What Fun it is to Ride and Sing a Sleighing Song Today

We spent a snowy Saturday (the 16th) with the Elwood Clan (the local ones, anyway) at Hardware Ranch (Callie called it "the Hard Ranch") at the top of Blacksmith Fork Canyon.  We enjoyed a sleigh ride (not exactly dashing through the snow on our "two-horse-open-sleigh" but quite thrilling nonetheless) to see the elk that feed there during the winter up close.  After our ride (and requisite sleighing song), we gathered in the chilly classroom shack near the visitor's center for our "inside picnic ".  The Hardware Ranch people told my dad the room would be open (it has tables and chairs for people like us to use) and heated, but it turned out that only one of those features was true.  But we dined on shake 'n' bake chicken, potato salad, chips, rolls, rice crispy treats and egg nog sugar cookies (oh yes, they were the bomb - thanks to Mel for that one!) in the cold anyway.  At least it was dry in there!  A fun day in the snow with the fam - just like old times.

There were a few in the herd with some good-sized
antlers.  Unfortunately I didn't really capture
any with my phone camera.  Just use your
imagination, I guess.

And one more of some elk and snow, because I like it.

Family shot by the horses.
(Yes, my eyes are closed.  Yes, I'm used to it.)

I'm terrible, but I can't remember the horses' names!
(I think one was Belle?)

"Those horses are very strong!"

This one makes me chuckle - it's like all those model-or-just-regular-
person-who-wants-to-be-glamorous-looking-away-from-the-camera
photos I see all the time on intagram.  But with a horse!

Quatro. Patru. Vier. четыре.

Yep, it's that time again.  Time for another monthly update (that seems to happen later and later each month) on our little Ram Sam Sam.  This time we're celebrating four months.  Four!  Wowza.  Here are his latest tricks and stats:

• learned to roll over from his back to tummy (always to the left) one day before his four month anniversary (here are some videos of his earliest attempts: 1, 2, 3 - he's much quicker at it now and doesn't get his arm stuck under him anymore)
• weighs 13 lbs 15 oz (20th percentile), is 26 inches long (86th percentile) and has a head circumference of 42 cm (64th percentile)
• loves to watch his sister doing whatever it is that she does around him - will sometimes giggle at her, too, which is obviously adorable
• giggles especially when mom tickles his tummy/chest while he's laying on his back (like this) - best sound in the world!
• starting to figure out the doorway jumper - not controlled jumping happening yet, but he's realizing that he can make himself move
• loves to play with the toys on his bouncer seat
• kicks and flaps arms almost constantly
• still a pretty good sleeper (relative to Cal), but we're having some growing pains as we try to figure out a nap/bedtime schedule that makes everyone happy
• still sleeps best swaddled, but also can break out of his swaddle and chew on his hands during the night which leads to more wake-ups that mom would prefer
• would rather chew on his hands more than anything else
• seems to be spitting up more than previously - not huge quantities, but we definitely have to keep a burp cloth handy at all times (especially during tummy time)
• still nurses every 2-3 hours during the day and usually can go 4-6 hours at night (though we did have one epic 8 hour 15 minute night once!)
• loves to sit up on our lap and "read" stories/grab whatever we're holding/push against the table with his legs
• drools buckets and buckets all day, every day
• likes when I play patty-cake with his hands and/or feet
• adores attention - loves to be talked/sung to
• I never know what he'll prefer when it comes to falling asleep - sometimes likes being rocked or bounced till asleep (or mostly so) before being set down, other times wants to lay alone and fall asleep by himself (which still blows my mind every single time!)

And because I know you're really just here for the pictures, here are a "few":

Cal was feeling left out of the photo shoot.

Watch Samuel grow: 3 months | 2 months | birth