Princess and the Pony~Cowgirls Don't Cry

When we first brought Polly home last spring, the girls got started riding bareback right away. No pad, no bridle, just good old-fashioned hold onto the mane, find your balance, and enjoy the ride while Mom leads the way, kind of riding. It was good for them. I could see them getting stronger and more confident with every ride. I vividly remember the day my oldest daughter (Raegen) rode down the path telling me all about how she planned to someday be a trick-rider. She had just seen another one of those little girl and her pony movies and I could tell she had borrowed a few ideas. As she dreamed out loud, I heard all about her plans to stand on Polly’s back, ride her into the water and dive off of her four legged friend. From where she sat, she couldn’t see my smile. But as her energetic words filled the air, I couldn’t help but recall a few of my own childhood cowgirl dreams. It was as if a mini-me sat atop the pony that day.

Time passed and the girls continued to become better riders. I decided it was time to get them in a saddle. A phone call away, sat the saddle that I learned to ride on as a young girl. My father was kind enough to not only save the saddle, but pass it on to his granddaughters. After a trip to the saddlery shop, it was good as new. 

Before too long, the no-hands trick was getting old, and Raegen was ready to move on. She begged for a faster pace. With her cowgirl hat on straight, hands on the horn, and a determined look in her eye, she told me she was ready to trot. So trot we did. Only, a few strides in, Raegen’s hat flew off of her head, giving Polly a bit of a startle. She quickly picked up speed, and then threw on the brakes all in what seemed like the blink of an eye. Meanwhile, Raegen went flying forward, landing on the ground. She was fine. No broken bones, just a couple of bumps and a mighty big scare for a little girl. She stood, dusted off and cried. I held her, and as I did, my childhood came flashing back into my head again. I remembered my first horse mishap. I remembered crying, never wanting to ride even a carousel again, and I remember my Dad making me get back in the saddle. I squeezed her tight, wiped her tears, and when she was settled down, I told her that she had to get back on. She didn't want to at first, but with a little convincing, she threw her leg over the saddle and was riding again. I was so proud of my little girl in that moment. She was brave and strong, and she learned an invaluable lesson that she will hold onto her entire life. How do I know this? Because, I learned the same lesson, the same way, some 25 years ago.

A Lalaloopsy Birthday Party

Ahhh, alas, it is over!

I have this problem where I say silly things like, 

"I'm not going to go all out or do anything fancy this time."

If you ever hear me say this, please know that it is a lie.

While I sometimes try not to put too much emphasis on parties and decorating, I have found that I simply cannot help it.

Our youngest daughter recently turned four years old, and requested a Lalaloopsy Birthday Party. While it may not have much to do with The Farrier's Daughter, it has a lot to do with family, which is very important to me, so I thought I'd share :-) 

The birthday girl requested a chocolate cake (following right in her Mama's footsteps).

So with the the aid of what I like to call a "Cake Coach", I proceeded to make my own.

I'm not much of a baker. 

I appreciate pretty baked goods, and I enjoy eating pastries, but I have never had the best luck with getting things to look pretty. Caving, cracking, burning...the list goes on. So this was a huge undertaking for me. 

But with the help of my Cake Coach (an extremely talented friend sending me links to websites, and written instructions), it turned out wonderfully!

 The finished product was a smooth finished, crusted butter cream icing over chocolate cake with a creamy peanut butter filling in between the layers! 

YUM!

The paper toppers were made from scrap booking paper, buttons and paper straws, and the rest were Lalaloopsy figurines that the birthday girl could keep!

 The party was based around her favorite doll...

Crumbs Sugar Cookie.

So, of course, I had to make sugar cookies!

The original plan was to use Royal Icing to get that perfect finish on the cookies, but because I am a Royal Icing virgin, and because that stuff really doesn't have a pleasant taste, I decided to go with butter cream. Remember that crusting butter cream I mentioned earlier?

Same stuff!

Worked like a charm, and tasted good!

This is what Crumbs Sugar Cookie looks like.

Since my girls LOVE to dress up, part of her gift was a Crumbs Sugar Cookie outfit to wear.

Here is the Birthday Girl on the morning of her party.

And if you have two daughters, then you know that you can't make dress up for one and not the other. Big sister requested a dress that mimicked Jewels Sparkles.

    

 Not as close of a match, but it did the trick. 

Refreshments were served from my trusty Costco drink dispenser. If they ever get these in stock again (usually around the holidays), you have to buy one! Trust me, you'll be glad you did.

I use this one all of the time. 

Activities consisted of stringing brightly colored, beaded, necklaces, embroidery hoop ring toss, 

Annnnnnnnnddddd.............

A real-life Lalaloopsy Bobble Head! 

I like to call her Lalalindsey!

Haha!

Ok, so I'm joking.

It was just too tempting to not stand behind the giant pianta for a photo op!

Candy/Loot Bags were just craft bags that I ran through the Big Shot with a Chevron embossing folder. 

Want one for yourself?

You can get it by going here:

http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=127749

The Lalaloopsy Pinata was made using a big punching balloon for the base.

Luckily our oldest was a champion at paper mache, so I had a good helper.

After filling and attaching  the strings for hanging, I added hair, (using pink paper napkins rolled up), and painted on her face.

