BORING!!

I had all that fun and excitement last weekend and now I have nada.

Oh wait I feel like I am hemorrhaging money I don't have, if you wish you could call that exciting.

In January had to spend $500 on the car to get an oil leak fixed. Now today our Transmission in the truck has decided to quit working. FUN STUFF!! I am sure that will be a minimum of $500. All this money I don't have!!

I have been paying a lawyer money to defend myself from my crappy neighbor who decided to charge me with disturbing the piece with a Barking Dog Citation, which also happens to be a misdemeanor. Again money I don't have just walking out the door. Also on top of that it is currently set to go to trail, jury trial that is. Of course because I can't afford that as of right now it appears I am going to have to change my plea to "Guilty" because I can't afford to prove my innocence.

Isn't that a crock. This is what our country has come too. You are only as innocent as you can afford to be.

Okay I will quit complaining. At least we have our jobs, both of us are employed and make good money. We all have our health. I have lots of love surrounding me. I am blessed. I have to focus on that, and trust that it will all work out.

Other than that a boring weekend, I guess I will go log off and watch a movie with the family. At least I have that right :)

Made It Count

Sorry, I really was going to try and post about this yesterday, but I was EXHAUSTED!!

So for as long as I can remember I have wanted to have my own Sled Dog team and be a musher. When I was a little girl I would tell people that: "I was going to grow up and race in the Iditarod." I read every Jack London book, I watched any movie I could with Alaska and or Sled Dogs in it. I just ate that stuff up. I grew older the dream never faded, the goal got more realistic, I just wanted a chance to experience it, and chance to work some dogs, and maybe someday run a team.

Well, yesterday morning I went to a client from the vet clinic's house where he raises Alaskan Huskies. We loaded up in his dog truck, complete with dog box full of whining, barking huskies, sled piled on top and took off for Ashton, Id. Once in Ashton at one of their groomed trails we unloaded 24 dogs, 3 sleds and went to work setting up.

The enthusiasm of the dogs as you unload them from their boxes, and hook them to the gang lines is unbelievable, and contagious. I was grinning so hard my mouth still hurts. I am sure I looked like a kid in a candy store for the very first time. It amazed me as they hooked up the first team. I just stood back and watched, but the dogs were WILD! Jumping around, on top of, and over each other. They could not contain themselves. I am thinking to myself how on earth are you going to ever get those guys lined out to run. Then almost as quick as I thought it, Mindy one of the Mushers steps on the runners of that sled, yells "Hike" and those dogs throw themselves forward in straight lines and where gone like a flash! Unbelievable.

Then the fun really started. We got our team of 8 dogs ready. Linda (my Musher for the day) started harnessing the dogs. They showed me how, and I helped harness them up. They had the sled anchored off to the truck and we started hooking dogs to the gang line. You unhook them from the truck and they drag you over to the gang line on the sled, hold still for you for about a half a second, in which time you are supposed to clip them up to 2 lines, and then they start bouncing like Mexican jumping beans.

We got them all hooked up and Linda yells "Get in the basket" I jump in the sled, hardly have a seat and "HIKE" whoosh we were off. You can't let them stand in the lines too long or disaster strikes.

It was beautiful, I just couldn't believe it.

Course, we went about half way through the 10 mile loop and Linda slows and stops the dogs. She offers me the runners. Of course I leap out of that basket and take my post on the break barely holding the dogs down as she gets into the basket. She settles in asks if I am ready (boy am I) and "HIKE"!

One small problem, my snow pants, which are a little too big got caught on the break and FAWUP. I am a human snow shovel plowing down the trail as I leave Linda stranded in the basket and the dogs go racing down the trail. I of course yelled, but the first time she didn't hear me, due to the large amount of snow stuffed down my throat, the second holler sent her into a panic, and she started throwing hooks out (safety brakes basically). Luckily her first hook caught and the sled came to a stand still, she got out and held the break while I ran up the trail. I thought for sure she was gonna say get back in that basket and don't move.

She was smiling as was I, and she says: "Ya wanna try that again." Of course I did. This time with no event we went off down the trail at ease. Of course she kept laughing off and on the whole trip back, saying it was a first for her. And had to tell the rest of the crew the minute we got back, but it was worth being razzed about.

All and all, it was amazing. I can't wait to go again. Despite my whoopsie I have a standing invitation to come anytime. Dave the owner of Black N Blue kennels has promised he would take me as far as I wanna go.

