Hunting and Life

I know I have been bad about blogging lately but there is a good reason for that. I am not good at keeping secrets! There...it's out. The secret? Well, I guess I can tell you and then it won't be a secret anymore and I can get back to blogging regularly. Rob and I found out in mid-November that we are going to be having our first child at the end of July. We are excited beyond belief. I have been trying to do everything right, except stay away from chocolate, so our baby can enter the world healthy. But, being the worrier that I am, I didn't want to say anything until after my first doctor's appt. when I knew things were okay.
Well, we had our first appt. Dec. 19th, where we got to see our baby kick "his" (wishful thinking) leg. Our doctor is wonderful and gave me a clean bill of health. She said I am right on track and don't have to see her for another month. So, we got in the car and proceeded to drive 41 HOURS (yes, you read that correctly) to Brandon, MS. It was a long trip and not one I care to repeat after we make the drive back home. We are here, visiting Rob's family for the holidays. We have really been enjoying ourselves and can't believe our time here is already halfway over!
Most of the time has been spent hunting at deer camp. This year I decided that I'd finally attempt at getting a deer. For those of you that know me well, know that patience is not one of my virtues. Once I make up my mind, I want whatever it is immediately. So, needless to say, hunting for 4 days and not getting anything has been more than frustrating. The deer camp is surrounded by 2 other hunting properties so it is REALLY frustrating when you keep hearing everyone else's gun being shot and still aren't seeing one single deer. It reminded me of when I've tried to fish. Everyone around me gets one, but not me. Rob got a nice 8 point his FIRST day at camp. Dad Herrington got a nice 8 point his second day at camp. Me? Absolutely nothing! Zilch! Nada! Zero! Get my point? I saw the head of a doe for a millisecond, so fast I thought it was a figment of my imagination. At the end of the day yesterday, once the sun had gone down, Rob spotted a doe 150 yards away. I tried to shoot it but missed... probably by a long shot! (No pun intended) At least I got to attempt it. I have one more day of hunting ahead of me so keep tuned, but don't sit by the computer for an update because I'm sure it'll be like the last 4 days.

Snow, Snow and More Snow!

The storm first hit Friday night but didn't dump a lot. Saturday we woke up to sunshine and I even enjoyed taking Roxy for a snow covered walk. On Sunday Rob and I went to Sacramento to celebrate an early Christmas with my parents. On the way back, the real storm came in! I woke up yesterday to a Winter Wonderland. Normally, I would curl up with a hot cup of coffee and enjoy the peaceful view. However, panic started to kick in when I realized I had to drive to work in the snow and ice. This is my first time driving in the snow on a regular basis so I figured I had to get used to it sooner or later. I left for work 2 hours early and that ended up being a good thing because it took me an hour and a half to get there. The nice thing is that the road maintenance guys up here plowed our road early so I knew that was a good sign. My entire commute, I was driving like a "granny", but better to be safe than sorry. By the evening the snow ended, giving us about 8 inches of snow in one day. On my way to work this morning, I was actually able to stop at the vista point to enjoy the beautiful sunrise in the winter wonderland that I now call home.

Snowy Saturday

It's been awhile since I've updated you on what's going on with us. I guess it's because all we do is work during the week, but on the weekends we become the social butterflies. Today we woke up, realizing we didn't have too much to do.....such a nice thought for a Saturday morning. It's probably a good thing we don't have a lot to do because we woke up to a layer of snow this morning. It's so pretty and peaceful, especially after the storm that hit last night (included 60 mph winds). I can sit inside, with a fire burning, doing laundry, wrapping presents, correcting papers. Eventually the snow will become a frustrating part of life, but right now I am enjoying every minute it.

Tis the Season!

I absolutely love Christmas, not necessarily the commercialized part but the lights, festivities and the reason for Christmas. Today Rob and I got our Christmas tree. It's earlier than I usually get a tree but we will be in Mississippi for Christmas and I wanted our first tree at our house. So, after getting it home and set up (which was a lot faster than when my parents put up a tree!) I started decorating it. After that I wrapped the Christmas presents we have so far so I could put them under the tree. After finishing the decoration tomorrow, our house will look festive. It is so much fun driving home and seeing lights up everywhere already. I enjoy listening to my Christmas CDs. It's fun buying gifts for loved ones, something that brings me much joy. I just love everything about the Christmas holiday!!

