Watching the Sunset at the Lake- Aug 14, 2009

Melanie's 11th Birthday

She got a little jewelry box horse that opens up. Now she can put her little charms in something when they are not on her bracelets. She also got some Pandora charms and bracelets.

Maeby helping Mel open her presents

The Y is missing on birthday because Maeby thought it looked really tasty, she will however advise anyone not to eat the "Y". It wasn't quite as good as she anticipated.

We made homemade pizzas for Melanie's birthday dinner. They turned out awesome.

On Saturday just after Mels big day, we took Melanie to her own private ride out at Red Gum Stables.  Will works with one of the owners at the Thales plant. They are closed for the winter months, but they opened up for one day just for us so Melanie could have a fun birthday ride.

Several of the horses had just had babies, this one is just a day old, getting to see and pet the new foal was better for Melanie than all of the riding she could do. Maeby loved it too.

Spencer found something way more fun than a horse, he got to ride a tire, sorry, its a"tyre". It was buried 2 feet in the ground but that didn't stop him from riding it. Yeee-hawww!

Maeby cheesing it up for some photos on the woodpile.

This looked a lot neater in real life than it turned out in the photo.

While Melanie was off on the horses, the little kids took rides on a pony. That is Will's friend Darren who hooked us up with the morning of horsing around.

Spencer having a go. 

Melanie had to have a ride on the pony too, her legs almost dragged on the ground, she is getting so big. Its so hard to believe how old my baby is getting.

A pretty scene of horses in the muddy paddock among the gum trees

Melanie helped gear up the pony for the kids to ride.

Melanie out in the bush on her ride.

This pony is just the right size for Maeby. She said it was hers.

After our morning of horses, we headed out to Penny's house for more. A fun filled day of stinky animals. Looking at this sweet baby sheep, one would expect it to be so soft and cuddly, however this sheep was apparently growing steel wool. It was disappointingly course and rough.

Cute? Yeah, but you should have seen the kids and Penny trying to catch this little lightning bolt. Me and Will were rolling in laughter watching them stumbling around the paddock and the lamb darted to and fro in evasive maneuvers. It was hilarious!

Liam tried to hold it like a human baby, it didn't quite like that. Liam got booted in the face a few times but never let go. That too brought on a fit of laughter.Ahhhh, that's better.

Hell, we rode the horses, ponies and tyres, lets just ride the goats too. Anything else we can ride?

Now that's taking the goat by the horns.

Melanie walked the big horse from the Woodfords all the way to down town Milawa, we followed close behind on foot.

Maeby had a cushy ride in a wheel barrow pulled by Daddy.

Will took the big horse out for a spin. He looked like he was having fun, but he said he didn't like the saddle without the horn. Running the horse around he felt like he was going to fall off every time the horse turned or stopped fast. It does take some getting used too, last time I rode it was the same thing...where is the dang handle?!

After Penny's house we headed to church for a mystery night. The church was taped off for a crime scene and there was a pretend dead body covered and a smeared chocolate hand print on the glass door. When we were finally allowed to enter the building, we were greeted by this sign...then the kids went wild. Our camera died so we didn't get to take any picture of it, but the room was covered with heaps of chocolate and a chocolate fountain for dipping. And all the games had something to do with chocolate. The kids sneaked out to take a peek at the "dead person" and found that it was just some clothes and a balloon for the head. Later when President Key was telling the kids about how someone broke into the building to steal the chocolate and died from eating too much, he asked one of the kids to look to see who it was (they were not scared because they had already peeked) out jumped William (one of the youth) and scared the daylights out of the kids. One girl was so scared she cried for a long time.

Happy 11th Birthday Melanie

Echuca

We went to Echuca to see the town and not 5 minutes on main street we were passed by a stage coach, everyone looked longingly at the people riding by with smiles on their faces, waving at us as they passed as if they were special. I could tell all the kids were wishing it was them on that coach. 10 minutes later we walked right by the place where they load up and ride...one thing led to another and next thing you know, we were cruising the town waving at people ourselves.

Riding shotgun.

The main street there in Echuca near the port area

Maeby was happy as can be to be riding on the very top of the stage coach.

These guys were almost too cool to take a stage coach ride.

As you know, Melanie absolutely adores horses, this is such a cute picture of her. Don't know what he meant, but Willy said these ones made him kind of thirsty...

The next bunch jumping on for a ride.

Look at that sucker...no I mean the big freakin' 150 lb one in the window.

We stopped to get some family photos on the way home, the spot was too good to pass up so we had to give it a try. Apparently Willy is not as fast as he used to be the auto timer on the camera was a little too quick for him this time.

There, that's a little better.

Mom and the boys 

See, isn't this just a perfect picture spot? Its like a natural frame.

Another attempt.

Maeby was way more interested in playing with Mel than taking a photo.

The rays coming through the clouds really made this picture.