A sad loss and a happy win......

Well the weekend was bitter sweet.  On Friday, I woke up to find that a Coyote had broken into my ducks pen and killed my ducks.  Well it killed two, and the third I found hiding, and beaten up so badly that I had to take her to the vet and have her put to sleep.  I was so upset.  Still am.  They were my pets, silly as it sounds, but I raised them from being a month old, and I tended to them every day, twice a day, and they were very tame and liked our company.  They sat outside our back door all the time, and hung out with us while we were outside.  It is just the way that they were attacked that gets me the most.  It makes me feel like I let them down and did not protect them for a predator that I did not know we even had.  Apparently, Coyotes are prevalent in South Jersey, are very cunning and brutal killers who kill to kill.  They will break into any kind of pet pen and kill the pets for the sake of it, including puppies, kittens, ducks, chickens, foals, calfs, etc.  Awful bloody thoughts.  

So hence to say that Friday was a horrid day that I had to just get on with, my hubby was really upset too, knew I was mortified, so he came home early to take care of my son so that I could get my shit together and get to the barn so that we could truck the horses to the horse park for the show.  So that is what I did.  My friend, who I trucked with was lovely and supportive, being a huge animal lover herself, completely understood how I was feeling.

Saturday rolls around and Tee is on fire.  No joke.  Crazy.  I took him for a walk and he was so over excited with all the absolute chaos of the event.  Horses, people, noise, everywhere.  He was rearing and tearing around in circles on his lead rein.  Snorting and carrying on....I thought to myself, "Interesting, I have to ride him in an hour".......

So, when I got on him, I took him into the "warm up" arena, with about 30 other horses, no bloody joke.  Tee nearly had a melt down.  Well, he did.  He just did not know what to do with himself.  He went into a bucking fit that I thought, at one stage, was going to get me off.  I thought I might actually come off him.  But I didn't and we just walked around and finally he started to relax after about 45 very tense minutes.

So, when I got him into that dressage arena, for my competition, I knew I either had to ride this horse, hard, or just quit and go home.  And I am no quitter, as you all know........so I pulled him together and rode my horse.  And he pulled it together and just said "OK mummy, here we go"....and he knocked it out of the park.  

I could not believe, when they posted the results, that we won.  In fact, I could not find my name, and said to my friends, one of whom came second, that I could not see my name......I was not looking at the top of the list!!!!  So funny!!!  To say I was stunned into silence is an understatement.  I did not know what to say.  I was so shocked.  And so happy.  

This was the biggest show we have ever shown at.  Huge.  Major Judges.  Very important event in our world.  So I am thrilled with my guy and it was a wonderful lift emotionally to the awful way the weekend had started....

I came home and my hubby and son had made a huge banner and hung it in the garage for me to see as I drove up....so lovely.  

I have a huge week, with lessons and training etc.  But it is all starting to pay off.  Slowly but surely.  

Our ducks....RIP.  We miss you guys every day....Sorry we let a nasty get to you.  I hope you are out there swimming around in heaven having a great time in a beautiful pond.

A day at the office.....

You know my son is now nearly 3, and he has started Pre-K.  It was the hardest thing I have ever done, teaching him that I will be back, and we slowly transitioned him into it and it is only half days and it is only 3 days per week, but my goodness how it broke my heart that he cried so hard.

I knew that once he got used to things he would be fine, which he now is as he bounds out at noon ready to take on the world, full of excitement about his morning and full of stories, but oh, the journey to get him there absolutely broke my heart for several days.

I mean BROKE it. I was sobbing.  Sitting in my car sobbing.  Wondering how this is good for him????

Now that we have worked our way through that, and I see how he loves making friends, how he is part of what is going on, how he is becoming more social and outgoing, I know that I did do the right thing and I just had to work through the tough times.

I keep telling my husband I work, every day.  It may not mean go to an office and it may not involve working for a "boss", but I do work.  At the house, at our home, at my dressage business, at giving riding lessons and of course, and not least, at being a mother, the best possible mother I can be.

And it is not always easy, some days are just brutal as your heart breaks and tears stream down your face......but then, a new day dawns, and all your hard work pays off as you wave goodbye to your little one, and with a smile on their face, they wave goodbye to join their friends.......

Now I do consider that a job well done and a good day at my office.

Under the Radar......

There is something to be said about operating under the radar.

I have had the experience lately of people getting into my business and my life and trying to cause trouble, strife and just be generally nasty.  It is getting boring and tiring.  I don't get into other peoples lives, I am not that interested to be honest.  I don't go behind people's backs and do and say nasty things, try to undermine them or create trouble.

For some reason, the dressage world in South Jersey, is full of these types of people.  I moved here from New York a year ago, my horse, until then, was always boarded up in Northern New Jersey, where I just never really was involved in any kind of behavior like this.  We just got on with training, showing and practicing and practicing. Everyone doing their thing.

So I am ducking back down under these people's radar, where I am happier, where I am not distracted by their constant chatter.  I don't want them to know anything about me.  I have adjusted my FaceBook page so that only my "friends" see me, not everyone.  I have edited my Friends list - imagine that??  If you have said something about me that is not nice, you are out.  What I don't get, is how these people can think I don't know???

I am done with all this nonsense.  I am done with these people.  Time to regroup and refocus.

It is funny how we slowly let this stuff seep into our lives.....

Trying to get things going....

I am a bit of a go getter - I defo do not hang around and wait for someone to do something or wait for something to come to me.  I am a firm believer that if you want to do something you had better get off your butt and just go and get it done.  I don't like to stand around and "talk" about things to death, if you want to do it, just do it and stop talking about it.  Kinda gets on my nerves.

