Peg Leg

I know, I know. This is my third blog in a row without pictures. But think of this as more of a book than a blog...use your imagination for Pete's sake!

So yesterday the vet finally came out to look at Yellow's leg. I have been kind of nervous about it because it just doesn't look like it's healing right, and it's been almost a month. I wasn't there for Yellow's appointment, but my mom seemed to have things under control.

She told me the vet recommended that we saw off his hind leg, and replace it with a peg leg. I asked my mom if we could at least do a titanium peg leg so it won't rot or warp, and she said we needed to skimp on the leg for now so we could afford the parrot and pirate patch. Rude.

In short, the vet informed us that my little peg legged horse is healing up pretty well. He said it didn't look that bad and it wasn't infected, but unfortunately it's located in a place where activity is going to keep opening the wound, preventing it from healing. He said that when I left with Okie last weekend and Yellow was running around like a mad man, that probably did a little unnecessary harm. He recommended that we keep Yellow in the small pen to prevent him from running around and re-opening his wound.

The vet cleaned up the wound a little and gave us a syringe and bottle of some sort of substance to spray on the wound, and then rub it in with your finger. Ew. My mom said Yellow lifted his foot as if to say, "OW!" when the vet touched the wound, but he wasn't trying to kick or anything. She said he stood really still and was a good patient. I wouldn't have expected anything less.

The bottom line is, I can't ride him for a month. SERIOUSLY!?!? A month!! At least he'll be good-to-go for our wine tour in May.

So, I guess it's me and the Oklahoma boy this Saturday for my lesson. That's right, I am taking a lesson! Two hours of me learning how to get a cow out of a herd. Should be a good time, as long as it's not two hours of me having to get after Oklahoma and remind him that he is a broke horse. Wish me luck.

Riding My Noodle/Colt/Crackhead

So, I finally did it. I sorted! Sort of.

Yellow's leg is still a little icky, so I finally just said "to hell with it!" and got that goofy little Oklahoma horse loaded up and headed to sorting practice. As I was leading Okie out of the corral, toward the horse trailer (which I hitched up at record speed, thanks to my one-shot at getting the ball lined up under the hitch, thank you very much!) I heard Yellow start to run and celebrate that he had the place to himself for awhile. Little turkey. It would have been him in that horse trailer had I known his leg wasn't really bothering him!

Anyway, last summer Okie was getting a little stubborn with his trailer loading. Not today! He just followed me right in. He wouldn't move over so I could fasten the divider, so I told him that he was going to win that battle, and he could just fall down for all I care!

We got to the arena and no one was there! I got nervous that maybe it had been cancelled. I drove 45 minutes for nothing? I ran to the office to ask and they said that yes, there was indeed practice, but that people didn't usually show up until 11:. It was 9:45. I said, "That's okay...my horse is REALLY fresh!" Truest story I've ever told.

So as I'm leaving the office another member, and the guy who has helped me out the most, pulled in. He jumped out of his rig and helped me back into my spot. Shyeah, like I needed it! I'm really becoming a wiz at this horse trailer stuff!

So out came Oklahoma, and I didn't even bother to tie him up. Straight into the arena we went to lunge for respect. And let me tell you, when we started, he had NONE! He was very environment aware and was pretty much a crack head.

I could describe in great detail how our lunging for respect went, but I'm not going to. Suffice it to say that every naughty thing a horse can do while being worked with on the ground, Okie did. He bucked, kicked, reared, pulled back, shyed, crow hopped, you name it. The other rider was looking at me like, "Is that horse broke?" So then I went to saddle him up. I thought, "You know, he's not standing super still while I'm saddling. I wonder if he doesn't have a few more kinks I should work out."

And boy did he! The real rodeo didn't even start until I lunged him for respect with the saddle on him! The way that horse rounded out his back and crow hopped around, you would have thought that was the first time he'd ever had a saddle on his back! After getting that worked out of him, I mounted up....FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE I'VE HAD A BABY!

