February Fun

February was busy, as usual, around here without really doing much! 

After 2 years, Chad found his perfect boat, but if you ask her, Cassidy will say it's for her.  After a long trip down and back, Chad got the "new" Woolridge into the shop...at an angle!

Cassidy found that it's just as much fun to dress Blackberry as it is to dress her sisters, maybe even more since BB doesn't put up too much of a fight (although I'm pretty sure she's thinkin' it wasn't so bad being homeless) 

Dressed up or not these two have become great friends

We have also gotten some breaks in the weather and takin' advantage of being outside.  Thank goodness that fresh air helps offset the fact that between the two, we have 8 teeth coming in (the big front 4 across the top for both, ugh)

Grandma got to come for a week for Cassidy's birthday and we took full advantage!

Cassidy is back in gymnastics and loving it, esecially the super long trampoline

The twins like playing "where's Cassidy" which is great, becuase it can be a bit of a challenge keeping them entertained for the hour, but thankfully we have friend Kate and her baby Jolee for backup!

I had to include this picture.  Cassidy got invited to a Birthday tea party and did a great job getting her sisters ready (Rylee in red, Sawyer with the green)

Chad and I got new fancy phones and Cassidy loves getting her picture taken, I have to admit, it's pretty handy and I get some great shots, like this one, of my girls.

February is also the annual "Daddy Daughter dance".  Cassidy finally got to wear that red dress Uncle Bryce got her for Christmas and got to go to the dance with her wonderful date.  They were so stinkin' cute!

Then it was my turn...and I got her muddy!  Cassidy got to go on her first official trail ride, despite the rain.  She and Ziggy did great, even went up a steep hill where she let out a little scream becuase she thought she was going to roll off the back.  But she didn't and rode her right up and is ready to go again

We had our trusty outriders for her first ride, Laura and Cari joined in the adventure

And the monkeys?  Well, they have been pretty busy too!  Sawyer is convinced she can not go anywhere without a hat, this seems to be one of her 2 favs.  And yes, she will pitch a fit if asked to leave it off.  And they throughly enjoy room time, finding anything and everything that can be pulled out.  But, they can hang out in there for a good half hour, enough time for me to prep dinner or do a quick vacuum, as long as there in enough drawers to empty!





 There are some sweet quiet moments too, they just don't last too long!

 



5? No Way!

There is no way that my sweet baby girl is 5 years old.  It's just not possible.  5 means that she is going to be starting school and that our precious snuggle time is going to be even less and I'm sorry, but I'm not willing to let that happen just yet, so even though the calendar says so, I'm not convinced she's really 5.....Oh, but wait, the problem with that is she tells me she's 5 and when I say prove it...well, she does.  She can count to 100, write her name, knows all her colors, shapes, letters and address, not to mention how to get to most places around here.  More impressively, she is the sweetest, funniest, most responsible and caring little girl I know.  I wish I had more words to describe her, but they don't do her justice and all I can say is she is amazing and such a wonderful blessing to our family.
 

For this amazing girl, of course we had a few parties.  Starting off up north with a combined birthday party for her, Alexa and Lindsay.  It was a great day with the twins smack dab in the middle of it all "helping" and lots of fun.  Did I mention Cassidy is the fashion coordinator for the girls?  Good thing, because I'm pretty sure I'm a lost cause.  Cassidy chose red for Rylee and purple for Sawyer (including the boots).

Papa Jerry made each a beautiful shelf for all their special things...Cassidy already has her spot picked out

And, she got her official "big girl bike" from Grandma.  She is super excited to get out on the trial and make me run!



Next came all her friends to party down.  We had a great time and lots of giggles.

Lots of good books and lots of sparkly art projects....perfect for Cassidy!

On her actual birthday, Cassidy chose to have lasagna for dinner and of course helped make it

The birthday girl with her presents, balloons and flowers of choice, tulips.

Grandma Margie had been able to spend the week with us and was right in the middle of the action, along with Auntie Jess via Skype

Then we got to surprise our girl with her Cinderella cake...I know, I said no princess stuff, but I also said no pink and you all know how well that worked!  I guess I just love to see that little girl smile

Happy Birthday sweet amazing Cassidy.  WE LOVE YOU!