This is probably both a good thing and a bad thing.  Good because I just go and do stuff and get on with it and bad because I think it irritates those that would like to just stand around and talk about things, and not really get on with it.

I also don't like waiting around for other people to make their decision about if they are going to be involved in something or not.

Anyway, in other news - we have qualified for the Championships this year - which is nice - so Tee and I are headed to them in September.  We have a very busy September showing.  There are a bunch of shows we are going to never mind the Keuring Tour for Catalina - the other horse I have in training.  The Keuring Tour is a big event for the Dutch Warmbloods.  She is competing for her Dressage Certification - and the Iron Springs Cup.  So to say we are working hard at the moment is an understatement.....

My little boy really really wants to help at the barn - he is completely horse mad and it is both endearing and sweet and terrifying.  I have to make sure he is involved but out of harms way all the time and that is a very fine line and quite difficult to manage....but we do it.  He is very good at doing what he is told around the horses.....but he is never out of my sight....and safety ALWAYS comes first.

So off to the barn we go, for another training session......in the heat and the humidity......

In the peak of show season.....

Me and my beautiful horse, competing.....

We are in the peak of show season - training 6 days a week.  I am riding two horses and teaching a couple of others as well.  It is very hard work, especially in this heat.  We have so many shows coming up.  But it is all good and I am actually getting to do what I love.  It is hard to split my time up effectively between being a mummy, a wife, running the house and riding and showing.

That is the one thing I do struggle with, making sure that during the day, after the 3 or so hours at the barn that I do spend some special time with my son.  He is with me at the barn and he has a ball, but I feel like my attention has be diverted, which it has, and he is as good as gold, so I feel that I he deserves a good dose of mummies attention, undivided.  So I am very adamant about that.  My little guy is an outside kid, loves to be outside, so whatever we do, it is invariable outside.

My business is up and running.  Which is great - I have to say I love to teach.  It is very rewarding.  Watching and helping new riders is wonderful.  In my world, everyone wants to teach the "upper levels" of dressage and I love to teach the beginners.  So many people say to me that they "wouldn't know where to start" and their "kids are dying to learn"....so that is what I do.  I try and be very approachable and make it not so intimidating, which the world of dressage can be......

Oh and now we have 3 ducks in our backyard......yes, 3 ducks.  We got them as ducklings at Easter for my son, and now they are grown and they seem to have stuck....thankfully we have the room - 2 acres, so they are free to wander around, they are pets now really.....people must think we are mad as they drive by our home and there are 3 ducks wandering around the yard!!!!!!!!

Life lessons...

I have not blogged for a while simply due to time, but I have to say that lately I have been surprised by people's behavior, good and bad....

But the wonderful thing is that I have found some great new friends that I have stumbled upon and we are all close with the same goals in mind when it comes to our horses and riding....that we support each other in our endeavors....which is lovely and unusual in the dressage world. You really have to filter out the nonsense and just get on with your own thing....people love to intervene, stick their noses where they don't belong, and generally are a pain in the butt....

A wise rabbi once told me, and I am not Jewish,but this was back in my Wall Street days, that "you should mind your own farm"......there are a few people who need this advice....

Cheers.

I am now a business...

Yes, I have been remiss writing my blog...

But life is just so busy.

I am now a Dressage business.  Lessons, horses in training....very exciting.

I now have two horses to ride and so 3 days a week I ride two horses and 3 days a week I ride one.  I try and have one day off.

I am constantly running around, doing chores around the house, going to do activities with my son and then riding....

If I want to be good, I have to ride.  A LOT.

I have to spend a lot of time in the saddle, and riding different horses is great for me.  Of course, all of this is under my wonderful trainers......who I adore.

My horse, Tee, has come so far in 2 months it amazes me.

We now have a new gal in town, her name is Catalina, we call her Cat, and she is the other horse I now ride.

So my business is born, a website, a bank account, a business address.  All official.

The nice thing is, I can take it slowly, so that even though I am building it, it does not interfere with my No. 1 job, being mummy to my little guy, who today told me that I was his best friend.

Nothing beats being told that.  Nothing.

Love.

Never a dull moment......

I honestly do not know where the time goes or how people have time to blog every day.

I just don't.

I am running around all the time at the moment.  Today I actually have time to just sit for a little while before we head out to the barn, so that I can ride Tee and then teach a lesson to a student, who has her horse at my barn for a couple of days......

This is the horse I found for her.  She is a magnificent mare, 4 years old and just a fantastic mover.  It will be interesting to see how she goes over the next few months.  I am excited equally about the horse and my student.  Lets face it, the better they both go, the better for my new business.

You are only as good as your students, if you are teaching. So this student has to do well.  It is fun to teach and show someone the ropes too....never realized how much I would enjoy it.

My guy is coming along very well - he is just really kicking himself into high gear.  Our next show is on July 10th.  It will be interesting how he goes.  We are not doing a huge show season, just want to get him out now and then and see how things progress with his tension.

I am horse obsessed at the moment.  I cannot help it.

Actually I have been horse obsessed since I was about 5.

Once you are bitten by the bug, you are done.  Nothing you can do.  Obsession becomes normal.

Anyway gotta run, time to go ride the ponies....give them some love......and practice, practice, practice.....

And then practice some more.....

No matter what, he loves...he forgives....he is there...always...

No matter what, he comforts....

And sometimes a soft nose against a soft cheek, just says it all.....

No one ever told me.....

My little guy has a friend, a little friend who is a girl.

And she came to the barn yesterday - and it was delightful.  The little girl is also horse mad.

My guy was the king of the barn as far as he was concerned.  Showing her around....

