Full of Fireworks!

Happy 4th, y'all! After the FOOT (yes, really) of rain we've had these past few days, we I (I've been up since 6:30 thanks to my beloved Gator barking and barking and...BARKING - everyone else in my house is still asleep) was so happy to wake up to SUNSHINE! I'm hoping it holds out for some fireworks later this evening...

This was last Saturday's riding lesson, as yesterday was too muddy to ride...this was one of her best lessons yet - gosh, she did good! She's finally getting the rhythm of posting...and yet on another new horse! He's not really new - just new to Gracie. Frost is more of a pony like Pal, but doesn't mind moving a little faster...Gracie really enjoyed him!

Airplanes for balance...

...and a little "one hand on your helmet, the other on your nose" thrown in for good measure!No ditches, no fun adventurous excursions...just good solid arena work - and she did great! She's gonna have some of the strongest legs around after all that posting!

Look at that rear off the seat - she's working hard!

...and catching some flies, too?! :)

Now that's the face of passion, y'all - hot, humid, working hard, and still a smile on that face!

Go, Gracie, go!

We've also started on some more projects that have been needing to get done - we've hired a friend of the guy that did all of our woodwork when we built the house to build us a gazebo that won't fly away. Bobby is a legend of sorts - he lives in Crystal Beach and although unintentionally, he rode out Hurricane Ike in his home - and SURVIVED! Daddy and I know how bad it was 30 miles inland - I can't imagine how scared he must have been. Although the weather hasn't been very cooperative, he's paying good attention to detail and doing a good job. We can't wait to move all of the furniture back out there and start having some sunset barbeques!
It's raining so the picture is a little fuzzy, but this is our pump house/wash rack for the horses. Dan and Jack have worked on it for a couple of weekends and it's slow-going, but at least it's in the works...the horses are so filthy now from all the rain and rolling in the mud - I can't wait to give them a bath!

...and Gracie has lost her other top front tooth...she's singing, "All I want for Christmas is my..."

We made cupcakes Friday and she's decorating them for the holiday -

"One down, Mommy"...I decorated the other half and sent them to Jack's staff...yum!

Have a safe holiday...see ya back here soon!