I Can Do It

The most I know about sewing is what I learned during HomeEq in the 7th grade.  Since then, most of the projects I've completed have been under the strict supervision of my mom (which mostly means that she took over and completed a project that I lacked qualifications for, and could have possibly destroyed).

But not this project.  I'm venturing out on my own.  My mom can't come to my rescue, because this time, I'm sewing at my house and not hers.  And she lives two hours away.  Although I'd like think that if I were in desperate need, she'd make the trek up here on $4.00 per gallon gas to fix it.

Tonight, I decided to cut out the super cute, black and white flower print fabric, which will soon (I hope) cover a foam cushion to be placed on Brielle's window seat.  It was then that I realized I didn't have the following:

• Cording, to go around the edges.
• Pins
• Sewing Scissors
• Black Thread
• Pick (just in case)
• One of those little ruler sticks, with the slide thing
• Zipper Foot 

I was totally unprepared.

Thank You JoAnn's 50% off Memorial Day Sale.

I now have all but one thing to complete this task... confidence.  Even measuring apparently requires the skills of a professional.  Thanks to my husband the professional, each piece is now cut out perfectly straight (and it's a good thing he helped, my measurements were off).

Tomorrow... we sew.

Season Wrap-Up

Soccer has become the sport of choice for this little girl.  She's already planned to attend several USU Soccer Camps this summer, before the fall season starts, to improve her skills.  I suppose I'd better start learning the rules of the game, cause Soccer never interested me until now.

Here's a brief wrap-up of Spring season...

• Scored 5 goals, and all but one was on purpose.
• Played Goalie every game, and let the opposing team score about the same amount of goals.
• After having dived for a ball, got her face stepped on by the biggest 8 year old I've ever seen, who then went and guzzled Mt. Dew during the half.
• Got called for pushing once (she's a bit aggressive in this sport, we've found).
• Knows how to do the robot - and will do it on the field when the action is on the other end.

It's Electric

Imagine this...

Chris just let the horses out.  At the exact moment that he goes under the electric fence, Izzy jumps up at him to play.  They get zapped.  I heard noises out of both of them that I'd never heard before.

Now I can't get the song "Electric Slide" out of my head.

Every wonder what the Equine's do when you let them out of the barn and into the pasture to graze? 

Well, now you know.

It's Time to be Said

I've written this post in some form or another at least 5 times.  I've always deleted it, thinking to myself it may not be appropriate or I just shouldn't post things when I'm angry.

Well, I'm angry now (with major sinus pressure), but it's time for this to be said.

If you are not willing to say something to a persons face -- 

DON'T SAY IT ON FACEBOOK!

I'm just sayin.

*** 4 MORE PARAGRAPHS ON THIS SUBJECT WERE JUST DELETED, 

AFTER HAVING BEEN DEEMED SOMEWHAT INAPPROPRIATE.

I BLAME THAT ON THE SINUS PRESSURE. ***

Pecking Order

I braced myself yesterday.

It was time for the equines to no longer be separated by fences.  It was time for the long-dreaded pecking order to be established.

Horses kick, bite, chase and do all kinds of nasty things to each other when determining the dominant leader.  This horrible behavior can last for days, sometimes weeks.  It's madness.  I've seen what can happen when an alpha horse turns himself loose on a cowardly horse like Cocoa.

But, it had to be done.  It was time that Cocoa and Dandy to have an all out brawl. and figure out the "order" of things.  Chris turned to me and said "you ready for some fireworks?"  Then something strange happened...

...they wondered off and started grazing.  Didn't touch each other.  No kicks.  No bites.

They play and they run around together. When one moves, the other does, too.  We knew Cocoa was cowardly, but apparently, so is Dandy.  

I don't know if I'm disappointed, or relieved.

Special Delivery

It was like Christmas morning... and Uncle Gordon was Santa Claus.  He came to deliver the present I got last Christmas, which Chris wouldn't let me bring home.  Yet.

