nothing much to say lately

I haven't posted for a long time. Actually, it's not so much that I don't have anything TO say, it's just I don't know WHAT to say lately. I feel like we are in a total holding pattern with so many aspects of life, yet the days, weeks, and months are flying by so fast I can't even catch a glimpse. I am really starting to feel how long it's been since my kids saw their grandparents and how long it's been since our last Utah trip together, but at the same time, I don't know where the year has gone.

To add to my speechlessness, we've had a string of tragic events happen in/around our ward recently and it's left me pretty numb and unexcited to write about anything from the changes in season, to fun things we've done, to how much the kids are growing up. I guess writing random things on facebook is satisfying my need to make any kind of comment about life too.

Still, I know the grandparents love to see new pictures and video of the little darlings. Grace and Hattie have really filled the fall season up until it's bursting at the seams. New school schedules this year, for both of them, are making them very tired and hungry by the end of the day. We can't seem to get a grip on a routine that works yet. They are both in karate classes and riding lessons now too, which entirely consume 2 of the 5 weekday evenings. It's a lot for them. Who are we kidding, it's a lot for ME!

Well, here's the report anyway, for the Grandmas and for the book:

Grace: loves 1st grade, but not as much as kindergarten; still refuses to do anything with her long goldilocks hair; is nearly impossible to get ready for school by the time the bus comes - it's a squeaker every morning; is a pro spelling test taker; does homework with painful precision and attention to detail yet does everything else at home with as little effort as possible; continues to ride Tink in her riding lessons and is getting very good - can now post the trot quite well; continues to love karate and is anxiously awaiting her invitation to test for the purple belt but needs to polish her forms for the test first (and gets a little lazy about the polishing part, thus, no invitation for her yet); finally learned how to do a real somersault at karate; has a new friend, Corey, at school - continues to play with the boys, although the name Rachel has cropped up a couple of times - maybe there's hope for a girl friend!; has a very loose top tooth that seriously makes it hard for her to eat; is extremely excited that it started snowing today and was the only one enthusiastic to put on her ski jacket and go outside.

(Grace and Corey playing Mario Kart Wii)

(Grace and Hattie doing their karate exercises)

Hattie: LOVES preschool and wishes she could go to school every day- has a hard time understanding Tuesday/Thursday; insists on wearing a pony tail every single day, all day long to keep the hair out of her face; has discovered "on demand" on the TV and is becoming a junkie; is letting go of some of her OCD habits (THANKFULLY!) - bedtime is 1000 times easier than it was 6 months ago; wants to do everything all by "her own self"; started riding Peppe in a little riding class with a 3 year old boy - they switch on and off to ride and take care of him together; was awarded her second stripe on her white belt at karate last night and is SO excited -will be testing for her yellow belt soon; can now write the letters H, T, and O and spots the letter H wherever one pops up (H for Hattie!); not so sure about friends at school, but the name Megan has come up; does. not. eat. anything. (except instant breakfast, spaghetti, ice cream, and candy - won't even finish a cookie!); asks for ice cream every single time we drive by Erikson's dairy, which happens about 1 minute before we arrive home, so she eats ice cream upon arriving home OFTEN (good thing we have our freezer stocked with Erikson's!); wants to go outside in any weather, constantly disappointed that mom doesn't like bugs, rain, cold, or snow.

(Hattie and Mommy baking in the kitchen; you can find us here together quite a bit.)

(Hattie's preschool interview)

(the fam stopping for a fall pic on our Columbus Day bike ride)

(Grace crossing a bridge on the bike ride; she rode 5 miles all by herself on her little bike!)
(have to admit that our neighborhood is very beautiful in the fall; our neighbors always comment about the colors on this tree in our yard)

The Future Needs a Big Kiss

At least, that's what the front of my newest concert t-shirt says. I know, David, my family, and long-time friends, are rolling their eyes, but you'll all have to indulge me on one good long post about my favorite band. I checked. I've never posted about them before, so once won't hurt ya.

