Back In Saddle

The children took a break from riding, or maybe Mama got pre-occupied with her riding, or life happened….who knows exactly! Needless to say, they had stopped riding and wanted to go back to it. I knew what to do to fix this predicament. Mention to my cowboy buddy Ben that some children wanted to ride Little Bit. Knowing his soft heart for children with a desire to ride a horse, I might have foreseen the outcome. ;-) We got those children in a saddle asap! Ben is wonderful about making sure children get to ride when they have a desire. So the children are thrilled and Little Bit gets some exercise. It is a win win situation!
My cautious, rule abiding Abigail, listening intently to instruction.

Luke enjoying a friendly new colt.

My Hope trying to get Little Bit to lope!

There are reasons we don't give Hope spurs!

Luke finding something to entertain himself with.

Sweet times!

Dodger Town & Wild Rides

My man loves the game of baseball. He isn’t just a nonchalant spectator but a serious lover of the game! He will go at any given opportunity. Well tonight was one of those opportunities. He had four tickets in some awesome seats for a Dodger game. We called up our buddies the Cobbs and made a date. Grandma Kay was available to babysit the grandchildren & off we went.
There is just something about being at a ballgame. The crowd, the energy, the Dodger dogs……. We had a blast. The game was excellent and had you on your feet several times. I love games like that! Stand up sit down fight, fight, fight……oops, wrong sport! Take me out to the ball game……that is more like it! :D
So as we head home from LA, I have learned to just hold on, sit back & SHUT UP when my man is driving! He knows what he is doing, so let him drive woman! I just pray I am living right and we get home safe! ;-P
Well, Aaron's driving was not the only exciting part of our trip home. We call to check on the children and find out about another wild ride that happened. Can you guess……….
Yep, Hope! Somehow she managed to run over herself in the golf chart at Mom’s. We will save the “fabulous” (there is that word again) details for another post ~ see Adventures of Indestructible Hope!!! We will tease you with a picture of the shirt she was wearing when the ride took place!

WOW, is all I can say!

8 years of fun & Hope

Today my baby girl turned 8! She is the one we call "Fabulous" & for good reason! That is the adjective that rolls off my lips in all sorts of circumstances we find ourselves with Hopie. So we are celebrating this girl’s life & that she still has it! She has had some close calls. Living life to the fullest comes at a price! I am so thankful for my Hope! She is my daily dose of lovin’. That girl can hug & kiss on ya like no other! Brace yourself when you see her comin’ at ya with one of those “Abshire” hugs! Yeah, she is her Mama in soooo many ways. My parents have assured me that they survived, as I will! They sure do enjoy the laugh at the pay back I am getting’ for what I did to them. All I can say is I am in for it!!!! So here are some pictures from my FABULOUS Hope’s birthday celebration.
She helped Mama with the cupcakes!

This is the birthday crew getting ready for pizza, of course!

We are girls, we have to do nails!!!

And get our groove on with Juast Dance!

Oh yeah, one handsome little devil was allowed!

Headed to Long Meadow

Long Meadow is one of the highlights of my summer. Out of the city, the smell of pine, Pearl, cowboy buddies, cattle, & lots of stars! The trip this weekend had a little excitement to it. On Sunday morning Ben & I set out to mend the fence around Long Meadow. It took us all morning. I had a blast learning how to mend fences. I think I was looking for places to mend just so I could do it! So it was noon before we headed back to the cabin. Ben wasn't feelin' too hot & needed something to eat. We had been talking about the rattle snakes that were in the area when what do I hear.........Yep, a stinkin' rattle snake! My first encounter I'll have you know! Ben doesn’t hear it right away; I am looking for it, & flippin’ out on the inside. Ben is determined to smack it with his rope! This is the same light-headed, dizzy, can’t hear the snake cowboy, which wants to get close enough to smack it with his rope! Are you stinkin’ serious?! I want out of there. At this time it is only Ben & I at the cabin, so if he gets bit I have no help to run for. I am feelin’ quiet inadequate in my snake bite first aid! So I am yellin’ at Ben to get away, but noooo he is gonna kill that critter. Lo and behold, Ben smacks that rattle snake and breaks its back. He steps on its head and cuts it off before I can yell, “Boy Howdy!”
Ben is my hero!


Long Meadow

Does anyone else see an old indian hot tub in this picture?! :)

Swimming Finals

It has been a great season of swimming. Tired children at the end of the days from swim practice. Makes for easier bedtimes! ;-) Long Saturday swim meets with friends, food, & lots of cheering! Here are some pics of the girl's swim finals.

