Travel Trauma

Whew!! We just got back from Florida and boy, what a trip!! Don has been planning it for months - we went down for the WEVA Expo 2009. WEVA is Wedding & Event Videographer's Association. We went down Friday night and spent Saturday and Sunday with Dad and Marilyn in St. Augustine and then Katie stayed with them Sunday night - Wednesday afternoon. I took classes with Don. He mainly did editing and composition type classes and I mainly did business management and marketing... especially focused on Social Media Marketing since I've gotten completely hooked on Facebook, Twitter and blogs... I wanted to help Don understand how he could best utilize Social Media.

I've said this two or three times in the past month and it's starting to worry me a little... but I really am starting to feel older!!

We always travel GREAT together as a family but this trip was just HARD! The trip down was fairly uneventful except we didn't get in to Dad's until after midnight.

We had a great time with Dad and Marilyn over the weekend... even though there were typical Florida showers, we got in some great ocean time!! It was great seeing my dad so much stronger than he was last year at this time. Last year, the waves knocked him over and he could barely stand 5 minutes in the ocean. He was much better this year!

Don and I were excited about WEVA but we were also excited about having a few nights - just us!! We get that occasionally when we are at Mom's - Katie will stay with Mom and MomMom and we stay in a hotel but it's usually just one or two nights. This was going to be THREE nights! :)

WEVA was great, we got a lot out of most all the classes and both of us have come home with our minds spinning with ideas. Katie did great with Dad and Marilyn and we met close to Daytona on Wednesday, which was half way and picked Katie up and had lunch.



We did enjoy the first two nights of it being just us but by Tuesday night, we were looking forward to having Katie back.

Well, two things made me feel pretty old this past week. First, like overnight, I need bi-focals. All of a sudden, I can't read close up with my glasses. It was so frustrating being in these big classes and taking notes and using my laptop but also needing to see the screen at the front. So, I need to call Monday morning and make an appointment.

The other thing that made me feel old... coming home!! First of all, as great as the trip was, I was SO READY to come home! I missed our bed, even though we were in a brand new Hilton with a nice cushy bed. I missed Hogan and Brinkley! I missed Lakota! I missed my friends! I just missed home!

Second, the trip home was hard! We got to the airport, returned our rental car and when we were checking our luggage, somehow, even though I had not done ONE BIT of shopping, my suitcase gained 10 pounds!! How is that possible? So, Allegiant Air was nice enough to not turn me and my suitcase away but they did charge us $50 for taking my now marked "HEAVY" suitcase.

We got through security with no problem, boarded the plane with no problem... seemed like a typical trip home... until we sat, and sat, and sat.... the plane started getting warmer and warmer. The stewardesses kept trying to get people on the right side of the plane to keep their shades down on their windows.... hotter and hotter. Maintenance men coming on and off the plane... the pilot announcing that there were discrepancies and that they were trying to get an air conditioner hose out to the plane. Hotter and hotter... we were just about to make them let us off the plane because of the fact that Katie can't handle extreme heat when the air conditioner hose arrived.

After almost an hour of this, the pilot finally announces that they can't fix the discrepancies and the plane wasn't worthy of flight and so we were going to have deplane and board a spare. Like my Facebook and Twitter friends pointed out, basically the plane was broken... but at least they realized it before we were airborne.

Well, all of this put us getting home 2 1/2 hours late... which compared to stories you hear on the news is really not that big of a deal. But, Don had a rehearsal to get to and we get to baggage claim and again... it's a waiting game. We waited for over 30 minutes before our luggage ever started coming down the baggage thingy.

We finally get our luggage and we head to the parking garage and something is wrong with the elevators. The sensor that normally senses when a person or object is in the elevator doorway was broken. People and luggage were almost getting eaten by the elevators.

I turn to Don and say "What else could possibly go wrong"... :) Don't ever say that.

We get to the exit, Don inserts the ticket to the un-manned machine to pay for our parking by credit card and the machine eats our ticket. Meanwhile... a line of cars has developed behind us.

We finally got an attendant who fixed us up and we were on our way and my lips were sealed. Don literally dropped Katie and I off at home and kept going and made it to his rehearsal in a ball cap and jean shorts. Something, he never would ordinarily do... but at least he made it.

The good news in all of that... the staff at Allegiant, the passengers, the people at the airport... everyone was very pleasant. I never got frustrated but man... all the travel trauma wore me out!!

So proud of my little horse gal!

Katie has been practicing all summer for the STAR Horse Show Party... It wasn't a party but she kept calling it that.  Well, it finally arrived today and she was so excited.  She found out yesterday that she wasn't going to get to ride RB, her normal horse but that she'd be riding a horse named Breeze.  She was a little frazzled by that at first because Katie is a lot like me... she connects with horses and doesn't just hop on their backs.



But, she got all dressed up in her pink cowgirl boots, braids with pink ribbons (thank you so much Lisa!) and we set off for the show.  Lisa went with us and I'm so glad she did!  It was a special day and I've not gotten to spend much time with her in the past couple of months so it was great for her to be a part of today!!

We got there and it was hot... not terribly but Katie doesn't have a normal "temp gauge" and she was in jeans, boots and a helmet... but she seemed to do really well.  And, there was a lot of waiting and Katie was very patient.  So grown up!!

Anyway, she won three ribbons. She won 2nd place in the obstacle course, 3rd place in futures and 3rd place in equitation.

She was so excited!!  I think the photo says it all!!

This particular volunteer had never worked with Katie before but she was just fantastic!!  Such a vibrant personality and just thrilled for Katie!!

Katie has already had me show her on the calendar approximately when the next horse show will be so we could count down how many weeks she has to practice for the next show.

She actually decided that she really liked Breeze, even though she she's sad to learn that RB is 24 years old and probably fixin' to retire.  Wish we had that farm already for him to retire to... he's an incredibly sweet horse.

Don had a wedding today... well it actually just turned out to be a wedding reception because the venue wouldn't allow videography.  So, he was able to go after all... we'd been worried he would miss it!!

Such a happy day!!  Hope everyone had a happy Saturday as well!!

A Wedding Photographer I'm Not

So you know I photographed Mary's wedding a few weeks ago.  Mary is a good friend, she was my first horse trainer and it was her farm that we had Sunny for over two years and Belle for a year.  I so enjoyed being a part of her special day and trying to capture it.

However, there was so much I wanted to do - artistic shots with the rings, her boots, the dress and I didn't get any of that.  Things moved too fast and I was shooting by myself.  I was disappointed... I felt like all I really got were "snapshot" type photographs but it was my gift to her and she wasn't even going to hire a photographer so hopefully, she will be happy with the photos.

I think I'll stick to horses, children and location family portraits.



Mary and Shay make a wonderful couple and seem to really be in tune with one another!!  I'm wishing them MANY years that are full of laughter, love, fun and joy!!

Very Low Key 4th & More Bookings

We were suppose to go to NC this past weekend and we were all looking forward to it so much! My cousin is home for good from Kuwait and I was looking forward to some time with her and Katie couldn't wait to see Sarah!

Well, of course, Katie got sick on Wednesday night! We were suppose to go on Friday. So, we've postponed until the end of the month... only we will have to go mid-week because Don's got weddings and I've got horse shows.

