Our usual weekends...

Usual, that is, if it's nice out. Lately it's been so cold that we have run out to the barn, grained the horses, and then jumped back into the warmth of the Jeep! I haven't ridden in 3 weeks because it's been cold, muddy, yucky, you name it!

Today was lovely! It was in the mid-70s. The wind was blowing, making my allergies act up something fierce, but not even 10-per-minute sneezes and itchy eyes could have kept me away form that barn!

John worked on Lady's feet and I had Connor on Ellie bareback working on the neck reining we started 3 weeks ago. I think she's getting better, I've been working on getting her back to basics. She's got some bad habits that someone else let her continue but it's not working for me!

John has started ground-work with Lady. She's a pretty girl and she's getting better, but she's got a long ways to go...the cuteness wears off and we need her to do what we ask her to do now.

I put a picture in here of Cili and her friend Morgan riding a few weeks ago. Cili is on a 25-year old named Khaliff and Morgan is on Ellie. The others are from today...

Again...O'Keefe Zoo

Because we simply do not have enough pets...HA! We wanted to get another horse that was older that the kids could ride. Lady won't be ready to ride for another couple of years and we didn't want the girls especially to lose interest. I knew I'd need to get another Tennessee Walking Horse so that when we ride together we'll be able to actually stay together. Walking Horses are gaited, they have a much longer and smoother stride. If I got a Quarter Horse like I wanted, I would be left in the dust.

Anyway, I also wanted a horse that was broke and a little bit more mature. After much looking, I found Ellie Mae. Her registered name is Paint's Little Red. She's 14.3 hands high and is a sorrell. She actually has the same color hair as Cecilia! We got her on the7th of February and she's 10 years old. She still isn't too sure about us but I'm working on getting her comfy around me so she'll come to me in the pasture. Today when we went to give the girls their grain, she actually RAN to the dry pen because she knew we'd have food for her. All of us have had a chance to ride her, if only in the dry pen (John, Connor, and I have all had her out in the large pasture). We got a saddle for the boys, John, and me, and a smaller one for the girls. Cili's legs are just a tad too short but we'll see if we can work with it for now.

We are also working on getting the mare and the filly to be nice to each other. Lady is the baby and Ellie lets her know that. It is to the point now where whenever Ellie walks near Lady she just scampers off. She doesn't wait to be told by Ellie! Yesterday we worked in the dry pen walking them around, as if on a trail, and then taking them in opposite directions and having them cross paths. We need them to be buddies. John wants to breed Ellie right away but I am thinkin we will wait until we know if we are going to get to move or not. It's easier to travel with a 2 horse trailer than having to buy a larger one for now.

On a completely separate note, Cass' cat had kittens on Valentine's Day. She was so funny. She came downstairs and just looked at us and started moaning this terrible meow. I knew she was getting ready to have the babies. I set up a little dark kennel in my closet and sat with her for awhile. I watched as she had 4 beautiful babies and then had to come down to make dinner. Not too long after John announced that baby number 5 had been born. After dinner we went back upstairs to find kitty number 6! I couldn't believe she had that many. Burrito (the cat) is not a big cat, she's petite and quite young still. I was impressed by how great she did and she is really being a great mommy now.

We also had 2 more cockatiels hatch this week for a grand total of 7 birds, 7 cats, 2 horses, 2 rabbits, 1 guinea pig, a tankful of fish, and 3 dogs. I'm going to start charging admission...sheesh!

My baby turns 9!

Cecilia is excited about her gifts!

From left: Chastity, Cili, Natalia (in front), Sammi (peeking through), Morgan, and Julie.






It's hard for me to believe that my baby, my youngest child, the one who will forever be a baby in my mind, turned 9 on Saturday. She's growing up and getting bigger every day. No matter, she'll always be 2 to me.

Cecilia had a sleepover for her birthday. She had 4 friends over and her big sister, Sammi, to celebrate. We had a big spaghetti dinner, played twister...funniest thing ever with 6 little girls (ok, 5 little ones and 1 tween)...had cake and ice cream, played Wii (Cili got a High School Musical sing-along game), and ate a bunch of junk. It was a blast. Cecilia really enjoyed herself and her friends were fabulous to have over.

Sammi in mid-fall!

Welcome Home No Slack!

Tonight was the welcome home ball for John's battalion, 2/327 "No Slack". The first hour and a half was mingling with friends. It was so neat for me to get to meet the guys that John served with. I got to hear how much other guys who deployed with John respected him and enjoyed their time in Iraq with him. Of course, I know how fab he is, but hearing others tell me makes me so proud I can't hardly stand it. We had a really nice time for sure! After the mingling, we went in for dinner and a program. They posted the colors...is it just me or are you supposed to put your hand over your heart while the flag is brought in and keep it there through the singing of the National Anthem? I did but I didn't see any of the other women doing that. The soldiers were all at attention, it was neat to see.