Orange & Black - Tiger Sharks..Attack!

Taft has a great swimming facility.

Anyone recognize this handsome devil!!!

Ohio 2010

Aaron & I being from Ohio both have a lot of family there and love to go back to visit. It has been several years since we had been back and we had a fabulous time visiting friends & family. Luke wasn't born last time we made it back there so everyone was excited to meet our little boy! The children were excited to ride in an airplane. They traveled wonderfully. It was one big adventure. :) Mama made sure to hit any Starbucks she could find, which supplied the energy to chase Luke everywhere.
One big adventure that started at the LA airport BEFORE we flew out was Luke decided he was a big boy and wanted to go on the potty! Really, seriously son, here in the airport before a 5 hour flight.....needless to say, he was ready. We hit ALOT of potties but the boy was ready! Mama caught up with the plan, draggin' her coffee with her! :)
We got to see both sides of our families and visited lots of cousins. It was a sweet time filled with visiting family & friends, lots of food, and plenty of laughter. I tried to capture most of it in pictures, so enjoy the slideshow of our visit.

Ssssshhhhh.......It's a surprise!

If you have hung around this blog for any amount of time you know that there is an old cowboy that I (Elizabeth) am quiet fond of. Well that cowboy, Ben, turned 80 this year. I wanted to do something special for my buddy's birthday. So another buddy of mine, Steve, and I had been planning a surprise birthday party for Ben for over a year. Ben would not take kindly to the idea of throwing him a birthday party so it was a “Top Secret” operation. Yeah, you try to pull that off with a child like my Hope around. So I made sure to keep real quiet about anything having to do with the party, in hopes we could pull this thing off! I can’t believe we were able to do it, but we did. Ben thought he was attending Steve & Sara’s anniversary party. He walked up carrying his covered dish for the party. Ha! It was too funny to watch his expression as he figured out that it was his party, filled with lots of old friends & family. Family even flew in from other states to make it to this Critter’s party! We served over 100 people that evening. It was an absolute blast!

Here is a collage of pictures from that evening.


Here is a link to the entire party:
Ben's 80th

Cowboy wisdom: Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment.

Funny Conversations Continue

We only live 30 minutes from the big city, but I dread the trip. We had to make the trip to pick up many & much needed items & food. So the van cleaned out & loaded with children, we are off. The children were great, but getting tired. After the 5th store and several hours later, they were so ready to go home. So was Mama, trust me on this one. We had been longer than I expected and picked lunch up at the grocery store. Groceries loaded, children buckled, we are ready to get gas & head home. Then it starts....."tummy hurts....Mama, tummy huuurrrrts!" For my little man who is branching out in his vocabulary, these were serious words. I envisioned barf all over the back of my head, his car seat (that stinks to wash), and the van full of groceries. Fortunately we hit the gas station with no barf. I took Luke out of his car seat and talk with him. His whines subside, as I think he had a gas bubble. He was dead set though, that a car wash would make his tummy better. Seriously...a car wash?! He loves going through the car wash. So back in the car & on the road to the car wash.

Abbie starts: "Mama, I am sick!"
Mama: "WHAT???"
Abbie: " I am sick & tired of being in Bakersfield!" :)

We both just started cracking up!
I just said Amen, sista....we're outta here!

Devotions for Luke & Mama

Luke is getting to such a cute age. He just turned 3 and has added so much to his vocabulary. I love to listen to him pray. At bedtime tonight we had the sweetest time. I got him "The Jesus Storybook Bible ~ Every Story Whispers His Name". Can you feel how precious this Bible is just by reading it's name? I LOVE this Bible. Let me just share my absolutely favorite line about God's love, it is:

Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking,

Always and Forever Love!

I love it!

So we are reading a story of how God makes a way. It is the Moses & the Red Sea story. At some point in the story I turned and asked Luke, do you think that sea can stop God? He came at me with such a ferocious "NO", that I was almost startled. When I asked the question I really didn't really expect an answer, but boy, he did not disappoint me! I loved it. We enjoyed our little devotion song and sweet prayers before tucking my little man in. I walked out of his room with my spirit re-energized.

Sweet times with Jesus!

Abbie's 10th Birthday

Celebrating 10 years of my daughter's beautiful life.

She is a precious treasure to me.

Hopie surprises her with breakfast in bed.

Bestest Sisters Ever!

Abbie had a few friends from school over for a dance party.

The girls got to make their own pizzas.

Mama went easy this year ~ thanks Rosie's Cookies!

Abbie loved her birthday!

She is a jewel! Her spirit is so tender!