So, since we stayed home, we had a very low key 4th. Katie felt yucky most of the weekend so Don and I just used this weekend to try and get caught up. Don had five weddings, a recital and a training video and I had to finish up my last horse show and Mary's wedding.

I truly don't know how Don does what he does and enjoys it. I have so much more respect for the hard work he puts into a wedding after photographing Mary's. I care greatly for Mary and I very much enjoyed being a part of her special day... but a wedding photographer I'm not!! It's a lot of stress and you can't get a shot a second time. I should have had someone help me... most "wedding photographers" do have several photographers. I did the best I could.

I've gotten several more bookings for photographing more horse shows. I booked four on Friday and another today. I'm loving it so much!!



Hope everyone had a happy and safe 4th!!

Happy 4th!!

It's my favorite holiday!!  There is usually no "pressure" with gifts and cooking huge meals!  There is sun, swimming, fireworks, usually relaxed time with family and friends... Maybe Christmas and Thanksgiving WOULD be better in Florida by the ocean or pool....

We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their CREATOR, with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. (July 4th, 1776)

Good Times & What To Do?

Don and I went out with Rick and Lisa on Saturday night!!  It was a much needed break!!  We hadn't been out with them in a while and we had dinner and went to Side Splitters... a local comedy club!!  We had too much fun!!!  So glad to have such good friends!!!I had so much fun photographing the horse show this weekend... even though I got scorched!  I got sunburned almost under my arms... how does that happen?  I have over 5000 photos to go through and narrow down to a few hundred.  But, I love it!

Now I have a dilemma.

I've been referred to shoot a dressage show on July 11th, which I am so excited about!!  But, Arthur told me this morning he wanted to enter Lakota and I into racking show on July 11th.

I guess I will shoot the dressage show.  Don has an "India"n wedding on July 11th that will have him tied up from 8am til midnight.  So, he would not be able to go and that would be my first show.

I guess that's my answer....?

Heading Back Out & Please Don't Bother

I'm heading back to Friendsville this morning to the beautiful farm Westwind Etc to shoot jumpers!  Hopefully today isn't going to be as hot as yesterday!!  It was BLAZIN hot yesterday but still so much fun!!  Don is heading out to do a wedding this afternoon.  It's just the ceremony so it wont be a long day for him.  Katie had an absolute blast at Lucy's 9th birthday party yesterday, which happened to a pool party!!

We had a great evening out last night with our best friends!!  We had some much needed laughter and such fun!!  We went out to dinner, then headed to a comedy club and then back to their house and played cards!!

Just a little note: to whoever is in Kingsport, TN with charter cable that doesn't enjoy reading my blog.... please don't bother and stop reading it!  It's simple... you don't have to try and post nasty comments!

Have a happy, hot Sunday!!

So excited - I have to share!!!

I have had so much fun with my photography lately!!!  I enjoyed every minute of shooting the Coytee Farm ETHJA show back on June 6th and I am so excited about the Westwind Farm ETHJA show this Saturday and Sunday.... not thrilled about the heat forecast but excited about the show, nevertheless!!  I also enjoyed shooting my good friend Mary's wedding this past Saturday, even though it made me realize that weddings are probably never going to be my thing.  I love Mary and shooting her wedding was fun, I loved hanging out with the girls that afternoon while she was getting ready but once the ceremony started, it was stressful and one person CAN NOT shoot a wedding successfully... you just can't cover it all!!  So I should have had a second shooter.  But, hopefully she will be happy with the photos I provide.  I was disappointed that I didn't get to do more artistic things but there again... it was just me and there just wasn't time.



I had done so much research the past few months on shooting horse shows and the common theme I was finding was that in order to get really good shots, you had to have a love of horses and a love of the sport.  Well, everyone knows how horse crazy I am so that definitely was/is in my favor.

But I've gotten some really nice feedback from the riders who ordered prints from the Coytee show earlier this month and tonight I got the sweetest email telling me how much she loved her prints and how much fun I was to have around that day shooting pictures.  She is recommending me for a whole new branch of horse shows and I am walking on air!!

Also, I've just been contacted to do my first Equine Portrait session!!  YAY!!

Today was a very stressfull day so it was nice for it to have such a nice ending.  Nothing really in particular other than encountering other people ALL DAY LONG that were having bad days and it was very difficult not to let it rub off on me.

I even got a brand new Canon 50D that shoots 6.3 frames per second and getting that camera was a fiasco at a local camera shop... wont name names but it's named after an animal!!  It was a nightmare trying to buy that camera from that store and I was dealing with the 40ish year old manager!!  So finally, I said FORGET IT and went to Best Buy, which I normally don't like going to... and I had the nicest 18-20 year old kid help me.  Go figure!  There were many other stressers, things beyond my control... but one thing that was odd...

Took Katie to STAR and maybe it was the heat but several encounters there with grumpy people and normally STAR is one of the happiest highlights of our week!!  So that was like the straw that broke the camels back... ALMOST!

But, instead, as a family, we tried to end the day on a happy note.  Even before I got my emails that got me so happy....

Katie and I stopped at Outback on the way home and got Katie's and Don's favorite dinner and came home and surprised him with a belated Father's Day dinner.  We were all so tired and I didn't feel good on Father's Day... we didn't really do anything special.  So, we ate dinner outside with the tiki torches lit and then jumped in the pool and swam and played and ended it all by chilling in the hot tub.

Katie was asleep before her head hit the pillow!!

Keep your fingers crossed for me that this weekend's show proves to go as well as the one earlier this month because I love, love, love doing it!!!

OH, OH, OH... and I almost forgot!!!  Such great, happy, wonderful news!!!  My cousin Kim and her daughter Sarah and son Jacob are HOME!!!  Home to stay!!  They've been in Kuwait City, Kuwait (well, right outside of the city) for almost THREE LONG years and Katie and I are ecstatic to see them next week!!  Katie and Sarah already have their multi-evening slumber party planned!!  So happy they are home!!!  I've missed them so much!!

What stressful day?  What grumpy people!!?  Too many things to be happy about!!!

So Very Thankful

My dad got his PET scan results a few days ago and things have just been crazy busy and I haven't posted... but it came back clear.  His wonderfully thorough and aggressive surgical oncologist even removed a few new places and one lymph node he was concerned about and biopsied them and they came back negative.  So, big sigh of relief and my dad gets a 3 month reprieve.  He's still not okay, he still has cancer and according to his doctor, it's not a matter of "if" but a matter of "when" another tumor will appear and treatments options will again be up for discussion.

But, when you are 67 (almost) and have Stage IV Metatstatic Melanoma and have already beat the odds of surviving more than a year and you are given the all clear for three more months... that's truly a gift and a blessing!!

I think Dad and Marilyn are doing their best to enjoy every day to the fullest!!

Thanks for your prayers and love!

Family, Fun & Photography

The past several days have been hectic but wonderful!!  On Saturday, I shot my first horse show in Greenback, TN at a beautiful farm and I loved every minute of it!!  It was hot and my scalp got scorched but other than that - it was great!!  Considering that it was my first show, I think I got some pretty good shots.  I've done a low resolution you tube video but if you want to see higher resolution better quality photos, you can at my website... Dragonfly Photography.