January highlights

January is almost over and I'm just now figuring out the new formatting on the web page.  Thankfully, January was pretty quiet, well as quiet as we get, but I did manage to get a lot of pictures..and a few stories to share.  Here are my favs

Cassidy's Thanksgiving amaryllis was a beautiful bloom

As Cass will tell you, we are a "go coug" family and the twins look great in their new Jammies thanks to G'ma Margie.  Rylee is in solid, Sawyer has the stars



The jammies made me do it!



Cassidy had the great idea to put all the soft blocks in a crib and it has turned into a great "ball pit" where every one loves to bounce and play

 Yes they are cute...you should have seen them in Costco the other day.  Costco is great because both twins can sit in the front part of the cart, but not when we have been working on hitting.  After Sawyer would whap Rylee on the back of her head I'd say "Sawyer, NO, we need to be gentle".  So Sawyer would then wrap her arms around Rylee's neck in essentially a head lock/bear hug while Rylee is looking at me like "I'm not sure this is better" and Sawyer is grinning like the cat who ate the canary.  Happened at least 10 times through Costco and as we were leaving the store, waiting to get our receipt checked, a lady comes up and says "I have to tell you, we laughed at you and your girls all through the store.  Thank you!"  Oh, the fun we have.... 

 We spent a day up on the mountain playing in the snow in sunshine.  Cassidy had a great time but the twins weren't that impressed with the snow gear and lack of mobility...we did manage to catch a least one smile



Cassidy showing she's my girl...up and over!

Some cute pics

Ry in her Sunday best

Sawyer

Rylee

Rockin' Rylee ready for action....yeah, she's trouble

Sawyer and Cass lovin' their spaghetti dinner!

Right after Christmas, Tucker came up lame and required a hock soak twice a day.  This mandatory barn time was great and reminded me how much just hangin' in the barn can do for us girls.  So now, instead of just trompin' over to feed we spend at least a half hour grooming (check out the braids), playing in the hay or practicing our horse skills.  It's been great for all of us and the twins are entertained enough to be content in their wagon watchin' the action.



A girl and her horse...

A quote from Cassidy at home, "Mom I have a plan to keep Mossy out of my room, but I'm going to need some bale twine" - yep, good ole' barn time!  

Cassidy has been doing a great job with Blackberry who is well on her way to becoming a true Lab.  She is even starting to do the happy lab dance when we get home and after getting spayed last week has been sleeping with Cassidy every night.  

However, about this time BB may be thinking being feral wasn't so bad (don't miss the necklace around her neck)

My beautiful, almost 5 years old's sense of fashion

My 3 girls, each their own girl, beautiful, strong, loving (not sure about Sawyer's look, but she was determined that's how she wanted to wear her shirt) and oh yeah, independent

We brought down Cass's trampoline now that the twins know how to get off it and they have taken off!  It was a little tricky with the turn taking at first, but now it's just entertainment

They have also been working very hard on their skills, Rylee in particular loves making towers with blocks and Sawyer is totally into putting things in, lids, and trying to figure out how things work.  They are both content now to actually play with a toy, as long as they each have a different one!  They are both now helping to clear the table after dinner and are getting more responsive to requests.  It's pretty cute to see them "run" into the mud room when I say it's time to go feed horses and I love that they are giving "loves", big sloppy kisses and hugs on request.  Nothing better!



Good Teamwork and supervision

We are still doing a bottle at night, mostly because for me it's the quietest moment we have and both girls are willing to snuggle.  We've started consistently reading stories before they are off to bed, which will soon be our quietest moment...hopefully.  Right now it's still a work in progress

So that's January.  Oh, here's one more story.  While I'm changing Sawyer on the table Rylee is crawling into the cupboard, loving to pull out all the shoes.  Out of the corner of my eye I see Ry start to fall backward off the shelf so I reach down to get her and Sawyer scoots herself off the changing table backwards and lands butt first in the dirty clothes hamper...luckily on most days that hamper is pretty full and made a soft landing, she still wasn't that impressed, but at least safe and Ry was fine too...me?  I couldn't stop laughing and thinking...oh my life!  I have to say it's pretty amamzing

Thanks Kit...you picked a good one!