So sweet to watch them together.....my son is so loving and gentle.  Sometimes how laid back and sweet he is bothers me.....I get concerned he will get pushed around as he gets older and goes to school.....he is not a pusher or a shover, he does not rip toys out of other kids hands......he gets very concerned when another kid hurts themselves, and hates when a baby cries.....

No one ever told me how much I would want to protect my son when I was pregnant, or how you worry yourself about how to arm him with inner strength, and self assurance.....no one told me how I would fret if another kid does not talk to him......he does not understand that at all.....

No one told me how it just tears your heart....how much you love your kids.  How you would do anything for them....how they come first....how they just adore you and love you and how precious they are and how easily you can screw all this up.....how careful you have to be with these little hearts.....these little people as we shape them to get out in the world.......

Gosh Gosh Gosh

Where do the days go???

I have to say I am pretty impressed with how my horse is coming along.  He has really settled into his new home and seems very happy and relaxed.....

We are working really really hard.....practice practice practice.....one step forward, two steps backward....but we are getting there.....

I watch my trainer and how he just sits in the saddle beautifully, even when a youngster is doing his best bucking bronco act to get him off.....he remains calm and just carries on like nothing happened.....I am sure the horse is thinking to himself "well OK then....THAT didn't work.....all that effort for nothin!!!".....

I gave my first lesson on Saturday and loved doing it.  I sincerely hope that I am able to pass on some of the knowledge I have learned in the past and am learning currently and help this rider get on the road to the dressage world......it would be nice to watch her get out there and compete and be bitten by the bug....

I really hope to do more lessons, and teach more students everything I am being taught.  Help them find their dressage partner...being a horse, if they don't have one.....and get out there and have a blast competing and learning.......

But today I am off to the barn to practice myself......to work on all the stuff me and my partner have to work on....to strive for that perfection that we look for each day.....the seat, the gaits, the movements.....to sweat and work our butts off....

All so that we can do the same thing again tomorrow.........

Get out there and get amongst it people....it is a beautiful day!!!!!

Great Mary Kay Items That I Love

New Products

Great Mary Kay Items That I Love

New Products

Great Mary Kay Items That I Love

New Products

Great Mary Kay Items That I Love

New Products

Great Mary Kay Items That I Love

New Products

Great Mary Kay Items That I Love

New Products

Great Mary Kay Items That I Love

New Products

Thursday already????

OK how it is possible that it is Thursday already?

Where has this week gone?

I am shocked that I have not updated my blog since Monday - seriously - this week has just flown by....

Between being at the barn and riding....and chores around the house, and Little Gym, and play dates and taking care of three little ducklings that are now in a pen in our backyard......(yes we are the hicks of the neighborhood, as my husband says).......

The week is gone....

Today is no different.  Lots of running around........a new play date as well.....

One great thing this week was that my son got to pick his own egg from the chicken coup at the barn....he was so excited....

We brought it home and he helped me make it a scrambled egg for his breakfast the next day.....he ate every tiny bit of his precious egg....so cute....

It has just been a really nice week.  The weather has been spectacular....riding has been fabulous.....the new barn is just awesome.....

So I had better get my butt into gear this morning too because the landscapers are coming today to start Phase 2 and then it is garbage day, and then I have a "to do " list that is as long as my arm......

So I need to down the coffee......and get out and get amongst it!!!!!!

Golf and Horse Shows.....

This weekend was pretty jam packed full of sports....

My hubby loves golf, so on Saturday we all went off golfing.....

My hubby plays....

My son and I drive the golf cart.....

In fact he just loves hanging out outside.....

It was a great day.....

My son holds the flag and daddy putts the ball.....

Beyond adorable how he wants to help.....

Great fun.  Love it.

Then on Sunday we had the horse show......

This is the first time we have competed in 2 years.  We have been completely focused on training....well re-training.....

We would have had some photos, but my poor son got himself all upset just as I entered the show ring, and my hubby was busy attending to him and could not take any photos....

My son wanted to come into the show ring too....

Too cute.

Tee was very excited and very very nervous.....so much going on, horse trailers, horses, people.....new place....so much to look at and not concentrate on his job.....

Never mind the judges booth at the end of the arena.....

He screeches to a dead stop....takes one look at the judges booth....starts trembling....heart pounding.....

Poor bloke....

But I have to say that he pulled it together....

At the end of the day we were placed 2nd with an OK score of 62%.  If anyone is a horse person, or dressage person, that is 62% on our 1st Level Test 3.  

I was very pleased with the way he got himself together and tried....

Not a bad effort for our first day out in two years.

Next show is on June 5th.  Practice, practice, practice.  I have to get him out now every month so that he gets used to the chaos of a horse show....

So he does not find it such an overwhelming event.

But yesterday he did just fine.  

Well done Tee.....we are proud of you and we will get there.......there are plenty of shows to come!

I don't like chaos in my life....

At all.

I do not like it one little bit.

I do not like having other people cause chaos in my life either....

I like my house to be orderly, my life to be orderly (well as possible with a toddler) and I like calm.....

I do not understand why when other people think it is OK to cause chaos in my life...

I do not understand how people think I will not hear about it,  when they gossip and say things to fit their own agenda, which ends up hurting peoples feelings, including mine.....

Particularly when the gossip is embellished to  fit their own agenda....

Women can be vicious little creatures.....

Invariably someones true colors always appear.......

And sometimes that is sad.

Thankfully I have learned to take the high road in life.  And not give in to this kind of nonsense and just get on with life and ignore it.

I have found that if you address it, it just paves the road for more nonsense.  More gossip and more nastiness.

So I take the high road and I ignore it.....I get on with life......

But, I do not forget it.  I will always remember what was said and done.

Seriously, don't people have more constructive things to do with their time?

