Horseback Riding with the Bishop

Last weekend, my sister and her family were visiting.  We had previous plans to go riding horses at the Bishop's house and he said to bring them along.  So, here are some pics from that fun afternoon.

Emma was in Heaven. She actually stayed a few hours
after everyone else and brushed and burshed horses!

Tyler on his swift stallion of a horse! He actually fell off a
horse last summer and had a really sore arm for a couple
of weeks. What a brave guy to get back on!!



Aunt Boo led Emma's horse and when he
balked, she got a NASTY rope burn!

Chelsea bridling her Palomino.

Head 'em up! Move 'em out! RAWHIDE!!
We were quite a crew! It's a good thing everyone out in Springlake
owns livestock and was patient with us! ;)



Carson and Katrina.



Getting the horses ready for their saddles!





Quincey really wanted to ride with Daddy. 
Next time she will ride her own horse!

We saw some deer.



I was a lucky mama! I got to ride with Quincey, too!



Thanks Bishop! We will be back! We had a blast!!

Homemade Christmas!!

Since we took our Fall trip to Australia, we decided Christmas was going to be on a smaller scale.  We (and when I say we, I mean I) decided to do some homemade gifts because 1 gift per person (because of the aforementioned trip) just wasn't going to cut it for me.  So, I ended up making bathrobes for the kids.

Also, the kids have been begging for "sewing lessons." We have done a few projects here and there.  So, I helped them make pillowpets for each other.  Emma helped me make the Ben 10 Rath pillow for Tyler.  Quincey helped make this cat for Emma.  Tyler helped make the dog for Quincey.  They all love them. (Even though I am not totally enamoured (I'll have you know I looked that word up AND I had already spelled it correctly!! Woohoo!!) with how the Rath alien turned out.

Yes, I did actually coach - and it was fun!!

T-man chose to sign up for basketball.  He loves any and all sports.  He just loves to be active and have fun. He made more than 12 baskets one game! Grandma and Grandpa were keeping count with the girls. It was so exciting, they lost count! So proud of him!

Knowing that I get crazy when I am limited to a schedule, I signed up to be his basketball coach.  I have never really coached before.  I was REALLY nervous!  The dad of the most talented boy on the team would come to every practice and sit there and watch - that was really intimidating to me.  However, I was able to tune it out by telling myself that if he didn't like what I was doing, he could sign up to be the one out there next year! :) 



I decided my goals for the year were...

1.  To have fun  -  This one was easy, because the boys just loved to be out on the court. We ran different drills that helped them learn to hustle, be competitive and be team players.

2.  Help the boys develop basic skills.  The boys ALL increased their knowledge of the game and really learned some valuable skills.  They learned to dribble, pass, shoot and make lay-ups.
3.  Have every boy feel successful.  You should have heard these boys keep their own score in their heads! HILARIOUS!!  One boy would say it was 18-12.  One would say it was 22-10.  But wouldn't you know it, we were always AHEAD!!  What winners we were - if not only in our own minds. But that was the goal afterall!

                      My boy even remembered to Box Out!!!!

4.  Have every boy make a basket in a game.  This one almost didn't happen!! We have one little guy on our team. When I say little guy (he's 8, but my 4 yr old daughter is taller).  But, boy was he tenacious.  Small problem, he couldn't throw that ball high enough to reach that 8 1/2 foot basket!  The talented boy I mentioned before, was such a team player though.  I taught him how to set a pick and he would pass that ball to Jonathon and pick for him, trying to help him get his basket!!  The last game, Jonathon managed not one, but two baskets!! You should have heard the cheering!

So, with my four goals realized, I myself felt successful and will have to give this coaching thing another go!