A Bit of MN in MT

We were able to see our friends Aaron and Heidi Espe last week and meet their new puppy! They live in CO now but he is formerly from MN. He had several concerts in the area so we were able to go to one of them. It was great to see them and awesome to make it to a concert! Madison came with us and had a blast - she has been listening (and loving) him for years :-) She knows his lyrics almost as well as him :-)

Here is Story - she is such a cute, nice dog. Although she is only 5 months old she is almost as big as Samson. They had tons of fun playing. She is very well behaved and mellow and we miss having her running around the house :-)

We went out for pizza then came back to our house for some ice cream. Heidi and Aaron introduced us to mint chocolate chip ice cream with Val's chocolate sauce - DELICIOUS, a new favorite. Thanks guys!! :-)

 

Samson and his new friend Story. It was fun to see how nice Samson was to her and how well he did sharing all his things with her (including all of us) :-) 

The Life . . .

. . . according to Madison and Andi at least

While visiting Strege's, Denise and I took the kids out to the field to see the horses. Madison and Andi had packed a little lunch so we could have a picnic while there. It was really cute. They even packed pretty healthy, carrots, trail mix, apples and licorice.

Madison has a crew following her :-) Aren't these horses beautiful? It was really fun to be out there.

Don't they look so cute with their cowgirl dolls :-)

Like Madison, Isaac has no fear of horses. I must say I was a tad worried when we were getting surrounded. The guys rode up on their motorcycles and the horses ran off. It scared me because you could see how easily they could trample someone. Madison and Andi brought apples for the horses and had fun feeding them. The ones that really liked apples knew they were in the backpacks and kept following them and nosing the backpacks. It was funny.

He looks so happy out there :-)

This is such a cute picture

Izyk deep in thought

Alex carried Berlin back and got quite a workout :-)

Weekly Highlight - from Hannah's Perspective

Madison's riding lesson is the highlight of her week and has even become a highlight for Isaac and Hannah as well. I have shown the excitement of this visit from Madison's perspective and Isaac's perspective now it is time to see it from Hannah's.

I always bring her stroller and put her in it right away so I can help Madison get ready. She used to be content in the stroller the whole time, but not anymore, she is much to busy and curious to be contained for too long! Once Madison is ready I take Hannah out and let her run around the barn. She is like a little rocket going from place to place, cats, horses, goats, lawn mower, atv, cats, horses, cats and on and on! You can see the big smile on her face just looking at this cat.

Hmmmm . . . . . . where did that cat go!?

Once Madison gets her horse saddled and ready to ride they head out to the arena and I walk out there. When we get there I take Hannah out of the stroller again and she runs around in the grass and plays or watched Madison. If we make it there before Madison then the steers are in the pen and the kids love to feed them. This was the first time that Hannah tried - she copies whatever Isaac is doing.

Here she is trying to gather some grass for the cows - what a smart little girl she is :-)

More Time at the Fair

Last year at the fair Hannah was only a little baby so this was her first real experience. She had fun looking at the animals, although was slightly skeptical.

It is cute to see Isaac with the horses - he is very comfortable petting them and enjoys being around them. I am sure he gets it from Madison :-)

Madison and Isaac introducing Hannah to the love of horses - she seems to be buying it :-)

It was so funny because so many of the animals were really interested in Hannah's stroller and would stick their heads way out and try to bite on it. She thought it was funny at first but pretty soon she started crying :-)This sheep, however, is more interested in Hannah than her stroller

Hannah's friend Berlin checking out the fish

Madison and Andi - enjoying their fair treats and gazing at the fish

Kristen is the BEST

Kristen is Madison's riding instructor and according to Madison "her best friend"! The kids just think that she is so great! I also agree - she does a great job and I am glad that Madison gets to work with her every week :-) Yesterday at Madison's lesson Isaac told me he wanted to stay with Kristen and live there. I said he better not because he would miss me too much. He said when he gets bigger and is a fireman he will live at Kristen's and be her fireman! He is so funny!!

Another funny Isaac story. He was playing with his motorcycle guy on the couch and the guy fell off the and we heard Isaac say (for his guy of course) in a real breathless voice after he landed on the ground, "thank you Jesus". Even in his playing he knows who to thank when there's a "close call" :-) Later that day we were going to DQ and he told us that Jesus was sitting by him and showed us where (in between he and Madison's carseat) Then when we arrived he said "Do you want to come in" then proceeded to tell us that Jesus did want to come in because He likes ice cream!

"I get to WHAT?"

Isaac's response when Kristen asked him if he wanted to ride back to the barn with her! He was so excited he couldn't contain himself :-)

Madison and Rogue and Kristen and Dusty (and Hershey)

Isaac even got to sit on Dusty by himself - he was so thrilled, can't you tell?!

Madison has only been able to get her horse to trot and finally gets him to lope (run in non-horse terms) :-)

Weekly Highlight

Madison's loves to go to her riding lesson. She can't get enough of horses and really likes her teacher ("we're best friends" - she tells me) :-) I also like to watch her ride, her ease and comfort on that big horse amaze me. She does a great job and has learned alot so far.

Getting Rogue ready for his ride. These pictures were taken at her lesson 2 weeks ago and it was sooo cold that day. It was low 50's and I even had to dig out her winter coat for her so she would be warm enough! Our weather here is always so crazy - it changes so much.

"Chasing" the steers :-)

Jumping Rogue

Riding AND a story :-)

Can I PLEASE take this home?

Hannah is following right along with Madison and Isaac with her begging for a cat (you may not be able to hear the words but you can see the words!) She will have to learn just like the others that she will have to do her cat-loving in someone else's yard with someone else's cat. Sorry Hannah :-)

Goodbye Dixie and Sox!

Dixie is their boxer. She is really funny and hyper. She has a great big underbite which only makes her even cuter (in an awkward way) :-) Half way through our stay there some random car dropped off a sweet little kitty on their driveway. Now things got even more interesting with hyper Dixie. We now witnessed hyper, obsessed Dixie. She was on a MISSION to get to that cat. She could think of nothing else. When we did get them together she just wanted to sniff and lick her but because the kitten was so little it was a bit scary so we continued to keep them apart.

This was so hilarious and another example of hyper, obsessed Dixie. When the kids were in the bedroom with the cat she WANTED to get in there so bad. We put her outside and the window faces the yard and low and behold she leaped up several feet and STOOD on the windowsill. All that work just to get a glimpse of the kitten! When they moved out into the kitchen with the cat she continued to jump on the window sill and I even got a picture of it! There were times when she would fall right off but several times where she would actually stay up there and look in the window ( I wish I could have gotten a picture of that - it was so funny looking)