I have to admit that after all of the hard work that went into it, we were hesitant to let kids beat her with a bat!

Remember when I said that I can't help but decorate?

That, I was not lying about.

Knowing that the kids would want to do pony rides, I decided we should also decorate the horse!

So the morning of the party, the girls and I went out with our paint and fabric scraps and turned Polly into a Lalaloopsy inspired pony. 

Two very proud parents!

Happy Birthday Baby Girl~We Love You!

Princess and the Pony: A Little Girl's Confidence

As promised before in Meet Polly, the story as to how Princess and the Pony got it's name:

It was a clear spring evening. And as the sun sank behind the tree tops, there was still plenty of light to fill the sky. As we walked through the field, the last of the chickens scampered into the coop to roost for the night. Polly raised her head at the first sound of us. She stood frozen, watching our every step. She knew what time it was. Just like every other night, it was time for Polly to go to bed.

To keep from foundering, she gets put in a paddock at the end of every day. I knew immediately, that catching her was going to be a chore this particular evening. Our oldest daughter, who is holding my right hand, says, “I’ll get her Mama” as I feel her release my grip. What she doesn't know, is that while she was in the middle of announcing her plan, our youngest, at the ripe age of 3 has already beat her to it.

Without a word, I realize that she too has left my hand empty and began moving toward the horse. I say nothing, but hold up an open palm to stop Raegen from proceeding. I can tell that Reese is on a mission. She walks with purpose, her long blonde hair bouncing around her shoulders, with her soft, silky, pink princess dress gathered in one hand in front of her as not to trip. It seems as though nearly all of the things I've said about approaching a horse have been lost on her. She doesn't walk slowly to keep from spooking, nor does she offer a hand. Instead, she marches right up to that pony with a mighty heavy force for a little girl in pink princess dress. It's almost as if she is angry with her. And as Polly jerks her head up, Reese does not back down. She continues, because this little girl is on a mission. She grabs hold of the halter and begins to walk Polly to her paddock. From where I stood, I witnessed an amazing sight that I hope to never forget. My strong little girl walking along side that pony, with a puffy pink dress flouncing about, tendrils blowing in the wind, and a sense of confidence that I pray she never loses.

Princess and the Pony: Meet Polly

Growing up with a farrier for a father, you would be safe to assume that that also meant growing up with horses. My summer vacations as a child were typically spent in the wilderness, packing into some remote location on horseback. Even as a tiny tot, too young to ride ourselves, we were either in a backpack or sharing a saddle with an adult. Once we were old enough to ride solo, we would "pony up" on our own and down the trail we went. I remember singing songs as a family.

 "I'll Take the High Road" and "She'll Be Comin' 'Round the Mountain" bring a smile to my face still today. 

During college, I was away from home, and away from horses. I was doing what most youngsters are doing during those years, and trying to find myself. During this phase, I somehow decided that even though I had loved horses all of my life, I wouldn't need them as an adult. 

Fast forward to motherhood.

Isn't it funny how having your own kids opens your eyes to the things that were truly important to you as a child? I found myself wanting to give my children the things that had brought me such joy as a young girl.

 I wanted to give them a pony. 

 It recently dawned on me that times have changed dramatically since I was a kid. While I write that it seems so obvious...but I'm not talking about the obvious. I'm talking about the amount and age at which kids become dedicated to extracurricular activities! 

As a child, I was involved in sports and clubs, but I can't say that I started much of anything before Jr. High...nothing serious or consistent anyway. There may have been a few who did, but it was rare. 

With our oldest daughter in 1st grade taking Ballet, playing soccer, and enrolled in swim lessons, I started to feel like I was missing out on her life. Here I was doing all of these things for her, yet, all I really felt like was a taxi that drove her around and dropped her off at practices. I missed my baby girl! 

This spring we spent a day at a Ranch (see post here) in Prairie City, Oregon, and it all started to sink in.  

I saw my girls enjoying pony rides, plying in the dirt, and climbing fences, and I started questioning what was really important. No, I didn't go all extremist and pull her out of all activities, but I decide we need to cut back-for now any way. Because for now, my daughter still thinks I'm cool and likes to spend time with me. For now, I am more important than boys. I know that my days are numbered, and I am choosing to spend them differently. There will come a time when all of those activities will be all-consuming in her mind, but for now, at the age of 7, lets embrace the love for ponies and mama's! 

After a few long talks with my husband, we decided we would get a pony. 

I found a 10 year old mare on Craigslist, who was previously used for pony rides. After driving to Washington to check her out, we decided she would be a great fit for our family. 

Below is a picture of the day we brought Polly home.

That night, as I kissed the girls goodnight, Raegen said,
"Mommy, I guess dreams really do come true!"

The idea is that we will spend more time here, together, with Polly, and less time running around.

I look forward to teaching our girls about the handling, riding, and responsibility that go along with owning a horse. I look forward to the time we'll spend together and the unspoken lessons that come with this journey. 

Polly has been part of the family since (late) April of this year, and the stories are already adding up. With summer break now here, I'm sure there are many more to come. Feel free to follow along as I share snippets of our pony experience on this blog. I think I'll call it, "Princess and the Pony". You'll find out why in a future post, but for now, we'll consider an introduction sufficient :-) 

Happy Trails!