Thanksgiving Blessings

Rob found out that he was going to be on pager duty over Thanksgiving so we weren't going to be able to go out of town for Thanksgiving. Although we had some invites from friends, my parents decided to come up so we could have a family dinner. They arrived Wednesday night and are leaving this morning. We have had so much fun with them, starting with them getting stuck off the side of our driveway when they first arrived continuing to getting the ice maker to work using a blow dryer and crochet hook. I made my first Thanksgiving feast, with the help of everyone. Rob deep-fried the turkey, mom made the sweet potato casserole and stuffing and dad journaled it all by taking pictures. After eating and taking long naps, mom, dad and I took a walk around the property with Roxy happily tagging along. Last night we relaxed and watched the family movie, "Flicka". Now, we are off to partake in the Black Friday sales. Let the fun continue!

Busy Beyond Belief

It feels like forever since I've blogged, even though I know I just did it on Thursday. Before that I was without a computer for over a week, but it seemed like longer! It's amazing how society has become so dependent on technology. I am fortunate that I am able to have almost all internet access at work so I wasn't completely out of the loop but most days I was too busy to check anything other than my work email.
As I stated in my last blog, Rob got back on Thursday afternoon. Thursday night began the whirlwind weekend of Rob's bull riding school. About 10 teenage boys signed up and we were fortunate enough (I am not being sarcastic) to put them up at our house. What a great group of boys! I got to cook for them, which was a lot of fun. Rob taught them the basics of bull riding, with the help of his friend Scott. Much to our dismay, the weekend went by way too fast and the school is over for the year. Now, as I sit here, the house seems so quiet. No playing keep away from Roxy, wrestling til 3 am, or having mousetrap wars (don't ask!). I hope that we are able to do another school in the future because Rob and I really enjoyed our time with the boys and their families. Now I'm off to clean the house to get ready for my parent's Thanksgiving visit and do schoolwork..... then to enjoy the first amount of quality alone time I've had with Rob in almost 2 weeks!

Lonely Days

So, Rob has been gone for 8 days!!!! (He got back today) Then my computer crashed 2 days after he left so I feel like my world had turned upside down for a week or so. I was doing my usual "chores" around the house as well as Rob's. It was hard work holding up both ends plus working full time. I had some comical moments trying to feed Dixie and am very glad that Rob is back to take over again. I did get to use the weekend to visit friends I hadn't seen for awhile in Sacto as well as visit my parents. That was fun to catch up with everyone! But, it's even more fun having Rob back home. Now we are getting ready to house a bunch of teenage boys for the weekend for a bull riding camp Rob is putting on with Scott Mendes. More fun times ahead!

Lots O' Things.....

So last week ended, but much like it had started. I met a great girl from Texas at a math conference I went to on Thursday. We decided to get together after I got off work on Friday. After I picked her up I called Rob to ask if he wanted to join us. He couldn't because Dixie had cut up her legs pretty good when she had busted down the corral and Rob was worried about her. So a vet came to the house to check her out. Luckily, she got a clean bill of health.
Then, on Sunday, Rob called to tell me that Roxy had climbed on his recliner and had left him quite a wet spot. She has had a hard time adjusting to Dixie so she has been letting Rob know that she isn't happy to be sharing his attention by going to the bathroom on his side of the bed and on the recliner. I no longer trust her and keep her locked in the bathroom when I cannot closely supervise her. She better get over this soon because I won't put up with it when Rob brings his dog home and we have kids....one day (no I am not prego!).
This morning Rob left before the sun came up to go out of town for an 8 day project. At first I was excited because it meant eating sushi, not making the bed, and watching what I wanted on TV (or not having the TV on at all). But, I've done all three and it hasn't been as exciting as I thought it'd be. Now I am sitting in a quiet house, eating licorice, and contemplating whether to go to bed early or to correct reading contracts. Ah, the exciting life of a "single" girl....

