Monday, Bill was off again (!!) for Easter. The weather looked better so we decided to drive north to a beach we had visited during our first few months here.
I remember loving this beach for how vast it feels. It is a windy, surfing beach with beautiful white sand.
these dunes provide so much entertainment for the kids.
I could watch surfers forever! I’m too chicken to try it – but looks so awesome.
a dude doing paddleboard surfing.
I love that the waves come in…waves – there is always a lull where it seems the surfers get a little break before more waves come pounding in.
bill manning the sand dune. the kids were playing in a little bowl on the other side.
a wind protected play area.
I was enjoying the quiet and watching the surfers.
a cloud covered the sun and made it cold!
claire is constantly dealing with sand everywhere because she covers herself in it.
they were sliding down the dunes and having a blast.
claire.
apparently we only trained charlie properly - to actually LOOK at mom when she says “kids look and smile!”
daddy burying time. claire wanted to be covered all the way up to her neck!
charlie’s next!
then we drove to our main activity for the day – horseback riding!
bill even wore his cowboy shirt for it.
the kids were able to meet some of the “ole trusty” horses in the paddock before riding.
The girls were too young to ride on their own so Bill nominated himself to give them paddock rides and for me and Charlie to do the 1 hour beach ride. Thankfully, we were able to do the paddock rides before we left for our ride. The girls were talking a BIG game about riding the horses before we got there. They would say things like “I want to ride RIGHT NOW!!”. Then we showed up and brought out Rick – a super delightful old soul – and they FREAKED. They started backing up and saying no and basically losing all sense.
So we put Charlie up on Rick.
and these two emotionally unstable girls watched and acted all cool from the fence (claire is in the all pink- so surprise there).
charlie loved it.
after a lot of coaxing, we decided to just set Ellie up on Rick from the side and see what she would do. She took it ok and I put her leg over and all of a sudden she acted like so had NO issues all along. In fact, watching her delight was awesome.
a little nervous…
HAPPY.
I am not sure I should wish for this, but I do hope they love riding. What a fun thing for us to do together! (right mom!?)
Claire watching – getting up enough nerve to go.
she was a bit nervous when I started….
but then felt proud!
pure joy!
after coming off of Rick they acted like they were cowgirls.
all ready to go on my ride!
after leaving the farm that day every inch of the kids was covered in horse manure. yuck!
the wranglers had to assign horses according to ability and Bill told them I was a pro. listening to the other guests describe how horrible and scared they were brought me back to the year I worked at Lone Mountain.
Charlie’s horse Rick was called out and he went out there as if he did it every day.
up he went!
Rick got bored of waiting and put himself back in the ring when he felt like it. Since the ride was still loading they had to keep hauling Rick back out. ha!
on my horse – Dess. Dess was not the most obedient horse. He apparently is usually only ridden by wranglers because he MUST lead. If he is in the lead he is pretty good, but HE decides everything. It was nice to ride a horse that I had to actually work with, but a few times I thought he was just trying to buck me off.
charlie coming in with Rick for the start of the ride.
so big, yet so little!
think he was happy?
Rick basically brings up the rear.
I quickly snapped a few photos while on the ride. we took the horses through a stream (pretty deep actually) and into the ocean – that was awesome.
Dess wasn’t happy about being behind.
do you see Charlie and Rick way in the back? waiting for Rick is what made Dess ree unhappy. Charlie ended up trotting and cantering with Rick!
while we were riding – Claire was enjoying some CHOCOLATE!
what gorgeous seestors.
ellie riding the fake pony.
more climbing dirty fences and getting manure on everything.
arriving back at the farm!
claire waiting for the horses to come back from the ride.
Both girls were able to ride Georgie again and loved it.
Bill surprised Charlie with a “I love Rick” t-shirt! It even has a picture of Rick on it! ha!
it was another fun adventure and I am so thankful Bill found it (and let me do the ride!).
