Learning

Posted on June 28, 2013 by Exechorseluver

In this apparently odd photo, where Lauren rides the pony and Jordyn takes the show horse for spin, each rider is getting the horse they need and vice versa. Pixie, the German Riding pony is young and green. I have been riding her the last ten days working on fundamentals like working off my leg, turning, halting and standing quietly. We are trying to be very specific with our messages to the pony so she learns exactly what a slight pull on the right rein and other directives mean. While she wouldn’t have been bad for Jordyn, she did not need the mixed up signals of a young rider.

Lauren got her first really good trot tonight with the pony starting to reach into the bit and extend herself. Lauren told me I had done a good job, but she does not like this stage of horse training (call it the toddler days) where the horse sometimes is brilliant and cute but more often in need of correction and boundaries.

Jordyn is heading to horse day camp in ten days. She said it will be the best week of her life! Gee, not playing to any high expectations here! She came to practice with Feather. Her saddle looked itty-bitty up on the stout grey mare.

I was really thrilled at how well Jo did with Feather. Or I was thrilled Feather, just a year into training, listened and was quiet for Jo. It was a pretty big moment for me to see Jo navigating the ring on her own.

So yay for girls on horseback and a nice (if not hot!) evening at the farm.

Vacation ending

Posted on June 15, 2013 by Exechorseluver

All good things must come to an end. When we planned this trip, so long ago, I wanted to go back to the condos my family had stayed in so many times in the past. The first time Dave and I had come to Hawaii with Amber at 15 months of age, it had been to these condos. We had made many trips here in the interim. We came with friends, Gene and Judy, a few years later. Jim and my mom spent their honeymoon here. But it has been at least ten years since any of the family have come here.

Really? What was I thinking? Apparently, my son-in-law Ryan, had expressed some concern about going back to the place I had vacationed at 20 years ago. But in this case, granny actually did something right. Although, I may well have gotten caught up in a dream of wanting to take my kids back to a place I remembered so fondly, thankfully, this time it all worked out okay. Years ago, we had always rented the condo from a United Airlines captain. I wanted (of course) to stay in the same units I remembered but I could not locate the people. We rented through Maui rentals. I was convinced when I reserved the last three units on the sixth floor that we would be over the ocean as I had been in the past.

When we arrived, and exited off the elevator, I was devastated to see that instead of my three units nearest the ocean, we were actually the three units furthest from the water. No wonder they were available! Geez!

But in terms of bucket list stuff (wanting to go with whole family to Hawaii) and going back to my old haunts, this has worked out pretty wonderfully! Sure we had our moments of discord, but that’s what happens with families. Plus, Lauren’s boyfriend Blake and his mom, are truly family having survived two Davis vacations now. A popular sight-seeing trip here is to make the 100 mile round trip drive, with hundreds of turns and narrow roads to Hana. T-shirts abound saying “I survived the road to Hana”. Well, Blake and Jo Etta survived the Davis family vacation. We all did.

Tomorrow we will make the nine hour flight back to Houston not arriving until Sunday morning. We all agreed it has been a fabulous time. Maui will remain in my mind, with updated images joining the ones of old.

Kids

Posted on June 14, 2013 by Exechorseluver

I have four grandchildren. In September, Jordyn will be six and Riley will be four. And in July, Lexi will be two and baby Kendyll will turn one. They are all similar yet different. Each, even baby Kendyll, has their own personality.

Riley, no doubt driven by some Disney cue, wanted to find a secret beach. I mean, who hasn’t? Yesterday, Amber and Ryan made his little dream come true by driving down past all the big resorts to a secluded quiet beach. They all snorkel dived (as Riley called it). There was quite a variety of fish to be seen. Back at our condo, aunt Ally asked Riley what he had seen while snorkeling. Riley was not saying a word! He had been on a secret beach and you can’t tell what you see on the secret beach!

The other night as we were enjoying Jo Etta’s chicken spaghetti we went around the table to say what we had liked most about the trip so far. Riley quickly picked up the narrator duties from me. He asked each person around the table, by name, “Cindy, what did you like best?” And so on, down the line, perfectly at ease.

