Hello

Well hello there! :)

I just feel like writing today, but for no particular reason.

I've been riding quite a bit this summer, and it's been so nice getting back to my trail riding roots. A part of me (a big part, I admit) does miss ring riding and the like, but for now, I'm happy with what I've got. I'm blessed to have it, too!

My mom and her horse Lady are doing so well together! Lady has turned out to be a beautiful trail horse, she is steady on her feet, honest and just a pleasure to ride! She is a real keeper, that mare.  She is a bit of a floozy, though. She and her pasture mate, Stormy have been having a sordid love affair (of the gelding/mare variety). One of them isn't fully equipped, but that doesn't stop them from...ahem...trying. Heh heh heh...tmi, you say? Sorry.

On a side note. My mom has come across a harness and cart. Kind of like this one:


It's fancy, yes it is.

Anyway. What in bejeezus is (are) she (we) going to do with a cart like that? Oh my word. Well, she's going to (with help) train herself AND her horse to drive.

I'm divided on this. On one hand, neither my mom nor I have any experience driving, let alone training a horse to drive. I don't even know how to harness a horse. The horse is NOT broke to drive. She's calm and pretty unflappable, sure, but she's still a big honkin', behooved horse.

I don't want to be fugly fodder either, I admit.

ON ANOTHER NOTE: I do think, that with an experienced trainer's help, this would be totally awesome! TERRY,  what do you think? ;) I also have visions of my distant future self showing a Morgan in Carriage classes...even though it's my mom's carriage, she'll share!

So, there's that too.

Let's see, what else?

Here's something cute!

Josie is just over 1 years old now. My future cowpoke!

...ain't she cute?

The Longest Ride

Happy day before Friday! Woot!

Two weekends ago, I, along with my mom and Gail (owner of the Missouri Fox Trotters) went on a long trail ride to Brighton (Chilson) Recreation Area I think we went a total of 9 miles (that's really long for me, anyway).


The ride to the recreation area is about 3 miles, comprised of trails, dirt roads and one small section of precarious paved roads.

The mare I have been riding, Lady Jane, is spooky. She's pretty easily contained, but she does spook quite a bit. Most of the time, she sort of missteps during a spook; and they're easily ridden. Once in a while, I can feel that she would like to bolt; again, she's been easy to stop. She's just a nervous nelly; but a good horse nonetheless. I enjoy riding her very much!

Anyway, the ride went really well, but there was one moment where my life flashed before my eyes. The section of the ride that is paved roads upsets me. In fact, in the future if we want to ride at Chilson, we've all agreed to trailer the horses there as opposed to riding them.

Here's why.

The portion of road that is paved, also has a rail road crossing. The railroad is down a slight slope; to one side of that slope is a small farm butted up the road. That farm has a very vocal Emu, and a gorgeous, gorgeous Quarter Horse mare that enjoys galloping up to the fence line to visit with the strange horses walking (or freaking in my case) past.

The other side of the road is a sharp incline up to a rusted out wiry fence, staked with metal stakes.

Like this: (but rustier)

Just before the portion of dirt road turns paved, there is a very busy camp ground. Many recreational vehicles travel to and from this camp ground, even in late September! So, there we were 3 horses and 3 riders. A galloping horse, a screeching Emu, train tracks, slippery paved roads, 1,000 gigantic monsters zoning in on us (campers and trucks from the campground), a rusted out metal fence and a horse on the verge of a panic attack (that'd be Lady Jane).

At one point  my life flashed before me. The horse was just a ball of energy. She wanted to bolt, but there were campers and trucks impatiently passing us only about 2 feet from the narrow patch of hilly grass we were on, which added to the chaos of crossing the very scary railroad tracks.  I could sense that because I was holding Lady Jane back, she was thinking about rearing which would have sent us both careening (falling) backward onto the paved road.  <---this is hard to explain, actually...ha ha ha.

I rode her through it; safely, thank goodness, but I don't think I want to venture that way any longer.

Other than that, we had a great ride! We saw quite a few other riders at the recreation area, and a most beautiful chestnut Morgan gelding (which made my day).

