Game Faces

As horse show season continues and soccer season begins, I've noticed through all of my picture taking that all three of my children have certain game faces that appear when they are totally focused on their tasks. S lets his mouth hang open and frequently sticks his tongue in his cheek.



E rolls her lips in and sticks the tip of her tongue out. She also does very weird things with her hands when she kicks the ball.


When K is on a course and totally focused, she totally relaxes her face and slightly squints her eyes. Funny how it took me so long to notice these things!! I happen to know that when D is concentrating on something, his tongue goes in and out. Makes me wonder what I look like when a volleyball is coming at me! Actually, I don't think I want to know.

Going Commando

Yes, I meant what you are thinking. First my son decides after a visit from our wonderful Texas friends that he no longer needs to sleep in a shirt -- bottoms only. I'm cool with that. Then I learn that he also does not feel it necessary sleep in undies. I can deal with that. After one of his friends had an accident over here one day before school, J became upset and didn't want to borrow any of S's underwear. He wanted his own. So I convinced him that he should just go without and his mom would bring a clean pair of his own up to the school. S proudly pulled down the back of his shorts and said Yeah, J, I'm not wearing any either! What!?! Apparently, this had become a habit -- no undies -- ever! I could not for the life of me convince the child that undies are a necessity. He claimed they were too tight and hurt his legs. So I went to my favorite store and bought him some boxers. He now thinks he is the coolest kid in the whole world and they have become his jammies -- just boxers (I must say they are the cutest little plaid things I have ever seen). Now if I could just get him to part with his boxers long enough to change them . . .

Bittersweet Day for Mom

It's that time of year again -- school and so many activities my brain goes on overdrive! Yesterday was quite a day:

At 8:00, K went off to middle school. I have a middle-schooler!!!!!!!! Yikes!! Am I really that old? Is she really that old? She wasn't ready for school to start, but was very excited about her new classes and seeing her friends again (not that we didn't see most of them all summer). She picked up the flute this summer and is very excited about going to band every day. She had to give up volleyball in order to keep up with riding, piano, and flute -- not to mention the homework load she will have this year, but doesn't seem too disappointed about it. She will also have youth activities on Wednesday nights. Whew!! I think she will be too busy to miss anything!


E started fourth grade at 9:00 today. She said she wasn't ready for school, but she was so excited about seeing all of her friends again (this is a looping year, so same friends and teacher as last year) that we could hardly contain her over the weekend! She is sad about a few friends that moved to the new school, but most of them stayed. And, even more important, she got to start the year wearing her new, oh-so-cool glasses. Yes, they are pink. Just like everything else she wears -- right down to her underwear! She starts soccer next week -- two practices a week, which makes one feel WAY more important than those that only have one practice. I'm tired, and I still have one kid to go!


My baby started kindergarten at 1:00 today. He didn't know it, but I cried all the way to school. He was so excited he drug his Speed Racer backpack around all morning and asked me every 5 minutes if it was time to go yet! He just went right in the door and didn't look back. I did get one of his very sweet hugs and kisses as he left, though. I couldn't wait until school was over to find out about his afternoon. But, guess what? He's a boy!!! There was no forthcoming of information!! What is it with the male species!? He did 'stuff'. Doesn't that sound like fun? I think he was most excited about his 2 best buddies being in his class. The three of them just look like trouble standing there!



Today had some excitement of its own. Just a bit after school started, a bear decided to make its way across the kindergarten playground and through the parking lot. Needless to say, there was no outdoor recess for the elementary or middle school. Last I heard, the police were searching a nearby neighborhood for the bear. Considering the timing and the direction of the foothills, the bear would have had to come close to our neighborhood earlier this morning. I'm glad I worked out in the basement instead of taking my morning run!! I bet I would have clocked some great times, though!

Dream Come True

Since K gets to spend almost every day with her favorite animal, and E gets drug along to all the riding lessons and shows, D thought he would make it up to her by taking her to see her favorite animal. He very much enjoyed getting to have some one on one time with E, and plans to do so with the other two in the future. I don't think he had any clue, though, how much E would enjoy being with the dolphins! They flew to San Diego where E got to meet and swim with the dolphins at Sea World. She was in heaven!!! Dolphins are her obsession and this was most definitely a dream come true for her! Here are some of the pictures of E and her time in the pool with Ripley the Dolphin.