Weird Week

Do you ever have one of those weeks where you just want it to end because disturbing things keep happening? That's how it's been for me this week. I'm not one to really share my political views because I don't care to debate. You have your views, I have mine. Let's just respect them. But, since this is my blog I am free to say that I was extremely disappointed with Tuesday's elections. I felt like my vote didn't count because McCain lost, as did our friend that was running for the Storey School Board. Then, an initiative that would've given more money to the school district I work for through a slight tax increase failed as well. (That actually shocked a lot of people!)
Yesterday Rob and I got to sleep in a little (6am versus 4:30 for Rob). When we got up, Rob went to check on Dixie. To his horror, the corral fence was broken to pieces in one section and Dixie was gone. We both went into "panic mode". I threw on sweats and we came up with a game plan to scan the area. Just as I was pulling out of the garage, he came running over, waving his arms. Apparently Rob takes really good care of Dixie and she had no real desire to escape because she was hanging out with the neighbor's horse next door. Rob mended the corral to the best of his ability, lacking supplies and time. His project each night this week and this weekend is to completely repair the corral so Dixie is safe again. We don't know what spooked her, but I got to see firsthand how powerfully strong horses can be!
Well, I am off to a math conference so I hope nothing else out of the ordinary occurs.

Severe Storm

We get a lot of snow up here in the Winter and the occasional thunder storm in the Summer but we had the mother of all storms last night. It came with high winds, lightning, A LOT of rain and a power outage. At one point I told Rob that I felt like one of the 3 little pigs, waiting for our house to blow over. The wind became unbearably loud so I used a lighter to try to find my ear plugs. Rob got candles and helped me to no avail. Finally, I gave up and knew I'd have to do my best to tune it out. Rob told me to lay on his chest and his heartbeat is what I focused on to lull me to sleep. Once I fell asleep, I slept great, which surprised me because the wind sure was loud. We thought we'd wake up to snow, but apparently it never got cold enough. Although the power was back on when we woke up, there was no snow on the ground. There will be plenty of time for that though!

Halloween and Hunkerin' Down

Yesterday we celebrated Nevada Day and Halloween all rolled into one. My Halloween started on Thursday, when my class had a party. This is one of my most favorite classes I've taught so I had a lot of fun watching the kids dress up and get so excited. My student that has autism was so excited to be Batman that I couldn't stop smiling at him. I'm not a big fan of putting kids' pictures on the internet but I had to post this picture because this student has one of the best costumes I've seen! (I blocked part of his face for privacy)I laughed so hard when he walked in the room because this costume matches his personality perfectly. I got the day off yesterday(of course Rob didn't) for Nevada Day and we had a neighborhood Halloween party. It was a fairly small group, but one lady said she'd like to have this every year at our house. It was fun to see the costumes and watch the kids so excited about Halloween.
This morning we woke up to strong winds and spritzing rain. It's supposed to snow tonight and tomorrow so I am looking forward to making a crockpot of vegetable beef soup, getting a fire going and hunkering down with a good book and movie. I love being social, but there are also times I like that we don't have plans and can just relax. We have such a great, balanced life together.

Blessed

There are some days it just becomes so obvious with how much we are blessed. Today was one of those days! I was driving home from work and just took a moment to look at the beautiful fall colors. Driving down the freeway, you can see the tops of the trees as far as the eye can see up against the mountainous backdrop. Seeing all of the bright oranges, reds and yellows just made me realize what a creative artist God is.
When Rob and I decided to get married, I worried about making new friends in Reno. Then when we bought a house in the "boonies" I really worried about it. But, we have been blessed with quite the social life, which keeps us busy. We are busy with friends and neighbors every weekend and usually are doing social things during the week as well. My worry was unfounded and I keep more busy than I imagined.
Life is good and full of many blessings- big and small!

Differences

Everyone and everything is different. My philosophy is, just because I may do something different or think different than someone, I respect the differences. For example, it was Rob's birthday yesterday. When it's my birthday I want the world to celebrate it with me, complete with cake, presents and a big to do. Rob, on the other hand, doesn't even want his birthday acknowledged. As hard as it was to do so, I respected that and didn't even wish him a happy birthday. The closest I got was when our neighbor put a candle in a piece of lasagna and we all sang "Happy Birthday" to him.
Animals have their differences as well. This afternoon we went on a horseback ride with the lady that had sold us Dixie. Much to my relief, she wanted me to ride the mellow Buckskin. About half hour into the ride, it became obvious that the mare and I were not meshing well. I'm still gun shy around horses and, with my elbow still healing, I just wanted the ride to be over. But, Sheila noticed my difficulty and traded horses with me. Although she wasn't sure that the trade was a great idea, "Silly Filly" was a much better fit for me. She did well even though she didn't have a bridle for me to control (I use that term loosely!) her with. After getting on, I really enjoyed the ride and the beautiful weather!
So, the key is to respect and appreciate the differences life has to offer!!

