The Cavvy

Having 4 kids trapped in the house during cold winter means I have to get MUCH MUCH more creative about keeping them busy.  We got all them "saddled" up and ran "barrels" around the living room, then just pretended to chase cows.  Cade was not happy about lining up for pictures, it was time to play dang it!

Carter making sure Cade was properly mounted on his steed, Biscuit.  Carter's pony is Blaze, and Avery has Pinky.  Carter is not afraid to be the bossy older cousin, although Cade is plenty determined about just when he gets to be bossed around and when he doesn't. 

And they're off!

Meet Kona

Leave it to Robert who never saw a critter he didn't want to bring home!  So now we've added Kona to the petting zoo, a very sweet German Shepherd/Lab cross.  She is really great with the kids and has a great disposition.  Her only downside is that she is pretty sure she would like to chase chickens.  After all the commotion of my dad's dog coming down the hill to see how fast our chicken can run (not nearly fast enough apparently from all the feathers and traumatized chickens) this may not work out very well.  So Kona may not stay for long, but I imagine it won't be too hard to find her another home. 

Action Heros

First look sweet...

Show off your special stick...

Then go for your best action hero pose!

I really like Cade's pose...he goes all out, but would NOT look at the camera.  We were having fun though!

Playing in the park

My sister and I were feeling a bit stir crazy so we headed down to Huntley to play in the park and check out the fancy stuff at R and R trading.  It was really pretty cold for playing outside, but good thing we have some tough kids!  (Well, tough until they got cold, naturally!)  Carter liked riding down on the slide with Aunty!

Avery LOVED the slide!

Chase watching everyone go up and wishing he could climb too! 

Carter and her red cowboy boots she wears everywhere

Carter hoping someone will come play so she can push them!

The Huntley park isn't great for little bitty kids, but we did our best and had a pretty good time.  When everyone got tired and cold, we packed them up and headed to Stokers for lunch.  Always an adventure with 4 kids in a restuarant.  I can't imagine why my parent hardly ever took us out as kids!

Luckily the place was pretty empty, and we wisely sat right next too the pool room, aka the run around the pool table and burn off some energy room without tormenting the other patrons.  Worked pretty good.  Chase didn't understand that there wasn't a dog under his chair, like at home, and kept throwing food everywhere calling out Hadley's name.  I'm sure Hadley would have been very dissapointed had she known the feast that he left for her.  I don't think the waiter was all that impressed though.