Our Collection of Animals!

This post is mostly for our records and for Jenette and Craig ;)  I was talking with Jenette about all our animals that we seem to have and that I couldn't believe we are getting a horse.  But, knowing me, I am not surprised and actually, it all makes me SO happy.  Scott just smiles at me because I dance around when I talk about my animals (ok, not really, but close!).  Jenette mentioned, too, that she and Craig thought I needed to do a post about all our animals and take pictures all in one post.  I love, especially, that I have a couple sons that love them just as much as I do.  Dallen, though, has taken it one step further and any money he might get goes toward an animal.  So, all but Shep, the cats, and the chickens (although Dallen claims the cats and chickens are his, too, but knows Shep is mine and Alec's baby), Dallen owns all the rest of the animals at our house!

Our un-named rabbit

Angel

Shep

Copper and Hooch

The chickens...now currently laying eggs!!!!!

The Turtle in his new home

Dallen's fish (Blue Gill he caught at the lake and a sucker fish)

the hamster

Swannee, the Gerbil

Shauna, Dallen's latest purchase (with her fly mask on)

Last night he was able to finally purchase Shauna, his horse.  She is actually in the next door neighbor's corral because we have a friend that is taking down his old fencing and putting up new and wanted to know if we wanted it (tithing really works!!!) and so we are patiently waiting until all that happens.  It is the County Fair this week and so it won't be happening for at least a week.  Our neighbor, Marcie, is a friend who I met because I visit teach her.  I also have helped her out with her kids (Carson - 8 and Dylan - 2).  Dallen had noticed that Marcie had a corral and fenced area for horses or cattle and so he was brave and asked Carson what the deal was with that and it used to be his dad's and now that they are divorced, it doesn't get used. So, then I asked Marcie (Dallen was too scared) if we could possible house her there until our fence got done and she was happy to do it.  So, last night we brought her over in between rain storms and she was CRYING!!!  It was so sad and she was wailing so loud.  My heart was breaking and Toni, whom we bought her from, had to leave quickly because it was tearing her heart out.  She is as tender about her animals as Dallen is.  He purchased her for $200.00.  She is 19 years old and perfect for a first time, recreational rider.  She has a fun personality (loves to dunk her head in water when she is getting a drink!) and make faces when she gets the mosquito spray put on her.  Toni bought her first horse at Dallen's age for $200.00 and thought it was fair.  She also had an extra saddle that is perfect for him and sold that to him for $80.00.  He worked and saved since last October and earned over $350.  He bought a horse, saddle (and all the tack), and boots.  It is SO cute to me!  Anyway, I will have to take a picture of him on her, but he wants to wait a week to ride her because Toni said it takes about that long until she stops crying and is doing good.  Shauna is doing really good today and Dallen has gone over to visit her three times today and fed her and talked with her.  She was "talking" to the horses across the street (Flash and Duke) and making friends already.  The fun thing is that those are Dallen's friend's horses and so she will most likely be riding along with them.  She has a sore eye right now (not shown, but has a patch on the other eye) because one of the colts she lived with in Toni's pasture accidentally kicked her in the eye as he was playing around.  So, she has to wear this patch for about 4-6 weeks and we have to check it weekly to make sure it's not getting any worse, but Toni thinks she should heal fine and so does the vet, so we'll just keep our eye (no pun intended) on her.  Anyway, those are our animals while we are here in Taylor Arizona.