A love story......

Yesterday we went to a party at the barn....It was great fun....
My son had a particularly good time....
He fell in love....
With a horse.

Now this horse is 17h high (VERY BIG)....
And only 4 years old....very young...

But they just seemed to enjoy each others company....

Sorry about the quality of these photos.....I snapped them with the iPhone....
While my son was not looking.....

Oh and my son put the lead line on the horse....not me.....

Just beautiful to watch these two.....

My son and this 17 hand high horse.....my son is talking to him.....

The conversation continues.....

Amazing to watch really....

A great time had by both.....

Who knows what they are saying???

Buts its love....

True love by both parties....

My son told me that they were "best friends forever mummy"......And I truly think they are...

Road Trip

Well we have a show coming up, so we are working very hard....I have to say my trainer, Gabriel, has me feeling far more confident. He took us on a road trip to the barn where he is a resident trainer on Friday, to see how Tee would go working at a new facility in different surroundings....

He was a star.....

Honestly, could not be more proud ofnhow he behaved himself. Just a really good boy.

But it also became clear to us that if we want to get to the levels we think we can compete in, then I need to be under Gabriel's watchful eye and to do that I need to be at the barn he is based at.

So we are moving. Well, Tee is moving.

I have to say I am excited for my horse....I want him to succeed....

It is my job to get him there, with training, feeding, care and attention, I have to give him all the best tools to be the best he can be.

I was talking to a lovely lady the other day who is a fellow rider, a very good rider, about a comment made to me about owning the biggest flashiest horses....I don't own the biggest flashiest horse. I own a lovely horse, yes, but he is not a huge European Warmblood....

But we both agreed, that you are far better off, becoming the rider, that no matter what horse you rode, you MADE it look like the biggest, flashiest horse.....

That is the rider I want to be....and that is what I am going to focus on....

A new trainer and a new prospect....

We are in full training mode swing now for the upcoming show season.

Our first show in 2 years is coming up.  We did not show last year because we were in full training with our trainer at the time, who was fantastic, and really really made us be able to move on to the trainer we are with today.  We started with this trainer about 6 weeks ago and we are improving rapidly.

Our trainer now is Gabriel.  That is all I will say.  Easier to say his first name than say, our trainer, all the time....

We are having a couple of practice runs, taking Tee to different barns in the area, that Gabriel trains horses at, so that Tee is not so excited when he goes to the show.  He needs to get out and get used to being in different areas.  It is very good for him.

Otherwise, we are having a huge amount of work done at our house, Landscaping......and as it turned out, the guy is also a huge horseman and he and his girlfriend own a Western Barn, not far from where I live.  As it also turns out, his girlfriend wants to learn some dressage.......she is a western rider, primarily, and wants to learn a little more about the discipline of dressage.

So I am going to give her a hand.....give some lessons..........

Now this is not something I ever thought of doing.  But I would love to do it.....I feel that I have a load of knowledge from my past trainer, Lisa, and my new trainer Gabriel that I can share with other riders.  The thing is, with my trainers, Lisa and Gabriel, they really only take on riders at a certain level, particularly Gabriel.  So, I can teach the newbies everything I am learning.....pass it on - eh?  

I am kinda excited about it.  Hope it all comes through!!!

But for today, it is off to the barn to work my butt off....

Easter brings new life to our house, literally...

I love Easter.

Always have - it is a great time to bring family together and celebrate the religious side of the holiday....

But Easter egg hunts and Easter treats are pretty good too.....

And so is the Easter bunny and what he delivers to you, when you are a toddler....

Seems that the Easter bunny thought we needed a few more little ones.....

Much to someones delight....

He was not sure the he was allowed to touch them at first.....not sure quite what to do with them.....

But he soon got the idea....He gently herded them around.....trying to catch one to give him a cuddle....

And much to his delight, he did, and he sat and held his new little friend very gently...

Ahhhhh life - wouldn't be dead for quids!!!!!

Sometimes you just have to stop.....

I am a firm believer in that......

That we run from the start of our days to the end of our days.....

There is always something to do and the lists of chores are endless.....

And just when you cross one thing off another one joins....just to spite us I am sure!!!

Then there is the endless tidying, cleaning and laundry....oh my gosh....so much laundry.....

Then there is the grocery shopping, bringing it home, putting it away......

Then there is the meal planning and the cooking.....

Then the cleaning and tidying after the meals.......

Never mind picking up the dry cleaning, dropping off the dry cleaning, the trips to the post office, the trips to the drug stores.....

Don't forget to fill up with gas along the way somewhere.......

So yesterday, after a morning of this running around, I decided to stop.

Just stop.

The barn could wait until today.

The rest of the cleaning, tidying and laundry could wait too.

So I stopped and I just hung out with my toddler....we played "toys".....

He loves to play "toys"....

Toy time is something that won't wait, and will not always be there.....

All the other stuff will be.

So I just stopped everything else.

And it was great.

Happy toddler, happy mummy, messy living room....and who really cares about that?

Not me.  Not yesterday.

So don't forget to every now and then, just stop and just let everything wait.  Go sit in your backyard and read a magazine, or just sit in that chair under the tree, finish working in the garden later....just enjoy it for now.....or just play with the kids....everything will get done.....

Just not right now.

Ahhhhhh feels so good.

I Still Call Australia Home...

I do.

I am Australian, born and bred.

And I miss her, not all the time, but sometimes.

So I created a new page on my blog where I can just chat about her.  And share photos, and stories....

There are certain sounds I really miss, especially in the mornings.....And I am a serious morning person.

And evening person.

Just not a night owl.  Definitely not.

I love Vegemite.

I love the sun.

Oh how I love vegemite toast....mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm delicious.....