I saw U2 live last night at Gillette Stadium "near" Boston. This was my third opportunity to have what I used to think might be a once in a lifetime experience. They've toured the U.S. 5 times since I became a fan, so that's not too bad to catch them thrice.

First off, I must say how much I LOVE going to concerts and hearing live music. In the days of $20 face value tickets, I used to go to just about every band who came to town, some of the time splurging $100 for a front row seat from a ticket broker. Sometime in college, those splurge prices became the face value and I had to become much more selective about where I could dump a wad of cash on a rock star, especially once I hooked up with David who couldn't care less about going to concerts. I will also say that I have not been to a concert since before Grace was born. My last one was Sheryl Crow in Feb 2002 at the Winter Olympics!

My dad took me to my first concert ever when I was in 5th grade along with my little sister and cousin. We saw Tiffany at the Salt Palace. I was hooked, right away, on the concert experience. There is just something about seeing someone sing their life and guts into a microphone, play their guitar so intently and expertly, you wonder if they even know a stadium is watching, or rail on the drums with a force and precision that can only come from another cosmic realm. When you combine that with songs that pretty much make up the sound-track to the last 18 years of your life, and a band who cares about things you care about in the world, you've got what it feels like for me (and apparently millions of others) to see U2.

David thinks I'm turning into a Grateful Dead-type fan. Admittedly, I'm wondering how many years, or months, or minutes I have left before my favorite band begins to look like the cast from Tales from the Crypt (has anyone mentioned this to the Rolling Stones?) Worse yet, is the aging crowd you're forced to see these concerts with. Maturity definitely doesn't come with age when you're talking rock and roll, so these people look like even bigger idiots when they're half drunk and falling over stoned at a concert at the age of 45 instead of 25. I could count on one hand the number of high school age kids I saw last night. The ones I saw were with their parents and appeared to have been forced to go.

Ok, I'm not 17 anymore, but I'm not 70 either. 30 something is the new 23 right? I'm still hip. I've still got a little sass, don't I? Sure, it's hidden beneath my "mom clothes" and my kids' ipod playlists which dominate MY U2 issue ipod, but I still love rock and roll. What did they used to say? Rock and roll will never die? Well, the rockers might, but I think that the music is here to stay to be enjoyed by anyone of any age willing to put down their hip-hop crap for just a darn minute. I just feel pretty lucky that my favorite band is still alive and well, playing better than ever, writing new stuff, reinventing themselves, and touring so that I can keep on enjoying them.

Oh, and speak of ENJOYing them. THAT I DID. I took a camera last night. I've never taken a camera to a concert before. Truthfully, this was the first time I've been to a concert since owning a digital camera. (how weird is that?) I was so torn between trying to get a shot (which would be trash anyway with the distance and lights), or pausing long enough to get a little video, or just putting it away and being in the moment. I've learned the painful truth from trying to capture moments with my kids, that if you are taking pictures and video, you are missing the moment yourself. You instantly change from participant to distant observer. Then, when you go home, you have a picture or a video of something you never actually saw. I tried to make a good balance, but most of the time, I was so content to just enjoy every minute of the music and dance and I didn't try to do too much with the camera.

For all y'all who are my fellow die hard U2 fans (all both of you left?) here's the set list from last night. I thought it was a pretty ambitious and more original combination than they've done in a while and definitely made for an interesting show: Magnificent, No Line On The Horizon, Get On Your Boots, Mysterious Ways, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, Elevation, Your Blue Room, Beautiful Day, Unknown Caller, Until the End of the World, Stay (Faraway, So Close), The Unforgettable Fire, City of Blinding Lights, Vertigo - Stories for Boys, I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight (remix), Sunday Bloody Sunday, MLK, Walk On, One - Amazing Grace, Where the Streets Have No Name, Ultraviolet, With or Without You, Moment of Surrender

