Horse Camp!

Sofia spent this past week at Ride with Pride's horse camp which was from 9am-1pm. She was so excited to spend the week at camp and every afternoon she would tell Olivia and I all about camp and everything they did. After the kids arrived at 9am, they rode horses, followed by crafts (she painted a little bird house and a horse barn as well as the horse shoe with her picture and wood board with her camp photos, then the kids visited the chickens and tried to catch one. After that they ate lunch and then fed the fish in the pond and road in the paddle boat. That was followed by chores, which included mucking out stalls, sweeping, cleaning and refilling the horse's waters and putting tack away. One day, her friend Ansley said "Do you ever think they have us doing this so they don't have to?" After chores, the kids could get a snow cone while they relaxed and played "rose" and "thorn" which was each kid's chance to say what they liked best and least about the day. Every day, Sofia told me her "rose" was "everything" while she didn't have any "thorns" - even mucking out stalls didn't make the "thorn" category! I think her favorite part must have been the snow cone! She always talked about how good it was at the end of a hot day!

Sofia had such a fun week and rode either Chocolate, Red or her favorite horse from last year, Dolly. The camp's rodeo was held on Friday at 7pm. We arrived a little early so Sofia could switch into the cowboy boots she borrowed every day for camp and so we could visit the horses. Sofia loved showing us around and Olivia was happy to run around and see the horses, although she was a bit timid around Scout and kept saying "He's going to get me!" each time Scout turned his head toward her. They finally reached an understanding. Sofia also took Olivia and a few other campers back to the chicken coop and showed us how she could catch one of them. Then she showed us Chocolate and before long it was time for all the riders to get ready to ride!

Sofia was the 4th rider of the group and was on Dolly. She was so excited before the rodeo and told us how she planned to trot the entire way, just like last year. Unfortunately, Dolly didn't have the same attitude and wasn't in any mood to trod for Sofia! She did manage to get her to trot for a little bit, but otherwise Dolly walked around the barrels. After all the riders were done, the kids ran across the arena to us and then we watched the award ceremony. Sofia was disappointed that Dolly didn't trot for her and I felt bad for her. She got 2nd in her group and also got the "Horsemanship Award." After the awards ceremony and watermelon, we headed to our cars. During camp Sofia also made a new friend, Sydney, who we met and exchanged numbers with her Dad for a future play date. Sofia had such a fun time and the rodeo is just a great way to end a fun week of horses and crafts! CK suggested to Sofia that if she can work on not sucking her thumb, she could do another week of horse camp at the end of July or beginning of August! She was so excited (and hopefully it works!). We enjoyed a great meal at Christina's before heading home to put two dirty and tired girls to bed!

SO excited for her first day of horse camp!

Sofia's invitation to her rodeo

Sofia's crafts made during the week

Olivia meets Scout

Sofia and Olivia during our tour of the barns

Ready to get started!

Sofia on Dolly!

Unfortunately Dolly wasn't interested in trotting.

She's very focused

Visiting Chocolate

Sofia gets her Horsemanship Award

Award and watermelon in hand

The group of campers

Oliva and her watermelon

Fun on the Farm

After we returned to the farm from Key West, we spent the rest of the days as we usually do when we visit. We took trips on the Gator to see the cows and goats at Harold, Patsy and Amelia's house. The girls loved watching and petting the goats, although some of them were friendlier than others. One day, the girls were invited over to Amelia's house to feed their new baby goat. Sofia got to hold the bottle and loved petting the goats and playing with Amelia. CK took the girls up in the Cub about a hundred times over the course of a few days and both girls fought over whose turn it was next. Olivia really loved it and Sofia loved flying up with CK and telling all sorts of stories as they soared through the air. They both loved it and of course CK loves going up whenever he can, so it was a perfect match.

We got another chance to visit CK's Grandma and spend an afternoon with her which was really fun. She looks terrific and lets the girls play with anything in her house, which makes me a little nervous but she is as cool as a cucumber. She also welcomed the girls crawling all over her and playing on her lap. Olivia loved sitting on Great Grandma's lap and talking. Both girls also loved playing on Great Grandma's walker and they took turns pushing each other in it, which of course got a little crazy after a few minutes. Sofia loved playing with the dolls Great Grandma made many years ago and going through her toys.

