My first regatta with my Aunt Susan & cousin Rhett

I was lucky that a couple of weeks ago my cousin Rhett from Dallas was in Gainesville for a regatta. I've never seen a regatta and haven't seen my Aunt Susan in three years since my mom died.
This is Susan cheering on Rhett's first race:

We spent the whole day together and my grandmother came over from South Carolina along with my Aunt Donna, who worked hard at letting us know how miserable she was to spend the day with the only family she has left. Here's me with my grandmother:

Everyone's always said Susan and I look exactly alike so we were trying to get a picture but we were getting our eyeballs seered out from staring into the sun ...

So we got one, with my Uncle Bill's thumb included:

I was impressed with the regetta and Rhett's crew did really well in each race.

I can't believe my aunt got this shirt for her son. If you can't read it, it says "I can't hook up with you, I have crew."

Here's Rhett's crew (Rhett is far right) and they're holding Shannon, their cocksman who is kind of the on-water coach. Yeah, they're all in high school.

Some of the Quave cousins: me, Rhett and Donna's youngest son Asher. I was the only grandchild for 18 years and then four boys came in succession.

Here's my Uncle Bill in the "Quave sandwich:"

And at the end of Rhett's regatta, this most amazing rainbow came out. I haven't seen a full rainbow in I-don't-know-when and you could see so many colors in it:

Then Sunday came and I was all sad Susan was gone.

My daughter turns 11

The Daisy turned 11 on Feb. 21 and I spent the weekend after her birthday with her and The Boo. She opened her presents from me and Great MawMaw: Breyer horses, including a Secretariat. I gave her a photo book of adventures we've done in the last couple of years because she told me she didn't have any pictures of me to take to school.

Since it was her weekend, I let her choose where to eat (Ted's Montana Grill) and what to do. She wanted to go riding but it was unbelievably cold so we didn't do that and she was very disappointed.
We played games - The Boo pulled out his Angry Birds game that I let him cheat and win every game.

We went by Staples and The Daisy goes ga-ga for plain notebooks. I mean, she goes so crazy that I wondered why I've bought anything else for her ever?

The last part of The Daisy's birthday wish was to see our old neighbor friends, The Boys:

So after I dropped them off and headed home, I saw this on my back window at the gas station that The Daisy drew. I about cried.

Cavalia: Odysseo

Falling under "the BEST present EVER" is my ticket to Cavalia: Odysseo from Bernadette. It is a musical theater involving horses and acrobats. Not only was it a ticket to the show, but also this fancy-schmancy pre-performance dinner and visiting the horses after.
Here is a sampling of what we had to eat prior (and the champagne was really good too):

I had to take a picture of this, especially since, at intermission, there was a big ol' line for the ladies' room and the Happy Can stood all alone (until I noticed).

Um, it was really just an experiment but the candle does work even if you steal it. Then The Daisy stole mine.

We couldn't take pictures during the show (drat) but here are the performers after. They were all stallions or geldings, which surprised me actually.

Bernadette had lots of them trying to kiss her.

We acccosted one of the riders in the stable for a picture. I was kind of digging his makeup.

Everyone gets braided after the show.


See? Another "trying to get a kiss" picture!

I will never be able to best this present. Thank you, Bernadette, for the most memorable Christmas present ever!

Christmas lasted forever ...

Santa dropped off some things at my house for the kids, of course. And so they had an extended Christmas.
The big present for The Boo? Candy cigarettes.

The Daisy absolutely loved the pillow I made her.

Both wanted dolphin toys after seeing "Dolphin Tale" at the movies so The Boo got a little plaything

then The Daisy actually got a Winter dolphin toy.

Part of my fun is doing crazy things for the kids. I made a glow stick bath, which wasn't a hit with The Boo until his sister wanted to bathe in it a few days later.

Making snow from a can that came in their stockings:

I looked out in the afternoon and there was The Daisy, sitting in the pasture writing a story.

Hello, Mr. Five!

January 1st brings The Boo's birthday and this year he turned 5. Five!!

I found a Spiderman cake, showed him the picture and so he was determined that the cake I made should look exactly like that cake. Here's a picture of what it looked like before it got all messed up with me trying to ice a spider and the number 5 on it.

The prized present of the year was a Captain America shield. During the few days we were together, I discovered I had bought the wrong Captain America shield. There had already been a talk about being appreciative for the things you DO get so when The Boo opened this present, he very politely said,"Thank you, Unitsi! (pause) It's ok you got me the wrong shield."

Poor Reset.

So I took him to get the right one later, only for him to change his mind completely and opt for Spiderman's nemesis Venom figure.

The day started with marble bowling. That's what he wanted to do.

Where'd it go?

Good timing at the horse rescue

The Daisy, more than anything, wanted to go to the nearyby horse rescue to check on the horse we met last summer. Her little brother was acting sicker than he was to thwart the trip but we were on to him and went anyway.

It was perfect timing - there was only one volunteer there and needed help bringing in horses. She remembered The Daisy's ability with horses from six years ago when we adopted two from the rescue so she was comfortable pointing out ones for The Daisy to bring in.

Of course, The Daisy was in heaven! And I found a couple of ponies I told her she had to see.

Here she fends off Albert the goat. This goat is massive and has always been a pest ever since I started going to the rescue about 8 years ago. The Boo is scared of him, rightly so. Albert will headbutt you without conscience.

Sledding on dry land

My friend Phyllis told me about this place nearby where we could go "sledding." Atlanta's Stone Mountain has a sledding option for pricey bucks and this one was closer, cheaper and far less crowded. Win-win-win!So we got on our tubes and down we went and it was like being a human ping-pong ball! What a blast!

The course was wet down while we were there, which makes you go even faster.
The Boo was battling a cold so we didn't stay too long but it was a good outing on a beautiful day that we all enjoyed.
Thanks, Phee!

We came back and made homemade lava lamps, which were a big hit with the kids!