Dandy-Man has arrived (and is on the right).

Brothers reunited - born only a week apart.  They haven't been together since they were yearlings.  Dandy is clearly much more red than Cocoa, but their builds are very similar.  These pictures make Cocoa look quite a bit bigger, but don't let the photos fool you... he's not.

For tonight, they reacquaint themselves through the fence.  But tomorrow... there's no better time than now to establish the pecking order.  Cocoa has proven himself time and time again that he prefers the bottom, and I expect that's how it will end up.

Have I mentioned how much I enjoy having horses?  Yes, but have I mentioned how much I enjoy having the horses in my own back yard?  Oh, I did?  Well I do.

Showoff

Look at that prance... Cocoa was showing off for the female horses next door.

Welcome Home

It's been a long six weeks... for him and for me.  I've missed seeing Cocoa, rubbing his neck and brushing his mane.  Matt the Horse Trainer delivered him straight to his new home today, which happens to be the barn behind my house.

I have a barn.  It still seems weird to say.

Cocoa unloaded from the trailer just fine, and was anxious to start grazing in that nice, green pasture.  But he couldn't.  Not yet anyway.

Our green grass is very rich compared to the stuff he's been eating the last several weeks.   If we let him loose in the pasture, he'd continue to eat to his big hearts content until he foundered.  Foundering causes swelling inside a horse's feet, causing pain and restricting blood flow.  This could result in severe issues with the horse -- some horses never will be the same.

Impressed that I know so much?  Google helps with all my horse questions.

So, for now, Cocoa will have to reside in the newly clean (free of sheep shat) barn.  It's not ideal for him I'm sure, with all that lush green grass just a few feet away.  But here he will stay until we can ween him off of hay and onto the good stuff.  Over the next week or so, he'll be fed hay and allowed to graze for short periods during the day.

Ms. Izzle-Frizzle was jealous of all the attention the equine was getting, so she pranced over to her pool and threw herself a little pity-party.

Such high-maintenance animals we have.  Watch for more photos this weekend... MY horse is being delivered on Friday!!!

Brielle's Room

***Disclaimer... These photos were taken with my not-so-good camera phone***

I promised you pics of Brielle's room, so here they are.  Her room is still a work in progress, with a window seat cushion to sew, some throw pillows and a beside table to buy.

I'd also like to find something to hang just above her bed...

I made this, and am quite impressed with it.  I used a decorative plate rack, hung upside down.  I purchased 3 12x12 frames, pulled out the glass, filled them with cork board and used ribbon to hang them on the plate rack.

 

I was worried that the Tiffany Blue walls would be a bit overwhelming, and they were with no furniture in the room.  Now, with the bed, curtains, quits and wall hangings, Brielle and I think it's just perfect!

No Good

The equines will be arriving this week.  Well, one we know of for sure.  Mr. Cocoa has successfully completed his training course and will be delivered to this new pasture come Tuesday...

While some of you might be thinking "oh, look at all the pretty yellow flowers," horse owners (like myself) know that these pretty yellow flowers are no good for equines.  With the help of a "grass expert" next door (literally, he has a PhD in grass), we spent Saturday spraying all those dandelions, in order to allow for nice, green pasture grass to grow through.

We also spent the day cleaning up and moving out what seemed like 4 tons of sheep shat out of the barn.  While the wind was blowing.  Yes, it was disgusting and yes, I'll spare you the photos.

The horses had better appreciate all the hard work preparing for their arrival.

Quote

Occasionally, I come across something while reading the newspaper, a book or a magazine.  Something that hits me -- smacks me right across the face -- and gives me new perspective on something.

Believe it or not, it's only 7:47 a.m. and that very thing happened already this morning.

Don't worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you.  -Robert Fulgham, LDS Living Magzine

A commonly occurring phrase (usually yelled) at my household is "why do you never listen to me?!?"  Although I still don't quite know how to fix this problem, I think I'll approach it differently from now on.

