We went on another ride at Farragut on Saturday with a group of people. It was alot of fun and Kylie did really well! We will be going again tomorrow just Kylie and I, we did this a week or so ago and it went really well. Now to teach Kylie more on the ground as she is getting big enough to do that also. I know it was all backwards teaching her to ride rather then ground manners first, but we need to work with Autumn anyway so they can learn together.

Riding, Riding, Riding

KYLIE IS RIDING AGAIN!!!!!!!

I have been on a few rides. Went to Farragut. I have ridden Willow around the loop a couple times by herself and she did really well. My confidence level has grown alot. This last weekend I went with Teresa to Lakeview past the Happy Hermit and rode up Gold Creek with Kylie. When we got there Kylie said she didn't want to go but I had just driven almost 2 hours on dirt roads to get there and she didn't get a choice, she now wants to go riding this coming weekend. She had a moment about going over water and then went across. Then she had a moment about going down hill, she didn't concure that on the first day but on the second she figured it out. Dwane went with me on Sunday and we met them at the Happy Hermit and went from there to explore some trails. He got to ride Hemi and liked her. I was a little worried at first but it turned out really good. Here are some pictures from the weekend.

Pictures from our ride at Newman Lake - Willow and I

One of the views

Me on Willow Joeanne and Levi - he was tired.

I have not blogged in forever, still addicted to farmville! The summer is 2/3 over and the girls are surviving barely. Haley has been gone most of the summer at friends and poor Kylie has been stuck at home by herself. I have only been on a few rides. I went on a ride above Newman Lake that was really good. Willow decided to try bucking a few times on it but I knew she was in a pissy mood before we even started. Guess she was having a bad day. I then took Autumn and Willow with a friend from Seattle on a ride at Farragut. I am supposed to go tomorrow with a couple friends as long as it does not rain or thunder. Here are a couple pictures from our ride

Busy with the kids only two and a half weeks of school left. Kylie got glasses today they look pretty cute. I will have to get a picture up. I built a temporary fence for the horse or a hillbilly fence by the shop so they could eat up some of the grass - kills me to see all that grass and not one horse eating it :). Nothing worse then a field full of grass fenced and no animals to eat it all up! Of course the only horse to get out would be Willow - I only let them out there if I am out there for that reason - but she was easy to catch and put away. I still haven't called any shoers I really need to but the thought of trying another one has me frustrated - every time I get one I like something happens - the ones that are available all the time I don't like - guess I will figure it out in good time! In the mean time no riding until they get their feet done (I know I am a bad mom). I did ride Ben and Autumn a couple weekends ago - well me on Autumn and a friend on Ben - we had fun till Autumn cut her foot then we had to head home she is fine, but it was a bummer. That is all for now not much to report, oh except I am addicted to farmville is there any help!

another day

The wind is just howling out there. The horses are hanging in the trees out of the wind as much as possible. I am glad we have feeders for them to eat out of or their hay would be long gone before they even got a bite.

Here is a picture of Coco thinking she is driving! She loves to go bye. Kylie was home sick with Dwane today. Some kind of throat thing hopefully it just blows over.

Work is still crazy, we will find out who they hire on Wednesday. I am still hoping Tim picks Sam but we will see!

Internet at HOme

Finally I have my internet back at home! I am so excited. I took Kylie to Sam's farm the other day and she rode Robin for about 3 hours in the arena. It was great to see her on a horse and she actually wants to go next time I go to Farragut. So if the weather will ever cooperate we will go. I took Willow on the Hauser Lions club ride with Sam and Ken last weekend. It was alot of fun and more of a real mountain ride then I have had in a while. Willow was pretty tired by the end but she did wonderful. She was the only horse I took from my group so I wasn't sure how she would do but she did great. We also galloped for the first time where that was actually my plan. We loped three or four times and she only kicked out once when one of the other horses came up beside her. So hopefully I will be able to blog more and do more on line now!

Here is a picture of my Dad on Autumn! He came to visit in early March and we actually got to go riding. If Ben had not been being a pill I may have gotten a better picture. This was our second ride of his visit - the first one I didn't even think to take a picture. It was fun to go riding with him again - it has only been about 20 years since we were out on horses together. That makes me feel really old! He surprised me and showed up at my work one day from Nebraska, I didn't even know he was coming! We had a good visit and the girls were happy to see him as always. The weather was awesome but poor Ardel who stayed home got hammered with snow! I told him at the beginning of this year that it was their turn for snow - for once I was right :).