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Luau

Posted on June 12, 2013 by Exechorseluver

Last night we went to a Hawaiian Luau. My sister and I used to save our allowance money all year so we could pay for a babysitter so that we would NOT have to go to the Hawaiian Luau. I guess our youthful negativity was focused on what my sister and I perceived as a long, boring adult night.

As a group, we had reserved the Luau months ago. All were expected to enjoy the evening. As we got closer and closer to Luau time, I started experiencing angst. I did not want to go. I do not know if all the years that Betty and I had spent revolting against the luau was effecting my judgement. I almost did not attend.

The 12 of us were in our Hawaiian finest, dresses or aloha shirts. It was sunset, along the Pacific, with the people I love most in life. We were greeted with orchid leis, Mai Tais (a strong island rum drink) and a huge buffet of fresh foods.

So much was going on. While we ate, there were wood carvers, hula dancers and Hawaiian songs.
We saw people moving toward the volcanic rocks. Riley, Ryan and Luke went to check out the excitement. Huge sea turtles were swimming in the rocks right next to the seawall.

Quickly, we progressed into the night’s program. The usual hula stuff, beautiful dancing girls, men (not so beautiful) dancing with the lawn torches, a special dance which included Jordyn and Riley on stage and lots of drums. I would like to point that while the dancing hula girls were fit and lovely, all but one of the men, were not in anyway set to be called for second auditions for “Magic Mike”.

And the male dancer had a whale tail (am not clear if the rest of the whale existed or not) dipping below his male diaper sarong thing. It was a little disconcerting to see his whale tail disappearing down toward his bingo. And the lead female dancer was sporting some crazy bra top that had no back or straps, yet never moved on her chest no matter how hard she shook her hula skirted bottom. Perhaps it is actually sown to her chest. Believe me we cannot rule that out.

Yes, it ended up being a delightful night with great entertainment. I wish my sister, dad and mom would have been here to share it with me.

Vacation Day Two

Posted on June 9, 2013 by Exechorseluver

Day two dawned early with the five hour time change. I saw texts from Amber at 4:23 am and Lauren at 4:27 am. Both girls, wanted to know if I was awake. There is a five hour time difference from Houston. By 4:30 Hawaii time, it was already 9:30 at home. Pretty tough to keep the kids asleep that long.

We were all at Denny’s facing the ocean before 6:30. Somehow, Denny’s in Maui beat Denny’s in Wharton by a long shot. I have never traveled with such a big group before. Between high chairs, booster seats and 12 of us going anywhere took on the logistics of a moon landing. We needed three cars and cell phone coordination to travel to the simplest destination. Factor in, different ages, different tastes (did we want Mexican food, Sushi, a quick hamburger??) and different expectations and it all got pretty complicated.

We headed last night to Lahiana, the original whaling capital of Maui. We ate at Cheeseburgers in Paradise with a view across the seaport. It was a beautiful spot-completely paradise. By the end of dinner, Jordyn clearly wasn’t feeling well. We got in a few photo ops and headed home. Jo’s temp was almost 103 degrees. She is my roommate. I would worriedly awaken and gently touch her skin. The fever, thankfully, broke around 4:00 am. She is better today.
This picture of Kendyll shows her hanging out at dinner.

When I was a child, traveling with my family, we tended to go the same places each year. When we got to Honolulu or Colorado, we settled in and spent beach time or ranch time. My dad was not interested in sight-seeing. As the families scrambled around today to book excursions para-sailing, snorkeling and helicopter touring I was surprised. Maybe it was the multiple cruises we have taken that is forcing the idea of an activity a day. Or maybe, I am just stuck in my ways and old. I do not want to go fly from a kite high above the ocean or plummet down a zip line through a jungle. My daily life of surviving the Houston freeways, attempting not be stampeded by horses or thrown through a fence have nixed my willingness to want ANY adrenaline rush on my vacation.

I am very happy and content to watch the waves break on the sand and the sun drip down to the horizon. Aloha and thanks for riding along!

Riley and a much happier Jordyn on our early morning beach walk today. I love this photo.

On vacation

Posted on June 8, 2013 by Exechorseluver

My immediate family consists of my three daughters, Amber, Ally and Lauren. It has expanded over the years to include my daughter’s families as well. So this is my family now:
* Amber’s family-husband Ryan, three year old son Riley and almost two year old daughter Lexi
* Ally’s family-husband Luke, five year old Jordyn and almost one year old Kendyll
* Lauren’s family- boyfriend Blake and his mother Jo Etta
And of course, my momma and I.