Don had a crazy busy weekend too.  He had a wedding rehearsal on Thursday night in Greenback, a wedding Friday in Greenback, a recital on Saturday in Lafollette, a rehearsal Saturday night and then another wedding Sunday in Maryville.

My dad got here Saturday night and it was so good to see him.  He had his PET scan last Friday and gets his results tomorrow.  Prayers please!!  He is in good spirits and his attitude is wonderful!!  Sunday, Dad, Katie and I headed to Rockwood and Kingston and we spent with Gran and Jack & Sue.  Minus a heated political discussion with my second cousin - it was a great day!!

Politics, religion and family just don't mix!!  :)

Monday my dad just needed to take it easy and I had 3,800 photos to weed through to get that number down to >600.  So my dad hung out with me while I worked on photos.

Yesterday, I packed up my laptop so I could still work and went to Chattanooga with him because he had eight business calls to make.  We had such a great day together... but several times, we'd be laughing and having a great time and it'd get quiet and I'd get a lump in my throat and my stomach would flip and I'd think "Gosh, I'm so blessed he's still here but each day is a gift... he's already exceeded the odds".

I'm always aware that there are many things that I take for granted in this life.  I try not to... but I get so wrapped up in things that I know I do.  Yesterday was just another reminder to slow down and enjoy the things that really matter in life!!

Please pray for my dad that his PET scan comes back clear tomorrow!!

I hope that I can really build on the horse show photography!!  Don has truly found his passion and loves every minute of what he does - whether it's wedding, commercials or corporate training videos.  He LOVES editing!

What's that old saying...."find something you love doing and figure out a way to earn a living doing it..."

Well, I haven't figured out a way to get paid riding horses or scrapbooking... so photographing horses and people who love horses is pretty darn fun for me!!

My next schedule show is June 27th & 28th in Friendsville.  I can't wait!!

I also have Mary's wedding on June 20th.  That will be fun too... I hope!  My first wedding with more than 25 guests...

Humor Truly Is The Best Medicine

My Uncle Ronnie had to have his prostrate removed on Monday due to trace cancer findings. He wasn't looking forward to it at all BUT he has a high pain tolerance and therefore... I don't think the hospital staff still understands what happened...

He had EVERYONE who even came close to him laughing.

I've always loved Uncle Ronnie but growing up, I always remembered him being so serious. I'm sure he's always had a sense of humor but now... LOOKOUT!!

When they were wheeling him up from recovery, my mom heard the elevator bing and thought "Oh, maybe this is Ron".... then she heard all the laughter and sure enough... it was!!

When he called MomMom that night from the hospital... he had her laughing!!

I said "That's IT! No more anesthesthia for Uncle Ronnie... I'm cutting him off"!!

I'm glad I made the trip over. I stayed with MomMom while he was having the surgery. She's 86 and was so worried. I kept her busy all day talking about stories from back when her and Grandad were first married!! There was a lot of laughter and happiness so I'm sure she enjoyed it too!!

I had some nice time with Mom in the evenings when everyone was sleeping!! We caught up on stuff and laughed and it was just very nice!! Who would have ever thought mom and I would both love The Gilmore Girls? It's fun to share simple stuff in common.

But, it's nice to be home!! And it's wonderful he came through the surgery so well.

Future blog post will cover Ronnie's (my cousin) very scary encounter with the bull he USE to own.

Happy Thursday!!

Living Life In Balance

For a few days over the Memorial Day holiday, I tried to step away from my normal daily life a little. No blog posting or reading, no emails, very little Twitter and Facebook... and cleared my mind a little!!

I some great quality time with Katie and Don. We were lazy when it was cloudy and raining watching movies and LOST repeats on Apple TV and we spent some time with Lakota and did some summer shopping, read some books... it was a simple but wonderful long weekend.

And I came to a conclusion through some reading... to be a happy cowgirl, a true cowgirl, we all need balance. Balance in the saddle, balance in parenting, balance in relationships, balance in business and work and basically all the amazing aspects that make our lives what they are including nutrition and health.

Through balance, we can find ourselves content. We also find ourselves inspired.

So whether you find peace in long rides through a pasture, going on an adventurous trail ride, playing with your kiddos and animals or even by shopping, remember to sprinkle in some home cooked dinners, some Twitter and texting with friends... or pick up the phone and give a loved one a call, paint your nails, get down on the floor and play a board game with your family or watch an old movie and imagine what it was like to live in that time...

Cowgirls are the perfect combo of glamor and hard workers. We work along side the boys on the farm, bond with our fellow cowgirls and friends, and have an appreciation for something not seen to often in today’s society, SIMPLICITY... or at least for me - an extreme desire for it!!

The past few days has made me more focused than ever to honor the life I love and be inspired by all of you who support my many projects and endeavors... ie: my upcoming ETJHA Show Photo Shoots... WAAHOOO!! Can't wait... nervous but excited!

My first shoot is this Saturday and I've been working hard to get ready for it! I'm excited and can't wait! I also have my first wedding on June 20th. It's a friends wedding... but it's on a farm and there will be horses, boots and glamor and love... what a perfect combination!!

Stay happy and blessed!!

I Love That Having A 10 Year Old

makes it okay to think that this is cool...

One Of The Best Days Ever

Yesterday started off with Katie heading to school for a very short last day!!  I of course headed to the farm!!  I had planned to ride but we started having pretty heavy intermittent showers and I also don't want Lakota to think every time he sees me... that I'm gettting on his back.  So, I just groomed him and actually played with him in the field.  He has such a personality... we were actually playing games.  Spending time with him always lifts my spirits in the BEST way!!

Headed home and got cleaned up and Don and I picked Katie up at 11:15.  Katie was sad to say goodbye to her friend Anna (who she will hopefully get together with during the summer) and her teacher Mrs. Fox.  She will have Mrs. Fox for 4th grade more than likely so Katie is happy about that.  She is wonderful and she really got attached to Katie pretty quick this year when Katie made the move to West Hills.So, after getting Katie, we headed to Dollywood.

We got season passes to Dollywood because we are hoping to make several trips up there this summer.  We are going to try and make Friday's our fun family day unless Don has early rehearsals.  By the time we got through the line to get our season passes, it was already 1pm so we grabbed some lunch and headed to the County Fair section of the park.  That's where we spent the afternoon.  It wasn't terribly crowded there and some of our favorite rides are there.  We did the dizzy disc, the scrambler, bumper cars, the swings, the ferris wheel, etc.

Katie always has to stop and look at all the merchandise that is setting out in front of the stores!  She is such a shopper!!  I hope when she is grown and has what ever career she's going to have with animals... it's something that is lucrative because the girl can SHOP!!!  I enjoy shopping but I'm more of a hunter!!  I go looking for specific things.  She can take all day just browsing and looking!!

Don will be 45 this October and something is happening to his spunk and sense of adventure!  He wouldn't ride the farris wheel with us and when he did finally ride the swings on our 3rd go round... I was kicking his swing before the ride started and he was flippin' out on me...LOL!   Something about him hanging from a chain and it only being secured with a bolt...