Work has been crazy busy. The company I used to work for went under so all of their old customers looking for laminate are calling us. Makes for a long day sometimes :) but we are getting through and I love to see our sales go through the roof (job security).

The girls just ended the third quarter of school - can't believe they are almost done with the year. Haley will be a Freshman this fall and Kylie will be in the 6th grade - last year of elementary. Where does all the time go? I took Kylie to Sam's work the other day and she rode a horse there, Robin, for like 3 hours. It was good to see her on a horse again, now if we can keep it going. I might trailer Autumn to an arena so she can get that same confidence back on her. We will see how it goes. I have only ridden about 4 times so far - twice with my dad and twice with Sam, where are all my riding buddies that wanted to ride last year? They better start calling!

Weekend Volleyball

Another weekend at Haley's volleyball tournament. This one was at East Valley in Spokane but started at 8:30 am so not quite as early as the last one. They lost the first 3 games for brackets in the actual tournament, but then won their first game of the tournament. They were so excited jumping up and down I have never seen their team that enthusiastic. They lost their first match of the second game of the tournament 26-24, then they just deflated and lost their second match also - ending the tournament for them as once you get to the tournament it is a single elimination. The really need to work on their enthusiasm to play, most of the time they kind of look like they have been deflated. Haley says she has to have her serious face on to play. Anyway they played alot better and are starting to look like a team - when they aren't glaring at each other for making mistakes.

Kylie had a basketball game. Her friend that is on the team took her as Dwane was working and I was at the volleyball tournament. She got to play a little more and looked better from what Tish told me but they lost the game.

Yesterday was Super Bowl and we were supposed to go to Todd and Tish's, unfortunatley I ended up having a full blown migraine by noon and stayed in bed. Dwane went without me and said he had fun so that works. All in all ok weekend, not great but not terrible.

Coco

Have I ever mentioned I own a chihuahua? Her name is Coco and she started out as Kylie's dog.

She is now our shared dog - Here she is:

I love that picture. She is sitting on my lap. She looks really big but she is not.

That is her by my computer monitor with one of our reps dog - Boo. Anyway I can't believe what a great dog we found (on craigslist) She is cranky sometimes and very playful but we have bonded more then any other dog I have had (except my poodle Ceasar that I had a long time ago). Just wanted to share Coco with everyone!

I forgot Pictures

Here is a picture of the new truck!

and Zoey!

New Year - New Beginning?

Or maybe not, but I don't want to be a whiner so on to positive things. Lately life has consisted of taking my kids to practices and work, the fun things in life :). Haley is in basketball and Club volleyball, so she has basketball every night after school and then Club volleyball 2 nights a week from 7 to 9. Volleyball tournaments are every other weekend and basketball games are after school. Her first volleyball tournament was the weekend of the 23rd and they lost but learned alot. Kylie is in Spirit Lakes Park and Rec basketball and has practice 2 times a week and games on Saturday's - Thank goodness for friends as I can only go to one of them on Saturday so Kylie goes with Chloe and her family every other Saturday.

Work has been good, not as busy as we like but we seem to be holding our own. We were able to purchase a pick up - 95 GMC in pretty good shape, so no problems hauling the horses or getting hay :) we like that. The car I bought is still broken - we thought we had it fixed but it broke again or just died again on the highway on my way home from work(that was fun). So still waiting to get Dean's little car and once that happens we will be all set with vehicles, keep your fingers crossed that they run for a very long time with no major complications.

The horses are ok. I took their blankets off the other day, which they probably don't need the blankets but it keeps raining, and Ben had lost some weight. He got to be in his own pen now with as much grass hay as he can eat, grain twice a day, and some cool calories. He seems to have already picked up some weight in the first week, so he just was not eating fast enough with the other horses. I would like to get some alfalfa to feed him, but we will see since I do have to get hay soon. If the weather keeps up like this I will have to get shoes on them sooner then last year and get some major riding in this year. I have about 3 people that would like to ride this year and they don't have horses so that will help be my motivation. Plus I want to get Kylie out there a little more too.

That is the story for now I will try and be better about blogging but I don't want to be a cry baby all the time :(. Life is tough but it goes on with or without you and I need to see the positive more. :) :) Have a great day!