A horse, of course.

It doesn't take Lena Kate's Papa long to do something once he decides it is going to happen...now if he is on the fence about, it could take FOREVER. He decided recently it was time for the kiddos to have a horse to ride. This past weekend Papa got a horse for Charles and Lena Kate. Lane, Dad, and I all tested him out. He is very gentle and you gotta give him a good kick to get him going. He seems to be a great kid horse so far, he's definitely not going to take off. I think Lena Kate is really going to enjoy him. We are thinking his name is going to be Scout. Lane and I are also excited to ride too...I think he'll have a buddy pretty soon.

Here is Papa about to brush him down.

Lena Kate is a fan....notice her camo jacket she got from the Uncle Ray, Aunt Lorain, and cousin Robert for Christmas. No country girl is complete without a little camo.

I also intended to come home with a kitten this weekend to round out the country living, but they were in hiding from the neighbor dog and nowhere to be found so I came home with an empty bog. LK loved playing with all the O'Brien's doggies though. We may try again if they show up.

We've been getting outside and playing on every nice day we have. Lena Kate loves to walk and ride in the wagon, but she has to have lots of rocks in the wagon with her to throw out. She also likes to sit and play with dirt...I think I have a tomboy on my hands, she is NOT afraid of dirt. The other day she thought cow poop was a dirt clod...and it was fairly fresh. It quickly turned into yucky, wash your hands time. She thought it was special dirt I guess. We'll have to hone in those skills...that and that thorn bushes are not fun to touch. She keeps heading straight for them. The tike is keeping me on my toes for sure.

Isn't there a scene in The Lion King where the monkey looks JUST like this?

Yesterday we met her new pediatrician in Corpus and were pleased. Lena Kate has also finally gained a lb and has broken 18 lbs....but not by much. I love my petite gal. Her doctor said she looked great. Lane said he knew that already, she looks just like him...ha, so funny, that guy. I had to rephrase it so that she looked healthy!

The country life is great, and the only thing I miss is my HEB, Target in close proximity, and my sweet friends and family! I do like to go to the grocery store and know somebody...if not somebody shopping you know those checking you out. The downside is that you can't go incognito..if you look pitiful, somebody will notice. Fortunately, I always have a cutie in my shopping cart to get all the attention. She's already made good friends with Tony, one of the managers. The other sorta downside is that in the Hispanic culture if somebody thinks a baby is pretty they have to touch them so they don't get sick, but unfortunately Mama doesn't always like all the touching since in my humble opinion it just spreads germs. The little ladies are so sweet though, so I completely understand that they firmly believe in this superstition so to speak and am just happy they think my baby is precious:)

We are ready for Spring, since there has been rain I think the bluebonnets will be so pretty and I can't wait to take LK's picture in them. Things really ought to be greening up in about a month. I hope to be out running everyday by then. I just can't handle cold..or cool, with wind for that matter. I really need to get back in shape, I let all my after baby hard work go to waste with all the cookies I've been consuming. The problem is that Mom is baking something when I'm not. I have double the homemade baked goods to try to avoid. Needless to say my willpower doesn't usually win out.

The Many Faces of Lena Kate

Silly

Silly

Silly girl! This last one is the I'm standing in my rocking chair and I know I shouldn't be face. This child has amazing balance and agility...she didn't get that from her Mama that is for sure!

This Old House

Here are few pics of our new old house. It is a home built in the 40's by my Great Uncle CM and Aunt Lena. Lumber from a house that was there previously and caught fire was used. This house has been in the family for 5 generations and has such character. These pictures are in no particular order and the lighting is not really good, but you'll get the idea.

I now have my other great-aunt's dining room furniture so I am able to display my china and pretty crystal. Here are my awesome (ha) decorating skills.


Here is the dining room with Lena Kate peeking out the window. It also serves as a place to put the microwave since the kitchen doesn't have enough counterspace for it. You may also notice it is serving as the office too!

Here is Lena Kate's room...we still need a regular size double mattress for the bed. We also inherited this bedroom set

Crib wall view

Now, the bathroom is pretty "retro"

Check out the lighting...you would think you are in Hollywood backstage...many, many years ago. We are renting but may just have to replace these.

This is the little phone nook in the hall....I love that it is there..the perfect place for the phone!

Cozy little kitchen. You can see the door that goes out to the closed in porch. It is very nice to have and I have all my baking pans, kitchen appliances and cleaning supplies right out that door in cabinets...convenient, but out of the way. I now have my pottery displayed. The blue and tan them goes great with the yellow tile in the kitchen. There is only room for a small eat-in table, so we actually eat most meals in the dining room. It is right off the kitchen and very functional. Breakfast and Lena Kate's meals are usually in the kitchen most mornings.

Here is the living room that opens into the dining room. It is soo nice and cozy with pretty hardwood floors and a really pretty fireplace mantle. Lena Kate was playing with her horse at this moment.

This view shows the door to the kitchen and hallway to the bedrooms and bathroom. We now have an endtable between the two chairs with a lamp on it rather than the stool that Lane was using at the time. Notice Miss has her spot, as usual.