In other news, the Morgan Grand National Horse show is this week. You can check out classes and watch the live feed of the show here.

 Now, the fun part! Pictures!!!

Riding Them Trails

I'm still here, I'm still here!!!!!

I hope everyone had a marvelous Labor Day!

I spent my summer *horsewise* trail riding. It was like coming back to my roots as it's how I began riding. I'm loving the trails and the freedom of not worrying about collection, equitation, perfection in the gaits and whatnot, BUT I know I'd grow bored without something more. I think I will always have a desire to compete with horses on some level, however small it be.

So...there is talk of a small show next summer on the Fox Trotters. I'm also in cahoots with J about showing some Morgans, well, she's in cahoots, I'm still pretty sure I want nothing to do with showing HER horses as we all know how that generally ends (it almost put me off horse showing all together). I'd love to show MY OWN Morgan, though ;).

I'm still learning a lot about what an actual Fox Trot is. I've some experience showing Tennessee Walking Horses, however a Fox Trot is different than a running walk, so still a learning curve. I also don't know what attire the Fox Trotter exhibitors wear. Is it western? Saddle Seat? A mish mash? I can't seem to find much information on the breed in the show ring. It seems they're a breed built for pleasure/trail; which is just fine!

I'm loving that my only practice for the possibility of a show ring is a long stretch of dirt road. Isn't that perfect? It sure beats the tiresome circles I've become so accustomed to. Riding has become fun again!!!!

Just before our trail ride yesterday afternoon. I'm not sure what this mare's registered name is, but her owner assures me her sire was notable. I can't remember his name either; I'll have to get it! She was purchased in Missouri at their national show and came with the nickname Fanny, 'tis all I know!

At any rate, she's a fun ride. Lazy lazy lazy then all of a sudden, weeee - off she goes as fast as can be. Yesterday, she reared, spun around and whipped up a very steep hill at the mere graze of my heel across her flank; she is like a Jeep! ;) ;)

Sunday Trail Rides and Sizzling Summers

Happy belated 4th of July!!!!

I had 5 days off of work last week, starting Tuesday. Well, wouldn't you know...Tuesday night we had a terrible storm and *boom* the power went out. We got our power back, conveniently, on Sunday night. Just in time to go back to work! Fortunately, Brian, Madigan the dog, baby Josie and I were able to camp out at my parent's house, where a pool kept us cool and comfortable while our house remained out of commission.

Sunday, my mom and I snuck off for a nice trail ride! My mom rode for the first time in her new to her, Tucker saddle (she loved it). I rode Lady Jane (the Fox Trotter) again. It seems she's going to be the horse I ride on a regular basis. Fine by me!!!

We ended up going on an 8 mile ride. After mile 4 or 5, I was hurting! Poor Lady Jane, she was hurtin' too, I think. Normally, Jane is incredibly up. She likes to go go go. At the end of our ride, it was all she could do to lift her head up above her withers. heh heh heh...I felt guilty, but not too guilty. She had enough energy to go after her pasture buddy Stormy after she was hosed off and put back to pasture.

I don't really have anything too exciting to post about. There is talk about hitting up some trails that require a trailer, so that should be an adventure of sorts. :)
 

Hope everyone is having a safe, sane and smiling summer!!!!!

Sunday Rides; Bringing it Back!

As I mentioned before, I've been given the glorious opportunity to ride again! The lady who owns the farm where my mom is boarding her horse, owns 2 Fox Trotters! 2! A spare horse, if you will, for me to ride when I'd like! The lady and my mom are fast becoming good friends. The lady, who I'll call Gidget (she looks like a mature Gidget), is wonderful!

I am still welcome to ride with J, however that part of my life has come to a close. I still chat with J from time to time, but I haven't been to her farm in months.

Last Sunday, I went out riding with my mom and Gidget. I rode Lady Jane again; my mom rode her horse Lady and Gidget rode her good gelding, Stormy.

I have such an absolute blast cruising the trails on those fast gaited Fox Trotters! They can really boogie down, let me tell you!!!! My mom's heavier Grade/Quarter Horse does have to chug along at a pretty good rate to keep up.

