A Busy Winter

We have entered the stage in life where our lives are directed by our children's schedules.  In actuality this has been happening for a while, for several months at least, maybe longer than a year.  What we do with our free time, whether it is in the evening or on the weekends, depends entirely on what the girls have going on.  I've always tried to limit how many activities they are involved in, because I think it is important for them (and me) to have unstructured time to just hang out or do whatever the spirit guides us to do.  This winter I feel like we haven't had enough unstructured time, that we've been stretched a little thin with the addition of girls basketball to our schedule, which already has piano and horseback riding every week, and Girl Scouts twice a month.  I love basketball, but it has meant one additional night out of the house at practice or a game for Elise, and sometimes half the day on Saturday with one or both of them practicing or having a game.  I'm very glad they are participating, they have learned their bodies can do really cool things, have learned to communicate and play with a team, and have continued to build their self-confidence.  I think the key is making sure all the positives of participating are not wiped out by any  of the negatives that come with overscheduling, and that means trying to decrease activity in other areas so we make sure we still get sufficient down time at home. Sometimes we have been successful at that, and other times not.  Our typical weekend this winter has been basketball on Saturday and horseback riding on Sunday.  Both basketball and riding are a ton of fun to watch, but it has been a little tiring at times.  This weekend marks the end of our basketball season, and I am looking forward to having a little more free time!

Basketball

Anja has finished up her basketball season.

Elise at her last game.

She is taking a shot!

I think she looks so awesome.

Coming in after the freethrow.

At last week's game (which I couldn't get to), Elise made two baskets.  At her latest game, she took a couple of shots, one of which you can see here.

Horseback Riding

Almost every Sunday we spend a good portion of the day at a horse barn where the girls are taking lessons, learning about how to care for a horse and how to ride.  For most of the winter we have had good weather and it has been a lovely way to spend Sunday afternoons, outside and surrounded by horses.

The girls started riding in October, and Elise has been riding nearly every week and is really progressing.  She is walking and trotting, posting at the trot, and riding in two-point position (she needs to learn this before she can learn to jump).  On her next lesson she may canter, which she is super excited about!  Since October, Anja has had a couple of lessons, but since then she has been more interested in just petting the horses, helping Kelly, the stable hand, or playing with the owner's children and their dogs.  Recently, the riding instructor asked Anja if she just wanted to get on a horse and walk around and she said "sure."  At first, Elise walked her around, then Anja was on her own.  She did great!

We've had a couple of chillier days when we
needed to bundle up a bit more.

The two girls having a discussion about something,
or possibly Elise giving Anja some tips.

Anja on her own, on Annabelle!

Elise showing her sister how to clean a hoof,
and helping her do it.  I love to see these girls
work together!

Horse Girls

I have loved horses and riding my whole life.  When I was young, my dad was a cowboy and until I was 6 we lived on cattle ranches, so horses were around quite a lot, and I was up on them from an early age.    

Me, 2 years old

After we moved into town I wasn't around them as much, only when we visited friends or family who had horses, then I would beg to ride and hope they would let me.

When I was about 10, mom and dad bought me my own horse and I was in heaven!!  I think I rode almost every day (especially in the summer).  When I went to college my riding days ended for the most part, with just a few times in the saddle here and there over the next several years. 

 A couple years ago, a friend of mine in Thief River who had horses offered to give Elise riding lessons, so for a few weeks that year we all rode; Elise with our friend, getting some direct instruction, and me riding double with Anja, just having fun.

Elise in Minnesota, 2012

Me and Anja in Minnesota, 2012

Here in Virginia last year, the girls rode one day with Girl Scouts, and did a week of horse camp at a local stable where they got to ride every day.  They were really interested in taking lessons, and at the end of October they started with an instructor.  Elise has been going great guns;  Anja has been on a few times, but at this point is more interested in just petting and feeding the horses than riding.  She goes out every week, but we always tell her she doesn't have to ride unless she wants to.  She's been on about three times at this point.  

Elise was NOT excited about riding English at first (I haven't met a person here yet who rides Western), but as she does it more and learns more, she has become more comfortable and is progressing nicely!  One great benefit of the climate here is that the girls have been riding every week, even into December!  The coldest it has been on riding days is in the 40s, and we just bundle up.

Horsing Around

Hilltop Stables

We have been pretty busy with Girl Scouts in the past month, with some fun special events.  One of those was a trip to Hilltop Stables, just down the road from us, where the girls learned about horses and riding and earned an Equestrian badge.

They spent quite a bit of time in the barn, getting lessons on the parts of a horse's body, how to groom a horse, and the parts of a bridle and saddle. 

After that, they headed outside to learn about and practice vaulting and riding.  It was a lot of fun to watch the demonstration of vaulting, which I had read about but never seen, and to watch the girls practice that.  It was also fun to see the girls riding English, since the only riding they'd done to that point had been Western.  We love new experiences!

Practicing 2-point position, which must be learned
before a person can do any jumps.  We did not
do jumps that day.  Whew!

Anja in two-point position.