First Pony Rides

Sorry my posts are posting backwards in time. I really should do this in chronological order but hell, count your lucky stars I'm posting at all! As Taede gets older, he occupies more of my time (translation: I can't leave him alone for a second or something undesired will happen) and it's very hard finding time to get anything done during the day.

So the moral of the story: no complaints if these posts make no sense in the order of time.

For Spring Break we met my sister and her family in Vegas for 4 days. (A more detailed account of this story will come later along with pictures.) Afterward, they followed us home and spent 3 days at our place before heading back up to Fremont. Day 1, Amelie requested to go pony riding at Irvine Regional Park. Day 2 was spent at Corona Del Mar -- again, to be hashed out later.

Anyway... here are the pictures from the pony rides at Irvine Regional Park.


I love love love the look on Taede's face: "What the hell?! It's moving its head!!"
This was the first time he's ever ridden something alive, not staked through the body with a steel post, going around in circles to Disney music. He refused to hold onto the saddle horn the first lap, and loosened up the last 2 laps to enjoy the ride. At least I think he enjoyed the ride; he wasn't giving that WTF look anymore.


"Why am I on this hairy, smelly beast? Where's the music?! And why does it stink like poo here?!"


Jarod on the bigger trotting pony.


Kael and Amelie are next. Kael has a love/hate relationship with the trot ponies. He gets tossed around which he doesn't like but refuses to ride on the "baby ponies."


Collin on the trot pony.


Malia rode the trot pony for the first time. She felt that she was a big girl and wanted to ride the big ponies. Riders have to be at least 3 years old and of course her age was questioned when it was her turn. I was a little apprehensive that she would get tossed because she's so little but they really cinched her in tight. She bounced like no other and to see her pigtails go to and fro was hi-larious! And when you add Malia chewing and snapping her gum while riding, I got a scary premonition of her in her tween years. Yikes.


The family, minus Malia, waiting for the hay ride. Which I have to say was very uncomfortable. Whoever says hay is suitable to sit on for an extended period of time is a LIAR! That stuff pokes through your clothes and leaves splinters!


Now my kids can say that they've been on a John Deer tractor.


These two are inseparable. They do everything together. It's very sweet.


Taede adores Jarod. Luckily the feeling is mutual because wherever Jarod is, Taede is climbing on him.


My awesome kids.


My sister's kids.

We were so sad when they left. The kids are already asking when can we go up to San Jose for a visit. Luckily for them, it will probably in May since we haven't seen my parents since Christmas. I think this is the longest they've gone without seeing their grandparents. They have been asking to go for months.