Heading home from our ride, my mom and I switched horses. Having never have ridden a gaited horse before, I could tell she enjoyed it very much. We both agree, though, that we would miss are good ole' fashioned trottin' horses too much to hop on the gaited band wagon just yet. My mom proposed that I get a gaited horse so we can switch back and forth, but my heart is still set in Morgandom, so a Morgan, someday, I shall have!

Also, after riding Lady Jane (the Fox Trotter) and sitting in the TUCKER saddle she comes with, my mom has bid on this bad boy (Tucker High Plains)! It is like pure saddle heaven. If you sit in one, you'll be hard pressed to get back into a plain ole' raw hide seated western saddle for trail riding purposes! My butt has been spoiled rotton, I tell you!

Anyway, I suppose I've rattled on enough! On to the pictures :)

Getting ready, pre ride! Like my awesome velvet helmet?

These are the same trails my mom rode when she was a girl; the same trails I rode with my mom as a child...

Lady Bird and Stormy - in love.

Rest Stop!

Blasphemy! Texting in the presence of a horse...I had to tend to my husband and child for a moment!

Here I am on Lady Bird (the trottin' horse). Don't mind my awful chair seat...ugh!

Lady Jane and Stormy! Tired after their ride!

Doesn't Lady Jane look an awful lot like Gypsy the Morgan? It's almost uncanny.

Happy Friday

Happy Friday!!!

To update on my last post. My mom ended up moving her horse, Lady to a different farm than the one mentioned before. It works out even better because the people who own that farm own two horses that aren't both used. I have been told my their gracious, gracious owners that I can ride with my mom whenever I choose....for free! That is more than I could have ever asked for.

The two horses are Missouri Fox Trotters!

Yesterday, my mom, the woman who owns the place and I went out for a glorious trail ride. We rode the trails I rode as a kiddo (but haven't been on since I was about 10). Those Fox Trotters can MOVE! It was such a blast, I can't wait to go again! Here we are!

This is me on Lady Jane

Me on(Lady Jane) and the lady who owns the horses on Stormy!

ridin' the trails

My mom on Lady Bird - I realize that her mouth is being pulled upon, she was rarin' to go go goooo!

Oh Say Can You See!

Wow! I leave for a few months and Blogger completely changes itself! How will I ever?!

I don't even know if anyone will read this, I've been very very naughty indeed.

Just busy with work and baby, is all.

Anyway, I have something horse related to post at long last.  Wahooooey!

To bring you up to speed. My mom keeps her horse at a farm just down the road from her. She is also a real estate agent. The woman who owns the farm wanted to sell it to downsize, so begrudgingly, my mom listed it and it sold almost immediately. They people who purchased it are going to use it for Organic Farming and PIGS. Oh my!

Long story short, my mom had to find a new home for her horse, Lady.

With my help, we found the perfect place! It's a farm close by with access to trails and surrounded by long dirt roads for riding. They have a horse available for me to half lease! YAY! It's not ideal as I'd much prefer my own horse, but money is tight for me, so this is better than nothing!

I have yet to meet the horse. She's a 20 year old Walking Horse of all things! I will lease her for the summer if all goes well. I'm just so excited!

The woman who owns the farm is a no nonsense, straight to the point kind of lady. She seems like her first goal is healthy happy animals; she does raise meat goats which was sad for us non-farm gals to take in as the goat kids (who will be slaughtered at some point) were too cute and lovin' life!  That said, both my mom and I do eat meat, so we can't be hypocrites here. Still, it's a tough pill to swallow. They are SO SO adorable!

Also, she sort of rubbed me the wrong way when my mom asked her if "she had a horse I could pay to use." The woman responded bruskily "This is not a riding stable!"

My mom only meant if there was a horse I could lease, she just kind of said it wrong. But still, sheesh!

Wow, this post it kind of all over the place. I do hope to be updating more and more this summer - afterall, I'll hopefully have a lot to write about! YAY!

