Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Strictly a post about my horses (and a long post it is)....

For those of you who know me, know about my LOVE for horses. My mother showed horses as a young girl and up to a young adult. She then met my father, married and had me and my sister. The one thing my Pop Pop (my grandfather) told my dad at my parents wedding was "You better buy her a horse"! Well Dad followed through and bought my mom her very first horse (she always showed other people's horses), Lea's Princess. That horse taught my family so much. Everyone in my family (Mom, Dad, Michelle and myself) showed her!!! She was one of the family and Michelle (my sister) and I acted like she was our sister (Lea was a year younger than me and a year older than Michelle)! We loved her so much. She passed away this past June 2010 at the age of 27! That's long for a horse. We miss her greatly!


We love and miss you Lea's Princess

Since becoming a Mommy to 3 wonderful kids, I haven't had the time to dedicate time to the one hobby that brings me the most joy, riding my horses! Whenever I receive a new horse magazine I get all excited. Whenever my Mom (who now shows b/c I started having kids 5 years ago and our horse needed to be shown) makes plans to go to a show I get sad. Whenever I see a commercial for this movie (that's due to come out October 8th) I get goose bumps.



I show Quarter Horses and the horse that I showed/and sold right before I had Harley was a great granddaughter out of Secretariat!


My Mom and Absolute UpGrade, aka: Abby
This horse really tested my patience. When we first bought her, she was great. After a couple months and a couple shows later, she turned into one evil horse in the show ring. It got so bad that I decided to take a break from showing b/c it just wasn't fun anymore. Well that didn't last for too long. I only took a summer off but when I did start showing again, I came back to the show ring with a new attitude and Abby and I were a totally different team. We actually enjoyed one another!

My mom and I have been talking lately about the All American Quarter Horse Congress Show (this show is in Columbus, Ohio). It's the world's largest breed show and it's a HUGE convention that sells millions of dollars in jewerly, trailers, clothes, boots, tack, etc! My mom wants to try one more time showing there next year and she would like for me to show there as well. It's been 6 years since I've been out to the Quarter Horse Congress and let me tell you, I've missed it so bad!!!! Now that I'm done having babies (I took care of the situation when I delievered Melissa) and my kids are a little older, I think it's time for me to start getting my butt back in the saddle!!!! I've already set aside time for me each and every week to play softball with my church co-ed softball group. That's every Tuesday and our games are usually 6&7. So I figure when softball ends, I'll just replace it with riding. I know the cold months are approaching but the good thing about where my mom's horse is, there's a indoor arena to use!!! So I'm making a promise to myself from this point to get back to doing what I love to do! It's not going to be easy, with a full time job and a house to keep clean and 3 children but Josh is supportive and so are my parents!!! That's all I can ask for, a supportive family!!! So I'll leave you with some pics of some of the horses that I've had in the past and the one that we currently have now!!!!


Bradley OsGood, aka: Boomer, this horse is my all time favorite horse!!! I wish I still owned him today for my kids!! He's totally bomb proof and he's so laid back. My mom's best friend's daughter owns him now so I still can see him whenever I want to!


Uncommon Pleasure, aka: Tardy, this horse was my girl! She would follow me everywhere and we were finalist in one of my classes at the Quarter Horse Congress.


The Exclusive Captive, aka: Harley (yes my moms horse and my daughter have the same name, long story, LOL), This picture was from a show 3 years ago. I either was pregnant with Derek or I already had him. This horse is a lot of fun to show. He definitely is a butt head at times but when you put him in the show ring, he gets down to business and loves to do his job!! I can't wait to get back out there with him this coming year!!!!


Harley and Derek on Harley the horse (that's what the kids call him, LOL) back


Harley riding her pony Plug, so cute


Gammie (my mom) giving Melissa her first horse ride on Harley the horse, she LOVED it and now you can't get the girl off the back of a horse!

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Telework Day at Indian Head

WOO HOO, I'm teleworking today at the Indian Head Naval Base today and tomorrow. I'm so happy to be back down here where I started my government service employment!! My drive to here is only 20 minutes compared to the hour and 10 minute drive that I have to the WNY!

Well it's been a little over a week since I've last blogged. Harley really enjoyed her Birthday! On her actual Birthday she had soccer practice so my mom (Gammie) brought delicious cupcakes to her practice for all her team mates to eat!! Thanks Gammie, they were soo good. Then on Friday we had my family and Josh's family over for Harley's Birthday dinner. She requested sausage and biscuits, LOL! Josh had worked a full 8hr day shift, came home, cooked the sausage and then had to leave to go work a night shift :-( It was sad to see him leave and not be there while Harley opened up her presents! She was dressed in her Cinderella outfit! She was a PRINCESS for sure! I haven't downloaded the pics yet but as soon as I do, I will!

Fast Forward to Thursday 9-23-10 was my wonderful, loving, fun, kind, generous, handsome/sexy, hard working, great father, my best friend, my Fiance Josh's 28th Birthday!!!! He had to work a 8hr day shift the day before and a night shift so he didn't get home Thursday morning until around 2:30am!!! We got up and went with his parents to the Virginia State Fair! Josh's dad, PeeWee, had put his mules in the Mule Pull. So we took the kids along with our friend Shelby to ride some rides until the pull started at 7:00pm. They got a fourth place!!!! Josh had a good birthday but was VERY tired from working so much that he PASSED OUT as soon as he got home. We went back to the fair on Friday.

Saturday (9-25-10) was Harley's soccer game. She did really good but was still tired from Thursday and Friday at the fair! Let me tell you, my girl is a little thrill seeker! She totally fooled me! I thought she would be scared of the little roller coasters and the swings, but the girl LOVED it!!! So did Derek!!!

Sunday (9-26-10) we had Harley's Bowling Birthday Party at the Indian Head Naval Base's bowling alley!!! Everyone had a great time and of course the kids want their next birthday parties there again!!!! Fine with me, it's cheap and everyone has a good time bowling!!!!

So this weekend my family along with Shelby, The Weese Family and The Grandstaff family are all going camping in Virginia!!! We are going BACK to the VA State Fair (it's 2 weeks long) to let the kids ride more rides and eat more Cotton Candy!! I'm so excited! 1. I've never been camping and 2. I'm STOKED to get the heck out of Charles County with great friends!!!! So plenty of pictures will definitely be uploaded next week!!!! I'll leave you with a few new pics taken from my phone!



Harley's Birthday Cupcakes


All of us took turns smearing icing on Harley's face, she loved it, LOL


Me and Shelby with Sam and Sallie the Mules