The most amazing part was the stage. They just can't stop trying to out do themselves with the stage-to-fan connection that they strive to create. They've gotten a lot of flack about how environmentally UNfriendly this enormous stage is, which takes 200 semi trucks to move. I have to say though, it was truly amazing and phenomenal. The tour name is "360 degrees", which refers to this space-ship claw thing with a cylindrical screen underneath in the center. The rotating circular stage also connects to 2 orbiting ramps that take the band members to another circular walk through the audience. It is definitely genius in design.The thing and the screen are so huge, it makes you feel like you are on the front row, no matter where you are sitting. (although I did hear reports that the sound in one end of the stadium wasn't too good.) From my vantage point, almost BEHIND the stage, I could see and experience everything. The speakers were face-level with me and I heard everything crystal clear and just as loud as I like it. The idea was that no one in the stadium would have a bad seat, no matter where you were sitting. worked for me.Other things that make a concert great: A GOOD CONCERT BUDDY! We decided that on a school night, there was no way for David to go with me and get a babysitter that late. Good thing we abandoned that idea pretty quick because I didn't get home until 2:30am this morning! I ended up taking my friend, Shawn.

She's mmmmmmmm, um, not my age, but even though her birth certificate might out-date mine (sorry Shawn, I know, you're only 29!), her style and enthusiasm are definitely even younger than mine by a good decade. When I was choosing something to wear, I finally gave up trying too hard because I knew that nothing in my closet would be as young and hip as what she'd be sporting. She and I had THE BEST time dancing, singing at the top of our lungs, and jumping up and down for the duration of the concert. We also had some fantastic (and revealing!) conversations while we drove down and back. The only buzz kill of the entire evening was the really lame-o section where we sat. We were on the 7th row of the section, and pretty much, all of the rows behind ours were filled with "old ladies" trying to sit down to watch the concert, continually yelling at us to sit down so they could see. Last time I checked, it's still a free country and if I pay to see a concert, I'm not sitting down. Plus, as far as I could see, the rest of the stadium was all standing, jumping up and down with their arms in the air in one big pulsating mass, so really? we need to sit down, why?

To quote Bono:
And -- and I've heard people say that even if they don't like the band, that they have an involuntary reaction when the band walks out on stage.

Their hair stands up. What they don't know is -- is -- and it's a strange thing, but, that also happens to us. I don't know what -- what that is.

I don't know what it is either, but something happens to me when the stage turns red and I hear The Edge's guitar ramping up Where the Streets Have No Name. It makes me want to get in the car and drive down to New York to see it again on Thursday.

(sorry it's not the whole song, but like I said, I had to put down the camera and dance!)

I have to give a huge thanks to David. Even though HE doesn't care about seeing any of it, he does recognize that I do care and he knows how much it means to me to see U2. When the tickets went on sale, I was supposed to be helping out a lady in our ward all morning and I couldn't stay home to make the order. I threw my hands in the air and figured I'd just have to be adult about it and take anything that might be left at the end of the day, if there was anything left. But, David was SUPER nice and gave into my teen-age side. He called me from work when the tickets went on sale and said "ok, I've got 2 tickets on hold for you, do you want 'em?" Thanks babe. You totally rock my world (and yes, I'd choose you over Bono if given the choice... can Bono please be our next-door neighbor though?)

mercury FALLing

As I watch the outside temperature start to fall, I get this sinking dread, fear, and well, allergic reaction, to the thought of another winter coming. For most New Englanders, the fall season is the very best one. It is when we get a little bit of dry weather, crisp air, and the bugs die down and the gorgeous colors come out. Still, I know all those dying trees are going to need to be raked up soon and that heavy, thick, long, wet winter will be upon us. I do like the first day you have to put a sweater on, and I like the first snow fall, but after that, I have no use for fall or winter.