I must go and root around in my pantry and find some and make some immediately....

I am an Aussie afterall!!!!

My favorite cuddles...

At night, when all the craziness has settled down, dinner is done, the sun has gone to bed and we are all in our jammies....

There is cuddle time....

I take my young toddler....

We go upstairs, get in our jammies.....

Get under the covers..

And watch his fav TV shows....holding hands is one of his fav things....

It is so great, this evening ritual....

I love every minute....

So I am off to do it...as I am late and he is getting tired and impatient....

My little snuggler......

Go with the flow....

Ever had one of those days where your best made plans get shot to pieces, and no matter how hard you try, things that are beyond your control take your perfectly planned day and turn it into a mess?

Yes well, that was my day today.....

And I had my day planned to the minute.....

I am a bit of an organizational freak like that....

And this morning, thanks to my darling husband, all was blown to pieces....

And then, as it turned out, it was all for nothing!!

All the rearranging was for nothing! My day, as it turned out, had no reason to be turned upside down today.....

It could have gone exactly like planned.....

But it didn't....

So,I am left wondering....was my planned day derailed for some reason only my guardian angel (yes I believe I have on) or God knows about??)

I often wonder that...maybe if things had gone according to our plans, something bad might have happened??? Maybe someone else is guiding us that day...keeping us safe? Out of harms way?

Well that is what I like to think anyway when things don't go according to plan....

I don't think for a minute that I know the reasons why for everything, that sometimes mat be does know better than I do....that maybe today I was guided away from danger....

That someone ot something has their eye on me and my son....

And then I don't mind my day not going as according to MY plan....But maybe it went to someone else's instead.

I think I have found a new workout....

Seriously....

I ache.  Now I am pretty fit.

But  my muscles ache.

Wielding a pick-ax and digging up the lawn has proven to be a very good exercise plan.

My back, my arms, my hands, my hamstrings....my stomach.....

So I think I have stumbled upon a new form of workout for us gals.....

Throw away those weights, throw away that treadmill, yoga mats....

Cancel those expensive gym memberships....

AND....

Just go grab the pick-ax and shovel out of the garage, take them into the yard, find somewhere you want to put in a new veggie patch, flower garden.....or just find something to dig up.....

And go for it.

With all your strength.....I mean, you should be grunting and pulling and fighting with these things....sweat dripping.....generally just kicking that soils butt....

And your body will thank you....after it has rested....and recovered.....

Your bank account will thank you for canceling the gym membership....

And your hubby's and boyfriends etc will thank you for the great tone you have now got due to all that hard physical labor.....

Your gardens will look great....

What are you waiting for?????

Oh my aching muscles.......I am going to go and soak them....

A waterfall into our basement....

Last night we had a waterfall down the stairs into our basement.....

I am not joking.  I am deadly serious.

The storms were so bad and the rain so bad, that our sump pump could not keep up....

The water was pouring down the stairs of our walkout basement.  The water was climbing up the sliding doors and leaking into the basement like a sieve.  The sump pump was overflowing at the other end of the basement and the water was rising at an alarming rate.....

My brother-in-law and sister-in-law had decided to drop by for a visit....and walked into mad chaos...my toddler thought the whole thing was great as he ran around in his rubber boots.....

Thankfully they arrived, as my sister-in-law took my son, and my husband, and myself and my brother-in-law went out side and had to dig a trench to guide the water away from the house.....in the pouring rain, lightening and thunder....it was like something out of a horror movie - as we were swinging shovels and pick-axes in the lighting and it lit us all up like daylight every now and then....

We were terrified we were going to get struck by lighting......

We had to dig a trench and then build a dam....

And the rain still came, like a torrent on our heads......

Mother nature sure was mad at someone.....

When the water had reached about 3 feet up the sliding doors we managed to get the waterfall slowed to a slow stream....

The water in our basement was up to the stairs coming into the house....nearly over the bottom stair....our stuff was starting to float....

Not good.

We were soaked, covered in mud and exhausted.

But we seemed to win.

And the sump pump began to catch up.

We babysat our sump pump until about midnight.  The water slowly started to go down.

So this morning we are met with the mess and the smell.  The awful wet smell of the basement....ugh.

The mess of our trench digging outside.

The mess of the wet and soggy stuff in the basement.....

I am going to need more coffee........

Swimming!!!!!

My toddler is learning to swim......

This is really important to me, so that heaven forbid, should he ever fall into the water, he can get himself to the edge.

He does not need much encouragement to get into the water, he loves it.....but it is funny how kids heads work....

He is learning some stuff which is a bit scary, putting his head under, Pushing off from the edge to my arms and having to get there himself, kicking and paddling for all he is worth....

He is so brave but sometimes, he is not so keen....like learning to wear the goggles, which I am sure do not feel so great on his face, never mind stick his face in the water and blow bubbles....

But at the mention of a lollipop, all fears are forgotten, and he gives his best shot....

Now I is this a bit of bribery? Yes. Am I ashamed? No.

Amazing how his little head works....all fears forgotten, he sticks his head in that water with the goggles on and blows bubbles....

The first words out of his mouth when he comes up??? Face barely out of the water???

"Mummy, can I have my lollipop now?".....

My brave little lollipop loving pumpkin.....

I am woman hear me roar!!!!

Yeah baby - I am handy with a drill.

I really am.

This morning, I fixed my kitchen cabinets myself.

Simply because I could not stand it anymore.

The hinges were broken and we received the new ones yesterday....so today I fixed them myself and now, my kitchen cabinets work perfectly.

There is something so satisfying about wielding a drill, some hinges and some screws and fixing something yourself.

My little guy helped me out.....his job was to hold the screws and hold the cabinet door....

