Yesterday we attended a service project with our closest AHG troop. The girls served dinner at a community soup kitchen/food pantry/coat closet. They learned about what it means to really be hungry, poor, homeless. There were showers there, laundry facilities, a hair stylist, people that help find jobs, shelters, homes, etc. The girls took a tour, and then they worked to divy up hundreds of frozen hamburger patties in gallon zip lock bags to distribute to the guests. They served drinks and food at the meal, waited tables a little, and at the end of the meal, they washed them and cleaned the dining area. Micaela really enjoyed this project and hopes to go back. She felt good about giving back, and you can tell she's really proud to have done something real for someone else- oh and those patches, she's proud of those too :P 
Micaela, Sport, and our instructor Sara, who happens to be a former Navy linuist!
We really enjoyed our first riding lesson. She rode English this week (and so did I- a first). We didn't ride much because we learned a lot about the anatomy of the horse and all his accouterments, and then we spent forever grooming them (another first) because we were slow. I really enjoyed the grooming, though it made us filthy. Micaela said she liked brushing the mane and tail, but using the hoof pick stank. She rode a little horse named Sport who prefered grass to anything else. I rode a giant chicken of a horse named Drifter. You can see the birds eye view from my perch on Drifter's back.
Tomorrow the children and I are going to go have some fun. Ian has given us permission to go to Dollywood, and we're excited because it's the Festival of Nations! I hope to put some pictures up Friday night for you, hon, and I love you and we miss you.
The all-out assault- I mean the barnyard toss. (Beanie baby farm animals being thrown in every direction)
The birthday girl, appreciating her song and her cake. 
Cowgirl cuteness looking at the horse demonstration
Loving this ride...
Gabriel can really turn on the smile, but this one's mostly real :)
Nathaniel can turn on the smile too- it just doesn't look genuine ;) Don't worry, it is.
Elizabeth waiting for her turn. She climbed higher up the gate every minute.
Micaela really liked it. 
I can't believe I didn't get pictures of pinning the tail on bullseye, the kids playing with their stick horses or my Grandad with Simon Slick-remember the mule song, Nader? Grandad got a stick mule. If you don't remember it, google Curly Fox and Johnson's Old Grey Mule- you need a laugh- Michelle, you should pee before watching it.
