Landie

There's been one person who has regularly been allowed in our house this summer: Landie.

She's a big fan of Shane. He's really good with younger kids. 

Though he tries to pull the "Do you want to watch me play a game?" and the "Do you want to watch this with me?" tricks.

Sometimes it even works for a little bit, but I enforce some limits. Then there's the fact that Landie just turned 4. She's happy to watch for a little bit, but then she's ready to run around!

Loki's a nutcase when they visit. He smells other dogs and he wants in. I have to pen him from time to time to give Landie a break! 

Landie's first time in the house was out of necessity, but she's grandfathered in at this point. It's nice for Shane to have someone else to play with. Carrie and I can't keep up!

Not that we're always sticks in the mud. Carrie introduced Shane to a new idea one morning.

If you assumed it was my idea, I don't blame you. In the house, I'm normally trying to preserve peace and sanity for all (Outside of the house where neither of us can get in trouble, though....). 

It was a loud, raucous time!

So naturally Shane wanted to show Landie when she showed up that night.

Landie laughed as Shane did it, but she felt safer sitting on the treadmill herself. Carrie and Ellie were playing with horses, so the kids and Loki got to be as loud as they wanted.

I recommended they try the "Don't Break the Ice" game after a while....

...but it didn't last. Wild and Crazy Kids resumed.

I pointed the kids outside when they hit my limit. I locked the door behind them, too. Landie hadn't played the password game before! Ha!

Landie doesn't come in or even come with Ellie every time Ellie visits the barn. She's a single mother and it's not always possible to find child care. She appreciates the chance to de-stress and horse-nerd with Carrie while Shane enjoys the chance to see another kid.

That leaves me on observation duty.

One week, I got a call....from Carrie. Someone forgot to latch Pippin's stall. The ladies noticed as they were riding out on our path.

I shut the barn doors in case Pippin bolted when I approached. Not that I needed to. She wanted to get back to her hay! She just wasn't sure how she ended up on the wrong side of it.

There must be something about me trying to rest that draws kids over. Landie grabbed my neck to "tell me something" and screamed in my ear.

I saw it coming......all three times. She couldn't understand why I wouldn't fall for it a fourth time!

UPDATE: Ellie and Landie dropped by the barn today as I was writing this. I had been going to do evening chores, but Carrie tagged in. Landie ended up in the wheelbarrow. I drove.

"Faster! Faster!" Landie said. I know just how out of shape I really am now.

Shane played turtle. He nearly got run over by the wheelbarrow a few times (to his chagrin and Landie's glee).

I would've loved to let them stay outside for longer, but they ended up watching Pink Panther cartoons on Shane's computer. There was only a little bit of treadmill play.