California Dreamin'

I just noticed how incredibly boring my blog looks. I need to add more pictures. This one is from senior trip last March in California. Ooh! How I'd like to be there now, in the warmth instead of the cold!

Riding

I had a riding lesson today. It was pretty good. I got my diagonals correct most of the time when I trotted. This is something I struggle with. More of a struggle, though, is getting on the correct diagonal when I start on the wrong one. The barn was busy today. There were four other people there. Who knew that barn could get that crowded? When a couple people left I saw a couple new horses in their stalls. Two absolutely beautiful, big, black Friesian x Percheron crosses. They were gorgeous.

I got pulled over by a cop on my way to my riding lesson. He pulled me over for expired tags that aren't really expired (my dad never put the new sticker on the license plate because he lost it...and I had no idea of this). Then, the insurance card wasn't in the car. Isn't that just fanbloodytastic? He let me go with a warning, though. I am very thankful for nice cops.

Babysitting

I'm babysitting my sister's four kids. They can be quite difficult. Jordan is nine. Bekah, the only girl, is seven. Christian is two, and Ayden will be a year old on Saturday. I've been watching them recently on Tuesdays and Thursdays while my sister is at class. The babies are the easiest to take care of. They don't argue, back talk, or lie to me. The older two though (mostly just the oldest) lie and argue. The oldest talks back all the time. It's very frustrating.

Every time I've watched them, at least one of them has been sick. Sometimes, more than one. The only advantage of them being sick is that when the older two calm down when they are sick.

Right now, I'm keeping watch of the hallway between their two bedrooms. My niece enjoys sneaking to her brothers' room when I'm not watching. I don't think she will tonight because she is sick, but I don't want to take a chance. I'd like to pick up some, but I want to make sure they don't get up.

New Year

Well, a new year has begun, and along with that, a new semester at school. This semester is going to rock (hopefully). I'm taking developmental psychology, writing II, American Sign Language I, and history and sociology of rock and roll.

This just reminded me that I have the perfect secret to send to Post Secret. I already have the postcard planned out in my mind. I just have to take the picture I need to, edit it some on the computer, and send it. (And that just reminded me that I need to return the Post Secret book to the library. Maybe I'll do that tomorrow after ASL.)

Very shortly, I'm going to meet with a lady at the local humane society about an internship. The internship is in their training department. I'd be helping students in classes work with their dogs (I hope that includes an agility class or two!). There are two downsides--it's an unpaid internship and I'd have to drive half way across town starting next month.

I also have started another blog (http://bellastoys.blogspot.com/), reviewing dog toys.

Getting Close

I’ve been taking riding lessons for nearly a year and a half. About two and a half years ago, I started taking lessons. I took them for about seven months then took a six month break. In May I started them again, with a new, better trainer. Some days I love it, some days I hate it, but I guess that’s the way it is with anything (for me at least). The only complaint I consistently have is that I don’t get to ride enough.

Last spring, I tried to convince my parents to get me a horse. My dad said no, but if I finish my first year of college, he would get me one. I am glad I didn’t get one back in the spring—I was not ready to have one then. I feel I am ready now, or if I’m not completely ready now, I will be come May. I can’t wait.

See more progress on: own a horse