Catching Up

I realized when I posted K's birthday pic that I haven't updated my blog in a while. Our summer has been crazy! We have had lots of wonderful company (that I wouldn't trade for the world!), swim lessons, horse shows, summer band, flute lessons, and the girls spent 2 weeks in Durango. Whew!! So here are a few 'new' things that have occurred:

K has learned how to cool off both herself and her horse after a long, hot ride. Tip actually swims around with her on his back! The best part is watching her try to hang on when they get out and he shakes like a dog!


S has graduated up to the top of his bunk bed. He thinks he is just way too cool!! He also has decided that he only needs bottoms to sleep in, no shirt (thank you, R and R). He is feeling quite manly these days!


K also picked up her first CHJA blue ribbon on Tip. Along with the two third place ribbons, she tied for Reserve Champion. Way to go K and Tip!!



E is in San Diego right now swimming with her favorite obsession, so there will be a post just for her when they return tomorrow and I get the pics.

Birthday Girl

It's hard to believe that eleven years have passed since I became a mom! And I will have a middle-schooler this fall!! My sweet girl is 11 today and growing up so fast. It's nice to have a shopping/scrapping/just-hanging-out buddy. Happy Birthday, K!!!!

The REALLY Lost Tooth

This evening we were at a party at a friend's house, and while helping S get his hot dog, I noticed his mouth looked funny. When I told him to smile, I saw he was missing a tooth! He had a loose tooth several weeks ago, but recently it didn't seem as loose. I actually had totally forgotten about it over the last couple of weeks. When I asked where it was, he said he didn't know. I finally got him to confess that it came out while he was up in his room trying to open his new fishing pole -- obviously with his teeth! He said it was in his room somewhere. I remember him coming to me earlier that afternoon and saying he was trying to open his new pole, but no tooth was mentioned!! I guess he thought he would get in trouble. Anyway, I found the tooth in the carpet, right by the fishing pole (which was still in the package with a very mangled top!). I'm glad I noticed the space in his mouth or we would never have known he lost his first tooth! The Tooth Fairy better leave something good!

K's Weekend

K had a very busy weekend -- which means the rest of us had a busy weekend! On Sunday, she and Tip had their first show together, where she won her first CHJA ribbon. Way to go, K! D and I learned how to trailer horses in our new trailer (he did the driving) and then irritate the neighbors by parking it in the culdesac over night. Oops!
This morning, I did my annual running of the Bolder Boulder. This year, K ran it, too! She finished her first 10K in just over one and a half hours. Not bad for a ten year old! Getting up at 5 and 6 in the morning two mornings in a row, along with a nasty case of pink eye has taken it's toll. I'm thinking she might sleep until noon tomorrow!! Hurray for no more school!!

Field Day

Our school district does the coolest thing -- a district-wide field day where all of the 5th graders from every school compete against each other. The best part is watching the kids cheer each other on. They sit in the stands at one of the high school football fields and cheer for their schoolmates as they compete against the other schools. Please pardon me while I mention that Altona Middle School kicked butt! Way to go Rattlers!! They were by far the loudest group there. K competed in the 3-legged race, the 800 meter relay, the obstacle course, the shuttle relay, and the 400 meter relay. K's 3-legged race was the mismatch of the century. Her friend, by the same name, is obviously much taller than she is, and we were not thinking that it would end well. However, they showed us and took first place! I don't know if you can tell from the pics or not, but most of the kids have black war paint under their eyes. K apparently couldn't find any paint, so she let her friend draw hers on with a black sharpie. I don't know about you guys, but I am definitely smarter than a 5th grader! I can't wait for E to get to 5th grade so I can go to another field day!

My Kindergartner

I am going to have to get all of you friends to call me and cheer me up! My last preschooler graduated tonight, and though I am so very, very proud of him, the time has gone way too fast and I am also very sad! He is so excited and wants to start kindergarten tomorrow. They marched in to their little graduation with their hats on and 'Pomp and Circumstance' playing. I lost it. The songs they sang were absolutely adorable (I'll have to see if I can get one of them up on the blog). The best was watching S march in with his hat so far over his eyes, I don't know how he saw where he was going! He and his buddy, J, will be in the same kinder class with his other buddy, P. I hope their teacher knows she will have her hands full! I'm sure that first day will be every bit as hard as tonight for me. I think I just need to have another one!

There Really Is A Dog

In response to the comment that you never see the dog of 'Three Kids and a Dog', here is the dog.........



....the birds.....