I didn't include a picture of our bedroom because I don't have a good one. It is a nice big room with his and hers closets and one wall has windows all across it like in the living room and the other has a split door that goes to the porch. My Aunt Lena used to open the top part to circulate air in before central air was installed.

I want to get vinyl letters that read Tres Lenas to but above the door. There will now have been 3 Lena's that have lived in this house, Lena Beall, Lena Elaine (me), and Lena Kate...we all know that little star! Since we are in South Texas the 3 in Spanish gives it a nice ring. We are loving our little house in the country for now. I'm sure after awhile we'll start to look for a place of our own, but for now renting and putting the $$ away will be just fine. I hope you enjoyed a glimpse into our new home. I didn't show you the laundry room because it is outside in an old milkhouse...not so fun on bad weather days, but it'll work out ok. My Granny has had her laudry room outside by her garage her entire life, if she can do it, I can too.

I'm going to get a kitten tomorrow to keep the critters away since there are already reports that the rattlesnakes are out after the rain and really warm weather this week. I do have a shotgun stashed away (out of LK's reach) in the kitchen so I can get to it quickly if need be....gotta be a prepared country girl!

Yall have a blessed weekend :)

Cowgirl Stylin

Cousin Megan and her family gave Lena Kate this outfit for her birthday...isn't it just the cutest..well next to the sweety wearing it, of course!? She got the cool pink John Deere boots from her Leelee and grandpa to go with her wagon....she's one lucky country girl.

Hello Blogworld!

Our AT&T air card arrived yesterday and I am back in business! I've missed you all, my five readers :) I'll start with a little recap. We are now all moved and settled in the country following Lena Kate's great birthday party with mostly family and a few great friends. Then we celebrated Christmas with the Bowen's in San Antonio. Lena Kate's Uncle Trent and Aunt Nancy were great hosts and we had lots of fun. Then then next day we loaded up and headed down the road away from the big city. We are all enjoying living outside of the city or even a town for that matter. It only takes us 5 minutes to get to town (Mathis).

Lane has started his new job and seems to be liking it. I love that he comes home and is more chatty than he used to be, I know this is a good sign for us all! We are so very thankful and blessed that God presented this opportunity to us. Lane is such a good husband and really takes care of his girls.

Lena Kate is loving looking at the window at the cows and the last few days we've actually been able to get outside since the weather is finally warmer and not raining. We go for lots of wagon rides down the road. Even Missy seems to have taken the move in stride. We have a nice closed-in porch that she stays in when we leave. I haven't left her outside yet since I'm afraid she might venture down to the road and get hit or stolen...she's a sweet dog and although she's not a thoroughbred by any means I'm sure she'd hop in with anybody that pet or more likely fed her!

Lena Kate is growing up so much. She is little miss independent. Some of her favorite things to do, other than wagon rides are to drag around any basket she can find, especially ones as big as her.
She also loves her singing doggie toys. When she is hungry she tries to go climb in her highchair. Fortunately she has also decided that she really likes milk-YEA Lena Kate! She is still a small fry and could handle gaining a lb or two. She is a chatty thing too....her phone is always near and she likes to get it and say "OH, Oh, OH!"...then waves bye bye...like they can see her.

We've been going to church nearly every Sunday since we've been here. Lena Kate is a handful to keep quiet during the service, but this last week Mrs. Pat had the nursery so she and Lena Kate played as well as her helper, granddaughter Casey. Lena Kate was just grinning away when I went to pick her up. She hadn't missed me....which was great and I really enjoyed the sermon. I'm guessing she'll be running down the aisle to children's time really soon. It is nice to really feel at home in church again.

Here are a few pictures from the last few weeks. We had a special visitor come to our new house a few days late. Lena Kate was NOT a fan this time around!...but still got some fun pictures. Tomorrow, outside pictures and a preview of our little house...which we are really enjoying.

Poor Santa...all the kids that were under the age of 5 were not so happy to see him. The Brown girls...or formerly Brown girls came over to help get us moved in and then came back because they heard Santa was going to stop by. It is so nice to have great friends/family that are willing to help with the dirty tough job of moving! Not a happy face:(

Stepping it out in her mud/rain boots she got from Nana Teri and Papa Alan...these are cousin Charles' other grandparents. They are sooooo sweet to all of us and we just love them!

That's my little country girl...she loves to carry around rocks and big dirt clods....she's definately not afraid of dirt.

Ok, who's going to pull me now? Missy, can you grab hold?

More tomorrow!

Country Girl!

Lena Kate is loving life in the country. We are settling in nicely, but I still don't have internet service so I'm over at Mom's and thought I'd share a few pics she's taken the last few weeks of Lena Kate. I don't have my camera with you, but be ready for a picture heavy post of our new house and what we've been doing...primarily looking at the big doggies outside the window, also known to most people as cows.

New Year's Eve at Granny's...having some cake

Spaghettios face

Riding in her wagon at her birthday party...she loves to go for rides and goes and sits in it in the garage waiting for someone to take her for a ride

Birthday cake!