He did a great job.

Now I am wandering around the house.....looking for more things to fix.....

I am feeling powerful today.....us women are pretty cool eh??

We can do it.....anything we want.

I hate needles...just h a t e them...

I hate getting them....I hate it when I have to have my son get his shots too - he is screaming,  I have tears streaming down my face because he is screaming....it is just brutal and I need a good stiff drink after the whole episode.  Just awful.

Well today my horse had to have a bunch of them....brutal.  Horses have to have them to keep them healthy just like us humans.  There are some nasty bugs out there that would love to hurt my other 4 legged baby.

He also has a bit of a sore back, so he had some steroids to fix the nasties....and he had to have his joint medicine too....

Oh how I hate needles.......

I am standing there holding him and he is as stiff as a board, being so brave, as the vet injected the bumps on his back that love to make his life miserable....they hurt, I know they do.  The bumps and the needles going into the bumps to make them go away....but it hurts, he is unhappy, his eyes are looking back, his ears are back and he is jumping around....because it hurts....and I hate hurting him....but he needs these to get better and feel better....

.....oh how I hate needles....

I also hate the sight of blood in needles....even the thought of it now makes me want to faint.....seriously....just as well I am sitting down right now or I may fall down......on my hard tile kitchen floor which would not be good because then they might have to take me to hospital and then they would have to give me.........needles........

ugh.

Anyway, the last of the needles was right into the vein....awful.....he was as good as gold,  and I felt sick.  

Oh how I hate needles....

But we got through it....my brave horse and I.

My dressage trainer...

Is awesome.  He competed in the Pan American Games, and really knows his stuff.  I think that with any trainer/trainee relationship, you have to be able to communicate and understand each other.  And I think we do that well.  He also understands my horse, who is young and only learning, and he is great with him.

We have the show season coming up, and while we are more focused on the training side of things, so we can progress, we want to do some shows for the experience.  

Today he rode my horse, as he often does, so that he has an understanding of what is going on when I am riding, how my horse feels etc.  Dressage is an art, it is about communicating with the horse through a series of "aids" which tell the horse what to do.  These "aids" are given with your seat (your butt in the saddle), your legs, which are split up into the thigh and lower leg, and your body - which is split up into your hips, stomach and shoulders and then your head....and of course your arms, which are split up into your elbows, wrists and hands.....

Confused yet?

You try riding it!!!

It is obviously a lot more detailed than that, but that gives you and idea.  So at any time, you are communicating with one or a couple of these different body parts to tell the horse what to do.

As confusing as it is for the rider, imagine the horse?  That is why it takes years to train a dressage horse.

But my baby is coming along very well.  He is such a pride and joy....and he does try.  And I know he gets tired, I know he gets sore muscles, and I know he just sometimes does not want to go to "school"....but he is always a sweet natured, kind and giving guy.

A beautiful picture...

A month or so ago, I went with my son to have our portrait done.  We went to a professional studio where they take your photos and then they make them look like an oil painting, not a picture....

You can see what I mean if you go to http://www.kramerportraits.net/.

I went to choose the photo today.  I am thrilled with the results.  It is just something so special to me, to have this picture of me and my son.  Something I can hand to him when I am old, something for him to have too.  I think it is special.  I do not have anything like this of me and my mum and I think that is sad, it has always bothered me and still does.  My mother was not into having professional portraits done, so now we have none as a mother and daughter...we have no nice photos...nothing.

I am so excited about the picture, although we do not get it now for 12 weeks.   When it arrives, it is going to look fabulous in our home.  It is a moment captured and treasured.

I love my son.  Kisses to you my sweet pumpkin xxxxx

The perfect Sunday for me...

Started off with brekky at a diner....we love diner brekkies, for me, it means no cooking, no cleaning and just eating....the food, yum, it is an easy way to start Sunday....

Then playing in the playground, on slides and climbing and running around with my toddler shrieking with delight....my hubby thinking we are just crazy, and then joining in.....seriously, how could you not???

Then snuggle up for nap time....all cuddles and kisses....so delightful....

Then a lovely, delicious dinner cooked at home.....mmmm the house full of the smell of a roast dinner....

Ahhhhh Sundays.........

Today

Today while I was driving home from a lovely ride, I drove by a yard sale.

Now I am a yard sale junkie.

I love them.

Today I literally stopped in the middle of the road as these beautifully framed prints caught my eye.

They are of 2 riders and their dogs heading out on a hunt. They are called "morning" and "evening". They are just gorgeous. Beautifully framed. Perfect.

I could not believe my eyes when I walked over and took a closer look. They were better than I thought. A real find. I was so excited. I paid exactly what the lady wanted, could not believe she was selling these pieces. No haggling over the price for me!!

I loaded them in the car with glee, I was so excited to get them home.

Now they have found their new home on our walls, and made our home even more beautiful with their presence.

Geez where did today go??

Seriously, today, this week??  Honestly, it has just flown by.  I don't understand how it is 7pm on Friday...

I was slack in my MK work this week, should've done a bunch more houses, but just ran out of time....

Today the rain was so awful, I did not even ride, my trainer would be annoyed if he knew....but we will make it up tomorrow.....it was just so miserable, and even though we ride indoors on days like this, it was just a yukky day and Tee could use the day off, he as been working REALLY hard and I know he is a bit tired and sore....even he was tucked up all warm and cozy in the barn, munching on his hay....

The housework has suffered some how too - all week I have been chasing my tail....but I made delicious Brandy Snaps for dinner.........oh yeah.....

C'mon Spring - get your butt into gear because we are seriously waiting to enjoy your beautiful days!!!!

A horse called Tee....

