For the uninitiated, we live in a small town. By “small town”, I mean that we live in a community of 10,000 people. While 10,000 seems like a large amount when you are referring to money, it seems like a pretty small number when you are referring to people living in the same vicinity. Our home is actually ten minutes behind said small town in a sub-community that consists of a mere 500 people. We love it here.
I have lived in other small towns and I think I can honestly say that this small town leaves other small towns in the dust. We have a decent-sized city (where I work) ten minutes to the south and we have a large city a mere forty-five minutes to the north. We have access to all of the amenities of the city while living in a town where everybody knows your name. Well, everyone knows my husband’s name (He grew up here, and I’m known as “Matt’s wife”).
This small town of ours has made a name for itself as the “Town of Festivals”. A few times a year we throw a big party and people come from far and wide to attend. The first weekend in June is always Actionfest. Baseball teams descend upon our town to challenge the locals and in between watching Matthew and my brother play ball, we partook of the festivities.
Saturday morning is the parade! With Princesses! And candy! And clowns! (*Shudder*) And…garbage trucks? Only in Summerland.
The kids LOVED it, despite how they look here.
Oh, hi! Graham at fourteen. Sigh.
Sunday morning is an interdenominational service in the park, which is twenty shades of rad for a number of reasons. When the service is over we always beeline it over to the Mini Donut vendor (Mmm…donuts) and usually head home after indulging. I say “usually” because we actually stayed for awhile and told the kids they could partake in one of the rides. JUST ONE. They chose the cheesy Be-Towed-Behind-The-Quad-In-Barrels ride (complete with horns!).
They handed in their tickets.
They were a wee bit excited to be on the ride.
Ah, small town entertainment.
The “train” came back, we unbuckled the kids and helped them out and Emily immediately pointed to the horses. She told me that she wanted to go on that ride. I told her that I had used all of my cash to put them on the ONE RIDE that they had chosen and that they had been instructed to choose carefully. She had chosen the train.
Matthew met up with us, saw his baby girl’s crocodile tears and asked what was going on. Upon hearing how much she wanted to ride a horse he ran off to the truck to fetch the cash he had in his wallet. Daddies and their girls, hey?
(The dudes had the option for another ride and opted for the bounce house. We do our best to play fair over here.)
I think that this is one of the coolest things about being a parent. The majority of the time, you show your kids that you love them by teaching them about making wise decisions and about the consequences of those decisions. But sometimes, you show your kids you love them by letting them ride a horse for the very first time.
I love it! So true
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What a brave girl she is on that great big horse with her pretty little smile. How could you not give in to that face?
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Emily looks so cute on that horse! A girl after my own heart, I adore horses. And clowns, I also shudder, EW.
I love our town too, we have 5,000 people.
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I would totally be tearing up right now if it weren’t for how adorable Emily looks on that horse. That horse is HUGE, and Emily looks perfectly calm on it. Which is AWESOME. Looking back, I really do wish my mom would have taken me riding. I loved (still love) horses, and I know once upon a time my mom was a good rider.
Also: that is totally! Graham at fourteen. I really can’t get over it.
.-= Kerri Anne´s last blog ..Interest In Your Bold Rejection Of Social Norms As Evidenced By Your Dyed Hair =-.
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The last few pics of Emily on the horse are SO cute.
I love summer
.-= kim @ mommyknows´s last blog ..I Hope to Hell She Can’t Get on the Roof … =-.
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I’m glad Matthew had some more cash because seeing Emily on that horse is so ridiculously adorable. Hee hee!
.-= Sizzle´s last blog ..The Chocolate Coating Makes It Go Down Easier* =-.
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What fun!!! I love it, it looks like totally fabulous family time!
.-= Elizabeth´s last blog ..Not quite =-.
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There’s nothing like that first horse ride.
I’m glad you let it happen.
.-= Madge´s last blog ..Dad =-.
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We had a service in the park that my FIL started in Terrace that a whole bunch of denominations were involved in – it was awesome. Pancake breakfast and all. I miss it.
The photos of Emily on the horse? Twenty shades of awesome.
And I agree that Summerland is a pretty spectacular small town. I was only there a couple days, but it was an awesome couple days.
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Looks like a fun weekend. I grew up in a small town, a very small town and it pales in comparrison to there. There is something about that little community that screams amazing. We (mostly Corey) miss it all the time.
You taught your kids a great lesson in flexibility and kindness that day. Sometimes as parents I think we’re all too ready to “fight the fight” to instill values and morals, to show our kids that our word is our word and that the world is tough so chose right because if you don’t a consequence will follow. In there we forget that they are little people who make the best choice in the moment that they know how and then, when it’s all said and done they’re sad, because there is another equally great choice. And then it’s our turn to make a choice, we can either show them “life is hard kid, you made your bed…” or once in awhile we can show them “I love you and today, because you rock and my world is you, let’s do something fun and make just one more good choice” You, in my opinion made the right choice! Looks like she had a blast!
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oh my god.
I LOVE pictures of kids riding horses. LOVE.
.-= alimartell´s last blog ..Ticky Tick. Or How I Might Learn a Thing or Two from a Girl Who Wears Pink Wigs =-.
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My husband has the same affliction when it comes to his girls, too. Something about those big brown eyes (in their case) spilling the crocodile tears that he can’t resist. Emily looks so happy up on that horse.
And I’ll give a wave up the lake your way as we pass by on our way to Kelowna on Friday. We love the Provincial park beach in Summerland, but I think we’ll wait until July or August for a swimming day.
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I love how pleased she looks to be atop that horse
.-= hillary´s last blog ..You Might Know This But You’ve Never Been This See If I Ate Spinach Then I’d Be Called Spinach D =-.
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How precious is your daughter up there on that horse? Like she’s not scared at all. Great pictures.
.-= C @ Kid Things´s last blog ..Always =-.
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Not sure if you’ve noticed or not, but Emily has a MASS of curls peeping out the bottom of her helmet!!! Tee hee! SO CUTE!
.-= Meg´s last blog ..Thanks =-.
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I’m surprised! She’s such a brave girl! My niece wouldn’t even get on a pony ride at that age!
Also as I was scrolling down, that one photo almost looked like she was on backwards and I was laughing because I was thinking “only Emily!”
.-= Kristabella´s last blog ..Grill Next Door =-.
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She looks pretty comfy up there!
.-= Kami’s Khlopchyk´s last blog ..Bits and Pieces of Nothing* =-.
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Oh my goodness! Those pictures of your daughter sitting atop the horse are so cute!! She is mighty brave. I am nearing 31 and still too much of a scaredy cat to get on a horse. Yeah….I know.
.-= Mama in the City´s last blog ..Still Celebrating! Week 2 Of Giveaways! =-.
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Miss Emily is clearly a born equestrian. Also, adorable.
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Oh my goodness…really barrels towed behind an ATV?! That is just too funny, and really rather original. Not to mention probably safer than most carnival rides. Just priceless.
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With a name like Summerland, it has to be perfect. After the Heighs moved away from there I was sad because I had no friends who lived there to go visit.
Hey wait a minute….
Wow she looks teeny-tiny up on that horse!
.-= Danica´s last blog ..Like a Child =-.
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Aw….she’s so little and so cute on a horse. Emily’s adorable. I’d have done the same thing, myself. Doggone it, ALL your kids are cute!
I look forward to your blog- a bit of happy in my day!
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I’m from a town of 1200, in a “suburb” population 10. We have to DRIVE 10 MINUTES to the town with the festivals.
.-= slynnro´s last blog ..Hodgepodge. =-.
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