I hope you are all doing well! I'm going to try and catch up on the blogs this week. I just need to find ya'll first - what's going on here, blogger?!

Josie says Hi!

The Story

I have nothing exciting going on in my life pertaining to horses, so here's a very embarrassing story that I'd like to share with you!

Several years ago, MGM Grand opened a casino in Detroit. Several of our friends, DH and I, made plans to go check it out.

We arrived and it was beautiful, as you can imagine. Not quite as decked out and glamorous as Las Vegas, but for Detroit, quite something. That's neither here nor there, though.

We set about getting drinks and meandering about. There was a circular bar in the center of the casino that was all mirrored up and just packed.

After about an hour of watching the game, gambling and wandering, we all regrouped and got in line at the cicular bar to get more drinks. Just the thing I needed! As I waited in line, it occured to me that we could go to the other side of the circular bar and get drinks there. I recalled that it wasn't as packed as the side we were on.

I turned to my friend K and said, "let's go on the other side of the bar. I know there won't be a long line."
K looked at me bewildered and said, "what are you talking about? This is the only side with a bar."
"No. Look, it goes on the other side." I pointed where you could clearly see the passage way the led there.
"I don't see it." K said.
"Ok. You stay here and I'll go. Tell me what you want to drink and I'll order it for you." I said, anxious to prove her wrong.

I took K's order and made my way to the other side of the circular bar. I weaved in and out through the crowds, and then stopped when a pretty looking girl almost ran smack dab into me.
"excuse me." I said.

She smiled back at me, and then we did the dance. You know? The one where you move at the same time as the other person you're trying to get past? That dance.

We danced for a good 30 seconds.

It started as a warm feeling. In less than a second, that warm feeling started speaking to me. It said, "no. Oh no. You're not really doing that."
Just as I realized what was happening, I felt a tap on my arm. One of the waitresses, clad in her skimpy casino show girl garb, was attempting to stifle her laugh as she said..."No honey. That's a mirror."
Oh yes I did. .
I turned around and there they were. 100 or so people, come to watch the show. My show. A show of horror.

My DH asked me to never, ever tell anyone about that. Here I am, telling ya'll.

In case you don't understand what happened:

I didn't recognize myself in a mirror. I spoke to myself and still didn't recognize me. Then, I proceeded to dance, and STILL

**DH= Dear Husband

What a Downer

Could I be? Am I really? Nooo...I'm not that. Am I?

The dreaded Debbie Downer! Gasp. Say it ain't so.

for those of you who don't know who or what a "Debbie Downer" is: Here's a reference video.





Over the past week or so, my husband and I have been somewhat strained. Not fighting strained, but strained none the less. We're still adjusting to parenthood, and I don't care what anyone says, adding a third to a two DOES create absolute havoc on your life!  Husband and I will be fine, but we have a few things to shake out before we're streamlining away at life again.

The thing is, since going back to work, I've been complaining. A lot. I didn't even realize I was doing it. It started off as mild annoyance at my, dare I say it online? Temperamental coworkers.

This mild annoyance escalated, without me even realizing it, into sheer anger and miserly behavior that was kept inside, hidden behind a faux smile at work, and then unwittingly being unleashed onto my poor, dear husband when I returned home from a long day each evening.

Husband, not being the type to belly ache about his own issues, took my complaints like a man for about a month; until finally, he let his true opinions on my moaning and groaning fly in an all out, knock down, e-mail argument. As I mentioned above, I've been coming home and unleashing this negative beast on him. "So and so said this and so and so did that!" I'd moan. On and on and on it went, day after day. I thought back. He is completely right.

P.S. E-mail fights are the absolute best way to go about fighting. No slamming doors, no screaming. Just plain old editable words, typed out and hopefully read and re-read before hitting send. I also happen to believe that fighting mild disagreements  are a healthy thing in any relationship...within means.

Anyway, where was I?

So. It hit me like a ton of bricks that what he was saying in his e-mail rebuttal, that

I am a total Debbie Downer!

 is true.

