Happy Birthday Caroline!

After waking up to snow and nasty weather, the skies cleared just in time for my niece's birthday party. It was a "Princess & Cowgirls" party. She loves pink and anything girly. Noel got her a pink saddle for Christmas. Her cake was so pretty and tasted great too. She got it from Cakes and Candles in Madison. It was so cute watching Caroline and her friends talking to each other. It seems like yesterday when Leigh Ashley was that age. I loved having lots of good subjects to photograph. I couldn't wait to get home to play with my pictures. Daniel didn't hang around the party crowd much. Michael had to keep getting him out of the woods. He is so much like Zachary-loves hunting and fishing. We all joke that he's the direct opposite of Michael and just like Mark. I walked out to the barn to find him before we left and he and his friend were playing on top of the horse manure pile! I said "Do y'all know what that is that you're playing in?" and they both shook their heads no. When I told them I thought they would jump right down, but boys will be boys....they kept right on playing. I don't know any thing about horses, but he has the prettiest ones I've ever seen. One had it's main braided! I learned something about horses yesterday.... On our way out there, I pointed out horses in a pasture with blankets on. I told Leigh Ashley that it's so cold that the horses have blankets on. Well, when Noel was showing us his horses in the barn, Leigh Ashley told me that the blankets aren't to keep them warm. I guess he had told her that, so she told me that the blankets keep the horses hair from growing. I would think it would help keep them warm as well, but maybe not.

Leigh Ashley is all into nicknames since Brittany (Zachary's girlfriend) started calling her "Little Juicy". She loves all of the Juicy brand stuff....perfume, jewelry and purses. My mother got her a pink with green trim purse for Christmas. It is really cute. It has a big fake ring hanging from it. (I now know where the word "bling bling" comes from;) Brittany got a black with pink trim larger version for Christmas and it's really cute too. So, I guess she's "Big Juicy"! Allison's baby, Emmy was at the party yesterday. She's beautiful. Leigh Ashley calls her "Emmy O". Her last name is Ott, so LA thinks that's a great name for her. She's given me a nickname too. "Flashy". Not because of my wardrobe or style because I don't have either anymore.... She's given me that name because of my hot flashes!!!! I took hormones after having a complete hysterectomy a few years ago, but decided to stop taking them. I was on medication for migraines for almost a year and weight gain is a side effect. I gained 20 pounds in a year. So, I stopped taking everything a few months ago. No more excuses! It finally clicked last week that I have got to start taking care of myself no matter what is going on in my life. I will get this weight off. Not by going on a diet, but changing my lifestyle. Food really isn't my problem...lack of exercise is. I can't just go to the Y when I have time.... I've got to make it a priority and now is the time to do it.

Click to see more pics from the party