elk poop + snow

A few days ago we drove to hardware ranch and took a sleigh ride to see the elk. The trick is to go on a Sunday if you're out to avoid long lines. My sister-in-law took her family the day before us and waited for TWO AND A HALF HOURS. Who waits in line with small children for two and a half hours outside of Disneyland? A saint only.

Before the horses started pulling us away the sleigh driver made the lot of us aware that if something or someone fell out of the sleigh, we would NOT be getting it or them back. So of course it would happen that halfway through the ride Beck decided to throw his bottle right out of there. The thing about Beck is that he has an arm on him! He currently enjoys throwing everything he can just for the fun of it, especially but not limited to: the beanies off his head and his drinks. He's also a great aim, and this go around he was aiming for a large pile of elk poop. GOOD SHOT KID!

Luckily the driver decided that we could have the bottle back if we could reach it without getting out of the sleigh, which we DID. The bottle was still full of milk and if you're a parent maybe you'll understand, but Dan decided to improvise. You do this, right? I kid you not, Dan just wiped it off real good with his hands and his jacket and then for the final cleansing process he used his own saliva to sanitize. By that I mean, he grabbed the bottle and SUCKED IT HIMSELF. I truly thought the woman across from us was going to faint. And then, when she made it past *almost* fainting, she quickly pulled out her phone and started "sneakily" snapping pictures of the whole thing.

We are really good parents you guys.

The sleigh rides at hardware ranch really are such a fun tradition to instill around Christmas time! Also, we will definitely be going back now that there is more snow.

Speaking of snow, let me go off on a tangent rahhheal quick. This year is such an odd year for me, in that I can really feel my age. By that I don't mean arthritis and loss of vision or anything. I can feel my age in all of the very best ways. I always had this hunch that my thirties would be my favorite, and they are reallllyyy living up to my expectations thus far! I feel as though I'm not taking things for granted anymore. I'm not proud of this, but I did a lot of taking for granted in my twenties. A lot of it. But these past couple of years I feel so aware, so purposeful and filled with real intent and so insanely grateful of everything. I have a hunch that it's because I'm getting wiser and more experienced with my years.

Does this make any sense?

Snowwwww! Winter will probably always reside as my least favorite season, but I feel so grateful for snow. I am not grateful for driving in snow, but I am grateful for four wheel drive and snow tires, I suppose. I really am so happy about the buckets and buckets of snow we are getting! It's a beautiful winter wonderland and it's so very needed. See what I mean? I'M CHANGING MY WAYS. Getting older is so grand. (ask me to say that again when I get arthritis and start losing my vision.)

Oh hey and, no big deal but ONE WEEK UNTIL CHRISTMAS! Eeeeeeekkk!



xoxo