Football, cheer leading and more football...

A few weeks ago Steven started flag football. The same as with t-ball they spend the first few weeks running drills and learning about the game and then they scrimmage at the end of the season. Two of his best friends Caiden and Tommy are on his team and the three of them have fun.

 Steven teaching his friends how to climb a fence ;)

 On the way to practice Mike spotted a dead armadillo on the side of the road. The kids BEGGED to see it, so we stopped on our way home. When we got home Adam cried because he missed it, so we drove back for him to say "Hi" again. He wanted to eat it, (he's had snail, so why not armadillo) but we said no. There were tears but he got over it.

Sarah started cheer leading, but I haven't been able to take a good picture yet. I snuck in during practice to take this one. They are working on a "secret" cheer we can't see until next Thursday.

Last Saturday we went with my cub scout pack to a Mississippi State football game. It was the kids first college football game and we had a lot of fun.

The kids have now finished up football and cheer. Here are some pictures of Steven with his team mates and coach.

Sarah performed a really cute dance with her cheer group before the awards ceremony. 

Sarah's first horse riding lesson

There are many things in the animal kingdom that are instinctual. Dogs can swim, cats land on their feet, sea turtles find the ocean, salmon return to their birthplace to lay eggs and little girls love horses. It's ingrained in their DNA. My mom has horses and Sarah has loved being around them since she was little. Last Saturday Sarah had her first official riding lesson.

Her teachers name is Jordan. Her husband is a student pilot and they moved here in July to begin his training. Her horse is Kody and he's a 15 year old thoroughbred that is 14.3 hands tall. A great height for little Sarah. Jordan is 22 and has owned Kody for 11 years so they have kind of grown up together.

They started the lesson with an orientation of the barn, stall and tack room. The stables and arena are located on base and rented to military personnel stationed here.

Next Jordan taught Sarah how to prepare Kody to be ridden. First she put on the halter and lead, (I'm going to butcher this, I know) brush him off, clean his hooves, put on his blanket and saddle and then his bridle and reins. 

 The helmet is a "little" big :)

 Sarah wanted to say hi to some of the other residents

Sarah then got to lead Kody to the riding arena.

During her riding lesson Sarah learned how to walk him, stop, turn, go in circles and back up.

 Sarah practiced stopping him between the two poles

 After the lesson Sarah led Kody back to the stable

About half of every lesson will be spent taking care of the horse, so Sarah learned what to do after riding a horse.

He has three sets of brushes and Sarah put them to good use insisting he be well groomed.

Kody gets his own private pasture

It wasn't dinner time, but Jordan let her set out his hay for later.

I forgot to snap a picture of it, but Sarah asked if she could sweep around his stall to make sure it was clean. Jordan informed her that it would be dirty two minutes later, but she still wanted it clean.

I was surprised by how much she learned in her first lesson. She will overcome my equestrian knowledge in a week or two tops.