Jenny's 30th birthday!

Today is Jenny's 30th birthday. It has been a great day and I am so happy that I was here for it. We woke up and went to a horse trek. I rode on a old, brown horse named Bessie. She was bred as a stock horse, but was enjoying retirement taking people through a valley. Jenny and I did that last year, but the place was along the beach. This year, the farm had moved-Today the owner told us that she lost the lease on the property- and so we rode through lush, green, palmy, New Zealand bush. It was really cool. Jenny had a horse named Molly. Molly and Bessie were not friends. Molly did not want Bessie to be in front of her. At one point in the trip, we were walking by a waterfall and there was a tractor up ahead. The tractor was on the path and the leader thought it might frighten the horses, so we had to turn around, but then Molly was behind Bessie. Since, this would not do, Molly took off at a gallop to pace Bessie, but unfortunately Bessie felt pretty competitive, so she also took off at a gallop. Little did she know, I was holding on to the saddle trying to figure out how to put on the breaks. I crashed into a tree limb, lost my glasses, but finally grabbed the reigns to stop poor lil Bessie. We decided to be the bigger couple and let Jenny and Molly pass us. Besides that, it was a really easy going ride. The water fall and Kaituna river were not spectacular- like the beach ride- but it was cool to be in the bush.

Then, Jenny and I grabbed a bite. I had sweet potato french fries and Jenny had a gourmet Maketu fish pie.

When we headed home, Jenny put the baby to sleep and Clint, Jenny, and the kids went to the beach. I stayed home with baby Max. I just read and lounged on the couch.

While we were out, Clint had whipped up some Mac and cheese, Roast, Red Gravy, and peas. So, we had a filling dinner with a chocolate ice cream roll cake to finish it off.

Jenny and Clint have gone on a date and I am home with the kids.