J Cooper Photography

We spent the weekend at the lake lounging around, sailing the sunfish, working our thighs on the paddle boat, and eating from the cooler.  The cabin is just about done and we were the first official visitors.  It will be a fun family place in the years to come I’m sure.  It was mostly just a grand time (minus the grumpy 2 year old who wanted to electrocute himself on the open outlets or eat random tools).

We rushed back to our house on Sunday afternoon to ready ourselves for a busy week of 4-H.  You read that right.  I successfully passed down my geekish love of the COUNTY FAIR and ALL THINGS 4-H to The Brainiac.  I have never felt more proud.  She joined a 4-H group this summer along with her horse riding lessons and will be spending every waking moment sweating and shoveling poop at the county fair this week.  I’ve never seen a child more excited about horse poo ever.  She’s a rare breed (pardon the pun).

There are things that come in handy when living in the cornfields.  And a good pair of cowboy boots is one of them.  Who knew there would be a shortage on size 3 boots the week before the fair.  Things you learn when you move to a new place.   (We ended up with purple ones so the world can go back to spinning now).

This one spends her days reading about horses (she’s read the entire Black Stallion series twice), drawing horses, quizzing me on horse breeds and their coloring, writing horse stories, and eating (like a horse).  She’s obsessed in a good way.  I find her obsession endearing and charming although I secretly worry that her classmates at school have dubbed her “The Horse Girl” (you remember her from your 4th grade class don’t you?)  She’d love nothing more than to plaster her newly re-done bedroom with horse posters.  So I’ve been scouring Etsy for some horsey photography and paint by numbers.

Her love affair with horses started sometime between the ages of 3 and 4.   She begged for a horse quilt.  Then she wanted a horse Webkinz.  And then it spiraled out of control from there.  And she’s been a lost cause ever since.

It’s fun to watch your kids find their passion!