So, for this post, I think I'm going to put some of my favorite New England moments from the past "warm" season. Maybe it will help me remember that New England has some great things as I curse it for its weather. (hopefully pictures that haven't already been posted on the blog):

Grace and Hattie running through a fountain in downtown Boston:
Strawberry picking at Shelburne Farm:
Attending a lecture by local author, Julie Berry, at the School of Philosophy at Orchard House (the school was originally built and used by Louisa May Alcott's father, Bronson Alcott, and lectures were given there by Emerson, Thoreau, etc. It was SUCH a cool place to be and to sit and listen and learn where some of the greatest thinkers and writers from this area once did.)Eating ice cream ANYTIME at Erikson's Dairy:
Fun moments at the barn with Tink:
Watching Hattie and Grace run up and down the hill at NARA park on the 4th of July:
ANY moment at Cape Cod:Getting to play soccer with Grace in a parent/child game on Grace's last day of soccer camp. Any peaceful moment out on our river, the Assabet:Finally getting to see the INSIDE of Orchard House (I am utterly fascinated with the book Little Women, the Alcotts, and all that they did to raise educated daughters and an enlightened family.):This isn't MY moment, but I know David loved waking up to this view with Grace next to him on his first daddy/daughter camp-out : our first experience at a local ducky race (this one was at the grist mill near Longfellow's Wayside Inn):

(even though this little guy didn't have our number, he was the one we picked to root for... he didn't win... neither did the ducks with our numbers...)

(can you see the duckies coming over the waterfall?)

Apple picking at Shelburne Farm with Aydan and Bret (ok - this is supposed to be a fall activity, but last year we waited too long and weren't able to go at all. Grace has never gotten over it, so I wanted to be sure to fit this activity in before the season got away from us. Fall weather, and the virus season is just too unpredictable!)

(Hattie enjoying fresh apple cider just after eating a sugar-coated cider donut)

FIRST

In a season when many of my friends are putting their "last" child on the bus, or sending their "last" child to college, I'm grateful to celebrate a few "firsts."

Grace's FIRST day heading to FIRST grade!
(does she look a little sleepy? Daddy got her ready, and Mommy flew in the door from the airport about 15 minutes before she left.)
Harriet's FIRST day of pre-school (cute little stinker - she let me do her hair for that first day, but hasn't since.)

Hattie's FIRST day of karate, wearing her FIRST gi and her own white belt. (she's been trying on Grace's for months)

(definitely not Grace's first day at karate. look at that kid kick!)

another weird trip for mommy

I did something I have never done before. I made the decision to buy a plane ticket, bought a plane ticket, and left for the airport all within 2 hours. I didn't even know it was possible to buy a plane ticket on your way out the door to the airport without paying an extreme fortune.

As you can tell from my last post, my Grandpa Primmer died on Saturday morning. My mom called me at around 11am my time to tell me that it happened. The funeral was scheduled for Tuesday. With school starting Wednesday and having little time to plan a trip, I immediately thought that there was no way to do it. But, after looking at plane tickets for a couple of hours, David said "why don't you fly to Salt Lake tonight and then you can drive to Cedar City with your mom and sister tomorrow." Are you kidding, get on a plane tonight? What time does it leave? 5:30 and it's currently 1:00 and I live an hour drive from the airport? I can't make it. He says "why not? go pack your bag and get in the car." Then, I look at the return flight - I can't make it back to see Grace get on the bus on her first day of school. Again, "why not? the plane lands at 6:30 am. if you hurry out of the airport and drive straight home, you'll probably make it." IF the plane is on time. That's a big IF these days.

Plus, I was going to use Monday and Tuesday to get ready for school. David assures me that he'll take care of everything - just leave.

In an act of sheer desperation and confusion, I clicked the order button and bought the silly plane ticket that left me little more than 10 minutes time to think on either end of the trip. I packed my bag, threw some dirty clothes and a dress for the funeral in, and got in my car and drove to the airport. CRAZY! I cried all the way there for lots of reasons including disbelief at what I was doing. I am not spontaneous. I plan things. I never get up and do something I hadn't planned on doing for at least a day or two.