It really got warm yesterday and Katie was getting pretty hot in the long lines so we cut it short since we plan on going back several times and headed to diner at Logans.  We miss there being a Logans in Knoxville!!!  Don loves their chicken salad and I love the grilled chicken and Katie loves the atmosphere and as long as she can get fish or chicken... she's good!! 

After diner, we decided to do a little shopping!!

Katie was wired and talking up a storm!!!  She talked more yesterday than I think she did all week.  So we went to the Circle E Western Store.  When we walked in, there was this odd, 40ish blonde lady working there that just kept staring at us... I mean really staring!  Not in a very friendly way either!!  They were having a BIG sale on boots so I wasn't about to let her sway me from shopping... neither was Katie.  Although, Katie was oblivious to her staring!

Anyway, Katie got a cute, cute pair of Tony Lama pink cowboy boots for $19.99.  I didn't know that Tony Lama allowed sales of his products so low...  I got a fun pair of Dingo boots with harness charms!!  Can't wait to wear them!!  Then this really nice teenage sales clerk helped Katie pick out a cute western looking ring and I got a ring with horse shoes.  Katie and I both wear a size 5 1/2.  How funny... I never would have thought our fingers were the same size.  Don got into a very long discussion with the store manager about the Florida Keys!  Not sure where that really came from but the whole time... odd blonde sales lady was still staring at us.  Argghh!!

So, we finished up there and headed across the street to Stages West!  Now, I had never been in there... but for a girl who has learned that she can spend and hour browsing in the clothing section at Tractor Supply... this was shopping heaven!!  They had a HUGE Brighton section of handbags, glasses, jewelry and EVERYTHING Brighton!  I found a handbag that I loved that was like FIVE times the sane amount to pay for a handbag so it is still at Stages West!  They had awesome clothes... western has really come back into style so it would have been fun even if we weren't into a horse themed lifestyle!  Don got a cool John Wayne TShirt that is actually made by a company called "Cool Old Guys".

They were having a big boot sale too!!  I guess boots have taken a hit with the economy.  So, Katie got a pair of Dingo's kinda of like the pair I had just gotten... only one size bigger than she's wearing now so she could grow into them in the fall and winter.  Don got a great pair of Ariats and the nice, nice man working there stretched the ankle areas so they fit perfect and I got a pink pair of Road Wolf boots.

We all got two shirts, Don got two belts and Katie got a cowgirl hat.  Everything was on sale so it wasn't too bad but we left there with several bags.  I so wanted to go back to Circle E and walk in with the bags and go up to strange staring lady and have a Cowgirl Pretty Woman shopping moment.... "Big Mistake"...  lol!!



Anyway, we headed home and the entire way home, Katie chatted and sang... the whole way home!!  Best day.... one of the best days in a long time!!!

Today will be a dedicated work day!  Lots to do to our backyard and have to get the pool ready to go for the summer.  It is Memorial Day weekend after all!  Hopefully we can run out to the farm late today and give Lakota a bath!!  He is one dirty horse and it's gotten to the point where grooming him doesn't do anything!!

Have a happy Saturday!!

Zippers, Calories & Bugg's - Oh My!

That was suppose to be a take on "Lions & Tigers & Bears, Oh My!" Anyway...

Thank God for zippers because all of my Size 16 pants started getting tight on me!  I had become so complacent and I'd stop weighing weekly.  Yikes!  There was NO WAY I was going back up in sizes.

I've been working hard this week to get back on track with taking care of myself.  I did not start a diet!

I almost got myself in big trouble by "dieting" again!  Diets are bad, bad, BAD!!!  I had started that pattern that I began when I was 16 years old... starting a diet... loosing five pounds... feeling deprived and going off the diet and then "making up for lost time" and gaining 6-7 pounds.  It doesn't take a math genius to figure out that slowly but surely... this is the way to put back on weight!

The thing that I am sure that will work for me long term is being vigilent about counting every calorie that goes into my mouth.  If I can't find nutritional data on the food - I'm going to do my best to steer clear of it!  My family doctor said that she wanted to see me get to 160 and we'd re-evaluate.  That means I should not be eating more than 1600 calories a day.  Simple math again... Goal weight x 10... 160 x 10 = 1600.

Wearing the BodyBugg helps me keep in mind that I'm not only logging every calorie but I'm also keeping track of my minutes of moderate activity level, my calories burned and steps taken.

I'd like to try to loose 2 pounds a week which means that daily I need to have a calorie deficit of 1000.  Again with the math... 3500 calories is 1 pound.  1000 calories x 7 days is 7000 calories lost.  7000 calories /2 is 3500.

I'm trying to walk 5 miles a day MINIMUM!!  That typically is right about 1 hour of walking.  I'm also trying to do the elliptical every other day and build one minute per session.  Then, there is the farm... I usually burn calories at a higher rate when I'm at the farm.

The only thing I don't like about the BodyBugg heading into summer is, I can't wear it while swimming and it's VERY obvious on your arm with short sleeves or sleeveless tops.  But, oh well!  It's the price of knowledge and accountibility!

Simple math and hopefully I'm at my goal by January 2011... or sooner.

Here is an older video describing more about the BodyBugg by Bodymedia.



If anyone has questions about the BodyBugg, please email me at spunkycowgirl@comcast.net.

Modern Day Definition of Cowgirl

Main Entry: cowgirl

Function: noun

Language:  English

Definition: a better-looking cowboy with brains

This made me laugh out loud!!  Funny for the day!

Are You Ready? I AM!

I'm reading and re-reading this book!!  It's helping me so much to get motivated, get to the root of the problem and get going!!  I love Bob Harper!  I think he truly has his heart in helping others!!

How to Break a Bad Diet Habit—Forever!

How to Break a Bad Diet Habit—Forever!
Jillian Michaels on taking the neural pathway less traveled.
By Jillian Michaels

Get this: Research has shown that behaviors like what you eat and whether you exercise are deeply set into physical neural connections in your brain. All of your beliefs, your habits, everything making up your mental reality, is contained in physical neural-pathways. So in order to make real changes to your lifestyle and slim down, you've got to learn how to get in there and change your brain! (Great, turns out I do need brain surgery after all...)

The first time you have an experience or learn something new, chances are a new pathway is created. Then the next time you have that experience, your brain will search to see if you have experienced it before. If you have, it'll follow the same pathway. The more often you have that experience or think that thought, the stronger that neural pathway holding that thought or behavior will become. This is how a thought or action becomes a habit.

By repeating a pattern, we strengthen the neural pathways being used for this behavior and essentially reinforce our propensity to be "stuck in a rut"—literally. Here's an example: Let's say that you have been binge eating late at night in your home off a certain set of plates and now you have decided you want to stop that behavior. But, every time you eat off those plates you have been hard-wired to overeat, making it exponentially more difficult to break that destructive habit.

You cannot rationally "think" these physical networks away. But you can change them in two ways:

1. You gradually force the pathway to weaken and atrophy over a period of time by not using it.

Every time you resist the urge to eat an extra cookie when you're upset, or use the ranch dressing at the salad bar, you're allowing those old patterns and pathways to die away so that you can slim down and get healthier. You can do this by pausing and thinking through your choice. Ask yourself what the consequences of that choice will be. That allows you to move from the impulsive part of your personality to the part of your brain that can reason before automatically reacting.

