View from the Kitchen Window: cloudy sky
Listen in: ds4 growling at Baby Girl
Supper Plans: Spaghetti, salad, corn on the cob (we had BLTs last night)
What I Plan to Do Today: Go to the library with ds4 and Baby Girl
Beauty in the Common Things: sleeping with the windows open

My Oldest Daughter

We seem to have lost a child around here somewhere. The good thing is, she has been replaced with a new, improved model! Yes, I am talking about my oldest daughter. For the past week and a half, I have been giving her my vitamins, Double X. She takes 1/2 the dosage of adults.

The difference in her is unbelievable. I had no idea that she would change so drastically, I just thought it would be nice to have her taking a very good quality vitamin and that it would help her not get sick as much, feel better, etc. Well, we now call these vitamins "Happy Pills." She is a delight to be around, she is more responsible, she is doing things like cleaning her room without being asked to, getting her homework done promptly when she gets home from school, not fighting with me and dh, smiling more, laughing more, etc. These may not seem like big improvements to those of you who have happy children, but if you know my daughter, you will know why we are so excited about these improvements.

Her change in attitude really is incredible!

(I get them for about $25 cheaper then the price listed on the above link)

Leo

My dad called last night to tell us that Leo, our family horse, had died. We got Leo when I was 2 years old. He was 2 years old at the time, according to Dad. So that means he would have been 30 on his upcoming birthday in March. (My sisters have also written about Leo on their blogs and I think we all have a different age for him)
Leo was a part of our family. That may sound strange to some of you, because he was "just a horse." But he was so special to all of us. I don't remember not having him. Leo is a piece of my childhood that is now gone. I feel so sad about this and I miss him. He was just always there. All of the grandchildren have ridden him except Baby Girl. I have pictures of my two oldest children riding Leo when they were 3 months old! They were riding with Papa, of course. :)

If we happened to be at Mom and Dad's on Leo's birthday, we made him a carrot cake and gave it to him. Ha! Isn't that funny? We just loved this horse so much. My friends in junior high and high school will even remember him, because they rode him, too. I remember one summer day when 2 guy friends stopped by. They decided they were going to play cowboys. They ran out to the pasture and jumped on Leo bareback. Of course, they thought he would take off running and it would be this wild adventure. He just stood there! I think he may have even started munching grass! It was so funny, because he was like, "Boring." I love that memory.

I have so many memories of Leo. He was part of my life from 2 to 30. Another funny memory is when my friend Candy and I wanted to ride him in our front yard. We were probably 7 years old at the time. I rode in the front and she rode in the back. Well, she didn't know that if you put your feet in the horse's flank (I think that's what it's called- basically it's the tender spot between the tummy and the hip) the horse will buck! That's how rodeo horses buck so much, they put a strap around the horse's flank. Anyway, Candy put her feet there and dug in tight to hang on. Well, Leo started hopping! It was like he was just hopping around the yard. We both fell off and were laughing so hard we couldn't stand up. I'm sure it was hilarious to watch.

Ds8 didn't know the word "horse" until he was about 4. Every horse was a "Leo." He still loves horses, but he no longer calls them all Leo. :)

I haven't told my kids that he died. They are going to be so sad. Just a couple of days ago ds6#2 said, "Mommy, can we go to Mom and Papa's on Leo's birthday and make him another carrot cake?" I really don't know of another horse who got cake on his birthday. Not every birthday, but a few. :)

I have lots of pictures of Leo and the kids, but I don't think they are digital pictures. My scanner is broken so I can't scan them in. I'll look for a digital picture of him and put it on my blog if I find one.

Goodbye, Leo.