Well, after waking up in Massachusetts, I went to bed in Salt Lake at 2am, got up the next morning and drove to Cedar City with Mom, Melissa, and Sean and Kate. Even though we were on our way to the funeral for our favorite grandpa, we were glad to be together and had a fun time driving together.

We got to spend a good quality day with Grandma before all of the relatives started showing up. My little sisters flew in too. Emily came from Salt Lake with her dog and Jessica came in from Texas. I feel badly that my kids have only been back to see family once this year, but it's pretty cool that I've seen everyone twice this summer now by myself, even if the circumstances were grim. I have had a chance to really hang out with Melissa's kids and get to know them and spend time with Em and Jess.

(Grandma Elayne and little Kate Elayne)

Oh my, the relatives! It was quite a gathering. We have never all been together before. It was kind of sad actually. It would have thrilled my Grandpa to have all of us together at once and he missed it. Or did he? Maybe he was there and saw us all banding together as a family just for him. Grandpa was so proud of his grand-kids. He was so good to us. He was never without a smile or a tease. He was good to everyone really. I don't think he had a mean bone in his body or a mal-intention in his mind, ever. He treated Grandma like a queen too.

The funeral was small and simple and extremely nice. They had it in Cedar City's Rock Church, which is where my Grandparents go to church. That church is so beautiful. I wish I had taken a picture. Of course, it's made of local rock and has tons of natural wood inside too.
We spent the afternoon saying good-bye to people who were starting to drive home. Jessica drove me to Vegas that evening so we could both catch our flights home. We drove at sunset through Southern Utah and the corner of Arizona. It was gorgeous (even if a bit smoky from the huge wildfire in New Harmony) and reminded me how much I miss living in the desert. Hanging with Jess was a big bonus too. We never have one on one time. The 2.5 hour drive went by in a flash we had so much fun talking.

Got to Vegas, took a sleeping pill, and got on the plane home. The plane was on time, but the morning traffic home was pretty bad. I started to think I might not make it. But, I did make it home with a few minutes to spare to see Grace get on her bus for the first day of first grade. She didn't care so much that I got home in time, but I was so glad I did.

Grandpa Primmer

Loren "Dean" Primmer was born on October 21, 1923 in Montrose, Colorado and ascended to his Father's side on August 29, 2009 at home in Cedar City, Utah. Dean joined the United States Marine Corps on November 18, 1942 and served until the end of World War II. He was discharged on February 1, 1946 with the rank of Sergeant. After the war Dean went to work for R.B. Wilson Trucking Company in Denver, Colorado. He married Mildred Irene Roatcap on June 2, 1946. They moved to Lander, Wyoming in July 1958 where he worked as an independent trucker until 1966 when he went to work for United States Steel at the Atlantic City Mine. Divorced in 1973, Dean subsequently met and married Elayne Heyborne on August 22, 1974. They moved to Cedar City in 1990. Dean is survived by his wife Elayne, six children, nineteen grandchildren, and 23 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday September 1, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. at the Rock Church located on 75 East Center Street. A visitation will be held an hour prior to the service at the Rock Church. Interment will be in the Cedar City Cemetery. Online condolences can be sent at http://www.southernutahmortuary.com/.

(Grace, Hattie, and Great-Grandpa, July 2008)

watch your fingers!

Like your mom always says...

Poor Gracie. The day after she got her nose smashed at church she slammed her right index finger in the car door. We pulled up to karate and she saw her best friend, Eamon, pull up next to us. She was SO excited to see him that she jumped out of the car and slammed the door as hard and fast as she could. I was on the other side of the car and I saw her face as it closed. She got her finger. I ran to the other side and I had to open the door to get her finger out. OUCH. She was in hysterics. I didn't know what to do, go home or stay at karate w/beloved Eamon. Both would be bad for her.

Grace wanted to try to stay, so we went inside and ran the finger under some cold water and sent her into class. She couldn't stop crying though, so I pulled her out and held her for a minute. She kept saying "I want to stay, but my finger wants to go home" in muffled halted breaths.

