We are starting to get really busy with the horses. I will have lots of pictures and updates to post in April, May and June. We start high school rodeo in April and it is every weekend in April and May. We also start 4H and Panorama Shows in May.
The next 2 weeekends we are going to try to finish our arena behind our house. It is the last 2 weekends we have any free time before we start rodeoing every weekend. So it will definitely be a busy couple of weeks.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Moments
Sometimes life really is about the moments. It is not about money or things but the adventures that you have.
On Sunday, we had to take Tristen, Haillee and Emma back to Moab. They had stayed with us since Thursday. Moab is about a 4 hour trip from our house. So we knew it would be an all day excursion.
It is always sad to take them home. It is hard to have them go back to those conditions. Their trailer is so small and so filled with junk. You know that their needs are just not met daily. However, due to the state's lack of backbone their mother (I say that loosely) still has custody of them. There is nothing more that we can do but be there for them as often as we can.
After we dropped them off, we decided we needed to take a short break before making the 4 hour drive back. Moab is a beautiful place. It is surrounded by Arches and Canyonland National Parks. There are a million amazing sights.
We decided to hike what we thought was a short trail that starts just as you leave town. Coy did not want to go, so Brent and I went on our own. What started off as a short break ended up being over an hour.
We started the trail and it looked really easy. However, a short distance in to it and we had to scale around some slick rock. We braved through the scary part and kept going. These are the small moments that make life so wonderful. Brent and I had a great time. The canyon was spectacular. There were a lot of wondrous views. We made it to one of the smaller waterfalls before we headed back. During the hike, Brent and I were totally at peace with each other and everything else around out. The feeling of connecting with each other and nature make those moments priceless.
It is unfortunate that we spend so much time working for money. No amount of money could have bought the feeling that a simple little hike in a serene setting can bring. As the quote says"The best things in life aren't things!"
On Sunday, we had to take Tristen, Haillee and Emma back to Moab. They had stayed with us since Thursday. Moab is about a 4 hour trip from our house. So we knew it would be an all day excursion.
It is always sad to take them home. It is hard to have them go back to those conditions. Their trailer is so small and so filled with junk. You know that their needs are just not met daily. However, due to the state's lack of backbone their mother (I say that loosely) still has custody of them. There is nothing more that we can do but be there for them as often as we can.
After we dropped them off, we decided we needed to take a short break before making the 4 hour drive back. Moab is a beautiful place. It is surrounded by Arches and Canyonland National Parks. There are a million amazing sights.
We decided to hike what we thought was a short trail that starts just as you leave town. Coy did not want to go, so Brent and I went on our own. What started off as a short break ended up being over an hour.
We started the trail and it looked really easy. However, a short distance in to it and we had to scale around some slick rock. We braved through the scary part and kept going. These are the small moments that make life so wonderful. Brent and I had a great time. The canyon was spectacular. There were a lot of wondrous views. We made it to one of the smaller waterfalls before we headed back. During the hike, Brent and I were totally at peace with each other and everything else around out. The feeling of connecting with each other and nature make those moments priceless.
It is unfortunate that we spend so much time working for money. No amount of money could have bought the feeling that a simple little hike in a serene setting can bring. As the quote says"The best things in life aren't things!"
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Patience-How Do You Find It Each Day?
I know that I am not the best parent. I really never would make that type of claim. Parenting is an ever changing process. I am not the most patient, easy going, carefree parent. I expect a lot from my children. They have pretty stringent guidelines on chores, homework, and maintaining the cleanliness in the house. Perhaps I need to learn to have more patience.
I generally want things done and done when I want them done. I work all day and then go home and get at least 2 or 3 projects done before I do anything relaxing like TV. So it is difficult for me to have the rest of the family sitting around when there are things to do.
My current issue is getting ready for school and work in the morning. We get up in stages. My 15 year old daughter of course takes the longest so she has to get up first. Then I shower. Then we wake up my 12 year old son. It should just take him minutes to get ready. Lately, he just drags his feet in the morning. He takes twice as long to do anything than it should. He has been late to leave for school for 3 days in a row.
So where do you find the patience to teach him a lesson without getting angry? I always have to focus on his feelings. I am sure he thinks I am just being hard on him or that I am somehow disappointed in all that he does. Sometimes it is just tough to balance the two.
I generally want things done and done when I want them done. I work all day and then go home and get at least 2 or 3 projects done before I do anything relaxing like TV. So it is difficult for me to have the rest of the family sitting around when there are things to do.
My current issue is getting ready for school and work in the morning. We get up in stages. My 15 year old daughter of course takes the longest so she has to get up first. Then I shower. Then we wake up my 12 year old son. It should just take him minutes to get ready. Lately, he just drags his feet in the morning. He takes twice as long to do anything than it should. He has been late to leave for school for 3 days in a row.
So where do you find the patience to teach him a lesson without getting angry? I always have to focus on his feelings. I am sure he thinks I am just being hard on him or that I am somehow disappointed in all that he does. Sometimes it is just tough to balance the two.
Friday, March 2, 2007
Being A 4H Leader
Every Thursday Coy and I teach 4H. For those who do not know 4H is a program that teaches youth responsibility, leadership, and other life skills. 4H is a great program for youth to be involved in. We teach Horse 4H.
In Horse 4H the kids have a project horse. This is the horse they are supposed to care for. They are the ones who feed, water, groom and exercise. This is also the horse that they show through the year. At the end of the qualifying shows, we determine which youth qualify for the State Individual Show. We take 5 of the top youth from each age division to state.
We have approximately 15 youth that we teach currently. During the summertime, we have up to 30. We really enjoy teaching. We love to see the kids and the horses improve each week. Coy and especially like to teach kids who are just beginning to ride. Their progress is so dramatic each week.
In Horse 4H the kids have a project horse. This is the horse they are supposed to care for. They are the ones who feed, water, groom and exercise. This is also the horse that they show through the year. At the end of the qualifying shows, we determine which youth qualify for the State Individual Show. We take 5 of the top youth from each age division to state.
We have approximately 15 youth that we teach currently. During the summertime, we have up to 30. We really enjoy teaching. We love to see the kids and the horses improve each week. Coy and especially like to teach kids who are just beginning to ride. Their progress is so dramatic each week.
We also teach 2-Handed 4H. This is where the kids learn to train a young horse. We work with other 4H groups to host several 2-Handed shows a year.
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