Oh my gosh! I can't stand Debbie Downers, and here I am. The Queen of them all! The baby (Josie) is so amazing and the most wonderful thing I've ever done and yadayadayada, but! I am so exhausted. I'm tired, squared. I'm irritable and I'm pissed off that I wasn't blessed with a fortune so I could be home with my little one and a herd of horses! Poor me, right? Anyway, I quickly realized that I was making myself miserable with my negative thoughts. All of the miserable feelings I've been having are no one's fault buy my own. That's a bitter pill to swallow. It's also liberating because I have complete control over changing that.

I want to be a happy person. What's stopping me?

So. That's my New Year's Resolution. I plan on actually keeping this one. At least. I hope I do.

What's you Resolution for 2012?

Hello

I just wanted to post and say hello to everyone! I'm still super inconsistent with just about everything in my life right now, but that will change soon...hopefully.

Is it just me, or does there seem to be a lot of depressing news out there? It seems every time I turn around someone's sick, or losing their home, or has lost or is losing a loved one. It's just very sad, and it makes me feel ever the more grateful for the wonderful things I have in my life, especially my health, loved ones and secure (hopefully) job (that I hate, lol)! I pray for those who are going through trying times, and I truly believe that there is a light at the end of the tunnel for us all...we just need patience. I hope that the next time I'm feeling down someone reminds me of those words that I just typed.

Life is going well for me. Josie is getting big (3 months old now) and she's been an absolute joy for the most part. I've had a few moments where I felt like I was going to lose it, but then I just took it out on my husband and felt a lot better! Thank God for husbands!! Ha!

Here she is (above) in her Christmas PJ's...jolly lil' thing! She does NOT like hats, can you tell?

As for horses; I haven't been out to ride much. I've been on Lady (mom's horse) a few times, and that was nice. Lady is obese, just plain obese. She's healthy and all, but fat fat fat! My mom realizes this and she's working to correct it. I  think the problem she's having is that the barn owner is feeding the other mare that Lady is pastured with a lot (she's old and thin) and Lady is partaking in the extra feed as well.

I hate to say this...again...but I'm dreaming that this Spring or summer, I'll have a horse. J keeps offering any of hers up, which is amazingly generous, but I don't want to put myself into a position where I have a horse that I have no time to ride. I feel like that's been my life lately. It's a problem with either money or time. Ugh! Once Josie is a bit older (this Spring or Summer) I'll revisit J's offer. I don't expect much from myself on this one as I've been bound and determined to get me a horse many a time over the years. I hope though, I hope. Also, I don't want to board a horse at J's farm. It's too far off the beaten trail and truthfully, I want to be a part of a barn where there are others to ride/show with. I want to have fun with horses again.

Anyway, I hope everyone had a beautiful Christmas and I hope that 2012 brings us all peace, joy and health!

Meep

This morning I had to meet Josie's babysitter in the parking lot of the elementary school where she drops her own little girl off. This particular school is right off of a four lane highway (2 lanes in each direction, divided by a grass median). Anyway, I pulled out into the closest lane to me, which coincidentally ends and forces the drivers in that lane to either merge left OR turn right. I needed to merge left, however a little compact sedan saw that I wanted needed to get over, and sped up. ASSHOLE!

 I had no choice, I started merging anyway. Slowly, I started to edge left, giving the driver the opportunity to slow and allow me in. She sped up. So naturally, I continued to merge over anyway. I could see the car speeding up, but also sidling left as I made my entrance. I was not giving in, though I knew I was probably breaking a law or two. Finally, having no other choice, the driver slowed down because I was coming in and she wasn't stopping me. Giving up, she slammed on her horn, and kept the horn a honking for a good long while. The sound this horn emitted, though, was the funny part...meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep-meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep meep meep meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep, (Think Beaker) it's little self said, meeeeep meeep! If this other driver was trying to portray her indignity at my intrusion she sure DIDN'T do a good job of it. Normally, I would have felt annoyed, but this was hilarious. The angry driver tail gaited me, meep meeping all the way, until I made a right hand turn several miles down the road. She continued on straight with one more lengthy meeeeep, before fading off into the distance. Hilarious! The thing is, though, why didn't she just let me in the first time I asked...I mean, what a JERK!

