Linn County Fair

It was fair time for our neighboring county, and we are all about county fairs. We bee-lined for the ponies, first thing. (The expression on the pony-leading-kid's face is unexplainable....what in the world is he doing?)

Miri had a grand time. Aleaha began to wonder why she had the Weirdo Wrangler Kid walking with her pony. Totally not necessary, because, as she said, "Where could that pony have gone, anyway, Mom?"

Next up was the airplane ride. They could both go together, and it seemed to meet their expectations. Aleaha was clearly not quite as thrilled as Miri or as much as she was for this ride three years ago and two years ago.

This shot is a reminder of what happens when you try to use a camera with too much shutter lag and you don't predict how far in advance you have to depress the button before you will actually capture a view. You get a shot of the airplane behind the ones your own kids are sitting in. Nice. But this shot also serves as a preview to the "ride" they wanted to head to next....that giant structure in the background with the wo towers, the wooden swing bridges, and the long tube slide. Here's what happened there...

They started out together.

Aleaha was showing Miri how to get going.

Aleaha scrambles up the rope-ramp pretty easily, but Miri decides this isn't her cuppa entertainment. Fortunately, the Really Nice Ride Attendant refunded Miri's ticket. 

Aleaha kept going. And going. It was a little hard to watch.

Miri suggested they go instead on the motorcycles...

...and the cars. (Yes, Daddy, you have a speed-baby.)

Aleaha spent her last ticket on her overall fave, the classic carousel.

Many Moods of Marys

Marys Peak (I'm told there's no apostrophe, as it's not supposed to be a possessive form of "Mary") is a favorite view from our barn. I happened to catch this the other night, at about 9 o'clock.

And then 3 days later, at exactly the same time of night, we had quite the thunderstorm (unusual around here), and I snapped this.

We missed her!

She's back with us. It was a long 8 days for Mommy & Daddy & Sister to be without her. Special thanks to Aunt Jodi and family, Aunt Kelly and family, and GrammaBon and Grandpa for hosting her.

  

(Photo courtesy of Aunt Jan.)

Miri Loves to Frolic

With Aleaha spending time with family in EO, we had the unusual circumstance of only one kiddo over the weekend. We made visits to the Frolic on Friday and Saturday evenings, mainly to visit Pablo, aka Miri's Most Absolute Favorite Pony in the World.

She rode him last year at the Frolic pony rides.... and she did not stop talking about him all year. Every opportunity she got to name a new horsie, it was to be called "Pablo".

She talked Mommy into buying a new hat. Oh, what the heck - it matched her shirt. How long will they be this doggone cute?

Back again the next day, atop good ol' Pablo. (Yes, Mommy asked if he was for sale. No, he's not. It's probably a good thing, because I coulda walked him home right on the spot!)

She didn't have Aleaha to show her the ropes (literally) on the play structures, but she was rearin' to go anyway. Here she is, making headway up the Really Tall Climby Thing. It was lookin' good, for a moment....

...until she slipped.

So she started back up again.

But she made the mistake of looking down. And, like so many other things in life, if you look down, that's where you'll end up. She plummeted to the bottom again, and was DONE, thankyouverymuch, with that structure.

She spied one that had a more gradual climb, then a giant-ass relatively controlled, intentional slide back down. We didn't think she would do it, but by golly that brave little thing rode it out all by herself.

She's a character.

I had the lucky opportunity to see my cousin Jennifer, who was riding in a Cycle Oregon event where I volunteered at a break station. Very cool to catch up with her!

Miss M's Birthday

Can you guess how old she is now??

(and FYI, that's red marker on her fingers, not blood)

Mommy can't believe how the time has flown by. Three is definitely a cross-over age. Of course each year - each week! - there are marked changes in development. But this is a big milestone, when a child really moves from "baby" to "big kid". Just think about all that toy packaging: "Small parts. Not for children under 3." Well, bring it on now, man, cuz this one is officially over the bridge.

Her birthday fell on a Sunday, and we happened to be minus one child in our household because Aleaha spent extra time with the fam in EO. And it was really hot. And we were super bizzy. So we downsized the b-day cake routine -- Mommy added some sprinkles and white frosting writing to a storebought cake. It looked a bit scary. More like Halloween-drippy-writing. But was tasty.

We have video of the singing and candle-blowing, but there was also a lot of spitting involved, and then some interesting parental voice-over to accompany that. That part is not going on the internet!

On Monday she got to have a repeat b-day celebration at school, complete with candles. Very special!

And the requisite shot of sugar for all kiddos.... oh boy!

Miri and her classmates as the sugar was being doled out. Surely they were stuck to the ceiling and walls apres-cupcake.

It's bittersweet. My baby is growing up. I still need lots of neck-snuggles. I want to smell the baby's skin again. And rock her. And sing to her. I don't care if it spoils her. She will always be my baby. My last.

*sigh*

A Week in the Land of Sun and Dust

We were able to spend some time with family, and this long post is a collection of shots from a couple of cameras. What a great time!

Before we left, Aleaha helped keep Jake happy while the horseshoer was working on Arby. Had to make sure we were ready for the trip!

While there, we celebrated several birthdays. One day, Aunt Jodi arranged for a cake for Aleaha and Miri. 

We took up all three horses, so there was lots and lots of riding.

In addition to the super-duper pens Grandpa built for the horses, we also made a nice pasture for them in the meadow. This made for very happy horses!

Spiffy was dog tired. He is really aging, and after some nervousness about him being around GrammaBon's cats, we agreed to give him the freedom he craved. He proved to finally be a good dog....now that he's just about all used up.

Miri had lots of opportunities to help cook and make messes for GrammaBon. Here she is patting on the coating for pork chops.

A rogue turkey made a visit one morning.

There were lots of opportunities to run and play and just "be with the cousins." (What I love about this shot: kids running, jeans drying on the line, horses in the background, birdhouses and feeders everywhere.)

We also celebrated Sylvie's birthday -- Mmmmm. more cake!!

Quick shot of two fast-moving kiddos.

Photo ops.

Mom's favorite view....between a horse's ears, looking at that big red Jake-butt, with Daddy in the saddle, and a mountain road outstretched ahead.

Miles and miles of quiet.

Grandpa and Daddy made darling name signs from horse shoes for the girls' bunkbed. Grandpa also made a wonderful peeled-pole ladder for Aleaha to reach the top bunk. It was perfect! 

Daddy got in several nights of fishing - woohoo, fresh trout for breakfast!!

Moon rise over the pond.