I took these while he was playing in his field....he loves to come up and mess about with me....a game we play....this big horse and me.....

So he comes over....

Turns his butt and bucks....I grabbed this one as I was laughing, hence the "butt" shot...

Then he decides he has had enough and goes and grazes and ignores me.....

Nice life he has!!!!!

Mary Kay Today -.....

Well, today I am off to do a letter box drop to about 75 homes.  

That is, I will fit that inbetween going to music school with my son and to the barn to be "beaten" up by my trainer, he comes once a week to train me and my horse.  We have a lot of work to do as we have a bunch of shows coming up.  I happen to really like my trainer - he is very good.

So while my little guy was napping the other day, I filled 75 bags with goodies from Mary Kay and now I am going to drop them off at 75 homes and see how things go.  That will mean I have done 125 homes.  My target is 250.  I figure I have to do about that, maybe more, to drum up some business.....

Wish me luck!!!

Week 3 of Mary Kay

OK,  So to bring you up to date, I have signed up, and gone to my first training with my Director, (a very nice woman) and I have my "starter kit" and I chose to buy some samples, brochures, bags etc, because I need to start a customer base.

She also has what is called "success nights".  These are actually a meeting of her team, the team of ladies she has created over 20 years, that she has brought on to sell Mary Kay.  This woman has been incredibly successful doing this.  She is very dedicated.  She is very personable.  She is like a mum, well she is a mum, but she is mum like, you feel instantly at ease with her.  Anyway, the success nights are very nice, a lovely get together with a bunch of ladies, who all have stories to tell.  Yes, it is all about giving each other a pat on the back and a pep talk, and who couldn't use that once a week????

I thought that a letter box drop would be a good way to start.  I know that personally, I like getting a sample of something, not just a brochure etc, so I decided to put together "goodie bags", which included a sample of one of the products (I chose hand cream and some skin care), and a brochure of all Mary Kay products, and my business card.

So far I have done 50 houses.  Took me not long at all.  I have to wait until I get the rest of my business cards, because they have not arrived yet.  So right now I am at a stand still.  I ordered them about 2 weeks ago, so I should get them soon.....I hope.

I figure I probably have to do about 250 houses.  I figure I can do at least 50 houses a week.

We will see.........

Off to the auctions we go

OK, I am addicted to the antique auctions - there are two well known ones that are very close to where we live and they are visited by people from all over the country - no joke.....people come in from NYC, all over NJ and then there were these nice blokes who had driven from South Carolina - seriously.  They are primarily antique dealers.

We went on Sunday - my husband and I both love it.  We go to try and pick up nice pieces for our home.  There is something about spotting a piece, and bidding on it.....the bid, someone bids against you, your heart races as you bid again....

I love winning - hahaha!  I love winning that bid on that piece I know will look perfect in our home....I love that feeling of pure glee I get when the auctioneer says "sold!" and points in at me!  I cannot help but break into a huge smile.

The auctioneers know me at these places now, there are not many mums with toddlers in strollers bidding on antiques against dealers from all over the country!!!!  I don't think the dealers know quite what to think of me as I put up my hand with stubborn determination to get that piece that they are also bidding on.

One of the major auctions is held on Mondays, and I go there by myself with my son.  So fun.  The owners of the auction always take care of me, making sure that the dealers don't push me out, making sure I get a fair chance to bid.....or they do the bidding for me, which is always nice....I just tell them my limit.

And then at the end of the day, you bring home your prize, your treasure, a piece of history, a piece with a story, a piece that has survived moves, different owners, different auctions for dozens of years.....and I clean them up, polish them up with great love and affection and become a part of their story.

Love it.

My two boys...

I was browsing through photos today, going down memory lane a bit, and saw this one...It was taken the same day as the one used in my header...I happen to love this photo....These two have known each other since my son was 6 weeks old, that is when they were first introduced to each other.  We always practice very high safety standards around the horses, but I love the interaction they have.  It is just lovely to watch.

The Home School Discussion con't

You know I received a lovely comment on my last post and it made me think.....

I agree completely with what the person had to say as I do look forward to the day that I go to all the functions that a school has to offer, plays etc, sports days, etc and I am one of the mums in the crowd cheering my son on.....

My sister's kids go to a very small school in the middle of nowhere, Australia.  They love their school, and everyone is really involved and hands on, as it is a country school.  My sister loves the school too, as the kids are all happy, she is involved, knows everyone and it has that great community spirit.

As the commenter said, maybe a smaller school is what I am looking for too.  I am no different than any other mummy out there who just wants her little ones to be happy, make friends and be a well rounded, well adjusted kid.

So thank you for your comment....it was appreciated.

To Home School or Not To Home School

We are seriously talking about home schooling our son.  He is only young right now, but I have read and talk to so many people about how upset they are with the current schooling system.  


People think I am nuts when I mention it, more because I find a lot of the mums want to have some down time to themselves, which is fair enough, and/or they are concerned about the social aspects....but I can tell you that I have no friends from high school, I now live on the other side of the world, and high school and school are not my favorite memories from growing up - actually they are from things I did outside school, like Pony Club, Music, etc.


So the question is, if you can home school, and give your child/children outside interests with other kids that they can make friends with.....what other benefits are they getting at school?  My son is already in swimming classes, music classes and attends The Little Gym.  So he is already interacting and making friends.....which have nothing to do with whatever school he may or may not attend......

Connected

Sometimes when you move to a new place it is really hard to make new friends. It is hard to meet people, everyone is busy and it is also hard to meet women with similar interests. I love reading womens blogs, a few in particular, as they give me a feeling of being connected to other women who are similar to myself and I have to say I am thrilled I joined the world of Mary Kay. If nothing else this has given me some badly needed girl time, with all types of different women, but who all have a similar interest, working for Mary Kay. it is nice to meet a bunch of women who are all about women and their success and happiness, share a laugh and have a chat.

