Hot Riding Lessons, Hot First Days of First Grade, Hot Horses

Do you get the key word here? HOT! In my case, hot & grumpy! These heat indexes of 110 for over a week now are whippin' my heiney! They haven't dampened Squeezy's spirits much, though...probably the only good thing about the weather is that none of her recent riding lessons have been cancelled and she's really been making the most of them - she's been riding either Frost or Squiggy most of the time as Pal is better, but not 100% quite yet. This is the Aug. 7th lesson...

So hot...taking a breather...

OK...let's get the show on the road again!

For the next lesson and those since, all classes have been moved to the larger pasture, as they're letting the arena grass over to see if that provides more stable footing for the horses for when the older students are jumping...the different view provides a nice change...that's Miss Lauren (soon to be Mrs. Lauren) scoping things out for us...

another rest...

Mrs. Robin has been working with her on posting (less bouncing) and correct form (low hands, straight back, heels down, etc).

Gracie's school began about a week before (Aug. 17) the public schools (which started today). Last Monday, she and I went to "Meet the Teacher" Day and we found that four other students from her Kindergarten class would be in her new First Grade class...she was super excited about that! The five days prior to last Tuesday, we set our alarms and got up early to get back in the swing of things before school began and it really paid off...she was very excited to begin her first day back to school! {insert Mom's big sigh of relief here}

They are hard to see here, but Jack and I bought her James Avery silver cross earrings for her first day back to school...oh my goodness, what a mistake! Although she has had her earrings for almost 2 months now, I guess until her 6-mo. mark (when they are supposedly completely healed), she'll have to stick with solid gold. It took Jack & I together over an hour to get the silver ones out and gold ones back in - a true horror story {eek! ouch! screech!}...

Her teacher is Mrs. Sharer and Gracie says "she's just as nice as Mrs. Pino" (whom we also had to go visit on "Meet the Teacher" Day, as per Gracie's instructions :))

She has a real desk this year {loud Gracie shrieks inserted here}!

Other than making school preparations, staying on track with her riding lessons and making a short trip to see Marmie & Popi before school resumed, we've been much like you see our horses here...trying to stay out of the heat! Hope all of you are doing the same...

{there...you're all caught up, Beck!} :) xox

Boats, Fish, Miami, Home

We chartered a boat for an afternppn and our Captain was Jason. This is a houseboat in the marina - we were hoping for good luck with Jack catching a tarpon.

We made a short stop at Ernest Hemingway's fishing/get-away house...we snorkeled in about 8 ft. of water and Gracie was able to bring up sand dollars all by herself - she thought that was totally cool!

Then, off to fish in the harbour...this is the view from the water of Fort Zachary Taylor State Park, where we were the day before...

Gracie watching a seagull taking a break...

...and then Daddy trying to catch some fish...

Although he did hook up with a large fish, the captain crossed his line and the fish got away...this golden tail snapper was about the biggest thing he caught... :(

Gracie decided that she would try, too...she even touched the bait...ewwww! Her mommy would never do this :)

She really enjoyed it!

...and caught her first fish - she was very proud!

Another boat from the Boo-Ya fleet - where we chartered from - so this looks just like us...with a few less boys and a little more girls!

Daddy fishing...

Headed back...disappointed...but with sand dollars!

...and another good view of a beautiful sunset!

Like everyone else that visits the Keys, we took our picture with the buoy, too...

Last day...last visit to Five Brothers for Cafe con Leche and a Cuban sandwich -

We'll miss the coconut palms...

the beautiful water...

our hammock (to the left of the stack of beach chairs) where we spent all day yesterday...

the hotel...where someone else takes care of the chores...but we're headed home to our animals and Gracie is sure excited about that...

On the way back to the airport...stacks of lobster traps...

...and the biggest lobster ever!

Miami was just I had imagined...a pretty city...

old hotels....

beautiful homes...

clear water...

and new hotels...

but here we come, TX! Great vacation, but there's no place like home!