2. Override the old pathway by wiring in a new behavior.

Let's say you've been going to the same supermarket for years—and buying garbage foods that don't support your efforts to lose weight. Try a new supermarket! It seems strange, but simply being in a new location will help you not fall into old patterns of grabbing your same-old old junk food from the same old shelves. Then repeat. Something that will help create a strong neural pathway is repetition. It's not as complicated as the term "neural pathways" makes it sound: Just know that you actually can create physical changes in your brain, hard wiring yourself for success.

Okay, now what old habits are you going to break? And what will you replace them with?

Jillian Michaels is the author of the new book Master Your Metabolism and the motivation coach for the Body by Glamour shape-up program. She's helped dozens of people get slim and healthy as a trainer on "The Biggest Loser," and has helped thousands of others through her DVDs and books.

Enough is Enough, Damn It!

My friend Lisa said right after the holidays "Enough is Enough" and that was it!  She put eating crap in the past and has since lost quite a bit of weight and looks phenomenal!!  Her willpower has been steadfast and her exercise routine has been reliable!!  I remember thinking "I'm just not there... I want to be there... but I just can't yet!!!"  What the heck!!?  Why not!?  Because I was enjoying eating lunch out with Don while Katie is in school and we were eating takeout while watching our favorite shows after Katie goes to bed... ARGGGHHHHH!!!

I did not go through what I went through to loose 142 pounds to slowly watch it come back on!!  Every piece of clothing I own is a 14/16 or a 16 and my 16's are tight!!

I have said for several years that nothing makes me more aware of my weight than riding!  Everytime I get on Lakota's back, I'm very aware of my weight!  My weight which has slowly crept back up to 210!!  I can't believe it!!  I was furious at myself this morning but I have to move past it!!  Beating myself up about it isn't going to fix it!  Never has, never will!

There is just shame involved when you've gone through so much to loose weight, been successful and then have it come back on!!  Any of it!!  I felt ashamed when I regained FOUR pounds but now it's time to STOP!!!

I'm still 123 pounds lighter than I was in December 2006... but I am determined to get to my goal weight!!

So, Body Bugg's are back on Don and I both this morning!  I'm going to count every calorie that goes in and log every calorie I burn!!  That's the only way that works for me... I have to be accountible other wise... "oh, this is only 200 calories... it won't make that big of a difference" and then BAM!  It does make a difference!!

So, we haven't watched this past season of Biggest Loser other than the first episode.  I know Helen won but it will hopefully still be inspirational to watch every day... we downloaded it on iTunes and there are 19 episodes if we start over from the beginning.  It takes 21 days for something to be habit so surely if we are determined, watch Biggest Loser every day for 19 days... by then we will be well on our way to staying on track!!

I plan to walk 3 miles every morning and then try to be as active as possible the rest of the day.  On days when I've sat on my but in front of the computer, I will do the elliptical or some other exercise in the evening!

My family doctor set my goal weight at 160 and said we'd re-evaluate when I got to that point.  That means that I have 50 pounds to loose... instead of the 29 I had to loose in January 2008 when I was at my lowest weight of 189.

I'm an emotional eater and having WLS didn't cure that!  I'm reading Bob Harper's book "Are You Ready" and he talks so much about getting to the emotional core and finding other things to replace it with... so that's what I have to do!!  That's what I must do to stop this horrible cycle!!

So, no more beating my self up... just "Enough is Enough!!"  Time to do it and stop making excuses.

My family and friends helped keep me encouraged during 2007 when I struggled a lot after complications from the WLS.  I'm counting on ya'll to help keep me encouraged this time too!  Also, Don!  It's so CRUCIAL for him... he's turning 45 this year and his father died at 47.  I do not want to loose him to something that could have been prevented!  Food is a tool... not a reward or something!!  We need to start looking at anything other than healthy foods as poison!!

Totally in love with my Lakota and I know he'd appreciate me getting serious and getting to my goal weight!!  So would my friends and family so I'll stop whining about it!

Enough!!

Sometimes You Gotta Make A Change

And sometimes change can be hard!  I've been unhappy with my old blog for a while... in part because the blogger address didn't fit me anymore.  It was ebaygaltn.blogspot.com... I no longer do anything on eBay becuase of the miserable changes that took place and the passions in my life are my family, time with our horses, time with friends and family, travel and photography!

I wanted a new blog that would reflect that and my personality so I'm going to play with wordpress and see if it's a better fit.  So this might be a work in progress but my life is a work in progress... isn't it for all of us!?  :)

Katie's Love For RB

Katie has developed a special bond with the horse, RB that she's ridden for several sessions at STAR. Yesterday when we got to STAR, we were in the waiting room but could see RB in the cross ties and he was throwing a little bit of a horsey temper tantrum. He was throwing his head and hoofing at the ground...

Don and I looked at each other a little worried. We'd never seen RB show any attitude. Katie didn't notice... she was wrapped up in books.

But, the minute Katie left the waiting area and headed toward RB, he lowered his head and then this is what happened.







Katie's instructor(s) at STAR are talking about the fact that she has the potential to be an accomplished horsewoman and rider.

They want her to ride a different horse next session because RB is very rough in his trot and Katie isn't too happy about that... she says that she doesn't mind bouncing at all.

xxooxxoo
LA :)

Holy Cow - My Baby Girl is TEN YEAR OLD!!!

That old expression about "the older you get, the faster time flies..." Well, living it is believing it!!

I can't believe that Katie turned 10 yesterday!! Katie has been with us since she was exactly 6 months old and it's been an amazing 9 1/2 years! She's turning into an incredible young lady and we are blessed every day to have her in our lives!



We had a lovely weekend in North Carolina visiting my mom, MomMom and Uncle Ronnie and Aunt Linda. Ronnie and Stacy were out of town so we didn't get to see them unfortunately. I had not been there since November and they hadn't seen Katie since late July. This wasn't on purpose but between Don and Katie having pneumonia, MomMom having mono and pneumonia and the craziness of life in 2009... this was the first chance we actually were able to make the trip without it being canceled.



Katie stayed with Mom and MomMom, which is what we typically do now. She loves it and it gives Don and I some much needed alone time! :) We stayed at the Hampton Inn this time and I think we've decided that is our favorite hotel. It actually has a comfortable bed, unlike the Sleep Inn, Country Inn & Suites and the Holiday Inn Express!!

I asked Katie last night when we got home and she was eating her favorite food on the planet for her birthday evening dinner (Outback Buffalo Wings) "what her favorite part of her birthday weekend was".... she thought for a second and said "spending it with Grandmom, MomMom, Aunt Linda and Uncle Ronnie".



That was cool!! For the past several years we've done Disney or big birthday parties. It was nice to have a low key birthday with family this year!! And it was even better that being with family was her favorite part!!

Hopefully we will get some good quality time with Kim and Sarah when they are home this July!! We can't wait!!



