Pony Pal Addie's Gift

Pony Pal Corinne was not the only one who sent a gift home with Boompa - Adelaide sent me something, too.

Addie and Snickerdoodle during a visit to Indiana in 2017. (Naturally I took all the kids out to the barn!)

What Addie gifted me with was highly unusual and is very, special to me. See if you can tell what it is that she sent. (I made this video to thank her.)

Could you tell what it was? 

Addie is a violinist. Her bow is made from horsehair, and she has been carefully saving the strands that break for me.

Definitely a unique gift that is reflective of Addie's interest in the violin as well as her thoughtfulness and love for me.

As it said in the video, I cried.

Pony Pals, Ponies, and Bunnies

I love it when my kids send me photos of their children doing something horsey.

Kyle sent me this one of Addie, Whitney, and Corinne at a church BBQ recently near their home in St. Augustine, Florida. (I once brought my horse, Indy, to a church BBQ years ago when we lived in Illinois. Go here to read about that.)

And mutton bustin' Cambria loves to go to rodeos. In this one, she reverted back to her love of all things unicorn at the face painting booth

and then schmoozed with a couple of the junior rodeo queens before the bicycle parade.

And then there's Pony Pal Kate who truly is a horse lover. But, her first love is bunnies. She just celebrated her third birthday in true bunny lovin' style. (I sent her bunny slippers and a Schleich horse play set.)

Which is fine by me - I understand having a passion for an animal, even if it isn't a horse. (Although I don't think that I will ever understand the appeal of unicorns!)

Addie - A Horsey Girl Like Me

Addie seems to have that horsey gene that so many young girls get. She was thrilled to get out to the barn twice during her week with me and then to Prophetstown to see the horses there. A trip to Columbian Park Zoo to see the miniature horses made it so that she was with equines four of those days!

(Which meant that so was her Grammy who also was happy to be with horses all those times.)

This is so reminiscent of me as a child - I was always right there with the horse whenever I could be.

 I'd given Tim a heads up that she was really horsey, so he let her help him saddle Diablo.

 And, she got the first ride!

 As well as the longest.

Addie was in her element and it was a thrill for me to watch her. I kept seeing myself and remembered my own pining at that age to have a horse of my own. It was a thrill for me to give her an opportunity to be around horses.

 Call me one happy Grammy!

Pony Pictures from a Professional

 Here are some more of Vanessa's photos from our visit last Friday.

Abby gently takes a candy cane from Whitney (who was a little fearful but broke into giggles when Abby took the candy cane from her.)

 Cousins Ian and Braden perch on the gate as they watch the horses.

Snickerdoodle peeks around Addie.

Abby taking a treat from me.

I think Abby's head is beautiful and this photo of her with Braden and me sure catches it well.

The Perfect Birthday Card

Sometimes you find that perfect gift or card for someone.

 I found a birthday card for Addie that I sure hope one of my family finds and buys for me!

A Girl After My Own Heart

After hugs and greetings this morning, Addie, the birthday girl, presented me with a gift - some drawings she had done for me. And her paper? Notes from a church meeting! (General Conference.) Be still my heart - a girl after my own!

She was concerned about the blue ink. "Whitney tried to color in my pictures," she said sadly. But I assured Addie that I was still thrilled with her gift, blue ink or not. (And I am.)

 She'd even written the breeds and colors on some of them!

None of my children are horsey (and you'd think that, with six kids, ONE of them would've gotten the gene!) Lisa likes them, but she isn't passionate about them like I am. But she will go to the barn with me and she is an excellent rider.

Addie is my second grandchild with horse-lovin' potential. Trinity, who calls herself "horseyreader" on social media, is the other. Looks like the horsey gene may have skipped a generation, but I'll take it!

Meeting the Herd

Kyle and his family are in town, so we had to make a barn visit so the kids could meet Abby and the herd. Vanessa and Curt came along to do a family photo session for them.

Braden samples a carrot that is for Abby and her pals.

Abby put her head up as I drove up the lane (see her white blaze?) but she dawdled a bit before coming up for a visit.

That was okay because Vanessa was shooting those family pictures. No one was going to get any carrots until that was done. (Okay, so I slipped a few peppermints to Abby anyway.) Mason was nosy and had to get close to the photo session.

Abby still led the herd up. Not sure if that means she's greedy or if she just likes my company! Probably a mix of both, truth be told.

Uncle Curt holds Addie while Braden offers Abby one of those big carrots.

Even mud-encrusted, I think Abby is beautiful.

Hokey has gotten a little obnoxious lately when treats are being served. I may have to quit giving them to him. He is such a sweetie - what is up with this face??

The kids wanted to come in the barn and see Tim's sleigh, buckboards, mail wagon, jail wagon, and buggies. I think this is actually a carriage, possibly a surrey.

Love these two little sweetie pies.