More Gwinivere

The first few days with Gwin have passed, 

and I want to recall every second of it...

but that would take too long, and I'm not waiting 

unnecessarily before we head back to the stables,

so this quick recap will have to suffice. :)

We've been living at the stables. 

We've learned the ropes and made nice with 

the other boarders who visit more frequently. 

We fall more and more in love with Gwinivere every day.

She's so sweet and is really getting used to and warming up to us. 

The first day she arrived at the stables

we walked her around, let her check stuff out.

We took a walk on the street with a couple of other horses

and their owners.

In the afternoon, when it was time to go home and eat,

we turned her out into the pen that Linda (the stable owner)

felt she would do best in. 

I knew the herd would size her up and learn quickly

that she's very submissive and doesn't want any trouble. 

It was still hard to leave her as she whinnied at the fence post

like she wanted out.

I returned a couple of hours later

after picking up some supplies and work boots.

For such a calm and relaxed girl

I was surprised how high she was carrying herself.

She was anxious and insisting that she be able to see

all the way around herself at all times.

I brushed her, gave her some treats,

reassured her that she would be fine (of course, to no avail)

and then returned her to her pen for the night. 

I could tell that the other Appaloosa mare was desperate to get to know her.

But Gwin was too nervous and cautious at first. 

She kept her distance.

When we returned the next day for riding,

Linda told me that Gwin had made best friends with the two 

"top dogs" of her pen (including the Appaloosa)

and she was not worried one bit about who

would be under the shanty for the freezing rain expected that night.

I still put a blanket on Gwin, just incase. ;) 

That night, we groomed and snuggled Gwin.

I saddled and bridled her and rode her for the first time since she's been here.

We did even better than we had the first time I rode her at her last stables.

Which wasn't a big surprise with all the ground work

and relationship building we've been up to. 

There is SO much to write, but honestly,

I can't take one more second of thinking of her 

and not being with her. 

So, we're off to get through school

so we can head to the stables again. 

  

In just three more days we will be DONE with 

homeschool for the month of April,

and we absolutely can not wait!

Gwinivere

She believes it was fate that led her to accidentally 

list her horse for sale under French Bulldogs.

I know it was God's work that led me to look at 

French Bulldogs and find a misplaced horse ad.

When it was all said and done and the dust had settled, 

we were scheduling a trailer to move my new horse to the stables near our home,
and my life had changed in the blink of an eye.

Her name is Gwinivere. 

She's a beautiful sorrel Appaloosa with a white blaze down her face. 

She stands 15 hands and makes my heart race. 

The minute I laid eyes on her, and she laid an eye on me, 

it was settled between us; 

I belonged to her, and she belonged to me. 

And I trembled inside, having never felt this way since 

my first horse (also an Appaloosa) exactly 20 years ago.

When her owner's husband said he'd walk her so I could watch from behind, 

I involuntarily thought to myself, 

I don't care if this horse falls down in the isle and seizes... she's mine.

That's when I knew I was in trouble love.

I scrapped my pulse and strapped my logic back on for 

the remainder of my time with the two horses I was there to look at. 

But my spirit never let go of Gwinivere. 

not for a second.

And today is finally the big day. The day I get to bring her home. 

The waiting has been on a steep incline of impatience 

whose anxiety has only been relieved by butterflies and girlish daydreaming.

I've been flooded with memories and brought back to 

my beginning with horses and my love for them.

I remember riding as a little girl. 

At my Uncle Jack's farm, and on the side of the road 

when my favorite most spoiling Aunt Susie would 

pull her car over to ask strangers to let me ride their horses.

I remember moving to the country at 11 and having neighbors with horses. 

I would walk to their house after school and on hot summer days. 

I would sit at their pasture line and sing to the horses. 

I would pick grass and feed them, 

pat their warm, muscular sides whenever they got close enough. 

I was fascinated, in awe, and heart-struck.

The day my Dad told me that he and my Mom had 

bought me a real horse of my own, I thought I would burst. 

I loved that horse so much.

I rode almost everyday. 

Sometimes, I would even get up early in the mornings to ride before school. 

My horse would lay his body out in a full gallop in the acres behind my house, 

and we would become one with the sky. 

I would nap on the hay stack next to his stable. 