Katie told Mom and MomMom when we got there that "she was so happy to see them. She thought she was never going to see them again!!" NOOOOOO Katie! Don't say that! Now Mom will really never let me live it down that it's been 10 months since they've seen their grandaughter/great-grandaughter!!" :)

It's always nice to get away for a few days but always good to get back home too!

My riding lesson got rained out this morning! Shoot! I have missed Lakota AND Arthur!!! Arthur is quickly becoming an extended family member and everyone knows how I feel about Lakota.

xxooxxoo!!
LA :)

Bridles & Blue Jeans Fundraising Event @ STAR

From Don's blog...

Bridles & Blue Jeans

April 26, 2009 by Don


STAR Bridles & Blue Jeans 2009 from Midnight Magic Studios on Vimeo.

For the past several weeks, I have working almost non-stop on a fund raiser promo video for STAR. STAR (Shanghai-La Therapeutic Academy of Riding) holds a very special place in my heart. Four years ago, after seeing the impact that Dolphin Assisted Therapy had on Katie, Leeann and I were looking for a program to get Katie into that would help her on a more consistent basis. Katie has a long list of special needs, both medical and emotional. We wanted to get her in a program that would build her confidence and her self-esteem and hopefully provide an extracurricular activity.

When we heard about the STAR program, we knew we had to get her in as soon as possible. The only problem was there was a waiting list (there still is a list of 113 waiting to get in). I think we called the STAR office about once or twice a month, we wrote letters to the Board of Directors and to the different staff members to see about getting Katie in. It paid off and there was finally a opening that fit Katie and we were able to get her started with the winter session of 2006.

Katie instantly fell in love with the program. We had never really seen her “look forward” to anything the way she looked forward to her weekly sessions at STAR. She’s worked with Cocoa, Maria, Zipper and RB and she’s fallen in love with all of them.

I had volunteered a few times to help out with volunteer training videos or anything else they needed. Well, three weeks ago, I was asked to put together the promo video for STAR’s Bridels & Blue Jeans. This is their annual fundraiser. I was honored to be asked to produce this video and it has been a true labor of love for the past two weeks. I have worked on this video everyday, every spare minute I could find. I was worried about how it would play to a large group of people.

This video needed to tell the stories of the riders, the parents and the staff at STAR. The story of how STAR had come to exist had been told for many years at this fundraising event. The amazing thing about this video is, it never felt like “work”. The video mostly put itself together, I just put the pieces in place and the video did the rest all by itself. It was a great success.

I don’t take the credit… but it was an amazing experience to help tell the story.

Note: The little girl in braids holding the sign "I take medicine every day to stay alive" is Katie.

girls & Horses

I'm so blessed to have a daughter who loves horses as much as I do and that we have a shared passion. I don't think I would have ever even discovered or re-discovered my love of horses had it not been for Katie.


girls & Horses from Leeann Samples on Vimeo.

Lakota is turning out to be such an incredible addition to our family. I get to see him almost every day. Most days I work with him or ride him but some days, Katie and I just go by, give him an apple or a treat and love on him. Those are the days he LOVES!

Today was one of those days and Don took some great photos while Katie and I were enjoying just being with him.

It inspired me to take the photos from today and put them with a few other recent ones and put them to one of my favorite songs by Templeton Thompson.

Dream Big, Work Hard, Have Faith!

xxooxxoo
LA :)

Life On Planet Cowgirl

I have a new favorite music artist and cowgirl mentor... Templeton Thompson! I've had the music from her first three CD's on my iPod for a while now and the video of I did of me working with Belle a few weeks ago was using one of her songs "A Horse That Can Fly".

She seemingly has a very strong faith and a deep passion for horses and that is reflected in her music and couldn't be any better suited for me, AND Katie!

She is coming out with a new CD later this spring "Life On Planet Cowgirl" and she was offering a limited number of CD's as a pre-release titled "Life On Planet Cowgirl - Sketches". It has an audio commentary intro for every song telling the backstory for the song. I got it in the mail today and Katie and I listened to it over and over going to the farm and back tonight... we fell in love with it instantly!!

She's AWESOME!!

Today was just the BEST day in a long time!

The weather could not have been more beautiful!
I didn't wake up with a sinus headache like I have every other morning this week.
I had a GREAT riding lesson this morning with Arthur and Lakota.
I had a lovely lunch and mid-day shopping trip with my wonderful husband!
I had a great late afternoon 30 minute cat nap.
Then I had a great evening with Katie tonight, going to the farm and hanging out with Lakota, giving him apples and letting him make applesauce... (Don wasn't with us because he was at a rehearsal).
And, I got Templeton's CD in the mail.

Here is a photo of Arthur with Lakota! He's my new trainer, new friend and new adopted extended family member! :) I've just clicked with him - He's ALWAYS so happy. He's been working with gaited horses since he was 8 years old... so he KNOWS what he's doing. He still judges local horse shows and has a champion Racking Horse. He's done wonders, in just a few lessons, of helping me to find my riding confidence again!



Lakota has the smoothest gait... he's just a joy to ride. For the most part... he's young and has some stubbornness issues that Arthur is helping to work out but he's very sane under saddle. And he's just a love bug on the ground.... he just wants attention and loving. Wednesday when I got to the farm, he literally trotted to the gait when we heard me. That was awesome!!



My dad recently told me that I have a happiness in me when I'm with horses that he's never seen in me... I truly think that it is my passion. Don even says I'm a different and better person on the days I get time at the farm.

I'm adopting Templeton Thompson's slogan....

Dream Big, Work Hard, Have Faith!

xxooxxoo
LA :)

Heading To The Farm

I'm trying this new program on my iPhone called iBlogger to see how it works. It let's you easily update your blog from your iPhone.

I'm heading out to work with Lakota this morning. Finally a sunny day and it's 50, which is much better than yesterdays 34, blustery wind with snow flurries. It's April people!!!


This is a photo that my friend Sande took of Lakota when he was at Ten Oaks. She is an amazing photographer and artist. You can check out some of her amazing work at her website.

Much has happened in the past week with Katie, my dad and Lakota. I will update details later today or tomorrow.

xxoo
LA :)

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Please vote for Don on WTNZ Fox 43's Hot List

His business is Midnight Magic Studios. You wont be inundated with spam if you specify not to be contacted. He's currently in the lead with a good friend hot on his trail. Here is the link to vote:


Click here to vote!

Here is a recent Spring 2009 Demo:


Midnight Magic Studios Spring 2009 Demo Video from Midnight Magic Studios on Vimeo.

Thanks for your support!

Don is loving what he does!!

LA :)

A Horse That Can Fly

Templeton Thompson is one of my new favorite artist. Her, Mary Ann Kennedy and Katie Drake have some great music for horse lovers!





The song in my video is Templeton Thompson's "A Horse That Can Fly". I'd like to believe that Belle really is in heaven running through beautiful pastures waiting for me to ride her bareback one day.

I can't imagine a heaven with no horses. They are truly God's most beautiful creation.

There is an old Arabian proverb..."The wind of heaven is that which blows between a horse's ears".

I might have to move Lakota to a different farm because of his injury and what's needed for his recouperation. It's made me so sad because I've started building such good friendships at this farm and I can literally just pop out there, spend 1/2 hour with Lakota when I can. I'm literally getting to see him almost every day and work with him a LOT!!!