After the posting of the colors they had a few toasts and named all the soldiers who had been killed during this deployment. They had a table set up for those soldiers in memorial and it was really touching to hear their names and hear the significance of each part of the table, the wine glass inverted but not filled, the red roses and the yellow ribbon, the salt for the tears of their families, the slice of lemon for the bitterness of their sacrifice. And then the moment of silence. They dimmed the lights and a room full of soldiers and wives/girlfriends was absolutely silent. It was very moving.

SGM Chris Fields came down to the "Grog" and as the 1st SGT's from each company came to the podium and described a different battle in history, beginning with WWI and 2/327's involvement, they added a different drink...the first, to signify the blood from WWI was a port wine. I can't remember all of the drinks but there was a rice wine from Vietnam, Chai from Iraq, Gatorade because they never quit, Near Beer for one I can't remember. Each man who poured the bottle in had to drink some from the bottle. One had to add "sand" from the Iraqi desert (brown sugar, really). When he put some in his mouth, the collective groan was priceless! It was so funny to hear the room in an uproar as each company's representative drank from the bottle they added to the grog. The SGM tasted it and wanted to add something so he pulled up an army boot and poured something in, he said, "I had a couple of blisters, just a couple." He then filled his giant mug and drank and drank until it was empty. The room exploded with "HOOAH!" and applause. It was really tobasco sauce! Then they had the youngest soldier from each table come to the center table and dip a pitcher from the grog to bring back to the table. This was the best, John and a SGT Graeser (sp?) (who had earlier identified themselves as the senior citizens of the battalion) both looked at SFC Reynolds and he got this sort of sick look on his face as he realized that he was the young guy. He went up and filled the pitcher and brought it back to the table and poured some in each of the 3 soldier's glasses at our table. There was then a final toast to the battalion and they all drank this crazy concoction. These moments of tradition, pomp and circumstance, and symbolism are so inspiring to me. I love it!

Anyway, I have a couple of pictures here from tonight. Just a couple from the house before we left and one from the opening reception so you can see how John and I looked. Then one that shows the final toast with the guys about to drink the "grog". I wouldn't trade these moments for anything!

Our newest addition

If there was ever a question about whether or not we love animals...well you just don't know us! This is Lady...well, technically, Beaucoup's Splendid Lady, our 9 month old Tennessee Walking Horse. We just picked her up on Saturday and we are keeping her at a farm a few miles from home. She is really warming up to us and is just a beautiful horse. We'll be getting another in a week or so that is broke to ride so the girls will have a horse to ride and practice with because Lady won't be ready to ride for another 18-24 months.
It's been a lifelong dream of mine to have horses and John has been wanting to get the girls involved with horses for a few years...the time has finally come!!! We are all excited, all the kids want to be involved and we go out to see her and tend to her a couple of times a day.
Here are some pics!

Tonight the girls were grooming her and she was talking to them!
Our pretty baby!

Sammi wanted to eat a little hay with Lady...ewwwww!!

This was the week before we picked her up. We got her from Swift Walk'n Farm in Tennessee...a REAL Tennessee Walker from Tennessee! John thinks that's pretty darn special!

Been awhile...

This pic is right before she got her hair cut into the cutest style!

My darling Sammi has been complaining about not being able to see for a couple of years. I have taken her to the eye doctor each year since 2005 and they keep telling me it's just eye strain. Well, we were walking along the riverwalk looking at Christmas lights and she started saying she couldn't read the store marquis. I was a little concerned but thought she maybe was playing it up a bit. Well, we got a Wii for Christmas and the Sunday after Christmas she was trying to type her name into the high score list after a family drum contest and she asked me to type her name because she couldn't see the television. Needless to say I called the eye doctor the next morning and they were able to get us in that afternoon. This time they said she definitely needed glasses and we got them within a couple of hours. She looks ADORABLE!! i I just wanted to put a picture up here of her looking so fantastic!She just came in to show me how she'd written her name in cover-up and outlined it in purple eyeliner...in the mirror so it's backwards...but her hair is adorable!

Family Photos

We had these pictures taken a couple of weeks ago and I wanted to share them. These are some of my favorites!

It was about 30 degrees outside. A frosty (literally) Saturday morning. The kids were so cold...snuggling here! But such great sports!

This is another of my absolute favorites. My oldest and youngest. What a size difference!!! They were both the same size at birth...if you can imagine!

My kids. I think it's funny that they are ranked by age AND tallest to shortest. Even the twins...Connor is 8 minutes older and just an inch taller! They are both taller than me now, Sammi is well on her way!

Here's Cass...he does smile, I promise. In fact, I had him laughing hard but he covers his face and won't let the camera catch it. Still, this is a great picture of him!Now Connor. Connor will be 14 in February. Such a handsome kid! Seriously in need of a haircut, though!Keegan looks like a model here! You can't tell in this picture but it was so cold that Keegan's nose was like Rudolph! He put his jacket on because it was cold and I think it looked pretty good!I posted this picture of Samantha on my Facebook site and everyone that commented on it said she looks just like me! I'm not sure that's a compliment for her, but it sure is one for me!

Cecilia will be 9 at the end of January. Such a pretty girl!

And here's the family! It was an awesome day and we got some awesome photos!!!