Thursday

(I didn't have a clever title.) Today has ended on a pretty good note. Rob and I have been worried because something was wrong with Dixie's leg. Rob thought it was going to be bad enough to have to return her. But, a vet came up and said her "feet" are just bruised. At least that's the current diagnosis. She said if she isn't walking better in a couple weeks then she'll come back and re-evaluate. It was a good vet for two reasons...it wasn't as expensive as we thought it'd be and because it looks like Dixie will be staying here indefinately.
The other good thing is that I survived the day as acting principal! It was a nice change from the classroom but it just confirmed that I still love being a teacher. One day I may be ready to go into admin. but for right now I am happy being in my classroom each day, with my own students.
That's about it and I'm hungry. So, the day keeps getting better because we're going to Olive Garden for Date Night....wahoo!!!

Bay Area Weekend

Rob and I just got back from an enjoyable weekend in the Bay Area. We left Friday after work to get the weekend started. Once we got to the San Jose area we went out country line dancing. There was a mechanical bull there so Rob obtained a quick fan base. People were cheering because he was an enthusiastic rider who rode the longest. Saturday we slept in, had breakfast at a quaint diner then headed to the city to visit the Golden Gate Park. We went to the de Young museum to see the aquarium. Although it was crowded, I enjoyed my afternoon there (Rob didn't like all the people). We weren't able to get into the planetarium or rain forest exhibit but we were impressed with the aquarium. After watching the Red Sox game last night we went country line dancing again. This morning we repeated yesterday morning's routine. Then we headed to the Jets/Raiders game (Rob is a huge Favre fan so my parents had got us tickets for an early b-day celebration for him). Boy, I thought Kings fans were loud! Nothing compares to Raider Nation!! I do have to say that the fans that surrounded us were very friendly and fun to watch the game with. We almost witnessed 2 fights but both were difused before punches were thrown, much to my relief. Unfortunately, the Jets lost as did the Red Sox. But, we still had a fun weekend. On the way home we were discussing ways to get rich so we didn't have to work again. Our weekend time together is too short. But, at least the time is filled with a lot of fun memories!!

B-day pics

My dad emailed me pics from the day. One pic includes me, Rob, Josh and Ashley with Roxy but I have a horrible, mad look on my face so I decided not to include it. Enjoy the rest....my brother with Dixie (yes, that is snow in the background... 3 1/2 inches overnight), the others of me and my parents.

Birthday Fun!

Rob and I share birthdays just two weeks apart. So, even though yesterday was my birthday, we celebrated both of our birthdays (or part of Rob's). My parents, Josh and Ashley drove up to Reno to bring me a birthday cake (YUM!), take us to lunch and give me my present. Josh and Ashley got to see the house for the first time and everyone got to meet Dixie. After my family left, Rob and I had a relaxing afternoon. Then we met up with our friends, Matt and Jena, for the evening. We had dinner downtown then went to the Reba McEntire and Kelly Clarkson concert as my birthday present to Rob. I loved the concert, as did Rob, but he said it was a little too loud. I told him that was a sign that he was getting old! It was a fun day and the best part is Rob and I get to keep celebrating next weekend in the bay area. (He is taking me to the bay area for part of my birthday present and we are going to the Jets/Raiders game as his birthday present from my parents.) I love birthdays!!!!

The First Snow!!

We've had our first official snow day! We woke up to temps. in the 20's and drove to work through snow flurries. Our house was in the 50's (on the inside), a tad colder than this Cali girl is used to. I bundled up for work and look more like a high school snowboarder than an elementary school teacher. The staff was teasing me because I am literally covered head to toe- beanie, gloves, Ugg boots, 3 layers of shirts and jackets. They tell me it's going to get worse as Winter arrives. YIKES! Poor Roxy and I have some adjusting to do to become official snow girls. I do have to say, it is pretty though!