I know that's caused me to be more emotional but I also never really grieved loosing Belle. I threw myself into finding another horse and I'm glad that I did... I would have Lakota... and he's AMAZING!!

But I do miss Belle!

LA :)

Taking A Break

It's been a gloomy rainy day and all I've done since 7:30am is numbers, numbers, numbers so I'm taking a little break and letting my eyes and fingers focus on words instead of numbers for a few.

This is the one time of year that I actually don't like working from home. A day like today - it was hard to fight taking a nap... especially when my eyes glazed over and got blurry. Also, it's hard when Katie comes home from school and I'd like to shut my laptop and spend time with her but I'm under the gun and can't!

Don went out in the mud and rain and walked my boy around this morning! Such a great husband! He's gonna do it again for me tomorrow and then hopefully I'll be able to be back taking care of Lakota.

Dad is home from the hospital! His spirits are so good!! He says he's in a lot of pain but he was making jokes and being him! Marilyn is tired and is not in as good of spirits. I wish I could do something to cheer her a little. I know this is hard for her... she's afraid. She's already lost one husband in her life and now she's being faced with that again!! We just have to be firm in our faith that no one leaves this earth until it's their time and God is in control! If you don't believe that... living through the scare of loosing someone you love so much would drive you insane!!

A few people, family and friends, have asked me recently how I can be so open on my blog and talk so freely about personal family things and my weight, etc...? I'm just an open person (now at least... I didn't use to be).

In 2009, it's hard to have secrets from anyone. You can't even keep private what the front of your house looks like... it's on Google. You can't really have an unlisted number... even if you are paying for it. Just ask the creditors who have tracked me down for my grandparents.

Why hide? Why not be open!? I've been making far more friends and acquaintances since I've opened up my world and it's made me a much happier person. Don is finding the same to be true for him too!

I think even though I haven't reached my goal weight and I've struggled the past year trying to get/stay motivated to loose these last 40 pounds... I still feel such an accomplishment, feel so much better and have so much more confidence in myself, my abilities and what I can do in life.

I'm sure that's definitely contributed to me being much more open.

I'll keep updates posted on Dad!

LA :)

Please pray for my dad

He had his surgery this morning and it went wonderfully according to the doctor. However, his surgical oncologist says that it is not good that the cancer has recurred at what they call a "distant recurrence" and he is surprised that my father survived a year. He said that because of this recurrence it will most likely continue to spread.

They are going to send the tumor that they removed from his stomach off to try and come up with a designer chemo to treat it. The success rate for this is less than 10%.

The odds are closing in on my pop so please keep him in your prayers!

LA

Just What I Needed

A wonderful day with my great husband and some farm time with Lakota. The weather was beautiful too... so nice and so needed!

This past week has been a little tough... actually a lot tough! We tried a new medicine with KT that did not do well at all and so we've changed back. Dad's visit was hard... because I'm so worried about him. He has his surgery tomorrow. If any of you watch Grey's Anatomy... my father has the very same condition as Izzy... Metastatic Melanoma. Only, it has not spread to his brain... but it is spreading and I'm so concerned for him.



I thought the pre-tax work that I do for my clients this year was going to be a breeze because everything has been incredibly more organized and under control this year but seemingly - that is not the case and I'm working 10+ hour days when I'd much rather be outside.

So, last week was tough. Sleep was rough. Days with Katie should have been fun - It Was Spring Break For Pete's Sake - but it was LONG and hard! The only fun she and I had was a quick shopping trip on Thursday afternoon and a picnic with my good friend Sheila and her two beautiful daughters!

On top of everything else - Lakota got injured last Monday while Dad was still here. Nothing severe but he got hurt and then was in his stall for three days strait because of horrible weather and that made the injury worse.

Then I had a major car repair and I'm not even going to touch on things with Gran... but it isn't good!

So, needless to say I was SOOOOO looking forward to having a nice breakfast with Don this morning and then heading to the farm. I did an hour of ground work with Lakota before the vet arrived at 11am and he is such a quick learner and does so well... except he threw a little horsey temper tantrum today. But just like the terrible twos, it was over almost before it began and I wasn't on his back at the time... so it was OK.

But then, boy, poor Lakota didn't know what hit him. The vet really worked him over. Heavily sedated and still standing, he was injected with a synthetic blister into his "right left" leg. Yes, that is what I told the vet... that it was his "right left" leg that was injured.

The blister will expand and cause pressure on his tendons and muscles, causing them to strengthen. I have to exercise him daily this week from the ground and then I have doctor's orders to try and ride him daily starting next Monday. Those are doctors orders that I can try to abide by! :)

His leg is going to be in a lot of pain this week. He's not going to want to be worked... so that will be loads of fun. He also had his teeth floated and his wolf teeth pulled AND all of his shots. I thought the vet bill was going to be ASTRONOMICAL but it wasn't as much as Brinkley's vet bill in February.

Poor guy really got it good this morning but he did great and it only took him like 15 minutes to shake off the sedatives.

It was really funny though because he couldn't walk a strait line for a while and his lips were numb... so he'd go to try and eat grass and his lips would just flap together. Then he would snort!

Anyway, it was a BEAUTIFUL morning and I had some much needed time with Don and it was fun being at the farm for the better part of the day... even though it involved my Lakota being tortured... :)

I'll have to post soon about Lakota's smoky noise! You know, Smoky the Smoke Monster from LOST... Lakota has his spooky noise down pat! Totally cracks Don and I up.

Maybe tomorrow!

LA :)

When You Think You Are Getting To Sleep Late On A Saturday Morning...

and you have a child under the age of 10... BEWARE!



For this is what your child may choose for breakfast!!

*sigh*

LA :)

Damn Statistics & Prognoses

Dad and Marilyn came to visit Friday afternoon. Dad had a long, tough week of appointments last week. Pet scan, biopsies, ultrasounds and then bad news. Right as he was driving into Knoxville, his surgical oncologist called with the news that his Melanoma had returned and it's on his stomach... internal!

This is not good!

The interferon treatment that Dad suffered through last year was suppose to drastically reduce the chance of recurrence... or to at least provide a greater length of time before recurrence.

So, it's back under the knife for Dad on March 24th!

He seems to be taking it far better than I ever would have thought! Marilyn not so much! Dad thought he was gonna have to take her to the ER after getting off the phone with the doctor. She pretty much had a panic attack and then fell apart totally when they got here.

She almost thought she was having a heart attack!!

We did a lot of research yesterday online. We don't know much yet... not sure if he's gonna do radiation again, interferon... hoping that immunotherapy might be an option. Results seem to be phenomenal with immunotherapy!

I'll update as things progress!!

But, I will say... the prognoses for recurrence so quickly and at a distant location (his original melanoma was on his scalp and Stage IV)... this melanoma is inside his stomach. Not sure what stage... but the statistics are grim.

Funny thing... Izzy on Grey's Anatomy has just gotten a grim diagnosis of Metastatic Melanoma. Her odds of survival more than a few months in TV land is less than 5%. But as one of her interns pointed out... the survival rate of getting the hiccups is 100% and a patient died on the show from the hiccups.

