A friend with a pony....

...is a great friend to have!!  Kate's friend Hailey's family runs a horse boarding and shoeing business, and they've also got two ponies which the kids got a chance to ride last weekend.  Kate even started learning how to steer by herself!  Hailey's dad patiently walked Will around their whole property since he didn't want to get off.  They've also got all measure of farm machinery and Will was particularly excited that he got to operate the bucket on the tractor--Grandpa Bobby, Will is probably going to ask you to "upgrade" your tractor since he's been wondering why yours doesn't have a big bucket on it.  I think the days that we can fool him with a riding lawn mower are numbered!  They also loved feeding Hailey's chickens and collecting the eggs, although Kate is now seriously curious why some eggs turn to chicks and some don't....every time we crack an egg, she asks, "Do you think it's going to be a real chick?"  Probably just the beginning of tough questions for which I have no great, satisfactory answer!  Of course, Kate also told me that "we should just get a pony for our house."  I told her that we didn't have room in our yard, and she said "well, daddy can just make some more room!"  Hailey's parents said she came home from our house saying that they needed a new house with a playroom, so I guess we're even.

On another note, I can't quite believe it's already Friday again when I meant to put these pictures up last Sunday!  Oh well, looks like life is only going to get busier.  Someone recently suggested that maybe I should read the book "250 Ways to Say No" since I don't seem to be very good at that!  I must say, though, that it's fun to be busy when I get to do so many things that involve our fantastic kids and the amazing community we've found here.  We've definitely found "our place" in the world, which is a pretty special think to have found!