmas eve and it was a great time with neighbors and family. A very full house. We had to delay our Christmas day at the Wilton's to the 26th as Ella was feeling really rough. I think it was more enjoyable just hanging out on Christmas day while Ella napped and we snoozed. It was pretty rough going on the roads to Dale's parents. We were pushing snow with the Tahoe. Super Tahoe was amazing in its snow prowess! We have new tires that are siped that helps as well. Now it is back to the daily grind of clean up... our house is a MESS!!! I am looking forward to my annual clean up of clutter and crap. Each year I go through the house and donate whatever needs to go and isn't being used. Right now there are a lot of piles waiting for donation and EBAY! As you can see... it's life as usual.

Sunriver Holiday Kick Off!

We went to Sunriver for the Thanksgiving Traditions Festival. We do this every year and enjoy a meal at our house there, the black friday shopping and lighting ceremony on Friday night. We have been doing this for about 5 years now and love spending time there! This year we didn't have snow, as we have in previous years, but it was fun just the same and that days of sunshine made it a wonderful change from our weather at home. Kalee and Michael came to enjoy Sunriver first then the following day Mike and Jen came. So we had "spirits", friends, and plenty of HOLIDAY fun!!!

Remember the fall and November!

We have gotten through a busy October with Halloween toddler parties, visits to the pumpkin patch, Diane's birthday, a costume horse ride and our Squash Surgery party. It was a fun month full of activities for Ella and I while Daddy was at work. Having fun things planned with the Puddin is great to get into the different seasons. We have had a lot of fun just playing in the leaves and enjoying the harvest weather. I have been riding a little bit again which has been wonderful for my soul. Duke is remembering what life was like (well kinda) before there were kids. Forutnately the weather has been cooperative in allowing me to get out and enjoy some miles in the saddle. Heading into November there is lots to do also. We are taking a couple of trips to Sunriver. Our place is getting some new windows and siding that we will be going down to check in on. Then there is always Thanksgiving and the Christmas season kick off that we enjoy there. I will try to post more often throughout the holidays!

Fall is here and we are havin' fun!

So much has happened since the last blog! We have been taking swimming lessons, have almost finished the garage at the cabin, got a new kitty and momma has been horsey riding! Swimming lessons are once a week. Ella is taking the perch class for 2-3 year olds. She likes the water and is a very big help, telling all the kids "you can do it... good job!" It is a 6 week series that we are over half way through. Maybe we will continue or move on to tumbling class. To see the change of seasons through a toddler is pretty fun. She really wants outside to pick up leaves and is obsessed with the pumpkin patch. We have been a couple times thus far and I am sure we will be going quite a few more times before Halloween. We now have a new kitty that followed Dale and Ella home on a wagon pull. We have named her Meko. She is part calico and part siamese. She looks like a siamese with orange blush! She followed them home and hasn't left since. No one has come looking for her and we figured she was from the neighbors house that has lots of kittens, regularly. She is a very sweet kitty and Woodrow loves playing with her. She is good with Ella and puts up with her harrasment. My mom is finished with chemo and starts radiation next week. Her hair is starting to grow back and soon this will be a distant memory. She has 7 weeks of radiation to go and then she is finished with her treatments just in time for enjoying the holidays! We have been trying to get in as much riding as possible before the weather turns. The weather was beautiful today and we spent it going to the pumpkin patch!

Cabin Fun in Plain

We have spent the last 2 weekends at the cabin in Plain. The manly men (Mick and Dale) are working hard at building a garage. While they sweat, pound and toil, Granny Diane and I hang with Ella, pick up pine cones, improve the "landscaping" and tell tall tales! It is so relaxing and a great deal of fun to hang out and listen to the river. Ella has decided that her favorite thing to do is cover herself in dirt. There is not a crevice left pristine. Eating it, putting it down her pants and throwing it are all highly enjoyed occurrences! The leaves are starting to change and it is obvious that fall is peaking around the corner. The vine maple are fiery red in spots of color on the mountainside and along the river. Right now the river is really low and we can see the bottom of the HUGE rock the cabin rests on. The smells of pine and woods are something that calls to me and I eagerly anticipate each time we are able to go back. I love the way the wind travels through the ponderosas making a quiet whooshing sound like the boughs are applauding. My mom had her last chemo and is healing up! HORRAH! She is feeling more spunky and can't wait to get back on her horse. Bear has been very patiently waiting for her to take him for a ride. Ella and I have been visiting her and checking up on the flowers in her garden. Soon this chapter of our lives will be over and she will start growing new hair! As, for now... I will see what I can get for the cabin pine cones I "harvested" on Ebay!

Ella's First Pony Ride!

Well, we waited until she was 2 to have her first pony ride. We went with Mickey and Diane to the fair and Grandpa paid for her to ride Honey (coincidentally my first pony's name was Honey). Ella had a blast saying YeeHaw! the whole ride. Very cute. Certainly in her genetics. Sorry, Daddy!

Summer's Tail into Fall's Avail

We find ourselves on the tail end of summer and I am glad things will be slowing down a little. Looking back at the blog and all the pictures, I think, ANY WONDER WE ARE TIRED! I love the fall time and the quietness it brings with the changing season. I am not a fan of the rain but usually it is an excuse to turn on the fire and enjoy a warm cup of joe. We have been trying to get in as much family park and outside time as possible, knowing that will be changing soon. Dale had a big event at the Smokey Point store (also the corporate offices where he and his dad work). This is where the picture came from. That was the last scheduled function of the summer. This time of year I usually make a list of things I want to get accomplished and start working on those "inside" chores. Ella and I have been going on a lot of playdates with friends (Eva/MacKenzie and Heather/Stella) and Meetup groups. Breaking up the daily routine with different activities is great (and necessary) for us! We got to visit with Crystal, who was here from NY, and is expecting a baby early December. She looks beautiful and I see her with a different light now, knowing what she will experience in the upcoming months. I am excited for her and Anthony. Ella enjoyed seeing her. She calls her Aunty "TT". Soon Ella will start swimming lessons at the YMCA. It's called the "perch" class. How cute is that? As we settle into fall, I find myself wanting to cuddle with my family.