Camping with the horses

This past weekend we loaded up 2 of the horses, both dogs and the kids and went camping and trail riding at one of my favorite local state parks.  It is nice because there is an arena to ride in and a ton of trails.  You can be out for a couple hours or 20 minutes, which is great with the kids.  My mom, Dave (my stepdad), my two youngest sisters (Kasi and Kennidy), Annie and Tina were all there!  Vince and Joel were so excited to spend time with all of them and to ride.  With 4 aunts, Grandma and Grandpa around you are bound to be spoiled a little.  Plus camping usually means snacking all day and eating late meals, getting to stay up late and eating s'mores, and having sleepovers with your Aunts.  If you are lucky (the kids not the adults) it also means no nap!  It is no wonder the kids love camping. 

Joel wore his helmet around most of Saturday and Sunday and didn't want to take it off and when he would cry or throw a fit all you had to do was set him up in a saddle and he would stop.  Joel and Brad ride together on our horse Croc.  Joel is so steady in the saddle and just loves it!  We let him sit in the saddle by himself and we led him around camp and he thought he was pretty cool.  Croc is a pretty tall horse and Joel looked like such a peanut.  Vince had fun riding this weekend too.  He sat in the buddy seat behind me on Hank and never once asked to go back to camp.  We went up and down plenty of hills and he was happy as could be!  Around camp Vince sat up on Croc with Brad and took the reins and Brad was teaching him how to steer and such.  It was fun to see Brad and Vince working together and Vince following directions and having fun!  Until it was time for me to watch and then he was being a goof and doing the opposite of what Brad told him and laughing about it.

Joel and Croc

Boots fall off his feet when we ride, so this cowboy wears sandals.

Brad, Joel and Croc

Saturday night there was a full moon and everyone was in bed but my mom, Dave and me.  We were sitting around the fire talking.  I was sitting in one of their lawn chairs and I had moved it to get away from the smoke, when I sat down the chair broke and the back of the chair went flying backwards like a recliner all the way to the ground.  It happened so fast all I knew is that my feet were in the air and I was laughing!  Other than being embarrassed for breaking a chair (it turns out it was probably 20 years old) I was fine.

Joel fixing the tire

Sunday my sisters wanted us to go out on a ride with them, but with out the boys.  So, Grandma and Grandpa (Vince calls him Papa Razzi) took the boys to the park down the rode while we went out on a ride.  My sisters all wanted to go a little faster than a walk and my mom wouldn't let them without supervision, so Brad and I were the supervision.  My mom had offered to be the supervision, but my sisters figured Brad and I would be more fun.  I like to think they were right :)  We had fun!

Kasi talking on her phone and riding

Creek Crossing

Sometime after our trip to MI I lost my camera charger, so this weekend all I had was my cell phone for pictures.  Vince really was with us, but not by us very much.  He would tell me he was going to Grandma Dawn's camp.  So, I must not have taken any pictures of him...what a bad mom!

Tina pretending I wasn't taking pictures

Kasi and Kennidy

Brad and Annie