Truckee Trek

Since Rob was working all weekend (surprise, surprise!), one of my friends, Kirsti (pictured above with her dog), drove up to Truckee to meet me for a walk. We both had our dogs and enjoyed a beautiful walk along the Truckee River. After walking about a mile we stopped at a little cafe, that overlooked the river, to have lunch. Once we got done with our walk, we drove up to Rob's job site to say hello for a minute. It was such a beautiful day. The conversation was great and the weather and scenery was perfect! Although there are some things I miss about home, I really love being up here in the Fall. It is pretty beyond description!

So Far Removed

Last night I got to celebrate a friend's birthday. She chose to have her birthday celebration at a restaurant inside the El Dorado. Driving down there, I called Rob because I can't believe how much downtown Reno is NOT part of our lifestyle. It was fun to go out, but I can count on one hand how many times I've been downtown since Rob and I first got together a year and a half ago.
After dinner, I bailed out early because I hadn't seen Rob much this weekend and missed him. It was fun to go out with the girls, but it was even nicer coming home to my husband. Unfortunately, I got lost trying to get to the freeway and ended up getting home even later than I had expected. But, even the delay was worth it. Once I got home, Rob and I laid in bed, talking, until around midnight. What a good Saturday night1!

BIG one.....

We are supposed to get a big storm tonight and tomorrow. If the clouds let loose as they are now it will be a downpour! In preparation, I am in the process of making Mom Herrington's homemade soup, I rented a couple movies and bought the only Kingsbury book I haven't read. After getting my sweats on, I plan to cuddle up with Rob for a quiet evening in. Then, tomorrow morning, I hope it's raining so I can lay in bed and read while listening to the rain come down. What a perfect Fall morning! I'm not quite ready for the snow yet but I'm really excited about the rain and cooler weather!!

Free Woman!

Well, I am rid of the cast which is a blessing and a curse. Those of you that know me well, know that I pass out easily when it comes to injuries. For some bizarre reason, I am most prone to passing out during the removal of the cast and the x-ray process. So, true to form, that's what I did yesterday at the doctor's office. I got real queasy during x-rays but I didn't actually pass out until checking out after my appt. The doctor wouldn't let me leave his building until he was confident that I'd be able to make the drive home. Talk about embarrassing! I came to in the waiting room with sweat pouring down my face. I was able to make it home ok, but as soon as I walked in the door I went straight to bed for the night (at 6pm). When my alarm went off this morning and I got up, I was light headed. So, instead of passing out in front of my students, I decided to call in sick. If you know of a way to cure me of this embarrassing problem I am open to any suggestions. I've been like this since the first time I had knee surgery in high school and would be more than happy not to have to explain to everyone how I am going to pass out when I get injured. Well, off to soak my elbow in a hot bath so I can attempt to move it. AAHHHH, to be free of the cast...

The Sisters Meet

As predicted, last night was rough for Dixie. I had my "mom ears" open so I heard her running around the corral all night. This morning Rob was working with her and she'd get so excited she would whinny loud enough for all the mountain to hear. So, not getting any sleep, I went down to hang out with Dixie. Roxy stood on the balcony, whining, so I brought her down to the corral. I have to say that it was comical and sweet all in one. Dixie is social and is having a hard time being away from her horse friends and sister. So, she seemed pretty excited to meet Roxy. Roxy, however, hadn't eaten breakfast and was more excited about the apples and carrots that Dixie had discarded on the ground. Roxy would run in long enough to grab a piece of food and as soon as Dixie saw she was in the corral and made her way to where Roxy was, Roxy would run out and enjoy her food on the outside of the fence. It was a game that Roxy seemed to enjoy more than Dixie. I think, in time, they will be loving sisters with each other!

DIXIE

This is Dixie, the newest addition to the Herrington family. Rob had been looking at horses for awhile, but when he met her he fell in love. Dixie is a very sweet, beautiful 1 1/2 year old Palamino filly from Ely, NV. She got attacked my a mountain lion when she was four months old so she has a small cosmetic scar on her right shoulder and is on the shy side at first, but is a "love bug" once she's comfortable with you. She is a registered quarter horse bred out of world champion cutting horses. Originally named Blondy Chex, Rob decided to rename her Dixie. She is getting used to our property and being away from her sister, which in my opinion, is like the first night of puppy stage. She is running around the corral and whinnying to the neighbor's horse. Since we got her home after dark, I don't have any pictures of her here. But, this is her leaving her old house, getting ready to become a Herrington!