_________________________________________________

Aside from my exciting drive to work this morning, things have been coming along steadily for me. I am enamored with little Josie, she is so darned cute. I probably shouldn't admit this, but sometimes I think little babies look like little old men, and that is a very endearing quality to me. Sometimes I see Mickey Rooney, sometimes it's Walter Matthau and sometimes I see Benjamin Button, but always, I see cute! Look at this bambino:

I miss her so while I'm away at work! She was  *2 months* yesterday!

____________________________________________________________________

On the horse related front, I have indeed ridden several times! I can't wait to get out there again and ride. I rode Contro Saddle Seat. I did end up calling J, and though I'm still fency with her, I did miss her. SIGH.
Contro looks like an old Llama, but boy can he still move. I rode him Saddle Seat, and it was so much fun!
In other news, a family friend of ours just purchased her first horse in over 10 years. The horse is a 17 hand Trekehner/TBRED/Freisian mix...I have no idea if I spelled Trekehner or freisian correctly. I have NEVER seen such a tall horse (aside from a draft horse or two), he's quite a sight to behold!

I wish I had something more exciting to report on horses, but I just don't. We shall see what the future holds :).

I hope everyone is doing very well. I'm doing my very best to catch up with blogs and I'm enjoying it very much!

I'm not Pregnant Anymore!

This isn't a blog about babies or mommys, so I can keep the birth story brief...but, then, I wouldn't be me if it were brief, so without further ado...

Having babies and being pregnant was not something I could ever imagine myself doing or being. As a little girl, while my friends were busy playing house and mom, I was outside playing horses and softball. I just never really wanted to be a mom. Well, of course, all of that changes...I grew up, met Brian, got married and naturally, decided it would be an awesome idea to have a baby. SIGH!

Fast forward through nine months of pregnancy to September 14, 2011. I went to work that morning feeling just fine, but then around noon, something changed. I felt off. Not bad, just off. I spent my workday cleaning my desk and finalizing some work details in preparation for my impending maternity leave. I felt fine physically, but I did notice that I had dropped quite a bit (my belly, that is). Towards the end of my workday, I started getting crampy. Stupidly, I brushed it off as Braxton Hicks. I left work and as I was driving home, my cramps started getting worse. I began to wonder about them. My commute is usually about an hour long due to traffic. Of course, on this day, traffic was a bitch! Then, it happened...a cramp (contraction) that nearly sent me careening off the road! Holy crap, but it hurt. That put a fear into me about what was to come, so tearfully,  I called my husband, Brian, to tell him he might want to head home..."I think I'm in labor" I sobbed.

I admit that I was already crying very early on in my labor. That contraction hurt, and I just knew I was in for a treat that evening. I'd also like to add that I have a pretty low pain threshold...OUCHYWAWA!

Anyway, I got home and spent the evening timing my pains. I took 2 baths and tried everything and anything to relieve the contractions that were coming about every 5 minutes. By the time I was crawling around the living room floor on all fours, in semi panicked agony (yes, it was that dramatic). I'd also like to say that while I was suffering so, Brian was busy NESTING. Yes, he was cleaning the damn house! Anyway, it was decided, despite the triage nurses' advice over the phone, that we needed to head to the hospital (30 miles away) before I got anymore theatrical (but it hurrrrt).

We got to the hospital at about 11:00 at night. I was checked and at about 1 cm' 100% effaced (still not exactly sure what that means, and yes, I am talking about my lady bits on my blog- sorry).

Anyway, the triage nurse was a bit smug about my lack of progress, "don't worry, honey," she pointed out to me, "you have nothing to compare this to." Grrr. She was just sure I'd be sent home.

An hour later, I was at 3 cm and admitted...at that point, I was very EAGER to have an epidural. So, I was admitted and after what seemed like an eternity, got my blessed epidural. After the epidural, I remember my mom showing up, I also remember feeling strange, almost like I was in a dream...I was also getting a bit nervous about what I was about to do. Push.a.baby.out.of.my....you know what! Time flew by, the whole night was a blur.