My father was with United Airlines. One of the perks was free travel. As a child, we enjoyed many wonderful trips to Hawaii. I have always wanted to go with my family now, as I did so many times with my family then, back to the islands. On long nights when I laid awake, I would envision us all headed across the Pacific. I dreamed so many times of the plane trip, seeing Diamond Head as we approached the Honolulu and walking the beautiful beaches of Maui.

During one of our family vacations, we all made the commitment to save our collective money and make this Hawaiian dream a reality. At the time we had hoped my momma would be with us, but sadly that wasn’t a possibility.

In the end, we decided on a Maui trip to the same condos we vacationed at when my girls were little. Amber and Ally have made trip before but Lauren had never been. It was more economical to make one stop and easier with all the kids to be in a place with kitchens.

After over a year of planning, saving and dreaming, we headed out of our various homes early this morning. The Houston crew met up with Denver crew in Los Angeles as we hurried to make our tight connection. With Ally’s broken arm, my shoulder under repair and four kids under six years we were a bit of a travel nightmare. I think Kendyll fussed for a few thousand miles.

After a delay in LA, as the airspace was closed so Air Force One and the President could land, the five hour trip to the islands was punctuated by occasional cries but was mostly long and uneventful. Ally and Kendyll got In a little nap. Amber’s kids were pretty content with their videos and games.

It was definitely bucket list time, as we made it to the beach in Kihei, Maui to watch the sunset over the Pacific. Aloha from all of us-I can’t tell you how grateful I am to be here with all my family tonight.

Weekend Roundup

Posted on June 2, 2013 by Exechorseluver

Lauren and Feather had a horse show on Saturday. Typically, jumpers go first so it was decided to move Feather back to the jumper ring and move her up in height so she would be tackling the 2’9-3 foot jumps for the first time. Ally was coming down to stay with the kids so Rick and Dodie could have a break and also so they would be here for mom’s 89th birthday party.

Not clear as to why, but the schedule got reversed at the horse show and suddenly we were waiting most of Saturday to ride. As it got later and later, we made the decision to stay in the lower division of jumpers as it would go first and we could get home to Ally.

Feather working her way through the course.

It turned out to be a good decision, Feather was jumping very well. She would have been fine at the higher height but I think Lauren was more confident going in at her usual height. All their rounds were clean, under the allowed time and she placed better each round. There were 12 or so horses and she picked up a sixth, fifth and fourth without any push on the speed. Dev told them their last round was the best they have ever ridden. It was nice. While waiting for our rounds, we met up with the owner of Feather’s same age, half-sister. It was great to see the two mares together, both from the stallion, Flagmount’s Freedom. The sister, Flagmount’s Mischief owned by Robbie Peterson, had been started earlier than Feather and has come further than Feather. They ended up tying for Grand Champion of their Open Jumper division and I know Robbie was there working on precision not speed.

Lauren on Flagmount’s Irish Freedom and Robbie with Flagmount’s Mischief

It was a busy evening, getting Ally and the girls settled, the horses done and chores finished. I stayed with baby Kendyll as they all went to town for ice cream.

This morning, we got going early cooking and fixing things up for mom’s 139th birthday (really her 89th). I appreciate all of you that sent cards and suspect she may have a few more before her actual birthday on Tuesday. She was so happy to hear from everyone and was humbled that so many cared to send cards!

Momma’s many cards, flowers and gifts!

I think she had a great celebration and the only downside is that she asked for Jim over and over. We told her he just wasn’t feeling up to making the party today but loved her and had sent a card.

She loved her new clothes and couldn’t wait to try them on.

Ally went with Lauren to take her home. We had quite a rain and I wanted to get the horses back out. I carried Kendyll to the barn in my good arm with Jordyn along to help out. I quickly gave up holding Ken and getting the horses. I sat Kendyll down in the sand and quickly got the horses turned out. In that short moment of time, Kendyll and Jordyn got covered in sand. In their hair, mouth, and all over. So, what is a grandma to do?

The girls in the farmhouse sink.

What else, stick them in the sink!