Finished Fence...

After many months of blood, sweat and...money, the fence is done and we are ready to bring Dixie to her new home. (You'll have to read the blog over the weekend to find out who she is.) It was a family project, but there are not any pictures of Jen throwing water to Rob or holding up the measuring tape. Roxy was the biggest help to Rob, following him around with her log, being his sounding board better than Jen would have been. Now that the fence is finished what other projects can Rob tackle?? HA!

Fall is in the Air

AHHHH, as I type, I am sitting wrapped up in my robe and a fleece blanket. It must mean that Fall is in the air! We woke up to the smell of fires burning in the fireplaces up here. Driving down the mountain yesterday, I noticed that the leaves were starting to change. Last night I made a crockpot full of homemade chicken noodle soup and fresh cornbread (Rob wasn't feeling well.) Then we left a window open and fell asleep bundled up under the comforter. I love this time of year! On weekend mornings, I love sitting with a hot cup of coffee, bundled up in a blanket and a good book to read. The one thing I miss from home is going to craft fairs with my mom. That is a tradition...breakfast at LaBou, then hit as many craft fairs as possible, rating them as we go. She and I talked yesterday about finding a weekend that we could get together to at least go to Apple Hill. There is supposed to be a warm up this week, but after that I will begin getting out the Fall decorations and enjoying the crisp Fall air! Living in the mountains makes Fall that much more enjoyable!!

What a week!

This is one of those weeks that I am glad to be done with. I was so overwhelmed at work with various meetings, trying to cope with my broken elbow and having Rob out of town. This week has been exhausting to say the least! I think the latest I stayed up all week was 9pm. One night I was even in bed by 7:45pm!! This morning I got to sleep in so I feel more rested.
With Rob gone on a work trip for a few days this week, I realized how much I've come to depend on him. He opened a bunch of water bottles for me before he left but he does so much more that I took for granted. I really missed him and was lonely while he was gone. Now that he's back life is a little easier and I am MUCH happier.
Last night, after work, we met up with some friends for dinner. When we got done, Rob was saying his throat was hurting pretty bad. He woke up this morning not feeling any better. But, with his demanding work schedule, he could not stay home. We're supposed to go to a housewarming party this afternoon but we may not make it so Rob can sleep and relax. It's a busy weekend for us but we have to eliminate some things so Rob can get rested up and feeling better.

There are so many little things I want to blog about...the storm the other night, staying here by myself, Roxy helping Rob build a fence, getting Rob's horse soon. I have missed blogging so I will try to do it more when my arm is up to it. I go to the doctor next Monday to find out if I can get out of this cast soon.

no sleep for this girl

i have anxiously been awaiting this day all week simply so i could wake up on my own terms. foolishly, i even thought i may sleep in until 10am, a rare event in my life. promptly at 7am i heard noise in the living room. since roxy sleeps under our bed i immediately thought someone was in our house. i got up to check only to find roxy playing fetch with herself between the kitchen and the stairs (she may have gotten up with daddy at 4:30). she seemed pretty pleased within herself that she had woke me up. after putting her out to do her business, i heard more noise. i thought, "boy, the mice are getting pretty big to be making that much noise." but, to my suprise, when i went on the back deck there was the biggest black bird i've ever seen perched there, watching the mustangs feed. that got roxy going again. thinking that it's too early for old macdonald's farm, i left roxy on the deck to get rid of the bird and mustangs. as i lay here, i believe that there is still hope for more sleep. so i will try again, esspecially since roxy has made herself comfortable and is dozing!!