So, we went home. In hind sight, I should have just taken her straight home and iced the poor thing. It was a pretty good slam. She caught it on the sides of her finger, not on the top and the swelling and bruising were there for a long time. Only thing is, the day after she slammed it she said it didn't hurt anymore. Anytime I asked her about it or touched it she said it was fine. This is the kid who will cry that her knee hurts for days if she gets a tiny scratch! So, I thought it was probably fine. Her doctor even saw it about a week later when we were in for a routine check up. Smashed fingers take a long time to heal, so we didn't worry about it and plunged into a crazy busy summer.

Sometime in the middle of one of our summer vacations in mid-July, I was trimming Grace's fingernails and this finger exploded in green pus as I picked it up to trim the nail (which was growing!) I couldn't believe what a bad mom I was to have let it get infected like that, but you really couldn't tell that it was that bad. She must have had a deep abcess. I vowed to take her straight to the doctor when we got home. In the mean time I soaked it and cleaned it up and by the time we got home, it was actually looking pretty good. So, I decided not to waste my time with a doc visit and quit worrying about it.

One week (end) later, it swelled up again with pus. Gross. What was I thinking not taking her in?! I get the stupid mom award for sure. We called our pediatrician's office who referred us straight to the ER because they thought we needed x-rays and possibly a drilled nail. X-rays were negative and the ER doc REFUSED to treat her. I could not believe it. He said he couldn't see any sign of infection. Hmmm... what is the red swelling, the yellow drainage, or the foul smell? Even the discharge papers he gave us said "come back if you have any of the following: ALL OF THE ABOVE!"

So, back to the pediatrician the next Monday. By now, there was a huge proud-flesh, tumor like thing coming out from underneath her cuticle that got bigger every day. After 2-3 weeks of unsuccessful antibiotic treatments from the pediatricians office, we got referred to a hand surgeon at Boston Children's Hospital.

Poor Gracie, she had to have surgery on Tuesday. They had to put her under general anesthesia (her first time) to do it. They removed her fingernail, cut out the thing (hypertrophic granuloma) and sewed her back up. She did not do well w/the anesthesia. It was simply horrible when she was waking back up. That is one of the hardest things I've ever had to watch. She was in so much pain and so confused. Finally, she did wake up all the way and things got much better.

Now, she's sporting a wrapped bandage on the whole hand/arm for a week. End of summer plans, have been totally wrecked. No swimming, horsey riding, or much outdoor stuff for her. Hopefully, she'll get a more manageable bandage in a week and can get back to her normal stuff.

We're just so thankful that she was able to go to horse camp with her cousin before all this went down and that we might even have it taken care of before school starts. We're also very thankful that we finally got some good treatment for the finger and that she is doing well. It's kind of an important finger, the right index finger, when you're right handed.

So, again, like your mom is always telling you: WATCH YOUR FINGERS!

cousins from Pittsburgh

Cousin Alec has been in Boston all summer on a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music. He is a jazz pianist and is really getting good. We've seen him here and there as he comes out to our house on weekends to do laundry and grab a Sunday dinner. I can't believe how much he's done on his own in Boston. The kids have loved seeing him this summer. He is so cute to play with them and always tries to do something to help me while he's here. You couldn't say that about too many 16 year old boys. (he'd be darn near perfect if we could teach him how to catch the train on time! :-) )

Clare came to join us last week as she flew in from her summer vacation in Utah. She's wanted to come and do horsey camp with us, and since she's 12 and proved to be a good helper at the barn last winter when she came for a trail ride, she was invited by Rita to be a counselor this summer.