Reflections

Posted on June 1, 2013 by Exechorseluver

Papa Rick taking care of Kendyll’s breathing treatment. On top of Ally’s broken arm, Ken has bronchitis! Rick can handle it-he was a Marine!

As the weekend is upon us again, so quickly after the short work week, I want to provide a few updates. First, a huge thank you to Luke, his mom, Dodie, and his dad, Rick who spent this entire week taking care of my daughter Ally. I do not know how she would have made it through this first ‘broken arm’ week without their love, support and 24-hour a day help.

Last night at the graduation, both in-laws appeared a little worn. Taking care of a household, two children, dogs and chores will do that to you. Lauren and I cared for Kendyll and Jo last weekend and were wiped out. Rick told me he doesn’t know how Ally does it. I think it is important for all of us to reflect on another’s life from time to time. A lot of us, me included, have done the days with small children, jobs, animals and busy lives, but we do forget the constant intensity of it all. If I choose to not do some chore at the barn tonight, I can do so. I can come in early and read a great book. With children, little ones especially, that is not a choice.

The advent of working parents, day care, and sick kids is not new. My ex-husband and I struggled with the ‘who stays home with the sick kid today’. I think it has only gotten worse as clearly most homes rely on two incomes to function. Ally clearly relies on two arms to function, especially with a baby. It is all so hard. My daughter Amber’s family has had one illness after another and has no family to call upon in Denver. I worry that one day, Amber will just collapse under the weight of sleeplessness and responsibilities.

A lot of us grandparents, are happy, eager even, to step in for an overnight visit or a long weekend, but when the days pass on and you are responsible for the full-time care of your grandchildren, it is much more difficult to not want to go home and curl up in your bed.

So, tonight, big thanks to Rick and Dodie who put their lives on hold to run my daughter’s life and care for my grandchildren. Tomorrow Ally and kids will be here and Rick and Dodie will get some much deserved time off.

Families-we are so lucky to have the thoughtful and caring members that we do. May God bless you and keep you (and heal Ally’s arm!).

Graduation

Posted on May 31, 2013 by Exechorseluver

Jordyn Grace Taylor at her kindergarten graduation

Ally Davis Taylor’s kindergarten graduation

Last night was Jordyn’s kindergarten graduation. I rummaged around and found her mother’s kindergarten graduation picture. While there are similarities between mother and daughter (like the dark hair and eyes) they are also individual beauties as well (spoken like a true mother and grandmother, huh?).

I had to give some serious thought to what exactly they were accomplishing in their graduation from kindergarten. In high school, subsequently in college and beyond there is a set curriculum of study. You become a math major or an accountant, you don’t just play with clay. But as I thought about it, I was surprised with the amount of things that actually are accomplished in those early years before formal education really starts in first grade. The major building blocks of education and life are started. Obviously, someone else has already thought out the ‘everything I needed to know I learned in kindergarten’ thing. But it is so true. Jordyn and Ally before her, learned to count, the alphabet, colors, shapes, basic communication and how to relate to others.

When you stop to think of it that way, kindergarten graduation is really quite a thing to celebrate. I suspect there are very few children (hopefully) in the US that don’t make it at least as kindergarten graduates. It is not an elite group but an important milestone for every child.

Jordyn’s school got started late with the ceremony and included an hour-long school play before we got to the actual graduation. I am ashamed to say I made Lauren leave with me before Jordyn crossed the stage to receive her diploma. My excuse was the long drive, the late hour, the horses were still out in the dark and I had work early this morning. Still, I should have stayed. Thankfully, Jordyn is blessed that both her parents and other set of grandparents stayed to cheer her on. In fact, I don’t think she probably missed me.

It is yet another step in the path of our family and our life. And I know, just like her momma before her, Jordyn was excel at school and studies. An exciting future awaits our little graduate.

Stranger than truth-my life!

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Exechorseluver

Feather with her mane braided ready for the show.

