More Than You Ever Wanted To Know!!!

So, about one month ago, Beth, over at the Dog and Pony Show (how cute is that blog name??) "Scrapped" me, and I am just now getting around to doing it. Sorry Beth!!! I believe that I am supposed to tell you 10 things about me, and that is always hard for me to do. Honestly, I would rather read/learn about you, than write about myself! That being said, I recently read Lisa's Scrapped answers, and they gave me some ideas (thanks Lisa!!).

Here we go...

1) I have a mild designer handbag and shoe obsession. I call it minor, because now that I am a poor student, I can only indulge every couple of years...lol!!!
2) I also happen to like big, expensive watches! And no, I don't have an expensive one. I wear a Fossil watch for now.... 3) I like old, antique looking diamond rings. Not that I have one of those either, but maybe one day....(I do have a lovely wedding ring with big diamonds though, so I am not complaining!!)
4) I was preppy in high school. You know, I wore penny loafers, button down shirts, sweaters over my shoulder etc... Now my style would be called "classic" vs. "preppy" lol!!! I was also known to let loose and wear my Wranglers, a tee-shirt, and my Ropers too though!!

5) Like a lot of my other cowgirl, blogger friends, I prefer square toed cowboy boots.

6) I have a hard time being compassionate towards people who I consider to be less fortunate, or less worthy than me. (Does this mean I will be a bad social worker or counselor?? I don't think so. It makes me be aware of my feelings towards others, and that can be good and bad) This is something that I have always battled with, and I am finally overcoming it. It has been a struggle for me though, and it is really easy for me to think negatively about someone and backslide. (I guess this is my way of saying that I can be a major snob! I am trying though, and it feels better to love than to despise)

7) I can be moody!!! I wear my emotions on my sleeve, so you can usually tell what/how I am thinking/feeling by the way I am acting. (Just ask my family...lol!!!)

8) I detest phony/fake people. Want to get on my bad side??? Act fake!!!

9) I have greenish-blue eyes. When I wear blue, they look more blue; when I wear green they look really green; and when I wear nothing at all...lol (just joking!!!)...they are greenish-blue again!

10) I always have my toenails painted. I have a thing about feet, and get really grossed out by nasty ones!

Phew....I am done!!! Now that you all know a little bit more about me, I hope that you still come by and visit!! ;) Have a great weekend you guys!!!

After the Rain...

Remember how I said Amber and I were going to take a little tour of the flooding?? Well we did, but I won't bore you with pictures of damage that will mean nothing to you unless you know what an area looked like before the floods. Some of our trail heads are now gone, and our favorite creek-side trails are gone also. (I feel rather petty and shallow for complaining about that, when hundreds of people lost their homes and possessions) Guess we have a lot to do this spring and summer now, don't we???Do you recall this infamous picture from last spring (yes folks...June is still spring here in WA)??

You know, the one where I turned away to help Katie and Sienna cross the creek and when I turned back I heard, "Look mom!! I can stand on Bo's back all by myself!!" I think I aged about five years when I saw him...lol!!! Well the picture below is what that spot looks like right now. See the big trees behind Bo and Eric in that picture?? The above shot was taken from up by those trees, looking down to where Bo and Eric were. There is now mud, rocks, log jams, and small streams running through that trail.

Above is another shot of that same area (looking down), and you can see the log-jam pretty well. Right across the creek from the log-jam, used to be a trail head that took us up and out to some good trails. Thankfully there are other ways to access them, but that was one of the quickest.

As mentioned before, a lot of people have had their lives destroyed by the recent flooding around here, and my heart goes out to them. Thankfully this week is supposed to be warmer and drier, so the rivers should be able to recede back to their normal levels.And because I don't want to end this post on a glum note, I posted a picture of Katie's birthday/pony cake that my mom made her. Isn't it just the cutest??? Thanks so much mom!!! Hope that you are all having a good start to your week so far! :)

Hair Evolution!

