In love

Princess is in love. I know she seems a little young, but we all approve of this guy. He smells a little funny, and has HORRID bathroom habits, but he makes her VERY happy and she LOVES to spend time with him. His name is Charlie. Here is Princess, helping him get groomed and feeling cleaner...














She has been spending two hours with him every morning this week.








She LOVES the classes and we hope to get her set up in private lessons this fall. I was thinking of putting her in the Homeschool classes that they have. Yet when I watch her every morning, I just really feel like one on one instruction would be a lot more cost effective. It is INSANELY expensive and she spends so much time waiting and just sitting there since there are other students in the class.






She is one of the few who feels secure enough to be permitted to ride on her own and not be lead around as much like most of the other students. She is very comfortable and confident and listens well. She takes it very seriously just like ballet and she has learned SO MUCH in this short amount of time. I think she would get a lot more out of it with no distractions and waiting around. So we shall see. Tomorrow is her last day with Charlie for at least three weeks and she is most distraught. She goes to sleep every night honestly MOANING over and over..."Oooooohh...Chhaaarrlliiiieeeee...I miiiisssss yoooouuu...OH! I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU!!! I loooooovvveee yoooouuu!!!!"




As I type this, she is telling her brothers about how excited she is to go on the trail ride tomorrow:)

High School

Cryptic starts High School this fall. I can't believe it!

Just wanted to show a photo that I just took of him with his lap top. He was VERY annoyed with me for taking it. Too bad, I say.

So I snapped it and he asked, "Do I look bewildered??"

I confirmed that he did. He then turned back to the laptop and mumbled "Good."

Well, it is has certainly been a while...

Sheesh! It just took me about five minutes to get on here. It has been so long since I posted anything, I COULD NOT recall my username and password for the life of me! teehee

So I just have not felt like posting...ah.


Lovely.


Clown just came running in from the pool and yelled for me to tell Dad that the lady was coming with her dog again.

There is some woman who comes around all the time and encourages her dogs to crap on our front lawn! Stud told the kids to tell him the next time they saw her coming.

We JUST spent an insane amount of money getting new sod just a few months ago. And this woman just walks by almost every day and stops at OUR LAWN and let her dogs crap on it!?!? She picks it up and bags it (sometimes!) but still. She even SNIFFED THE BAG the other day, the kids told me. *shudder*

We always take Brom up the hill to public property where there are weeds and dried up things by the fence to the school. We pick up any poo, too. There are laws, you know?? Not to mention common courtesy. If we allow him to go in our yard, then we also just pick it up at the time and it is over and done with. I guess we should begin walking him around the neighbourhood and encouraging him to dump a load on other people's lawns??


Everyone else's looks horrible now compared to ours. Ours is GORGEOUS since we got it re-done. It was overrun with clover, had yellow dry patches and was just disgusting. It is now a lush deep green and the kids love to play tag on it. It is SO SOFT. Our one neighbour actually jokingly commented on how now we are making the rest of them all look bad because of this gorgeous stuff. We told him we were trying to help, since our old stuff looked SO GROSS. We have gone from the worst, to the best.

I just can't get over people, though. What it the point in bringing your dog to someone else's lawn?? When we pass people's yards, I steer Brom away and he knows not to go in any one's yard. Hello?? Common sense to me.

So we have had an OK summer. I can't really stand summer and am anxious for it to be over. Princess is going to horse camp this week and is in her element. She is LOVING it. I am looking into classes for she and Jock and Clown this fall. Cryptic has no interest.

So I was doing well on Jenny Craig until I went to Sask. I told myself I could have a few treats and call it good...but man! Once I was around all those yummies...like this ...and this ...and the kids and Stud's fave and my BELOVED Big Turk. It was impossible to resist. How could I resist these ??? Or what about these ?? Mainly the top ones in red. Fruit Cremes. Or Goodie Rings .

I craved my wondrous Dill Pickle dip with my Old Dutch Ripple Chips. Popcorn Twists. *slobber* Good Host Iced Tea, not that other junk. Wunderbar, Eat More, and various other delectable treats. So much more variety of foods to choose from up there. I am sure everyone gets the point. So I lived on junk and buns with cheese and jam. I was certain I would have gained back all that I lost and then some. I was pleasantly surprised to go for my weigh in and find I had gained just over one pound! LOL

So this week, I am back on track with sticking to it accurately. I will start back to Curves and walking daily within the next few weeks. My tummy stretched out again and it will take it a while before it can only fit small amounts at a time again. Once that happens, I can expend more energy. I can't wait to have motivation and feel good again! Feels horrible to eat junk and lay around. Kind of:) I have been sleeping late every morning, just because I CAN. So many years of not being able to, now I take advantage since Stud works at home and the kids are so much more independent.:)

Cryptic starts on-line high school this year. His lap top and printer arrived (they provide that) today and he will meet the other kids in person at a BBQ next week. I am anxious to see how many there are and if he hits it off with anyone. He is also going to be back to taking Science on Fridays from our beloved teacher Brian Raven and then a Lit class on Monday mornings. While he is in Lit, Jock will be in "Math Explore" and I will be helping in Clown and Princess' class called "Around the World Adventures". I am so looking forward to fall and getting to do all these fun things!



Jock has been waiting for my computer patiently. He was supervising the younger kids in the pool while I caught up on e-mail, etc. So I will leave you all with a photo of the kids with their cousins this summer at my parents' house.

Hope all is well! I will catch up and read all your blogs soon!