It turns out that my contractions were so fast and so strong that the baby's heart rate was dropping almost to a stop with each one. I had an audience of at least 6 Doctors, nurses, med students (one very cute one who sat in the spot of honor the whole time...oy vey, to add to my misery) and a whole berage of other hospital staff walking in and out to the lovely sight of my spread eagled self...yes, it was terribly embarrasing, but frankly, I didn't care too much at that point.

.... A few hours later, and I was ready to go. I felt some strong urges to...oh my gosh, push. My blasted Dr. insisted on turning my epidural down so that I could push properly, despite my strong request to NOT FEEL A THING. Ugh, I felt it all right and that's all that I'm going to say about that because I'm sure you get the idea. I pushed for over 2 hours and finally out popped a 6 lb 6 oz little baby girl...so tiny and wee. Anyway, little Josephine Lynn (Josie) was born at 5:36 a.m. on September 15, 2011. She is so loved!

Nobody can prepare you for the craziness that ensues after a baby arrives. The whole experience was utter madness and it's something that I'm still adjusting to. It's a feeling of love so intense that it breaks your heart but it's also fear, worry and a whole plethora of other very strange and intense feelings, wonderful and not so wonderful. I am also mourning a freedom I won't see again for many years (like leaving the house on a whim).

So that's my big update...I AM NO LONGER PREGNANT!

Just an ole' Update

Hello, Hello!

I hope everyone is having a great summer! My summer has been nice enough, I'm lovin' the heat, but I think if I were in Texas or Arizona or somewhere in the humid south, my tune would be different. Michigan weather has shifted recently from 90's to high 70's low 80's, but the skeeters and flies are out with a vengeance!

Sigh, now I blog about the weather.

I've been a naughty blogger this summer, but once this baby is born and I can get back into my horse hobby, I'll pipe back up.

A few things have changed this summer, aside from my impending baby girl (September 20th).

Over the past few months, I've felt less and less inclined to have J in my life. I've known her since I was 13, and during all of those years, I can't remember her really ever being there for me. I mean, she gave me riding lessons that my parent's paid for. Since selling my last horse, Shaker, I've been allowed to ride her horses at my leisure, however I've also done hay, cleaned countless stalls, done chores once a week, watered, cleaned buckets, cobwebbed stalls and many other things for FREE. I actually PAID her to ride her horses at horse shows for several years (so she could get them seen and sold). Mostly, I'd say it's been me being there for her, though I'm sure she'd disagree. (Can you just feel the resentment brewing in me)?

Years of hours long, one sided phone conversations. Her problems. Her issues. Her aches. Her pains. Her not doing much to resolve her issues. Me offering advice and my heart breaking for her countless times have come to a culmination. Honestly, I just don't have it in me to listen anymore. Isn't that awful? She's done some awful things over the years. Thinking back on them, I feel angry and stupid...why have I stuck by her? I wish I could elaborate more, but I don't know how to make this post private only for some readers. It would not be right for the world to read any more of my thoughts on the matter. Especially when she wouldn't be around to defend herself. I guess to get right down to the point; as cruel as this really does sound, my relationship with J has so much less to do with horses and so much more to do with me being a crutch or sounding board for her. That's how I feel, be it true or not.

Anyway, to get to the point. LOL. I've stopped going to her barn. I quit cold turkey and I've been avoiding her phone calls. Oh, how I do miss Gypsy, Bobby and the rest of the horses. I do plan on keeping up a relationship with her, because in all honesty, I do care about her. I just don't want her relying on my help once a week. It's too much. I also do plan on getting back into horses and showing once the baby's born, however I do not plan on using J. I feel so awful, but I need a change and a chance to fall back in love with horses and horse showing....I feel it in me, it's just not surfaced yet and hasn't for a year or so.

Anyway, my mom has been riding her Lady horse quite a bit this summer. She has had a young girl out to ride on a few occasions. My mom is so sweet. This young girl LOVES horses, but she's never really had the chance to be around them. My mom offered to give her lessons because she knows how it feels to have such a strong passion yet no means to pursue. Horses cost money, lots and lots of money, as we all know, and this girl is only a Junior in college. That, if you don't already know, = poor. :(

Below is a pic. of Lady and her new buddy.