I would climb up and lay on his bareback while he ate grass in the open yard 

and I read a book in the sun. 

My brother, his friends, and I would ride bareback in the field and swamp 

playing portholes and dimensions with plastic swords and throwing stars. 

Having a horse was my dream come true. 

Loosing him two and half years later would be 

the end of my horse love, for two decades.

We tried to replace him. 

My parents bought me another horse, 

and later, my husband leased me a horse for months while we were dating. 

But I just never felt that kind of connection with another horse again.

Until now...

Lil' Pets and Woodzies

First, you bought Tab, the mini kitty, who turned out 

to be your favorite little carry along companion for over a month, now. 

You made him furniture out of cardboard, paper and felt.

You even bring him to the table and feed him during meals.

One night I suggested getting another friend 

to go along with Tab... 

WHY we can't do things small, I don't know. 

We're a family who tends to go really big when we do stuff. 

In our defense, the Lil' Pets were on sale from $3.99 to .99!!!!! 

How could we resist?

And then after adding nine to the group, 

we kind of needed a carrying case for everyone.

You know... so they wouldn't get lost or left behind.

That's when we found this adorable Woodzies' house 

that closed up with a nice handle on top...

And then we kind of needed furniture that wouldn't keep falling apart 

like the homemade stuff you were making.

And the Woodzie's furniture packs were ever so cute! 

Then next thing we knew it was morning, and I was serving yours and Tab's 

traditional matching pancakes to you and all the new pets! 

Being a Mom is SO much fun!

And our your toys are WAY cooler than mine were when I was a kid!

With the exception of micro-machines. 

They really need to make those again.

Another "Different" Week

As we continue to get closer to the end of our last month before break

we continue to change things up to keep them interesting.

This week we did a subject a day. 

Rather than doing a little of each subject everyday, 

we took the five required core subjects, 
delegated one subject to each day of the week,

and did a whole week's worth of that one subject on it's day.

These pictures are from Tuesdays, Science day.

One of the projects we did was creating a crane 
\with a your Guided Physics Lab Kit.

You wanted me to help you (do it all for you), 
but I insisted that I watch and you follow the directions 

to put it together yourself and see how it works. 

  

You were very proud in the end. 

And of course, your favorite little kitty, Tab, 

had to be involved in the final touches.

Only five more school days to go!!! :)

No More SAD Here

It's been so beautiful outside.

The weather has remained consistently, unusually warm.

We were getting a little worried about you when your

attitude and joy levels were bottoming to an all time low

before the sun started to show a couple weeks ago.

Now, we know exactly what the problem was. 

You were just experiencing some SAD

(seasonal affective disorder)

You have been SO happy since the sun has been working.

And we are so happy God decided to make it work early this year.

We have been playing outside A LOT. 

Tiling garden boxes

Planting starter seeds

Watching the birds return from the south

Ducks, geese, cranes, and...

SWANS!!!

And you have been indulging in your favorite outdoor activities:

Spraying the hose over every square inch of our property,

and treasure hunting!

We're certainly not complaining about all this beautiful
summer-like outdoor action! :)

O, the Fetching Things You Say

You: I really wish I could take Mea to the fireworks.
Me: I really don't think she'd enjoy that.
You: We could put her on a leash and tie her to a rock?

Mom, most of what I've learned so far in life came from Myth Busters.

You came in to change your wet gloves for a dry pair. 

When I exclaimed how cold your hands were you said, 

"it's fine Mom. I can't feel them at all." 

Wow mom, you have like, a lot of skin under your chin. I mean... A LOT.

That's the thing with bossy girls... the cuteness makes up for the bossy

You were playing his Sims3 character when I heard you declare, 

"the house I created is WAY too big for me. 

I need to get a wife in here to help me take care of things."

You were trying to FaceTime your Dad when I heard you start under your breath, 
"if this guy doesn't answer this call I am gonna... oh, Hi Dad!"

A gigantic package showed up on the doorstep two days from my Birthday. 

I asked you, who had a suspicious smile on your face, 

"Do YOU know what this is???"

You gaves me a disgusted look and replied, 

"HOW would I know? I'm not a SOOTHSAYER!" 

You: Mom? Uhhh... are you gonna wear your hair like that into the city?

Me: No way! 

You: That's good, cuz right now it looks like it was hit by an astroid.