Thank goodness!

Horse back lessons are over for another few months! YAY! One less thing to drive to and take up time:) Great attitude, eh??

Princess LOVES her horseback lessons. She had done private last fall/winter. She didn't get a chance to do camp this summer, but we got her into group lessons with other home schooled kids this fall. Now that eight week session is over and we are going to get her into another session in the spring time. So the break from now until March or April will be a welcome one. For ME anyway:)

I just broke the news to her that she will be taking lessons at a different place now. I found a place that I think will be a bit closer to us (not sure of it's precise location, but I think it is pretty close), and it sounds like a nicer, newer facility. For an 8 week session of one hour private lessons it will cost less than HALF of what we paid at the current place for an 8 week session of hour long group lessons! I found out about it RIGHT after I signed everything and we paid for where she just finished at.

Her Fall Rally was yesterday morning. All of us went and she got to show us some of what she has learned. She was very pleased to have her brothers and Dad there to watch her.









As you can see, Jock is quite proud of his little sister. It just blows my mind how genetics and birth order have such a part in the whole dynamic of a family.

As you all may recall, I also have three older brothers. The second one and I were the most alike (same as Jock and Princess) and butted heads the most (same as Jock and Princess) yet of the three, HE would be the most likely to seek me out and spend time with me. He would be the one to tell me he was proud of me, he loved me, what have you. Same as Jock! Cryptic and Clown are nicer overall to Princess.


However, for the most part, if someone is going to go say good night to her as she waits for her father and I to come tuck her in...or ask her how her drama class went...or paint her nails for her...or tell her he thinks she did a great job at her dance recital...or ask her if she wants to play a board game...that is Jock. It just never ceases to amaze me how similar the whole dynamic of our family is to the one I grew up in. It is almost funny! My brother Sean was HORRIBLE to me and I see Jock treating Princess the same way. Scoffing at anything she says, groaning if she has the nerve to just be a happy little girl and sing along to a song, rolling his eyes if she is sharing an idea or some passion with me, etc. So at least he tries to make up for it in ways. One big difference between my childhood and my kids, of course, is that we don't take in foster children like my parents always did. Other than that, it is pretty neat how similar things are. Sean and I turned out to be close, so I know there is hope for Jock and Princess:)

So here is Jock, in his own way, showing Princess he is pleased to be there and support her horsemanship skills!

In other news, Stud left last night for Geneva, Switzerland. This was a sudden trip for his job and we are all very excited for him! I kept telling him to please bring me back some awesome yummy chocolate! I hope he gets the kids and I all some nice little trinkets.:)

Our niece, G, lives in nearby Caux sur Montreux. Stud is hopefully going to either go to her school and visit her, or get her a train ticket to get her to Geneva and then spend some time with him there. Here are some reminders of that sweet girl...here and here . So I hope it works out for them to get together. I have not seen her in over a year and I am not liking it:(

This has taken longer than I wanted, so I must go do something with the kids. Hope everyone has had a lovely weekend!