Iditarod? Who knows, I was taught to reach for the stars.

2 Months!

Can you believe it! I sure can't, Rozalyn is 2 months old today!!! Time goes by sooo fast. It is hard to imagine that before I know it she will be up and walking, running, dancing, and then before you know it they are gone. I just can't even think about it!!

I decided we had to have some pictures!!! She is changing right before my eyes and I don't even realize it. I am sure you will all notice though!!

She is growing and doing great. Her BIG SISTER adores her, she got over the "not want to share stage" really quickly, and loves to help, hold, and play with her little sister already. Hopefully that lasts! I really wanted to have siblings to play with, and I really wish that today I had siblings to talk to, hang out with, share moments and holidays with. That is why I am really glad Macy has Rozi and the other way around. I hope they build a strong bond that never breaks.

I feel really blessed to have such beautiful, bright, happy children. They make my life complete.

WOW

I am absolutely exhausted on Thursday's!! I can't believe how tired I am, I used to work 4 days a week in a row, have Fridays off to run around like a chicken, and I did not feel this tired. I don't think anything is wrong with me, I think I am just worn out. I do have to admit I feel like a single mother at times, so maybe that is what is wearing me out!!

We have been really slow at work lately, and I think that when you are idle it tends to make you even more tired. Not sure if that is true for everyone but it seems to be for me. I also think that on the days I work I am truly sleep deprived, so then on Thursday I am making up for it, I had to literally DRAG myself out of bed this morning at 9:30! Not like I was trying to get up at 6am or anything, 9:30 and I am forcing myself out of bed. Macy has already been up watching cartoons for an hour and a half at this point.

I don't go to bed until 10ish on Monday night, wake up at 12 - 1 feed Rozi and then get up at 5, then I do the same thing Tues and Wed, so I think by Thursday since I can I try to catch up on my sleep.

Oh well, I felt so guilty for sleeping in I did at least get right up and go crazy cleaning. I managed to accomplish a lot driven by guilt so I guess that works, right?

Well, I guess if it works it works.

I did finally try Zumba, a form of Latin Dance aerobics on Monday. It was a blast, and I worked my butt off. I had sweat pouring off of me like rain in a rain forest. Going again tonight as long as Don's plans stay out of my way.

But that is a whole other story.

One more thing, I wrote a while back about resolutions. I did not know it, but unconsciously one of my resolutions must have been to get off my A@$ and JUST DO IT!!! Because I am finally really doing just that, I guess I had to brag a little. And if all goes as planned, this coming Sunday I will actually for the first time in my life go dog sledding, not watching, actually running a team.

Talk about a LIFETIME goal achieved. I am a little superstitious courteous of my mother so I hope I didn't jinx it by saying it out loud right now, but I will let you know how it goes!!!!

Money, Money!

OK, on the heels of my children contracting Typhoid Fever (figuratively speaking), I need to find ways to make more money without having to deposit my children at bacteria lane!!

There are things I really want, need, and can't live without (food, diapers) and unfortunately all these THINGS cost money. I have a couple of ideas, and one I have even attempted to set in motion, but every time I get an idea, I start to doubt the idea.

Example: Take on some Mustangs to adopt out through the BLM...makes me some money plus I feel good about what I have done. So I start planning and setting it up, and then WHAMO...hay prices have gone through the roof, actually through the SKY!! And I am left wondering if we can afford to feed one more mouth around here.

I have had some other ideas, a few I am still working on, others that probably won't really work out, but either way I need to find a way to make a few extra dollars. I don't want to just be scrapping by if I can help it, I love to travel, and do the things we do....so I need MONEY!

This is not an attempt to start a donation fund in my name, just venting. Ya know put it in writing so you can hold yourself to it trick. Instead this is put it in writing so I can complain to the world trick. I know nothing is easy, just wish it was sometimes, ya know. Why can't there be a pot o gold lying around somewhere. Course if I was really hoping for the easy way the least I could do is buy a lottery ticket.

Alright going to quit complaining, and go find a way to make more money.

Pojectile

Sure enough, projectile vomit, not my mouth worse my poor little 7wk old baby is sick. Makes me mad, course not that I am surprised.

She is doing much better at the time I am writing this. She has kept her milk down for a solid 4 hours now, so hopefully its over. Time will tell. She got awfully pale, and just wanted to sleep and be held. So I gladly did that.