Summer's Bounty

What a hot summer we're having in Michigan. I won't complain though because we also had a horrendously long and cold winter here in Michigan too. The weather changes so frequently around here that tomorrow we could have temperatures in the 50s! MICHIGAN, gotta' love it (which I mostly do)!

I have had quite the boring summer thus far. No horse shows, no riding to speak of, no vacations. Just a lot of house repairs/maintenance (I mostly sit around and watch all of that), and trying to float in my parent's blessed pool as much as possible. I can get away with that on account of the impending wee one. Ya' know? One of the few attributes, I suppose. I do miss having a nice cold beer on occasion, but it's all worth it!

Although I haven't been riding, I have tried to make it out to the barn on a weekly basis.

Two weeks ago, I was scared witless by what I imagine must have been the largest moth on the planet.  I was just minding my own business, unwinding the barn hose in order to water some of the indoor horses when I spotted it.

Mothra!

There it lay, 2 inches from my colorful western boot clad feet *if you had seen my ensemble that day, you would have LAUGHED - picture denim shorts, bright orange faux ostrich skin upper and brown lower western boots and a tank top encased baby belly, hilarious* but, that's beside the point.

Anyway, Mothra was dying which is sad, but he was also alive enough to slowly wave his GINORMOUS wings back and forth every time the hose touched him.I was alone at the barn, and in order to properly water the horses without disturbing Mothra, I had to remove him from the premises. After a few moments of heavy breathing, I found it within myself to attempt a transport. I found a long stick and made towards the creature.

Inch by inch, I crept towards it. My resolve was weakening and I knew I had to move fast. I stuck the stick out to the Moth's gigantic fuzzy body and that's when I noticed it. It had thick, fuzzy antennae (feelers) and they were moving rapidly, as if to grasp me in their clutches. "Waaaaahhhhhh!" I screamed as I stomped back, away from my impending doom.

In my heart and soul, I know that Mothra is a beautiful creature of God, however, things that have soft bodies and flutter in faces without warning scare the crap out of me. Mothra was NO exception! Finally, someone showed up to remove the moth and all was well, or so I thought.

The next week, I showed up at the barn, ready and eager to get started on chores. I set my water bottle and cell phone down on the first feed bin located at the front of J's long barn as per usual, when I had this sudden strange sensation that someone, or something was watching me. Just to describe this scene a bit more, J has 2 shelves placed above her homemade feed bin that start at eye level and go up. There, on the eye level shelf; 2 inches from my face was a set of blank, black, beady eyes. The dead, blank eyes of Mothra himself! "AAAAAaaaaaaggghhhh!" I shreaked. The horses startled in their stalls at my sudden outburst, but I paid them no mind.

Some sadistic psychopath must have discovered the corpse of Mothra where he lay in his grassy grave and decided that a better spot, in the barn, on the shelf was a better location. Though Mothra was but a fraction of the mammoth he used to be, he was still an imposing and frightening sight! The rest of that afternoon I steered quite clear of that area, and still, 3 weeks later, I get the jitters just thinking about it....ughhh *shudder, shudder, shudder*

This is exactly what Mothra looked like, he/she was a Polyphemus Moth, quite harmless and beautiful in all reality. Until it's staring you down, that is.

I can also assure you that this is a stock photo pulled from GOOGLE and not my hand. 

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Sorry about that, I didn't intend to start rambling on and on dramatically about a moth of all things, but really, my life is JUST that exciting these days.

I hope everyone is doing very well this summer!

Pink Shoes?!

Have any of you heard of Happy Hoofwear?

Honestly, I hadn't until my mom mentioned to me that she's getting some hot pink Happy Hoofwear shoes for her horse, Lady. Lady will be sporting her fancy new shoes tomorrow, so I'll definitely try to take some pictures to post here for you all to see.

I think it's fun and personally, I'd do it too if I had a trail/endurance/gymkhana type horse. What about you?