Fall 2011

So since it has been quite sometime since I have posted anything new, I figured we will start at about where I left off. So here you have it, some pictures from Fall 2011.

 Here is daddys little helpers. Daddy putting in long hours and the kids and I bring him lunch to the field.

 Yep, this would be Dakotah's attire and yes, she picked out her outfit!!

 Good old Cherokee, yawning. Sorry to say that this horsey has left our house and found a different home.

I guess it was good while it lasted. NOT. Him and I had a love hate relationship.

 Pumpkin Patch, this was one of the "better" pictures of the two of them. <sigh>

This doesn't happen very often, but a picture of the three of them, and they are all looking at the camera. Ryder is a mess as you can see. What was I thinking taking a picture of him like that. Kinda like taking a picture in your house when it is messy and then looking at the pictures in shame!!

So here you have it, just a few. BUT I promise I will get better at this blog thing and post more, some time.

So I had a photoshoot Sunday with a great friend and her kiddos. I would have to say I am quite impressed on how they turned out. Here is a little sneak peek on some of the pictures I took. Enjoy!!

My little girl...

My oh my, where has the time gone? It is sad to think that my little girl is going to be 9 before we know it. She is growing up into such a caring young girl. Soon she will be a teenager and I will be wanting to keep her locked in her room until she is 30. But until then, I will enjoy her gossip stories every night on the way home and watch her follow around her so called "boyfriend" at a school event. Had this happen last night at the school fun night, this is where kids go around the school and play fun little games for prizes and they can get face paintings and win prizes. Any who, last night I took her to fun night and she was having a hard time picking what she wanted to do and it was a lot of arguing back and forth and telling her that we might as well go home then. Well after a little while she must of spotted her so called "boyfriend" and she knew exactly where she wanted to go and after each game what game would be next. So it took this momma a little bit to catch on but it finally happened and we were following around this boy, every game he went we went there too. My how it has changed since she was 5 and just starting school.
So of course, this is where it reads, I should enjoy this time right now with her because when those teenage years hit, I will be locked out of her room and only talked to when something is wanted. I hope not, but I was a teenager once and remember what went through my head. Until then, I will enjoy what I have now!!

Ryder-18 months

Do you know how hard it is to get some "good" shots of Ryder? Very hard, he hates to get his picture taken and never ever will smile for the camera. His new thing now is, when I pull out the camera he will turn look at me and say "cheese" and then take off running. Kinda like, ha ha mommy, you will not get one good shot of me because I am a little stinker!!!

So hard to believe Ryder is 18 months old, well was, of course it takes me a month later to blog about him turning 18 months old. So at 18 months old he has quite the vocabulary, such as, ooohhhh my, 1, 2, free 4, 5 (then jump off of anything he can, such as stairs chairs, couches), ready, set,go (of course he runs after he says this), please, thank you, bite, ouch and many many more. He is just a independent like guy, and loves being outside, as he says shooo, for put my shoes on and side, for wanting to go outside. He is my perfect little handful and I am enjoying every minute with him. He is quite the little man and is ALLLL boy!!! Here is a few pictures that I tried to get of him.

As you can see, not one smile, but lots of goofy faces for me!!! Got to love him!!

1st Horse Show-Sept 2011

 Dakotah decided she wanted to enter her first horse show ever. With a little encouragment from mom and Aunt Sarah. So the first weekend in September there was a Open Horse Show in Adel. It was a fly by the seat of our pants thing. We didn't decide to enter her until Thursday, two days before the show. She got maybe one hour each, Thursday and Friday night of riding and taught what the judge expects from my mom and Sarah.

Saturday morning the kids and I got up bright and early. Too early for me being a Saturday and all.

It was worth it though.

We gave JR a bath and got him all prepped for the show.

We waited on Sarah for awhile and then we headed off for the show. Of course, as we are getting closer and closer to Adel it is looking like it is going to start raining. We get there late for the first show we were going to sign her up for, so we just let her ride around the practice pen. Then they had open riding for a bit in the big arena. Dakotah thought she was pretty cool riding out there with all those big kids. She was defiantley getting noticed. Then of course it starts raining. We sit and watch the show as it is raining and raining, not looking like it will give up at all. Then the announcer, annouces that they will be having a meeting for all members to decide if we should keep the show going due to the weather. All members voted that the show should be canceled! Bummer. It was just one class away from Dakotah's next class. So needless to say all that work just to bring Dakotah to her first show, but not getting to show was a huge let down, I think for me more than Dakotah. Dakotah was a good sport about it.

 My sister Lisa, drove all the way to watch her and some friends of ours came, just as they called the show. So Dakotah rode around the arena for them to watch her and of course once the show was called off, the rain had stopped and the sun came out.  I think overall Dakotah had a great day and I was one proud momma watching my little girl have a huge smile on her face and looking like she is the queen of the world.

                                     Love this picture!!

Gosh, how can you not love this kid?? Isn't he adorable?

 He just thinks he is a big helper.

 Peek-a-boo!!

 Then look at this girl!! She is turning into such the little daddy helper!!! Okay, not really. But when you are building fence for HORSES. Get that, keyword horses, she will be all over that. I think she was just taking a little rest in this picture.

 See, back to work she goes!!!

Just another weekend working on the farm, with your tongue hanging out. I think it helps her with whatever she is doing.

Just another Friday night.

So what do we do on Friday nights when we are bored? Let me give you a clue...

Any ideas??

This is what happends at my grandparents house on most Friday nights. A whole bunch of people get together with their horses and chase some cows. In other words, roping.

The kids really enjoy coming out there and just riding in the arena. Dakotah is getting use to chasing the cows with her horse. Mike III is not into the riding part as much as working the cow shoot. Ryder? Well he is still a little young to actually enjoy it. He just enjoys riding horses with mom or dad. Or as in the picture below, Dakotah and Dad.