Strange things in life happen. We never know whats around the corner... what tomorrow holds.

None of us are promised tomorrow. But hopefully, my dad will have quite a few!

LA :)

I Hate How My Mind Works Sometimes

I've got one of those memory banks that is always thinking... "this time last year... this time last month... this time last week" etc. For happy memories, this serves me well and always brings a smile to my face. For less than happy memories, not so much!

Well, it was exactly a month ago this morning that I lost Belle. That hit me yesterday hard. I think I threw myself into finding a new horse so hard and Katie had a lot going on this past month and between these two pre-occupations, I don't think I really grieved.

I miss her.



I love Lakota! I rode him Friday... really rode him... cantered for almost an hour. He didn't even have a bit in his mouth that fit properly and he was still perfect! He loves attention, enjoys just hanging out. I don't think he thinks he is a horse until someone gets on him. He stands perfectly still when you are grooming him and tacking him up.

Since he is a gelding (boy), his reactions are far different. If something has him worried or upset, his nostrils flair and his breathing increases and sometimes he snorts. I've been told this is very common for geldings. With mares (girls), they will just flip their lid with no warning.

I like having a warning!

But there is part of me that honestly thinks at times that we still have Belle and Lakota too and then it hits me and the sadness sets in again!

Lakota is a people horse. He just loves people - he loves Katie, will follow her around like an 1100 pound puppy, loves Don and is totally submissive to him... LOVES everyone at the new farm.

But, Belle was my horse. She did things for me that she didn't/wouldn't do for others. She responded to me when she wouldn't respond to others.

I love Lakota but there will never be another Belle!

I miss her!

LA :(

Lakota

Lakota
Definition:
Pronunciation:
\lə-ˈkō-tə\
Date:
1918
1 : a member of a western division of the Dakota peoples
2 : a dialect of Dakota; Sioux tribe
3 : a good friend

A good equine friend is what we are hoping for.



Some people have understood my search for another horse these past weeks and I know some haven't. My heart has been so broken by Belle's untimely death. It was tragic and even though I never saw her body - I've struggled to not have horrible images in my head.

I wasn't even sure that I could really bond with another horse. I knew Katie could and for Don - it's different! He enjoys being around horses and I think he's enjoyed the search for a new one... but for him, it's much different.

I had spent countless hours with Belle, in many ways trying to get her vices worked out so that she could eventually be a great horse for Katie as well as me. Belle was definitely a girls horse. She was too small for Don and the few times that Mike rode her it was odd. She was just a "girly" horse.

Well, we looked at quite a few. I fell in love with a horse named Pepper and she was the first horse that helped me realize that I could bond with another horse. But, she was going to foal in May which meant it would have been late summer before the colt or filly would be weaned and I could have her.

Then there was Silver, a pretty silver dapple Tennessee Walker in Seymour. She was a sweetheart on the ground, great with Katie and when one of the cowboy like older men rode her with spurs, she was wonderful. When I rode her - NADA. She didn't do anything I asked...

There were a few others... none a good fit. A horse named Sierra, a beautiful palomino named Zoe (I've ALWAYS wanted a palomino)... and then we drove quite a ways to see a jet black Tennessee Walker named Sadie. I had seen video of her and she was exquisite. She had been in parades, taken young girls 10-12 on trail rides... she sounded perfect. PLUS, this particular farm had more than 10 other horses available. Surely out of 11+ horses, there would be one that might be a good match.

Here is Sadie...



Of course, since Sadie was the one I'd been most interested in, when we went to this farm, they brought her out first. She had an adorable personality. She LOVED attention and she was great with Katie. An 82 year old man named Bud rode her for me. He was a character. He rode her without a bit first, neck reined her and said "this is a dead broke horse here..."

NOT! I was so excited and I got right up on her and rode her in this huge indoor track around the barn. Once I felt comfortable, I took her outside, rode her up a hill and when I turned around to head back - she reared up. It rattled me... I thought it was just a fluke so I let up on the reins and called for help. Once one of the owners Kim and Don were quick to get out there with me, I tried to get her to head back to the barn again and she reared up quickly three more times. I had to get off that horse! That was the end of my relationship with Sadie.

They brought out a few others... none of which were good fits with Katie so I didn't even ride. Then they brought out a gelding spotted saddle horse named Champ that was almost identical to Belle in his markings and looking into his eyes... it felt like looking into Belle's eyes. I immediately started crying. But Katie was already hooked.



He practically fell asleep with his neck on Katie's shoulder. He was so gentle and kind so after one of the guys rode him, Don rode him. Don loved how responsive he was so I hopped on. He would turn on a dime, and was so well mannered but when I got him into a fast walk and then into a canter... I thought I was gonna bounce off the saddle. For him to have been a gaited horse, he was so ROUGH and bouncy!

Don and Katie really wanted him but I was being very picky. If we were going to get another horse - it had to be one that was FUN to ride, really ride. One that was great around Katie. One that didn't have many vices to work through... there was criteria that I had.

We looked at a few more... I wasn't ready to commit. I was actually already a little depressed because I thought... either another horse now WAS NOT meant to be or the search would continue.

Then they brought out Lakota. Katie had already been talking to this guy in his stall. He is a paint (spotted colors) which is Katie's favorite. I think maybe the contrast with the white and black/brown. So Katie immediately started loving on him and they started showing us how great his ground manners were. He didn't even have to be cross tied or tied to a post to be tacked up. He just stood patiently. Then they rode him and he was beautiful.

But, he had piercing blue eyes. That really threw me. I've been around a horse with one blue eye before and it was just kind of weird for me. PLUS, he's big. Like Sunny big almost. He's 15.2hh and I wanted a horse in the 14hh range.

After they rode him for a bit, the convinced me to ride him. He looked so smooth, I agreed. I knew I DID NOT want this horse but I thought - I'll ride him and we will head on home.

I rounded the first corner and clucked once and he shifted into that fast walk and I clucked again and he shifted into a canter and I said "Oh my gosh, he's wonderful"... THAT WAS IT. I was sold. They couldn't get me off him.

He will hopefully make a great addition. I'm convinced that once he really bonds with us, he will be a horse like Sunny, one that Katie can ride all summer long and for many years to come.

I was already dreading this summer. Katie will have STAR and swimming but I really want something that will get us out of the house daily.

The farm I had found to move Belle to is just incredible. I've already been spending time there and making friends and it's FAR different than the farm where we had Sunny and Belle and then the farm where I had Belle.

I still have moments of breaking down over loosing Belle. She meant so much to me. Katie even still has a hard time with it and she wasn't nearly as close to Belle as she is Sunny.

I thought briefly about asking for Sunny back from STAR. She's still ours and we can have her back any time we want but STAR has put so much work into Sunny and she's doing great there... so that really wasn't an option.



Don is also very happy about Lakota. He's going to be a more versatile horse. He's very level headed, and I think he will be my horse... but Don and Katie will very much enjoy being around him and riding him as well... so even though he will be "mine" and I'll be doing most of the work with him... he will be a family horse.

Here's hoping Lakota brings us many years of happy memories!!

LA :)