Last summer, The Desert Rose was talking about how her legs kind of give out on her sometimes when she's mounting. Well, that was me today! Where did all my leg strength go?! I would get about 1/2 way up and the saddle would start to slip because I was putting all my weight on my leg, not swinging into the saddle in one graceful movement. It was terrible! Just another example of how I am now that girl that I used to make fun of!

Anyway, after I started walking him around in the arena, he FINALLY started to blow out. That's Okie's big tell. At the beginning of every ride, he holds all of his air in. Once he's relaxed and his crack is out of his system, he blows out air like you wouldn't believe. He put his head down and went to walking like a Quarter Horse should. Eventually I felt that he was relaxed enough to jog. I forgot how smooth that Oklahoma horse is! He doesn't have a real western pleasure jog yet. He doesn't even have one speed that he can stay at for any good amount of time. He needs a lot of miles at the jog. But even his extended jog is so smooth.

Then I saw a woman head for the back door, to let the cows in. I faced Okie toward the door and braced myself. I sat deep in my seat and took some deep breaths. These are the cows that had created quite a tantrum from Okie when he saw them through the fence when we first entered the arena! So in walk the cows, and Okie looks at them, and then puts his head down. He couldn't care less! Thank goodness he remembers something from his training!

So we walk around a couple more times, and a horse lopes up behind us and a bird flies out from the stands at the same time, and Okie decides this is the perfect opportunity to shy, crow hop, and bolt across the arena, all in one swift movement. It would be one thing if he just chose one of these movements, but why does the damned horse have to pick all three? Because he's goofy-assed, is why. I get he head up and to my knee, and he stops, and starts snorting. Ridiculous.

Then the sorting starts. After the first go, the friendly guy asks me if I'm ready. I say sure. I didn't even have time to play my worst case scenario game. I just did it. Mike told me to go get my cow, and I just rode Okie into that herd like we've been doing it all our lives. Okie was not very responsive off my legs in trying to cut our cow off, but he had absolutely no reservations about riding right up to the cow's behind. If a cow cut across the pen to get back to his herd I would get on Okie to catch him, and I'd get a little crow hop out of him, but I just lifted his head up and kept pushing him forward, basically telling him, "I don't have time for this nonsense! We're on the clock!"

By our third round, I wasn't getting much resisitence from Okie. No crow hopping, and we had a pretty decent little run. This horse has all the capabilities in the world, just not as much training and sometimes not as much common sense. But this morning, as I am up at 6:49 because I can't go back to sleep after feeding the munchkin, I'm wishing I wasn't so tired and sore (and I'm sure Okie is too!) so we could head up to team penning practice. I think I'd have a completely different horse today.

Anyway, that was my very first sorting practice. No pictures, I was too busy handling my colt. I have to say, when Yellow kicks up his heels, it's kind of scary because he's so large and does everything with so much force and power. With Okie, it's more like playing with a cat on a string. And riding him is like riding a noodle. Riding Yellow is like riding a log.

Today Gracie and I are headed to a barrel race. She is so excited, she didn't want to go back to sleep after she ate this morning, but I think her excitement finally got the best of her and she's passed out. Wish the same would work for me!

Nothing in Particular

Well, I wouldn't quite call it insomnia, but for some reason it's almost worse when your baby sleeps all the way through the night on a Friday night, because then when she wakes up around the time you're used to waking up you can't go back to sleep! I'm so proud of my little girl for sleeping from 10P to 5:30A last night! But now, here I am, wishing I could sleep in like you wouldn't believe, at 6:42A. Lovely.

This week has been absolutely manic at work. The best part of my work day is making my to-do list in the morning, and then crossing things off of it throughout the day. Before I went on maternity leave, a to-do list wasn't completely necessary. I absolutely love being busy!

I went ahead and invested in a new blackberry to keep myself organized. My Pony Cousins will laugh, because it was not long ago that I had two cell phones, and I was at a Pony Cousin weekend with a phone in each hand and a computer on my lap! I need to stay connected! And now I can, in one simple little device. I have all sorts of fun reminders in there, like horsey events, babysitting hours, and of course email access!

