ayyyaaaa!!

It is loud, and the kids love it! Emmett started karate and is doing great!
He seems to be singled out frequently to demonstrate good form. He's into it!

 

Sarah's... I'm in heaven

I love being at Sarah's... life is good there. I love being around all of the animals, and the natural beauty around the area. Virginia in the fall....

notice the pig in with the horses? (his name is cheetah)

I love this... peaceful puppy....

damn it was fun!! just all out cantering along the pond!

Visited an old friend from Meredith Manor.... hadn't seen each other in more than 20 years!!! We've been in touch on the phone a few times in the last few years, but this was so much fun to actually see each other. Her daughter was at a horse show in PA, and I drove to meet her there.

me and Val

I had forgotten how much "bling" there was with western riding! The gaudier the better.... crazy! was interesting to also see how many of the riders now wear hard hats in the show ring... but as soon as the class is over.... on go the western hats!!

 

 

Amazing Barbeque!!!

It was truly a delicious stop! It was one we couldn't pass up as we drove by. and thank goodness we didn't! The onion rings were to die for. The best I've ever had, with a dipping sauce that was delicious and unique.

and the sampler of meats was the obvious choice...

Reading

 I love that he has started reading on his own finally. Both of my kids just didn't want to, until they were ready... and now he is!!! love it!!! lying in bed at night, a good book..... yay!!!

house to flip

I am thinking that I'd love to flip a house. I've wanted to do it for many years, and I think maybe now is the time.
I found one that I looked at today, which seems to have good potential, as the kitchen is horrid and needs an overhaul, and a new layout.... and the bathroom upstairs is terrible too.
But the house is sunny, and bright, nice hardwood floors, good area, and I liked it. I think the problems are fairly easy to fix, and hoping I can figure it all out, do it, then sell it and make some money :)

writing

I'm trying to write for an article about personal organizing, which I happen to be REALLY good at. Why is the writing part so hard for me when I've been doing it here for so long? I can go into someone's home and help them overhaul and organize, and move furniture around to make it work much better. So why is it so hard for me to write about?

I just did it over the weekend at my parents cottage, (which they don't use, but instead mostly just store things in it). The bedroom was virtually unusable, and had twin beds piled high with boxes and more. When you walked in the door, all you could see were beds with boxes, bags and boxes filled with "stuff" all around the room, and basically utter chaos. (ok, and I forgot to take a "before" photo... again)

Now there is one corner that now has boxes piled high in it, but is hidden from view when you first walk in. So when you first approach the room, and enter it, you see a beautiful king-sized bed, a comfy chair for reading, a "tiny tim" piano in the corner with a table and chair beside it. There are a few prints on the walls, and some treasured items creatively placed around the room to enhance it. There is a sense of peace now in the room, and it is enjoyable to sleep in!

I know I am good at this, why can't I figure out how to make money at it? I know I do better with "company" so it would be great to have a business partner. I need an income. I need to work and feel useful other than what I do in my own house. I seem to always struggle with this.

I have an opportunity to apply for a job writing articles about organizing. I am struggling with writing the one to apply for the job! Aargghhhh. I will keep trying, now that I have vented about it here.

O-AT-KA weekend

We went up to Friends weekend at Eli’s camp. Every year, Labor Day Weekend, they have the camp open to people who are affiliated with the camp in some way. You book it ahead, and each family, or group, has their own cabin. Many activities are open, the waterfront is open, and there is good food. A fun weekend. You bring your own bedding and pay only $30 per person for each of the 2 weekend days. So for $60, you stay Friday through Monday, and have fun.

We brought a friend of Eli’s with us this year, so there were more bodies in our cabin. We had a waterfront cabin this year, which meant my bunk was about 20′ from the water. Heaven.

We did alot of riflery, some swimming, kayaking, woodworking (making pens), and I hennaed for about 4 hours. There was kareoke one night, and a hike one day to Douglas Mountain, where the views are fantastic!

Eli and Cameron on top of Douglas Mountain

Cameron making a pen on the lathe

me making a pen on the lathe

Eli at the riflery range

chai and homemade cinnamon bun!!!

Emmett sleeps like a rock.... even the morning sunshine didn't wake him!

Basically, we had fantastic weather and everyone had alot of fun. We drove home on Monday, and we were exhausted!

school....

I am already tired of the school, and it is only day 4. Emmett is in 2nd grade, and I am so unimpressed with school in general. He has far too much academics, far too little playtime, far too many helicopter adults. And he hates it. How can you hate school at such a young age? They have already ruined his experience.
I am intently reading Free-Range Kids, and it is fabulous! Every parent should have a copy, and should really learn from it.

dinner and TV

Emmett had BLUE ice cream! and pizza. in that order. We didn’t have any ice cream when he asked for it, so I made him fabulous homemade vanilla and cinnamon ice cream…. which he wanted to be colored blue. So it was. Then he had good organic pizza.

This supper was followed by watching TV in his preferred position…..

Blueberry Pie

From the Wilson Farm Cookbook. The absolute best blueberry pie recipe!

1 qt. blueberries, (4-5 cups)
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp cinnamon

1-2 tsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp butter, cut into pieces
1 pie crust- for top and bottom

1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Mix berries, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and lemon juice.
3. Spoon into bottom pie crust and dot with butter. Cover with top crust and seal carefully. Cut vents.
4. Bake at 425° for 45 minutes or until top is brown and juice starts to bubble through vents. Serve warm.

Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

from The Whole Scoop. This ice cream is sooo damned good!!!! it is an incredibly rich ice cream with a little bit of tanginess to it from the sour cream. It would make fabulous ice cream sandwiches on cinnamon graham crakers, as those would be like the crust of the cheesecake!!!

2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 cup light cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
1 heaping cup blueberries, mashed

in a mixer, beat the eggs. Then add the sugar and beat until stiff.

Mix together the sour cream, light cream, vanilla, and lemon zest until smooth. Then add this mixture into the egg/sugar mixture.

stir in the mashed blueberries, and pour into an ice cream maker.

YUM!!
Enjoy!!
Makes about a quart, but hard to tell, since we snitch it while it is churning!

more riding

I do love riding this horse. He has made so much progress in the last few months. I started riding him in November, and he was in a double twisted snaffle before he came up to the dressage barn. We moved him into a much gentler bit, and gave some good consistent riding. He is pretty much the only horse I ride now, and I have loved it! I wish we had video of how he was going when he first came, because he has improved sooo much. I would like to think that at least a good portion of it has been my riding

Wordle... totally fun to make!

This was so much fun to make! go to wordle.net and create one!