People scoff at Mary Kay for some reason, but so far my experience has been nothing but pleasant...I am not sure why people scoff at it (now that is a great old word that is never used anymore, except maybe by my mother).....but they do. Silly really. It is like people who say New Jersy is a horrible place to live, clearly they have never been to where I live!! It is gorgeous! Actually reminds me of where I grew up in Sydney...we lived an hour outside Syndey and on 5 acres and it was and still is beautiful....ahhhh I am going to make myself homesick!

I suppose I find the women who write their blogs inspiring and I find the lady who is my Director at Mary Kay inspiring and I thatbis something I really enjoy.

I love to cook.....

I really do, I love love love it, I love making a delicious dinner to sit down to at night with my family, I love for my son to get into this routine.....I cook probably 15 meals a week - no joke, including breakfast for my son and I (we like a hot brekky) and dinner at night and on the weekends I often do a lovely wickedly naughty lunch....something that makes you just want to curl up on the sofa and relish in all that yumminess that you just ate.....and ignore the mess in the kitchen....

The problem is.......INSPIRATION sometimes run short - I mean I quite literally run out of ideas....I like doing new things, and get tired of looking through cookbooks etc.....so, and I am not ashamed of this, I have become quite a fan of ThePioneerwoman.com.

If you have not heard of her or read her blog, you should.  She is quite amazing - one very busy, very savvy, living life on the land, woman.....raising 4 kids, running a business that she started, that is now very successful, she is quite the inspiration.

Anyway, she has a cooking blog attached to her site and I love it and it helps me make delicious dinners every night that we can look forward to......

I mean anything that has wine, cream and butter in the recipe is bound for greatness, never mind those slowly braised meats.....mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Happy Tuesday....

Every Tuesday morning  I take my son to swimming lessons....he loves it - he has gained so much confidence in the water.  It always amazes me how much kids try, they try and try and try.  When they are babies they desperately try to sit up and roll over....when they are a bit older they desperately try to pull themselves up onto their feet, when they finally walk, the trying and the tenacity just keeps flowing, trying to walk, trying to run, trying to climb, trying to talk.....they practice, practice, practice.

Every week, my little boy tries so hard to swim.  Kicking those legs and moving those arms and learning how to breath and not choke!!!  Learning to put his head under the water.....even though it is so hard and so "yukky" sometimes when he gets a nose full of water, he still tries.

A lesson for us adults eh?  Why do we give up on things so easily?

I have often wondered since becoming a mummy, who is teaching whom exactly???  Am I teaching him?  Or is he giving me life lessons every single day??

A long time....

I used to be so good about chatting on my blog, and then life just got so damn busy.  We moved from Jersey City to Woolwich Township, NJ.  We bought a house, we had to decorate and furnish the house, (which we are still in the process of doing) and we had to relocate our entire lives.

We had to move my beloved horse from my wonderful trainer, who had taken us to an entirely new level in the dressage world. She had also opened doors to training with wonderful top trainers at clinics where Tee, my horse, had excelled.  So moving him was hard, but we found a lovely small facility only 15 minutes from where I now live, which is ideal, as now I get to ride at least 5 times a week - poor Tee....he does need a couple of days off!!!     I have also now found a new trainer, who comes to my area 3 times a week, as he travels a LONG way, and I train with him now every week, picking up where my last trainer and I left off.

My son is loving his new home, he adores the space, is now every week he is in swimming lessons, goes to Little Gym and goes to Music School.  I try and keep him busy and give him lots of different activities considering the fact that he is not in any kind of daycare.  As well as all that, he is at the barn with me 5 days a week, I have a fab babysitter that comes with me, and she runs around with him and I ride Tee.

Life is now more busy than I ever imagined.   I truly try to keep my son in a schedule that he knows, as it sincerely seems to keep him happy knowing what he is doing each day.  I have to create a weekly chart for him, and put it on the wall, so that each day he sees what he is doing.  Another thing to do.   I also have to get his "school" room ready in the house, as I want to be able to work with him each day for 30 mins doing all sorts of stuff.  He already gets homework from his music school each week, which seems to make him very happy, as he thinks he is very grown up doing all this school work!!!  Wish I had had that attitude!!!

Being a mom is my number one priority.  I absolutely want to be the best mom to my son that I could ever be.  It is of huge importance to me. I love how close I am to my son.  I love that we are together and he is my little buddy.  I love to see how he grows and changes every day.

Riding comes a very close second.  It is my true passion.  It is not that I want to travel the globe competing (which cannot happen due to my life as a wife and mom), but I just want to ride beautifully.  I want to be one of those riders that people look at and watch because they are one with their horse.  If I could I would ride 10 hours a day.  No joke.  I just don't think my horse would like it much!!!

I also have a huge thing for Thoroughbreds.  I love them.  It is what I own and when I buy another, I will buy another Thoroughbred.  And I will train him, and I will ignore the critics, and he or she will excel, just like Tee has.  I ignored all my critics with him, and went to a fab trainer, and we have never looked back.  Once my son goes to school, and I have more time, I am really going to concentrate on getting the Thoroughbreds back into the sport horse world, that does NOT include racing.  They are natural born athletes, and for some reason, receive a bad rap.  Silly really.  Just nonsense.

So anyway, it is Sunday afternoon, I have just made my family a fab lunch, courtesy of The PioneerWoman, yes I am a fan of hers, as she has terrific recipes that I use and love,  I need all the inspiration I can get when I have to cook 6 days a week!!!

Cheers