Talharabi 04/20/1993-09/24/2019

Today I had to say goodbye to my heart horse, Rabi, due to age-related health issues.  I bought him when I was 12 and had him for 21 wonderful years.  The barn feels pretty empty without him.  Here are just a few photos of us over the years.

 

Rabi and I the day I bought him.  It took me three years to pay off the loan with my parents!

 

Riding in the snow, 2000.

 

Showing at the Open Show, 2000.

 

 

Two-person relay, high school equestrian team, 2001.

 

State 4-H horse show, 2001.

 

Dressage test, State 4-H horse show, 2003.

 

 

State high school equestrian team horse show, 2003.

 

 

After winning grand champion fitting and showing, Kalamazoo County fair, 2003.

 

 

Senior photos, fall 2003.

 

 

Birthday ride in the COLD, 2004.

 

 

Saddleseat class, Kalamazoo Open Show, 2004.

 

 

Sponging off in a creek, Big South Fork, TN 2005.

 

 

Rabi would always pick up his pan after dinner.  Love that face! 2005

 

 

Dressage test at the 2005 Open Show.

 

 

At a campout in 2005.

 

 

Before heading out on a competitive mounted orienteering ride, 2006.

 

 

2007 snack stop while riding in TN.

 

 

Wading through beaver creek at Ft. Custer, 2007.

 

 

Backcountry camping in Big South Fork, TN, 2008.

 

 

Rabi and I at his new Georgia home, 2009.

 

 

Going for a swim, 2010.

 

Riding on the beach! 2011

 

 

A dream come true - driving Rabi! 2011

 

 

2013  Our first NATRC ride.

 

Later in 2013 when Mom rode Rabi in her first NATRC ride.

 

 

Holiday photo shoot, 2013.

 

 

Professional photos taken fall 2015.  I'm so glad I got these!

 

And finally, a shot of Rabi giving the girls their first ride in 2018.  He will be dearly missed by all of us.

 

August

I started August off with my first solo trip since the girls were born.  I spent three nights and four days in Cleveland visiting my college friends.  Here I am with Jen and Sam at Jen's bridal shower.

 

While I was enjoying some much-needed Mommy Time the girls were enjoying a full schedule of daddy, Nanny, and Pop time!  Here they're helping Nanny eat breakfast.

 

They also enjoyed a great day at the beach!

 

 

After my trip life went back to normal.  Here's Elsie at a playground on our way to pick up horse feed.

 

The girls wanted me to join them on this three-person slide.

 

 

Getting dizzy on a whirlybird.  Leonie on the left.

 

 

Riding the seesaw with my girls!

 

 

Playing with playdough one afternoon.  Elsie on the left.

 

One of the current favorite activities is bouncing on our bed.  Here they are disturbing Bagheera's nap.  Elsie on the left.

 

 

We now have to have an audience while doing activities too.  Here the bears are "watching" us each breakfast!

 

More silly games - napping with daddy!  They love to be tucked in just to jump up screaming again 15 seconds later. Elsie on the left.

 

 

We still go to the library most weeks and the girls are getting more and more involved in the activities.  Here they are enjoying the bubbles. One week they even got to use "light sabers" to pop them.  Seems like a terrible idea but it actually worked out well!

 

Elsie about to pop a bubble.

 

 

We've also spent a lot of time outside this month.  Mooshu is starting to get a little more friendly with the girls.  Here's Elsie.

 

 

And Leonie.

 

 

Before we got the new swing set the girls were starting to learn some fancy moves on their little slide.  Here's Elsie doing a tummy slide.

 

And Leonie after a backwards slide.

 

 

Now that we have two slides they are having twice the fun with them!

 

Finally, a video of the girls playing with Shere Khan.  He's so tolerant.

 

 

Happy Second Birthday!

Can you believe it?!  Two years have flown by with these cuties. We celebrated their actual birthday with a pudding dessert - do you think they liked it? Leonie on the left.

 

After dinner, dessert, and a bath we opened cards.  Elsie on the left.

 

Then, presents! Elsie.

 

Leonie.

 

 

Leonie and Elsie playing with their magnetic sketch pads from Uncle Nathan.

 

Last weekend we celebrated their birthday again with friends.  We started outside with pony rides on Peanut and outdoor toys then moved inside for snacks, cupcakes, and more toys.  I never did get a photo with the other kids but here's Leonie with her s'mores cupcake made by our friend Victoria.

 

 

And Elsie.

 

Leonie may have been scared of her smash cake last year but she made up for it this year!

 

Grandma and Grumps got the girls a swingset for their birthday and we picked it up this week.  They've spent just about every waking moment on it!

 

 

 

Here's a photo with all of their (indoor) gifts. Leonie on the left.

 

Finally, here's a cute video of the girls on their birthday.