I took the girls (MY Little Women) to Orchard House in Concord on Saturday. I have never actually been inside, so it was very interesting and exciting to finally get to see it. I love that book. Clare had never read it, so I bought her a copy. I hope she reads it!We started horse camp on Monday. Clare has learned so fast! I took her to the barn last Friday to show her what the counselors do, how to tack up horses and clean the barn so that she could do her counselor jobs this week. As of Monday morning, she was doing it all without much help, and by Tuesday, you couldn't tell the difference between her and the other much more seasoned riders we have at the barn who work as counselors. She also progressed in her riding at lightning speed this week. After only 4 lessons, she was riding Duncan 2 on her own at the trot.

I think I've created another horse addict. The Chapman family is going to be none too thrilled with me when all the girl cousins are begging parents to buy ponies and pay for riding lessons! (see, now if you'd all just come and live by me, problem would be solved.)

Brian, Wendy, and Jeremiah drove in last Saturday with their doggies, Argos and Helios, to join their teenagers at our house. We spent a wonderful day with them in Boston on Sunday as we went to see Alec perform and take in a few of the Boston sights. They are always awesome to hang out with. We love eating out with them. (thanks for taking us to dinner twice!)

(short snippet of Alec playing)

(little cousins running around a mine from WWI in the Boston Commons)(finally found the Make Way for Ducklings statue! couldn't find it last time we were in the Public Garden)

Grace and Hattie had a total blast this week. Grace and Jeremiah are fellow gaming buddies and spent lots of time comparing nintendo skills. The girls all had a wonderful time at the barn.

Grace also make giant leaps in her riding skills. After her week in Ponies Rule! she is also riding Tinkerbell at the trot all by herself. Her instructor this week was amazing and was so dedicated to helping Grace improve.

Hattie joined the Ponies Rule! kids when she could, but she was always left behind when they went off for their riding lessons. She didn't like that too much (you really can't enroll a 3 year old at riding camp!) So, we did our best to give her little pony rides here and there and then she got invited yesterday to play a few of the pony games on Peppe with Grace's team. She was so happy! I am also amazed at how self sufficient she is getting at the barn. She grooms, cleans stalls, washes ponies, and gets on and off "all by her own self."

Horse camp this week was mysterious and magical. The theme for the week was mystery week. On Monday, bandits stole the door to Tinkerbell's stall! Then, they stole Rita's stool, hat, and even a camper. They left a note that they would steal Tinkerbell on Friday if we didn't catch them. THANKFULLY, the kids caught the bandits just as they were about to swipe Tink from the field. Hattie was SO worried all week about Tinky's stall door. She was nearly in tears every day about it. I'm so thankful that we did find it on Friday after the bandits were caught!

We also had a Unicorn sighting at the barn. Our woods around the barn do have unicorns in them and you can sometimes spot evidence of a unicorn when you are out on a trail ride. Sally, the Unicorn, left a few notes, some silver hoof prints, and even some silver unicorn poop behind in the pony barn. (I thought unicorns had more mystical names? hmm... Sally it is then.) The kids squealed with delight each time evidence of her showed up. Grace was so caught up in this mystery since she has recently read a book about Unicorns. She proudly told the camp group that a unicorn has not been spotted since 1931. She has all of the facts. She cried on Friday when she couldn't take the unicorn shoe home from the pony barn.

We ended our crazy long week at the barn yesterday. We are completely, totally, and utterly exhausted. We spent about 8 hours a day there every day plus the getting up to pack lunches, lace up boots, gather swimming gear, and coming home to piles of dirty riding clothes, blistered feet, sore legs, and tired kids. It's the kind of happy tired that you are glad to experience once in a while, but you are also a tiny bit glad when it's over and you can get back to normal routines.

Today, we are putting Alec and Clare on a plane back home (parents, brother, and doggies left Thursday.) We'll miss our Pittsburgh family, but we're so glad they got to come and spend some time with us this summer.

(doggie cousins: Velvet, Shadow, Argos, Helios)

Phew, I guess our summer is just about over. School starts in 2 weeks, so I guess I'd better find those supply lists and see if my kids have any shoes that fit for fall! (was I supposed to go to some orientations or parents' meetings? hmmm....)