I'm trying to think of other new or exciting things that have gone on in my world in the last week...but nothing is coming to mind. Maybe if I go lay down and try to re-hash my week, it'll have a "counting sheep" effect...it's worth a shot.

The Gun Show

***WARNING*** This is going to be a long blog, because I have a lot to report. Might want to run to the potty and grab a beverage before getting invested!

So, I joke that when Travis found out we were having a little girl, he went to his friend Lee and purchased an assault rifle. It's what every new family needs, right? Well, a few weeks ago he also picked up a hand gun. He used to have all kinds of guns, but the girl he was dating made him get rid of them because she thought they were dangerous. Well no shit! They're freaking guns! But we don't need to talk about the twits Travis used to date.

I don't know much about guns, but ours seem pretty nice. They look fake to me--a testament to how realistic toy guns look these days! And the assault rifle is REALLY heavy? Oh, and what is Travis going to do with an assault rifle, besides scare away potential suitors? Apparently he's going varmit and coyote hunting.

So, we've been working on our Valentine's Weekend plans for a while. I mentioned that my favorite restaurant in town was doing a special Valentine's dinner on Friday and Saturday, and Travis told me we had plans for Friday night, so I assumed he made reservations. But first, as I was packing up to leave work on Friday, a very handsome man brought me a vase filled with tea roses!! A coworker and I had just been talking about how in high school, Valentine's Day really showed you who was who. It was a silent competition to see who could get the most notes that they had something in the office. Well, my parents were always above that. I'm sure they thought it was a distraction from the school day. And I have vowed to Gracie that I will send her something from me and something from her dad every year at Valentine's Day! And I'll probably do the same for my niece, because I doubt her parents will.

Anyway, at work I got to be the popular girl who got flowers from her man!! Hand delivered, no less! I rushed home to get ready for our date, with Travis right behind me. He pulled in the the driveway, slowed down, and then raced back out the driveway like a bat out of hell. I called him. "Did you forget the baby?!?" "Uh...no!" It was his turn to pick her up from the nanny's!

We got to Bon Vino's right on time for our reservation, and it was gorgeous. Great mood lighting, decorations everywhere, candles, you name it. I had studied the menu prior to our date, so I already knew I was going to start with the fresh fruit cup, then have the tomato bisque soup, followed by the pannco chicken with garlic red mashed potatoes, and the chocolate dessert. Everything was absolutely amazing!! Travis and I cleaned our plates at each course! He got a wild alaskan salmon and a salad, which he loved. But my soup was definitely one of the highlights of the whole meal. I don't think I've ever enjoyed a fancy meal so much! And there was live music! It was the best Valentine's Day meal ever.

We came home and kissed our baby good night and went to bed.

The next day, we got up and going pretty early to head to the...you guessed it! GUN SHOW!

What does one wear to a gun show? Gracie selected her pony overalls, a long sleeve white onesie with a short sleeve pink onesie over it, and some pink socks!

We drove about 45 minutes south to the event center, only to find out it was an RV show and the gun show was 45 minutes north from where we started!! HAHA! So, we decided to check out the RVs. Gracie slept through that show, but we picked out an RV that we think we could live in instead of a house, which doesn't even move or have an attached bbq or have a sauna in the 2nd bathroom!

After a brief look around the RV show we headed to the local mall to wonder around. As we were leaving the mall, we drove by the Red Lion and there was a big sign that said: GUN SHOW. Travis nearly peed his pants. We got the baby in her stroller and headed in to what can best be described as the oddest place to take a two month old. Inside she woke up and enjoyed being carried around by her dad, who was explaining all the different caliburs and guns specs to her.

Gracie helping her dad pick out bullets!

Don't shoot my pony!

Daddy, I want my own assault rifle!

"A gun rack? A gun rack. I don't even own A gun, let alone many guns that would necessitate and entire rack. What am I gonna do with a gun rack?"