....and the horse.

Tip Your Hat

K would like you all to meet Tip -- her new pride and joy. We are leasing Tip from a friend. K fell in love with him the moment she saw him! He is a thoroughbred, and the sweetest, most gentle horse that I have ever seen! He picks his feet up for her to pick his hooves and puts his head down so she can get the bridle on him. He can get a little fast, but does everything she asks him to. He even let me get on and ride (and I am paying for that tonight). His tail is short right now because he lived next door to a goat that chewed on it all the time. Poor Tip! It will eventually grow longer. I'm sure there will be many more pics of "Tip Your Hat" as show season approaches. It's so much fun watching K, so in love with this horse! She hasn't stopped grinning for a week!!!

Volleyball Season

Well, I'm a little behind on my posts. So not only has volleyball begun, it is now half over! K is really enjoying this season. She has the same awesome coach, and her two best friends decided to play with her this year! It is amazing how far they have come! I am assisting the coach this season, and it's amazing to watch their skills grow with each practice. Their team has not lost a game, so far. K's daddy told her during the last game that if she got two hits over the net he would buy her a horse. Well, guess what? She got four hits over! And we are now leasing a beautiful black horse! More on that in the next post (when I get the pics downloaded). And just in case any of you are bored with your weather, feel free to come visit up here. It was 81 and sunny yesterday. Today, it was 34 and snowed all day! Snow in May!? I must say, though, the flakes were the largest I have ever seen and absolutely beautiful! Have a good night!

For All You Boys....

.....who like to burp and get in trouble for it: Yesterday at breakfast, S let out a belch that any man would be proud of. When his grandma gave him a look, he said, "What? I was just letting my energy out!"

He's good, isn't he?

Happy Easter!

Soccer Season

Well, the season has begun. S and E had their first games last Saturday. And in case you can't tell from the pictures, they are both quite serious!! S was quite excited about the goal he scored. We didn't bother to tell him it was in his own goal. He informed us that we owe him a box of Legos for the goal. Neither D nor I remember making that deal! E played goalie and made some great saves. The last one cost her a knee in the side of the head. It left a nice bruise where her glasses were imbedded in her head! She got up and threw the ball back into play just before the game ended. Then she grabbed her head and cried. Poor thing! Her whole face was red on that side, but she's tough and finished the game before she ever reacted. Way to go, E!
K started volleyball practice this week (which I somehow got roped into helping coach), but won't have a game until after spring break. The high light of my week was getting my piano tuned this morning. The tuner said S should start taking lessons. I'm thinking I need to add one more activity to my life. I think my in-laws are going to have to move back in!

Birthday Boy

I can't believe my baby is 5! He would say that he is not a baby, but he will always be my baby! Happy Birthday, S!!!

All Together

Last Friday we went skiing at Winter Park. S has done so well with his skiing that he got to ski with the me and the girls. He was so excited and so very proud of himself!! His sisters were proud of him, too. D bought him a special harness with a handle on the back so I can yank him out of the snow when he falls. When we get on the lift, he does a big jump as the seat hits the back of his legs and hops right on. His main goal is still to see how fast he can get to the bottom. In fact, we accidentally took him on a blue run (twice) and he did great!! Yes, it was the same run, and, yes, we went the wrong way twice. I'm just glad there weren't any black runs over there! He loved the big hill at the bottom because D was sitting in the lodge and could see him come down. The best part of the whole day was the last time we came down that hill. The ski train was just pulling out and the whistle caught his attention. He went nuts and started yelling and asking if I saw it. Next thing I know he is flat on his back, sliding down the hill head first, and still looking at the train and yelling for me to look! He went half way down the hill like that because he wouldn't pay attention to me long enough to get up! He finally did get up, but kept on talking about the train all the way to the bottom! I guess we need to ride the ski train soon!!

Welcome to Our World!

We are enjoying all of the snow pics you guys are sending us. I don't care how much you hate snow, you can't tell me it's not beautiful (unless you are driving in it)!! My kids get excited every time it snows, and I myself will never tire of it. We would just like to know what, exactly, you Texans are shoveling all of this snow with? It's not like they sell a lot of snow shovels down there! Well, they probably will tomorrow! Have fun with it!!

E's Special Day

We just wanted to share our joy with all of you. E was baptized this morning, and it was so wonderful to watch! We are so happy for her and, in her own words, 'It was the perfect way to end her birthday weekend.'.