Okay...I thought that I would do a post about my wild and crazy hair! (Shallow, I know!!)
It's just that I have had a lifelong love/hate relationship with my tresses (who hasn't, right??), and I think that I have finally come to terms with it. As you can see, I have always had wild, crazy, fuzzy, and unmanageable hair. And, unlike most people with naturally curly hair, I have fine, wispy curls, and not coarse, wiry ones. That may sound like a good thing, but it is most definitely NOT!!!Notice how there is not much difference between my hair as a three year old, and my hair as a 22 year old? Not good! I must also confess that my hair looks exactly the same when I wake up in the mornings now, as it did back when I was three...lol!!!!Thankfully, when I was around 28, my current hair stylist came into my life, and changed it (my hair, not my life!!) for the better. Below is a picture of my hair as it looks today, and as you can tell, it has a lot more style to it than it did in my earlier years (remember how it looked in the 90's???). Veronica was the first stylist to come along who realized that my hair needed to be drastically textured and thinned out, and you can see that my hair loves her for that! :) I now literally have most of my hair chopped off (volume not length), use two different products to control the frizzies and curls, and it actually resembles hair now, doesn't it?? Sorry that there are no pictures of my hair during my teenage years. Let's just say that I looked like a complete idiot, and that maybe one day (maybe!!) I will post some of them. Maybe!!!
Anywho...that's the evolution of my hair style in a nutshell. Do any of you have hair like mine?? PS-If your hair is straight and silky, I hate you and don't want to hear about it!!! (Just kidding!!)

One Week...

It's amazing the difference one week has made when it comes to the weather around here. This time last week, we were still playing in what was left of the snow, and now this week, thousands of people find themselves victims of the record-breaking flooding. The major highways that run both west to east and north to south, are shut down and many smaller highways and main arterials have been completely washed away. Whole towns have even been evacuated (two of which are very near to where I live), and thousands more are stranded.I swear that every year around Katie's birthday, something major happens, but usually it is just a snow storm, not a snow storm followed by flooding. Later on today, Amber and I are going to take a tour of some of the local damage, so I will post some of those shots too. (That's our plan anyway!) Oh, and as if flooding wasn't enough, there have also been some ginormous mudslides that have taken out homes and roads as well. Guess what?? I once again have no husband, as he is now hauling equipment and supplies to county crews, who are desperately trying to clear and repair roadways. He's taking some killer pictures too!As promised, here are some shots of us last week in the snow........
Above we have Eric driving Sienna in the snow, and below we have Miss Katie doing the same thing. It's really too bad that Sienna isn't bigger, because her and Eric really get along. Their temperaments match-up well (Sienna is like a little QH), and that is why I want to get Eric a "big" Sienna to ride.It was so cold that day, that we decided to make a fire, and Amber's Christmas tree was the first thing to go. It burnt up in about one minute too. Now I know why Christmas trees are so dangerous (dry ones!).

And last but not least, we have Sienna and Bo who are patiently waiting for their post-ride treats. Sienna always stretches out and poses for hers. She is like a little dog who sits and then gets her reward...lol!!!Well...that's it for now folks. Hope that you all have a great Friday, and my thoughts/prayers/positive energy etc...go out to all of those who have been affected by the floods. (I was tagged a bit ago, by Beth, and I promise to start on that this weekend too!)

Happy Birthday Katie Kate!!! Well Tomorrow Anyway!!!

Yep, that's right!! Miss Katie turns seven on the seventh this year.

Here are a few factoids about her:

-Katie was born at 12:20 am, which happens to be the exact same time that I was born

-Katie weighed a whopping ten pounds and ten ounces (22 inches long)

-Katie was born at a birth center, with a midwife, and was surrounded by friends and family

-About the exact same time that I was in labor with Katie, my horse Shadest was at home colicking

-Katie was born on the day that Shadest diedSo...even though I was completely overjoyed by the birth of my baby daughter, I was incredibly saddened by the death of my horse (he was 16 and I had known him since he was a foal). Needless to say, I spent a lot of time crying hysterically and trying to hold it together.

Life goes on though, and even though I am teary eyed while I write this (due to remembering how much emotional turmoil I was going through at the time) I am eternally thankful to have a happy, healthy, seven year old.

Cutie patootie on the beach (three years old).