We headed home from the gun show, but not before a quick stop at Toys R Us to buy some sort of light up toy for our little Valentine. Do you know how hard it is to find a toy that lights up for a baby? It's like they only make the good stuff for the older kids! I was walking through the aisles thinking, "Man, it sucks to be a newborn." Out of the whole store, there is 1/3 of an aisle dedicated to toys for babies Gracie's age, and they SUCK! I found a cool little lap top for 6months+, but I figure Gracie is plenty advanced and will enjoy this way before 6 months. We also got our Bumbo chair!! I can't wait to prop her up in it...these chairs are so stinkin' funny!

Too funny!

Working on her laptop in her Bumbo chair...just like her mom!

I know what you're thinking. Crazy/busy/fun Valentine's Weekend, right? I'm just getting started!

We got home around 5:30 and packed up the baby and sent her to the babysitter's for the evening. My mom and Travis and I headed to my dad's work to pick him up, and we flew down to Pendleton to the Wild Horse Casino where an Elvis impersonator was doing a wedding ceremony for married couples who wanted to renew their vows! We got there late, but definitely made it in time for his performance.

The 'rents, getting their vows renewed.

Elvis = AWESOME!

If you have not seen and Elvis impersonator, DO SO IMMEDIATELY! This guy was so entertaining! I guess we have to give some credit to the King himself, for being such a good performer, because even the impersonators who probably aren't capturing 100% of a genuine performace are way more fun to watch than a lot of today's artists. We had a blast! And my parents got their picture taken with Elvis, but I couldn't get a good shot because we were stuck at the door, trying to weasel our way in. Which we eventually did, by the way!

Awww...we're so cute!

We got home around 1:00 a.m. and tipped our babysitter extra for having to stay up so late! She didn't want to take any money because she said that Gracie was absolutely, hands down the best baby she had ever watched. She said she didn't cry a single time but talked up a storm. She also said her parents were all over Gracie and couldn't get enough of her, and she'd love to watch her again. Well duh!! She's a princess!

So, I think that wraps up the synopsis. And it's only 10:a.m. on Sunday! Who knows what today will hold! Actually, I was going to ride my ponies, but it's 32 degrees out and I think I'm going to need to do some doctoring to Yellow's wound today, so that's probably going to take up my cold tolerance of the day.

Hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day!

Whirlwind PG!

So...things have been going well. I am back at work and the pace is definitely faster than when I left in December. We got rid of some "dead weight" and because of the economy, we are not replacing him anytime soon. Therefore, the work load just falls on the rest of us! Don't get me wrong, this is fabulous! Our team is more energetic, is getting along better, and is focused on finding the silver lining in the fact that we are working twice as hard to make half as much money.

Look what my boss had waiting for me on my desk! My coworkers had their "gifts" in my inbox--lots of projects needing to be completed ASAP! :D

In other news, Baby Pooey continues to thrive. While I do miss that little mug while I'm at work, I know she's in good hands with Nana or Nanny Beth. We are so blessed to have found such great help with our little monkey! And yes, she is a cheeky little monkey!

Well, I guess in this outfit she's a bear, not a monkey...

Yellow and Oklahoma have an appt on Tuesday to get their new spring shoes. I am pretty bummed that this had to wait until Tuesday because I didn't get to go to another sorting practice this weekend, but you can't win them all, can you?

I don't know that I've ever blogged about this, but on top of my horses and baby and work, I am also the commissioner of our town volleyball league and I play in the power league on Wednesdays. On Thursdays I go to a friend's house and scrapbook. I used to only scrapbook pictures of Yellow, but now it's mostly baby pics. Don't worry Yellow! Once we get that baby on you, you'll be back in my scrapping focus!

I think that pretty much covers the update. Hopefully in the next few weeks I can quit living vicariously through my horse friend's blogs and start having my own adventures again!

I'll leave you with some pictures from when Gracie went to visit the pony cousins!

Who sleeps like that?!?