Winter Formal & Winter Riding

This week was "Spirit Week" at Cody-Kilgore. We have a week in the winter that is sort of like our homecoming in which we dress-up each day in crazy costumes. Our family didn't really participate in the dress-up days but we did participate in the dance at the end of the week!

We have not had a lot of usual "winter" weather in the last couple of years so we were excited when it began snowing Monday afternoon. Plus, Amy was rather excited about the snow as she doesn't often get to see snow! Here is a picture from Monday night. We had a great evening playing in the snow and waging a snow fight girls vs. George!

Winter Wonderland!

Amy playing in the snow!

All of the snow put us in the mood for Winter Formal! While George and I ran a concession stand at the school Saturday afternoon, the girls stayed home and Rebekah came over so they could all get ready for the dance together. When we returned home, we found three lovely ladies all ready for a good time. I think both Amy and Dani had a good time at the dance.

Our beautiful "daughters" Amy and Dani

Our girls with our "adopted" daughter Rebekah

A bunch of the girls at the dance!

Cotton-eyed Joe...a really crazy dance in which they all form
lines and skip around the dance floor in a circle.

Sometimes Cotton-eyed Joe gets a bit
too crazy and people fall down!

Toby and Amy

Ivan teaching Dani how to "pretzel" a
popular dance to fast country music.

The crazy DJ - Hey Arnold (a.k.a. George)

Our Saturday night was a late one but a fun one. There was a bit of "drama" at the dance but I won't go into any of that since it didn't involve any of our girls.

Sunday morning dawned bright and too early. We attended church, ate at my parents' house (as is our custom) and the girls watched what they decided was a "stupid movie!" while George and I took naps. After we awoke, I took Dani and Amy out to ride horse (George went grocery shopping for me...what a wonderful husband). Amy had ridden before but today was the first time Dani had EVER been on a horse. We had a bit of trouble catching and saddling the horse as I haven't ridden myself for nearly 10 years but we got the job done. The only thing we were unable to do was adjust the stirrups so for today, I had to lead the girls around. They will get the chance to take the reins and ride on their own soon.

Amy was a complete natural with "Red" and I look ridiculous
because I wasn't supposed to be in the picture!

Dani trying out riding for the first time.

She did a great job and seemed to enjoy it
despite the setting sun and cooling temperatures.

We hope to get them up on the horses again soon and let them ride on their own. We went out a little later than I had originally planned to so it was starting to get chilly and with the cold Dani has had we decided we better get inside. We live so close to where the horses are kept that I am sure we will be spending more and more time with them throughout the semester (especially when the weather gets warmer).

Now on to a new week and new adventures! Tonight marks the end of week two. These girls are seriously wonderful.