Above is a picture of Amber, Katie and Bo about six years ago(before he went back to his old owner), and below is a picture of Miss Katie on Bo Bo this past summer. So far, Katie shares my love for horses, but if she ever outgrows it, that is fine too.
Below is a picture of me and Shadest in 1991. (Quit laughing at my horrible late eighties/early nineties hair!!!! Stop it right now!!!!) Just thought I would throw it in here to...you know, as a tribute! :)

Anyway, coming back to the present, I want to post a link to my friend Angie's blog: Angie Penrose Photography. She is a photographer, and took a couple of random shots of Katie last week while we were visiting and having lunch together. She captured Katie as she looks now, but don't let the peaceful, serene expression fool you!!! Katie is no pushover...lol!!!

Happy Birthday Katie!!! Mommy and daddy love you!!!!

She's Baaaaaack......

Ahhhhhhhhhhh.....breathe a collected sigh of relief with me here people!!! I am back!!!! When I woke up this morning and the little green light was still off on my modem, and I went kind of crazy. I promptly called up the phone/internet/tv company, and after waiting on hold for several minutes and being disconnected about four times(due to "technical difficulties"), I was finally able to talk to someone, and I pleaded my case yet again. (As this was my third time, I wasn't so nice!!) I was told that it should be up and running within the hour (no use to me as we all had to leave for school!), and lucky for them, the little light was blinking when we all got home. (I ran back to the computer room like the crazed junkie that I am...that's how I knew so fast!!!)

I really missed reading all of your blogs, and I have started to play catch-up tonight, but gee whiz...you guys blog a lot...lol!!!! The unfortunate thing is that I started back to school today too, and here I am, blogging like a fiend, when I should be reading chapter one in my text book! So, remember all of that snow that we had around here?? Well it finally melted, but it snowed again last week (this time only about 4-5 inches). The good thing was that it was pretty localized, and my hubby didn't have to go plow it. This meant that I could enjoy it more, and I went for a nice long ride (about three hours) with Amber, Martha, and a gal named Jenny. (See??? I told you I was crazy!!!)
Look at how white and clean Bo looked in the snow (below)!!! I am just joking of course...every inch of his body that was/is not covered by his blanket, is covered in mud. He is the biggest slob ever!!! I took this picture so you could see what we looked like after leading the way for a bit. The snow was really wet and heavy, and the trails were partially obstructed by low-hanging branches. That meant whomever was in the front got doused. See my poor, cold, toes down there??? LOL!!!

Although it snowed the night before, the day was relatively clear, and I thought that the scenery was breath taking. See those hills that are over yonder in the picture below??? We rode over to them in a round about way. I get so lost on these particular trails (not when we are under the power lines of course!!), and I won't go into details about that, but let me just say that I regularly entertain Amber and Martha with my lack of a sense of direction. I need to live somewhere that I can see 20 feet in front of me. There are too many trees and hills here!!! (That's my story and I am sticking too it!!!)

See?? Look at the trees in the picture below. The trails ALL look like that. (To me anyway....lol!!!)
Well, I better head off to bed now, and don't worry, I have more snow pictures on the way!!!! LOL!!! The next set will include the kidlets and the ponies, and they are always more entertaining than I am !!!

Have a good night, and if I wake up and the little green light isn't on, I am going to go bananas!

Internet Woes....

Hello everyone!!! I feel like I have just gone through blogger de-tox or something...lol!!! Our Internet service provider has been having some difficulties, and I have not had the Internet for four days!!! (Shocking, I know!!!)
It is STILL down, but I came over to my husband's cousin and hijacked her computer for a minute (thank-you Marilyn!!). Hopefully ours will be up running in no time, but Qwest tells me that it may be a few more days. :(

Just wanted to let all of you know that I truly miss reading your blogs, and that I should maybe consider getting some help for this little addiction...teeheehee!!! Hope that you are all doing well!!?? I have had a great week filled with relaxing on the couch, reading the third book in the Twilight series ( I found it Chelsi!!), exercising, and last but not least....horseback riding. We went for a lovely ride in the snow today, but I did not bring my camera to Marilyn's house. That would be a bit obsessive, don't you think??? LOL!!!
Hope to be back up and running soon!!! Wish me luck! :)