Truckin' right along...

I know it has been since Saturday that I posted...this new job thing is seriously inhibiting my blog time :(, but I'm really enjoying my time with Cheryl and Tracey. I've already worked over thirty hours...so much for the part-time part, huh? Hopefully, as we get the critical stuff out of the way, things will settle and I will have more of a normal schedule.

Sunday...This little pitiful face is because Lexie won't come to her...

Tuesday... I actually ordered these tutus for her for Christmas off etsy and they never arrived and were never found. So, Nicole from Maggie's Rose Garden made the one pictured (the original one we ordered) and also a solid red one for the inconvenience. I thought that was very thoughtful. Check her out - maybe you can pass along some business to her!

There's that tongue again!

What better to do in a tutu than practice your ballet?

...or wear it as a clown collar? the 007 of tutus? :)

....or dress your puppy up in it?

Today...and don't think her magna-tiles have gone by the wayside...I know all those posts were lost, but now she builds barns for her horses with them. Each of these 3 compartments has dividing walls and horses inside - actual stalls. Maybe we should consult her on our barn!

We've added arms to our barbell exercises now...

Also, we have a new exercise - scoop, swish, push the ice cream! It seems like there's a new exercise every class now and that girl is loving every minute of the challenge!

Saddle-Up Saturday

This little pouting display is because she asked her Daddy to come smell Pal's mane and he told her he would do it when she finished her lesson --- or so he thought!

She knows she has us wrapped around her little finger!

She posted the entire hour today. More sore legs tomorrow -

Her little tongue must help her post - she reminds me of a puppy hanging its head out of the window of a moving car!

...only here, she's sitting still! Hmmmm....

I love this picture. She looks completely content - at peace.

My little buddy - he doesn't fail to appear at least once during our visits.

It kept getting colder as the lesson went on - Ms. Robin came to the rescue with gloves.

Ms. Kacey took her out on the road again and this time they were greeted with a neighbor's three Golden Retreivers. Pal stayed calm, Grace stayed on Pal and Kacey did excellent leading them back. We were all proud of all of them.

Grace led Pal back to the barn by herself - just what she has been wanting and asking Kacey for every time.

Big hugs and treats for Pal...

...but he was still craning his neck to see what was in Mr. Eddie's coffee cup! He's not spoiled or anything - :)

One of the older students (not pictured) got a new Pit Bull puppy this week. The girls are checking her out -

While the Pit Bull isn't necessarily what I would have chosen, she is a pretty lil' thing for sure...gray with blue eyes. By the looks of those feet, I don't think she'll stay little for long!

One of the other kitties bidding us farewell from his new ride - if this doesn't make you smile, you're just crazy! ;)

Some video of our girl trotting...

Until next time...adios amigos!

She Works Hard...

My little screamin' Otter! She's doing well in her new level. The first video is Tobey helping her with "Chicken, Airplane, Soldier". She has a green band wrapped around her knees that helps her with the proper form. The second video is her backstroke. Before, she was just kicking her feet - on Tuesday or maybe last Thursday, Tobey added her arms and she's already doing that by herself. Very cool -

The second part of what relates to the title of this post is that I'm going to begin working part- time. I've blogged about our second family, the Simpsons, before (a lot actually - most was lost when I lost my old blog). But, still, most of you know that Bruce and Cheryl are like second parents to Jack and I and Gracie loves having another set of grandparents! In the last couple of years, their son Tracey has become like a brother to Jack. They get along super well and that's probably because they are so much alike! Well, Tracey runs his own business and while Cheryl has helped him off and on for years, his business is growing and he is in need of more help. Enter... me. This is the first time in four and a half years that I will have a job that doesn't entail wiping a nose or heiney, mucking a stall, cleaning a bathroom, or cooking something. I'm really very excited! Yesterday, I completed the first spreadsheet that I've done in over five years and it was just like riding a bike! (but I was still secretly proud of myself!) This is really perfect timing since Grace will begin Kindergarten in the Fall and what could be better? I'll be working with Cheryl, getting to know Tracey better, and hopefully doing a bang-up job while getting paid for it *squeal*!

Wish me luck! :)

Happy Birthday, Marcus!

OK, so I'm not smart enough to turn all of these around in the blog program - sorry in advance for the sore neck!

awwww....

you and Amu!

Are these Jamz?

Our Choir trips got a little crazy sometimes, didn't they?

You and Joel practicing with Mrs. Tiger. I like the addition of the Santa hat -

You and Nikki - (hey, Dana! recognize this girl? :))

you and Miss Jen

You and me at our Senior Homecoming Pep Rally running to join the line -

Our Senior Homecoming -

Do you remember where Mon, Chad, you and I ate?

Hope you enjoyed the walk down Memory Ln. - tell Autumn and the kids to give you big hugs for me!

Happy Birthday, Brother! (for yesterday)

I know, I know! I'm a day late and a dollar short! I did text you though and Mom had your present from me, so I hope you don't think I'm too bad of a sister! Yesterday, Jean came home from MD Anderson and we were with her from the time we dropped Grace off at preschool until about 6 PM. You know how it is sitting around a hospital - it just wears you out. When we finally got home, I still had to make dinner and feed all of the zoo around here and, well, there just weren't enough minutes before I collapsed in bed.

I remember this like it was yesterday. This was at our house on Greeves in Beaumont.

This is fuzzy, but it's you, me and Grandma Keegan.

I have no idea why the next few are sideways, but this is just after your hair would actually lay down and so Mom thought you would look cute in a bowl cut.

I know you can't see this, but your shirt says "Muscles", so you were showing yours off!

Remember Aunt Francie's camel? Oh, how you loved to ride this camel!

One Christmas, with Mary Ellen's puppy.

One in a series of "Suzie's bad hair days"...

uh huh, I told you...

Remember Mira Kastenholz? The German exchange student my Sr. year?

and another...it looks like you could ski off my hair! I think I still have this sweater - I'm afraid even Goodwill might reject it!

you and me at some beach on one of our family vacays.

In Colorado - probably the same vacay.

awwww....

with Mimi and PaPa...was this your Confirmation maybe?

Smell good!

...and that was a good thing, cuz you were always kinda stinky after the games!

Your first truck...

On one of my Baylor MD/PhD Program travels, you joined me in NYC. We went to Central Park and this is when we got that guy to do the pencil drawing of us that Mom has hanging in the living room.

Your 21st birthday (I think I counted right!) - your fav - red velvet!

On the trip to Rocky Mountain National Park with PaPa - my hat is cuter! I was wearing his fishing hat - another great fashion statement!

On Lake Tahoe, the day before your wedding.

Me helping you get dressed for your wedding...

...and as they say...the rest is history...

I hope you had a great birthday - love you!