I leave for work in the dark-like before 5:00 am. I drive over ten miles before I hit the freeway and part of it is very rural (think Deliverance). This morning, I am up getting into the new routine of feeding a new pony along with the others, get dressed, get in my little VW and head to work. I am maybe four or five miles from the house when I feel a thunk. I had not seen anything in the road, but figured I had run over something. Immediately my icon lights up on my dash for the battery. I am immediately panicked! I have recently replaced the battery but who knows. I pull over on the dark road. Turn off the car and think, well I might as well try to start it again. It starts right up. Then I realize I have NO power steering. Oh, don’t forget I just had shoulder surgery and am in a giant sling. I try to turn the car around to head back home. Worst thing I have done since my surgery. It hurt so bad. I cannot make the little car turn. I am pretty much in the middle of the rural highway and can see cars (or trucks) coming the opposite direction. It added an extra slice of terror to being stuck in the middle of deliveranceville on the dark road and having no turning ability.

WORST TIME EVER (well, maybe not-but it was bad!). I finally get the car turned around and head home. By this point I am thinking maybe I just am out of power steering fluid. It should have been checked but anything could happen. I wake Lauren up who is due to leave for Feather’s first rated horse show at 7:00. I tell her I am going to Wal-Mart to get power steering fluid and a giant screw driver to open the stupid VW power steering fluid reservoir. I get back just in time for Lauren to leave, and finally open the power steering holder thing. It is full of fluid. I pour some in for good measure. I get Lauren to test drive the car because my arm is killing me. She doesn’t even get to the end of the driveway and it is obvious the car is not steering. GEEZ!

So, in spite of her needing desperately to leave, I have her drive the car to only mechanic in town. I follow her in the Jeep which is barely an on-road vehicle but it has power steering. We leave the car.

Back at the house, Lauren hasn’t even gotten out of the drive to leave for the horse show when I see a missed call on my phone. The mechanic leaves a message that says, “I have real bad news, but some good news too”. Okay, we had this talk about the vet that does not leave specific messages. I was freaking out that I had blown my engine or something (although was a little unclear what the good news was going to be).

I get the mechanic on the phone. This is the stranger than truth part. I know some of you men reading along are guessing what is wrong with my car-I guarantee this is NOT what you are thinking-I lost the engine belt when a cat had gotten up in the engine. That ‘thunk’ I heard was part of the cat falling out of the engine. The rest of cat managed to pull the belt off the engine (thus triggering the battery light because it was not charging the alternator). I really don’t know how that effected the power steering but it did. So the bad news was my cat was dead-not to be flippant-but what is a week at my place without a dead cat. Pretty much all the ones I have neutered are dead as well. I think this was one of the wild kittens. The good news was they only had to order a replacement belt (which would take half the day) but it was not a major deal. Wow-so who guessed there was a cat in my engine taking off my belts? Yeah!

I finally got the car back (had to take a vacation day from work) around 1 pm and headed up to try to catch Lauren and Feather make their rated show debut. I get there with my poodle, Kona, to learn Lauren has lost her phone. She heads to the show ring and I go searching for her phone. I am walking with Kona toward the show office when some random man stops me. Excitedly he tells me, “I found your dog’s phone!!”. A cell phone with Kona’s picture on it is in the office. At least four more people stop me with Kona to tell me “his” phone is in the office. Really people? But I guess it did pay off to have such an easily identifiable picture on your cell phone background. So, remember that-for safety sake- take a picture of something that is uniquely you and yet you are willing to parade this object around in public and put it on your phone. That way if you lose your phone people know it is yours. Perhaps another idea is to take a photo of your business card-less embarrassing than people thinking the poodle had a phone.

Lauren and Feather had good rounds. Feather looked beautiful and Lauren rode well. They earned two third places today. But keeping with my kooky day, on the way home, we were watching the road for where we thought the kitten had fallen out when we were stopped by chickens in the road.

Why did the chicken cross the road-to get in front of my car!

Jordyn got sent home from school with diarrhea and a sore bottom Tuesday and I flashed back to her Monday night playing with Codi, her Florida friend. They were busily chipping off pieces of my giant horse salt block and eating it. Codi’s mom warned not to let Jordyn have milk for three hours because the salt coupled with milk caused Codi to projectile vomit. And it burned when it came back up. Explains Jordyn’s sore bottom. Trying telling the school that story. Wow.

I have had it with living in rural crazyville! Dev says we should just get our reality show. Then Kona could get his own cell phone!

___________________________

My momma has been under the weather. She will be okay but sure could use any prayers you could send her way.