Da Real McCoys: Last Weekend of Summer

This past weekend was the LAST weekend of summer! Not only does Tristan go back to work this week, but it's also the official start to football season.

We decided to plan one last date night to celebrate & spend some child-less time together. We had a great dinner at Stone Brewery, and then met up with a few of the coaches and their wives for drinks. It was a great night, although we definitely stayed out too late and paid for it the next day when the boys woke up at their normal EARLY time!

On Saturday we headed to Nana & P's beach house (Grace, Addie & Ava's other grandparents) to spend the day with the cousins. These three crazies were running around on the beach for 5 hours straight, till we dragged them in for dinner!

The kid was COVERED in sand, head to toe.

After we made our way back up to the house and got cleaned up, the kids hung out on the balcony, watching the surfers and cool cars driving by.

All the cousins, checking out the scene and reflecting on a great beach day!

On Sunday, we headed to a horse party! BG bid on, and won this party at a charity event she attended a while back, and gifted it to the girls. They decided to host an "end of summer" party there. It was held at the TERI Campus for Life, which has a therapeutic equestrian program designed to provide therapy for children with disabilities. Since these horses are therapeutic horses, they were amazing with the kids!

They gave all the kids bandanas to wear around their necks when we arrived - I thought Mason's made him look like a little old lady with a sweater around his shoulders haha!

The facility was beautiful, as were the horses! The first thing they did was take the kids on a tour to meet the horses. Please note that Mason never took his sunglasses off. Cutest!

Madden LOVED the horses as well, and was kicking & squealing the whole time.

All the kids took turns riding, Grace was first up!

While the kids were taking turns riding, the hosts brought out Sonny, who the kids got to brush & groom. (Glasses still on)

After he was groomed, it was time to...decorate him?? They gave the kids waterproof finger paints and feathers for his hair, and were all allowed to (carefully) place their handprints on him. I couldn't decide how I felt about this, but Sonny didn't seem to mind.

Mason got to put a print on his nose. Isn't he so sweet!?

THEN, the kids got to feed the horses.

Finally, it was almost time for Mason's turn to ride a horse. He was so patient, had to wait about 2 hours for his turn (obviously they were a little busy during this time so he didn't mind).

I was a little skeptical that he'd actually go through with it - if you know Mason, you know how timid he can be. But that horse came around and he JUMPED right up and got his hat on, and was ready to go!!!