Had to do dance class today with Macy, she loves to dance. She got to wear her new Tutu, and show it off. Then we had a few errands to run. Once we got home we all snuggled on the couch, then Macy took a nap. Rozi and I snuggled in, she slept and I watched a movie. I didn't accomplish much today, but it felt good to just relax. Hopefully it will help us all feel better.

Making brownies, Don rented a movie and we are all gonna snuggle on the couch tonight. Sounds warm, and cozy.

Sick N Tired......

So I was really hoping that by taking my kids not to daycare, but to the neighbors we would skate through this cold season. NO SUCH LUCK!

The very first day I am dropping off the kids and neighbor says: "Oh by the way we are all suffering from a head cold!" Figures. So of course Macy has been sick ever since, and now I have a sore throat and pounding headache. Then as I am once again dropping them off this week: "oh by the way, the kids have been throwing up all night." GREAT!

So I expect to see projectile vomit in the near future, probably from my own mouth because I seem to be the one who gets the stomach flu. Can't wait.

Well, we made it through anyways. Slightly scratched, a little run down, but now we have 5 days. I hope that we can have some fun, get some chores done, and who knows maybe do something special. No matter what I am glad to be home with the girls and enjoy their company.

Oh shit, just remembered I have to work Saturday...oh well won't let that ruin it. Hope I don't forget again between now and then! What a shame that would be!

Winter Fun

Well, although I would love to be on a beach somewhere in all reality I really do enjoy winter. As long as were having fun!

We have had some fun so far this winter so I thought I would take a moment and share some pictures!!

Macy has been sledding down our "Mega Drift" in the back yard.

The day after Thanksgiving we all loaded up in the truck to go hunting, Don shot a nice buck in Sheep Creek Canyon. He says it is "One for the Girls" seeing as it was Rozi's first time hunting.

Don has brought home some ducks, with Gunner the "Amazing Duck Dog"!

We built a wonderful snowman, who because of the freezing temperatures has managed to stay put in our yard still.

Don pulled Macy and I around with the 4-wheeler in sub-zero temperatures and I thought I might freeze my cheeks off!!!

And, we even had time to ride. We went to a Team Penning and Sorting, where we took 3rd overall in the Sorting!

See who says you can't have fun in winter, you just FREEZE TO DEATH trying.

SURVIVED

Check it out, all my complaining and we survived our first work week just fine!!!!

Macy was a little grumpy last night when I picked her up, due to no naps, and Rozalyn would not let us put her down, and had to sleep the first half of the night with us.....but other than that all was okay!!!

I did fine, I really do love my job, so that makes it easier for me. We had a lot going on, and I could tell that everyone was really happy to have me back. Always makes you feel good. We had an emergency surgery come in at lunch and I got to assist, it was and Eye Enucleation (eye removal) on a Shi tzu. Poor thing got hit by a car, but she will be fine.

Also, on the goal front working on ready my first book, but even better we are working on finishing some of those house projects. Thought I would include some pictures of our front entry way. Tile is complete and looks fantastic, can't wait to tile our kitchen and other bath now, but have to finish all the unfinished projects first!!

Well, looking forward to my next 5 days off, rough life I tell ya! Worked with a couple of horses today, the weather was wonderful. Macy played in the snow, built snow castles and had a blast. Rozalyn took a nap in the truck. It felt good to be back working with my horses!!

All in all a wonderful day.

And Were Off!

January 3 2011, off to a good start I got out of bed!!

Just kidding, doing well, not looking forward to work tomorrow, but grateful I have a job to go back too!! Only 2 days a week, I think I can manage that. At least I hope I can!! Was able to get my neighbor across the street to agree to watch both Macy and Rozalyn, so at least they do not have to go back to commercial daycare. I am really glad Rozi doesn't have to go there, it was a decent enough daycare, but I think that little babies are the ones that really get ignored at daycares.

I hope that my neighbor will take good care of both of them, and that these 2 days a week will go by quickly and they will not miss being home and with me. That they will have fun, and get enough love and attention to make it through.

Other than that I hope that between Don and I we can make enough to pay our bills and hopefully set a little aside each month to have a small back up fund if needed! If we can do all that it will be worth it, and I am so glad that I have 5 days a week to spend with my girls, and 2 of those even with Don.

So I guess I can't complain so far so good in 2011, I hope it is a GREAT YEAR!