A Great Time in Sunnyside!

With having two weeks off in between the spring and summer sessions of school teaching, I headed off to Sunnyside to see if I could help out a little.  Kent and Natalie seemed very excited to have me come because Natalie needed to go to Girls' Camp for four days and her parents who have helped out so often, weren't able to come at that time.  I was, also, very happy to go and see their family who we haven't seen since Christmas time.  

Some of the special events I was able to participate in:

Watching Ethan Play Basketball.

Kent is Ethan's coach on his AAU team.  Of course, Ethan is #1 on the team.

Great form, right?!

Son and Father--just like old ties when George coached and Kent was the son.  Ethan's team took 2nd place in the area which was just fantastic!

Ella's Horseriding Lessons.  

O.K.  I have to admit that I thought this was just a little phase Ella was going through about wanting to learn to ride a horse.  After going to her lesson with her (plus seeing absolutely everything in her room related to a horse!), I am a believer that this little girl loves horses!!!  I was so impressed as I stayed for the entire lesson.

First Ella must put on her safety helmet.  A must!

This is her instructor--only 13 years old, but wow!  Was she a sharp girl!  Ella had to call every single item on the horse by its proper name, plus every single part of the horse by its name, plus she even showed her pictures of proper sitting posture, etc.  I was astounded!

This was a little miniature horse, but Ella was beyond that now.

All by herself, she had to put the harness on.

And take the fly cover off.

Success!

Now she had to walk the horse through its paces--I'm sure I'm not calling everything by its proper name.  Sorry, Ella!

Even have him jump over logs.

Before she actually rode him, she had to clean his hooves.

Now for the mounting of the horse--quite a feat for only a six-year-old!

She did it!

And she's off--notice that straight back!  I absolutely had the best time watching all of this.  And truly, she loves doing it! 





 I thought about all the horses our family lived around, and I don't think one of us enjoyed riding like Ella does.  We could have ridden anytime we wanted to, but usually preferred not to, except for a few rides when my dad helped my uncles round up the cattle.  We even had a little Shetland pony, but my dad had to beg us to ride--especially when he would try to roll over when you rode him or he ran away with my brother Jerry on his back.  I didn't think we would ever see Jerry or the horse again!  Now that I think about it--it was pretty funny, but not at the time!

 By the way, the horse's name was "Lucky."  That's funny!  Isn't Jerry so cute with his big smile--obviously before he got on Lucky and had to hold on for dear life as Lucky ran away with him!

Ella's Birthdays.

I don't know of anyone who can stretch a birthday out all month like Ella does.  She had a birthday party at her school before school let out, she had a birthday party with her cousins in Utah when the Robbins' Family had their reunion, now I just happened to be there on her REAL birthday watching the kids while her mom was at Girls' Camp.

Natalie had arranged a babysitter for a couple of hours while I took Ella for a pedicure . . .

and a manicure.

Grandma got a pedicure, too.  I have had more pedicures in the past couple of months than I have had in my whole life!  But, we had so much fun!

Then she had to have her favorite ice cream shake.

At home, her mom had wrapped presents for her to unwrap all through the day on different hours.

All of the presents brought big smiles, especially this Barbie and her horse!  Believe it or not--she could take that bridle off and put it exactly on the way it was supposed to go.  I was amazed!

 Ella with her daddy opening another present.

The final fun for the day was that her daddy drove us 45 minutes to the town that had a Texas Roadhouse--at Ella's request.  Not that she wanted the food so badly--she just wanted to sit on that saddle and have everyone sing to her!  Her dad made her a very happy little girl!

Ethan and Ella

Ella showing you that she is six years old!

A perfect ending to a perfect birthday!


Now you might think that was the final birthday party!  Oh, no, no!  A few days after Ella's mommy came home from camp, she had planned a friend birthday party with another little girl who, also, was having a birthday near Ella's day.  It just happened to be the youngest daughter in the family of where Ella takes her horse riding lessons.  What a perfect setting!
 
 Rachel and Ella--the two birthday girls.

 Of course, there was horse riding.

And, as per usual, Natalie had gone all-out on making the perfect party presentation!  She decorated each girl a cowboy (cowgirl) hat . . . and I helped her finish the stick horses about 15 minutes after the party began!

 And there were miniature pony rides.

 The girls all had the time of their lives!

 Then the girls lined up to do barrel racing on their very own ponies!

 All of them received small trophies for a job well-done.

 Then the picnic began.

 Grandma and Cannon enjoyed watching while the chickens clucked behind us . . .

 or the friendly goat came to see what all the excitement was about.

 Ella found out the goat loved her carrots!

Ethan was a great sport to hang out with all of us.  ( I think he had a great time, too!)

 Then, it was present time!

Even little Cannon dressed for the birthday party.

It was so fun when Rachel opened one of her presents, and there inside was . . .

a baby bunny rabbit!!!  So adorable!


Her sister went to get her big beautiful rabbit to show us.  Now they would both have one.

The birthday cake was an absolutely divine homemade cake made and decorated by Rachel's mother.  

Great birthday party for Ella and Rachel!  

Next up:  We travel to Seattle