Horse Shows

You all know how much my Jill LOVES to ride and how much she LOVES her Sport Model, more affectionately known as Sporty Lou. Well, this year Jill has started showing in the academy walk/trot division and is doing very well. She is becoming such a good little equestrian and has won may blue ribbons for her equitation. Sporty is doing great also and even won Champion and Champion Reserve at the Westminster horse show in Tuscaloosa. Jill was one proud pony owner! Hope you enjoy a few pics from previous shows.

A picture with just a few of her ribbons... we are missing a few here.

Rider #514, Jill Alexander riding Sport Model

Hanging out in the 80 degree heat in all that show garb - wool coat, long sleeve button up, gloves, velvet helmet, pants, and boots. Makes me hot just typing it :)

One very loved little girl and pony!

That smile makes every dollar more than worth it!!!

Where Has the Time Gone?

Today is a BIG day for my little Luke, although I guess I need to drop the little because today is a big boy day! Each year his preschool takes all the 4 year old classes to the elementary school for a preview for next year. Today was Luke's field trip to kindergarten and I don't think I am ready for this! I cannot believe he is about to turn 5 and enter big school! CPES - Are you ready for this???

Eli's Induction into the Beta Club

I have to take a moment to brag on my sweet and smart Eli. He was recently inducted into the National Junior Beta Club at school! He is such a good student along with all his other activities! Eli, we are so very proud of you. Keep up the hard work!

A Big Day - Part Two!

After Jill's run we made our way to Cameron Oaks Farm, the farm where Jill takes riding lessons. As you probably know, we have been in the market for a pony for several months now. Jill has "lost" a couple of ponies to other buyers and had one that she loved but that had a vice that she couldn't tolerate, so this experience has been heartbreaking at times. Well, when we got to the farm, our trainer, Deana Hunter met us at the car to say that someone had bought Sporty, the most recent pony we had been trying out. She said that the little girl was coming to get her and asked Jill if she would like to go see him before he left. Jill, stone-faced agreed, and I am sure was thinking, "Here we go again." We got into the barn and Sporty was in his stall with a big red bow on his saddle - or maybe I should say, Jill's saddle. She realized immediately that it was her saddle and was confused. It took a minute for her to figure out that she was the little girl who would be getting Sporty - That he was finally hers!!! Once she figured this out, she was ELATED! Enjoy her story in pictures...

Heading into the pony barn to say goodbye to Sporty - or so she thinks...

"Hey, that's my saddle."

I LOVE this pony!

And now, He is ALL mine!!!

35 degrees with a 20 mph wind - it was frreeeezzzing, but she was the happiest girl on the planet!!! Welcome to the family, Sporty! You will be well LOVED!

A Big Day!

Yesterday was a BIG day in the Alexander family. We started our day in downtown Birmingham where Jill ran the last mile of her Mercedes Kids Marathon. Over the past three months she ran 25 miles while training at home and at school. Yesterday she completed her marathon by running the last mile! Since she is only in the 1st grade I got to run with her. Let me tell you that she ran EVERY step without so much as breathing hard! To this asthmatic mother, I was elated by that fact!!! She ran her mile in about 10 minutes which is actually the pace I run. She promised me that when she is 16 she will run the Mercedes half-marathon with me. I am keeping my fingers crossed that she will pick up my love for running! What better running partner could a Mom have?
Getting ready to go! It was soooo cold, 35 degrees with 18 mph winds at 10:40 a.m.!!!

The family ready to cheer Miss Jill on!!!

And she is off and running!

Still going....

Eli and Luke are so proud of their sister!!!

Our Gingerbread Barn

Every year the kiddos beg me for a gingerbread house and I always fall for it and buy one from Wal Mart. It never turns out the way it is supposed to and I find sticky icing all over my kitchen for days. Sooooo, this year I had put them off and put them off and thought I would get away without having to do this lovely holiday craft this year.... WRONG and it is all MY fault!!!

I was in Tractor Supply the other day just browsing (don't you all go in Tractor Supply just to browse?) and came upon a gingerbread barn kit! Well, we spend so much time at the barn that I thought this would be perfect for our family... WHAT WAS I THINKING?!?!? Perfect in theory, but a barn goes together just like the house does and it does not work! Within 5 minutes of getting the roof on the barn, it collapsed. (Fortunately no horses or ponies were injured in the making of our gingerbread barn.) What you will see below is a very lovely, very sticky open air gingerbread barn which by the way, Jamie and I did 90% of... where were the kiddos you might ask - well they would run in and check our progress, stick on a piece of candy or two, then head back down to the basement for a much more exciting time...

Merry Christmas from our barn to yours!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas!

The Alexander Crew just loves this time of year!!! We are counting down the days to Christmas and were so excited when Santa, the big man himselft, made a stop at our house this past Saturday! He read the kids "Twas the Night Before Christmas" and let them tell him exactly what they want for Christmas. He also made a very special delivery... our elf JingleMint! The kiddos have been looking for JingleMint since Thanksgiving and have been so worried that he might not come back. They were thrilled when Santa pulled him out from behind his back and handed him to Mom! Now to be good for 20 more days - can we do it?!?!?

JingleMint is back!!!

Santa told the kiddos a very big secret... He told them the name of his sleigh! Do you know what it is???