The night before we left for home, we celebrated Father's Day and CK and CK Sr opened their presents. Connie had the idea of having each of the girls make a handprint stepping stone, which was so much fun and turned out really cute! CK loved them! It was really a fun craft too, although Sofia wanted to keep pressing all sorts of stickers and other things in it. The next morning we loaded into the Baron and headed home. It was a great visit!

Off they go in the Gator!

Olivia and I in the Gator

Watching the cows

Grandpa and her number one fan!

Sweet girl waiting for her Cub ride

Sofia after her Cub ride! One happy girl!

Off they go into the sunset....

Sofia with her Papa

Feeding the baby goat

A Gator ride with Grandpa

The girls with their Great Grandma

Three generations!

Saying goodbye after a very fun and relaxing visit!

Happy Father's Day to two great dads!

The four of us before we head home

Olivia's First Cub Ride

Yesterday Olivia went up in the Cub with CK by herself for the first time and she loved it! She flew on Thursday sitting on my lap and had fun, so we suggested that she go up with her Papa by herself. Of course, it helped that Sofia loves flying in the Cub so Olivia readily agreed. She strapped in and they took off and were gone for about 30 minutes. CK landed holding Olivia's head in his right hand - she'd fallen asleep just before he started to descend so he put his hand out to rest her head! I took her out of the Cub and we laid her in her bed (it was 8pm) and slept until the morning. She'd only had a short nap in the car that afternoon and was exhausted.

From then on, both girls took turns flying with either their Papa or Grandpa and loved every minute of it. CK let Sofia fly once they were up in the air and he said she was a natural. Olivia loved looking down and watching the world pass under her.

CK and Sofia get ready to taxi

Zooming down the runway!

There they go!

Landing.

Olivia and I head up with CK

The three of us take off!

All ready to go up solo with her Papa!

Such a cutie!

Taking of on her first solo flight (with her Papa)!

One happy little co-pilot!

Key West!

CK and I made it down to Key West and stayed at our favorite place, The Gardens Hotel. We arrived around 2pm and were sitting by the pool with a cold drink by 2:30! It was perfect! We didn't plan much for our four days and three nights in Key West, other than dinners at our favorite places. On Monday night we ate at Blue Heaven, which is always fun and has the absolutely best key lime pie. On Tuesday night we tried Santiago's Bodega which a lot of people have recommended but we'd never tried before. It was superb and is now a new favorite of ours. On Wednesday night we went out to Sunset Key and ate at Latitudes. We were sat at 7pm and had the best seats in the place, right along the edge of water. The sun set around 8:45pm, and it was hot sitting there, so we decided to go back inside and sit in the cool of restaurant with a drink before we returned to our seats and enjoyed an outstanding meal. Watching the sunset was beautiful and its amazing the changes that happen minute by minute. It was spectacular!

Otherwise, our days in Key West consisted of sleeping in until around 9am and enjoying breakfast sitting at one of the tables by the pool. After eating, we'd head out into the town to walk around, visited Besame Mucho and the cute furniture store where we bought our wood alligator sculpture last year as well as a few nice art shops. Then, we'd get a little lunch and head back to the hotel where I'd sit under an umbrella by the pool while CK took a nap in the room. He'd join me where we'd swim, read, and nap until it was time to get ready for dinner. It was so relaxing and we had such fun just hanging out!

By Thursday morning we were ready to get back to the girls! First, we flew to Ft Myers where CK's Grandma used to live and where he visited often as a kid. We took the crew car and found his Grandma's old house! The owner came out and met CK and CK told me all about how the neighborhood used to look. We stopped to say hello to CK's childhood friend's mother, who still lives in the same house and was so surprised and happy to see CK. After visiting for a while we headed back to the airport and headed to the farm.

Flying into Key West

We made it!

Lunch at the beach - what could be better?

The Gardens Inn - our favorite place to stay!

Mile 0

CK in front of the original Pan Am building

Dinner while watching the sunset.....

CK's Grandma's house

Reconnecting after more than 30 years!