Who Needs Law School

I have a lawyer in the making.  

Her skills at arguing her case are second to none, I'm telling you.  She tries to argue her way out of everything, even when it's clear I'll always win.  This is really getting on my nerves.

There's a bully at school.  A horrible girl that just wouldn't leave Brielle alone.  We've tried everything, from not talking to her, to asking her to be kind, to talking with the teacher.  Nothing's helped.

Over dinner this evening, Brielle informed us that she had "Mean Bully Girl" sign a contract.  (What???)  This contract dictated the terms of their friendship.  If "Mean Bully Girl" wanted to participate in activities Brielle is playing, she has to agree to be kind and friendly.  Brielle indicated it was several pages long, and that this was her idea... not the teachers.

Arguing.  Check.

Contracts.  Check.

Who needs law school?

3 Birds... 1 Stone

We've lived in our home for a week now, and thankfully for those around me, my attitude has improved.  We are slowly getting things put away, all the while still trying to complete the projects that need finishing.

I've had many requests for pics of our home...  Brielle has been begging me for a "project"... It's Mother's Day, you know... so we are going to kill 3 birds with 1 stone.  

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What can I say about being a Mom.  It's the hardest, toughest, stress inducing, craziest job I have.  But, it's also the most rewarding, most wonderful, most joyful job I have.  Miss Brielle is the absolute love of my life. 

I love taking part in every milestone, despite the fact that I'd wish they'd stop coming.  I love watching her ride, play soccer and ride her bike.  I love listening to her read, and her snoring while sleeping make my laugh.  The phone call I get from her after school saying "Hi Mom!  I'm home!" is the most favorite part of my day.

I don't need special treatment, or gifts or anything like that.  Just give me a day that I get to spend with Brielle and I've got everything I need.

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The "project" we chose to do was a simple Thank You gift for those who gave up their Saturday to help us move.

We found the idea HERE, but modified a bit for what we were trying to do.  You take fruit cans with the tab tops, and cut out the bottom.  Fill with treats, slap on some ribbon, cute paper and a label....

... glue the bottom shut and Ta-Dah!  You've got a super easy, super cute, super fun gift to give to neighbors, teachers, mom, etc.

(For those of you who helped us move, you will be receiving one shortly).

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I've successfully unpacked two rooms in our new house.  I can't say finished because... well, you'll see from the pictures.

The Kitchen.  You'll have to imagine the newly painted, shaker style cabinet doors which are currently in our basement, waiting to be newly painted and hung.

The Family Room.    

We are still working on all other rooms in the house.  

Milestones

Occasionally, things happen in my life that makes me realize my daughter's growing up.  Sometimes, those things are suttle and other times, it slaps me across the face.

Brielle rode her bike to school today, for the first time, equiped with her brand new bike lock.

I freaked out!  I was worried about her safety, possibly running over kids on the side walk, getting side tracked and not making it to school on time.  Oh, and could she figure out how to use her bike lock?

So, I followed her.  She made it just fine.  Chris thinks I am nuts.  Maybe I am nuts.

Thing is, even though I'm proud of the things she's doing, and the independence she's gaining, it seems to be coming a little faster than I expected.

Drowning in Boxes

While drowning myself in boxes, cleaning, orgainizing, etc., I decided I needed a kick in the pants.  You see, I haven't been tracking my meals, let alone trying to maintain healthy eating.  Diet Pepsi once again became my go-to thirst quencher during my recent move.  And CrossFit?  I've almost forgotten what that is.

I prepared myself for the scale to break under my feet.  I knew I'd been bad.  Oh, so very bad.

So check out my Project Skinny stats to the left........

That's right.  I've lost another 3 pounds.  Woot!  Woot!  I was worried for nothing.  I've been told that when you rev up your metabolism with diet and excercise (namely stregnth training), you continue to burn calories for a while even if you take leave.  Of course, I never thought that applied to me.

Well, apparantly it does.