Yee Haw...

We had a fabulous White Mountain Labor Day this weekend. From horseback riding, to playing flag football in the rain to eating our hearts out to biking all around to hiking at the beautiful reserve -- we had a BLAST. My parents, Annie and Harrison, and Shannon and her kids all came up for Labor Day weekend. Dave, Annelise, Karen and Gabby were going to come but at the last minute could not make it -- they were totally missed.

What a wonderful weekend -- I just love being with my family. We have fun even if we are doing nothing. Ian -- Mr. Tease -- would love to pick on my mom and Annie just to hear them squeal. Shannon, Annie, Mom and I spent hours looking through house books, reorganizing my furniture to make my living room and dining area ROCK (I love it now) and chatting about nothing. Grandpa kept the kids occupied by throwing the football spiral after spiral. The kids were having so much fun together just playing outside. We had more grandiose plans -- fishing, 4-wheeling, canoeing, etc. but time just got away from from us. I must admit, it was nice to just relax most of the time.

We topped off their last night with the best thing ever -- watching Sound of Music, singing at the top of our lungs, drinking Ian's favorite secret recipe smoothies and munching on brownies.

Harrison and Spencer (spencer's the oldest grandchild). Look how handsome these boys are.Dad, bringing up the rear on Snowflake.Yeller was a sweet yet subborn horse -- he took good care of me but did not want me to tell him where to go or what to do -- just like my other man back home.The cowboy that took us on the ride gave Kadan his hat -- Kadan was estatic and even tried to wear it to church on Sunday.Grandma and Bo singing "Wheels on the Bus" until they were singing and walking and panting.And the GRAND FINALE event was Kadan accidentally disturbing a wasp nest and getting stung several times. Then Grandpa, Hunter, Ian, and I got stung. We probably looked like crazy people running out of the trail crying and screaming flailing our arms.

Cute side-note story -- on the trail ride we had to cross a fast running creek. Harrison's horse stopped dead in his tracks and not matter what encouraging was done -- it kept backing up. All the horses started to get a little anxious. Finally, after the cowboy got the horse going, it went crazy bucking and galloping away. Harrison was saved by his shirt getting stuck on the horn. After that Harrison was nicknamed "4 seconds" since he rode the bucking bronco like a champ. We later found out that there was a snake that spooked the horse. HOLY COW -- scary!

Hunter then asked the cowgirl what would his nickname be. She thought and thought, giving him tons of suggestions. At the end of the ride, she came up with the name "Burger Slinger" since he was tough enough to whack the snot out of the horse. If she only knew that little Hunter wouldn't even hurt a fly -- but it stuck and that is what made the nickname so funny. My little Burger Slinger!