Jumping and helping (November 11, 2009)

November 11, 2009
Originally uploaded by Robin's Nest3

This marks day 48 of the 365 day project. Wow! That went by fast. Here's the story behind today's photo...

Tonight was Faith's horseback riding lesson, so we headed off to the riding stable for 6:00 to drop her off, and then Blake and I went grocery shopping.

Lately, Blake's had one massive case of emotional PMS. One minute he's happy and laughing, the next he's whining, the next he's putting a smackdown on his sister. So, when we drove up to the grocery store, it didn't surprise me that he freaked out. "That's not the grocery store!" True...it wasn't our regular store. But, this one carried a few items we needed. As I tried to get him out of the car, he started crying that he didn't want to get groceries, so I was prepared to endure to get the three things I wanted at the store.

Fortunately, the tide turned when I let him put in the quarter to get the cart. Finally, a use for those stupid coin return carts. In grocery stores, I don't both putting him in the cart anymore. He can get out of the belt and stand up when my back is turned, so rather than defy death, he "helps" me get the groceries.

Tonight, he picked out bananas and oranges, and insisted on picking up plums and pears "for Daddy". After he filled each bag, he looked at me very seriously and said, "I'm a good helper."

After our store adventure, capped by pushing the little button on the checkout conveyor belt for us and the people in front of us, we headed back to the stable to pick up Faith. (That's when I took the picture of the barn entrance. It's on the cameraphone, so not the greatest quality, but I liked the composition.)

We got there in time to watch the end of Faith's lesson, and see her do her canter over a one foot jump! She'd done it earlier in the lesson for the first time, but she threw one in for us to watch. Faith was beyond excited that she cantered, off the lunge line, and jumped! Woohoo!

As we chatted while she untacked the horse, Blake watched one of the other girls clean up the horse poop from the riding ring. He became expert enough to then follow her around and point out not only where she missed some poop, but also led her to the bucket where the poop is dumped. At the end, he informed us, "I think that's the last one." He's so helpful.

After we got home, Faith phoned up Grampa to tell him of her horsey accomplishments, and we ended the evening with celebratory popcorn.