Daisy Horse Training Program!

Emily's Daisy troop participated in the Horse Training program that Camp Marapai offers this spring. The girls had a blast. I mean a Blast and we were lucky enough to extend the day into a weekend getaway with some friends at the Prescott house. The newly re-done Prescott house. After a pipe burst in the ceiling back in.. mmm, February? Nearly everything had to be gutted and replaced. The finished product is amazing. You would almost never know what happened, but I digress.
Horses, Emily absolutely loves them. She was so excited to go to this. I am surprised that more of the troop didn't come. Maybe only 6 of 13 girls made it. I think more than half of them already have horses of their own too. Once we arrived the girls got to pick out a pair of very worn cowboy boots and a helmet and they were off!


Look at the boots! Hilarious isn't it? I think a pair of her own cowboy boots might be a necessity here soon.

Emily and Lonestar, her horse for the day.

I think she looks like such a natural! It's funny because if you pay attention you'll notice that her left hand never leaves the back of the saddle. It's as if she poses the whole time.

The girls learned how to mount (and dismount), walk and trot (no galloping allowed) and Emi's most favorite part figure eight through the cones. I know it was to teach them the proper way to hold the reins and turn, but Emi thought she was learning to barrel race. Why she would know anything about barrel racing is beyond me... She loves it though. Oh, and the most important thing, they learned how to stop the horse. A couple girls also learned how to hold on while your horse has a domestic abuse battle with a sibling. They got sent to opposite ends of the arena. Horse time out, funny! Fortunately the two girls caught up in the fray were already experienced riders and handled it perfectly. Whew!

So stinkin' cute!

Emily's horse trainer's name was Miss Kitty, seriously. No kidding.

Look at what a natural she is!

The left hand...

Good ole' Lonestar smiling for the camera.

Horses can be such hams.

Just like at home they also learned that they have to clean up their mess. They unsaddled and brushed the horses down before letting all but the two trouble makers go out for a graze. Good times! It really was. Emily and I don't get much one on one time anymore. She has such a busy social life. I'm not sure who enjoyed the day more, me or her.

A B&W Dinner Party

Oh my goodness don't you just want to eat those babies up!

So it's possible I have mentioned our little bus stop crew turned neighborhood gang before... Bikes & Wine? We got started on a rotating dinner party schedule somehow and these are the pictures to prove that we are NOT more mature than the little people we so dearly love. As you can see things start out all grown up and responsible enough

...and things slowly start going very awry. It may or may not have something to do with the fact that dinner did take about 4 and a half hours to prepare. We were adequately warned though and happy hour was just that, happy. Right before dinner is about ready, it's time to get the kiddos settled, changed into some jammies and set up with a movie so us "grown-ups" can have an elegant dinner in the dining room.

All of a sudden we are in a heated dance off. The tide is changing. The kids are laughing at what idiots the adults are. Notice Gavin in the background?

Back to the elegance in the dining room. There might not be any food on the table, but there certainly is wine!

We had an amazing meal of soup, salad, crab, rice and perhaps other things. I can't remember. We tried to gather our composure and clear the table for dessert, tried.

These boys seem sober, right? Composure sorta contained and then...

...then starts the surprise men's fashion show! Composure completely out the window! Apparently Jared liberated this Polo jacket from his father's closet and felt compelled to show it off. Looking good. Not to much harm done.

Yeah right! There is NO way Travis was gonna let this little gem slip past him. After I'm sure a couple colorful comments on said jacket he was up from the table and off for a brief second only to return wearing the jacket and aviators. I chose the most decent of pictures to post.

Then my hilarious friend Kelly thought, "well if they can, so can I." A few more twirls down the runway from each of them and we are all rolling on the floor!

I wear my sunglasses at night, I wear my sunglasses at night...

Oh, it's going somewhere in a hand basket quick suddenly! Not to be left out of the fashion show Meridith (the newly appointed Prime Minister of Education) comes out of the kitchen juggling fruit. What? Seriously what happened to the elegant composed adults?

Now of course everyone has to show off their talents...

Emi came to see what all the commotion was about. She quickly realized her parental units are actually grown-up sized kids.

Ah, all is well that ends well! See you when the hangover wears off!