Herrington update

We have been busy recently, working as a team around here. Saturday we had some friends over, which was fun. We ended up having about 20 people show up and they stayed for several hours, so we were pretty tired after it was all said and done. Yesterday we got to go to Sacto to see the Hermsmeiers. It was nice to spend time with Josh and Ashley, who were in town for the weekend. We were also supposed to look at a horse, but the lady flaked. Rob is in the market to buy a horse and has been all over looking at some. Since the lady flaked yesterday we took a scenic drive back, enjoying our time together.
Today I went to the orthopaedic surgeon. At first he said I'd need surgery because my elbow was displaced. But, after taking a new set of x-rays he said I should be fine wearing a cast for the next month. I am struggling with asking others for help but I'd rather do it for a month than who knows how long after surgery!!! So, that is the latest with us. I will try to blog more but some days are better than others with my elbow.

broken wife

i am not going to be blogging for a while, due to a dirt biking "evel kneivel" incident. i was going over to a friends house who lives right around the corner for dinner. while my hubby and i were in route to their house(which is less than a mile away), i wadded up and the outcome was a broken elbow. due to being right handed, as fate would have it, its my right elbow. i now have a new appreciation for having the use of both my wings. oh yeah, i guess i should say this is rob blogging for jen. now, in my words, im very proud of how tough she has been through this. i can only imagine the pain and she hasnt missed a bit of work and really hasnt complained. she is quite the trooper. oh, and mom n dad herms, it aint my fault! lol. ok, im done. ya'll keep er' tween the ditches. keep the shiny side up and the dirty side down. off to help the crip, i mean, my lovely wife to bed!!!

What a weekend!

Could we have 3 day weekends every week? I love spending time with Rob and our friends! Friday we went to the Rib Fest with some friends. We made our annual rib run then took them to the Pagni's to eat a great feast. Saturday Rob rode dirt bikes with some friends at the Rubicon while I went to school to do work and to the gym to do yoga. Sunday we did projects around the house, trying to get ready for about 20 people coming over next weekend. Rob put a lot of effort into the projects, getting a lot done. We had lost power due to the wind so I cleaned the inside of the house, with what I could without power. It has really cooled off to the point I had flannels on last night and a fleece today. We were able to close the windows and doors after the power came back on. This morning we went to a Civil War re-enactment in Virginia City. (Rob was insistant that the South could win this time.) Then we went to look at horses. We are looking forward to buying horses and are spending the time to find the perfect ones for both of us. I told Rob if we find a horse then I'd want to sell my dirt bike since I don't ride it a lot. Tonight we decided to ride our dirt bikes to our neighbors for dinner. On the way there, I was proud that I had yet to hit my brakes. Unfortunately, I should have hit them to make the last turn. I bailed but luckily I did have my helmet on (my only protective gear I had put on). I got pretty scraped up, tearing my fleece and getting my jeans filthy. Rob has been babying me ever since. He is so good to me, but I can only imagine how he'll be once i get prego if this is how he is over a few scrapes and bruises! Other than the fall, this has been one fabulous weekend! I love being married to my best friend, one that takes good care of me, makes me laughs and one that I can be totally be myself around. It was worth the wait!!

On a completely different side note, Rob's family has made it through the hurricane safely. PTL!!

Good For the Soul

Expert say that laughter is good for the soul and causes people to live longer. If that's the case, Rob and I will set records for being the oldest people alive. We have such a great time together, laughing at the little thingsin life. Last night we were laughing about my yoga poses I was practicing. This morning we were laughing about Rob's splurges that deviate from his diet plan. We also get a kick out of Roxy. She is petrified of the wind that blows through the house, but has become quite the hunter. We have had a mouse infestation so we have traps set inside and out. Each morning she goes with us while we check the traps. Rob caught 3 mice in the outside glue traps. When he let the mice go Roxy took over, making sure they would not make it back in the house....or anywhere for that matter. We get such enjoyment out of our little family and our quirks!!

Into the Swing of Things!

It has almost been a full work week and I have survived. I was telling my friend earlier today that it's harder to juggle work and a domestic life than I thought. Now I see why my mom spends her whole day off cleaning and running errands. By the time I leave school, run errands and start dinner it's close to 7pm. Rob is helping out where he can, but with both of us working such long hours I have to be okay with the house not being completely picture perfect.
I enjoy my class this year....at least 99% of them. One should not be at our school and once again I get the benefit of having a student that keeps me on my toes. Someday it would be nice to be able to just teach without having to be a parent, babysitter, counselor, etc. on top of teaching. But, if it was easy I guess everyone would teach. So, I thank the Lord for each day at 3:15 and look forward to coming home to Rob. I am excited about the 3 day weekend, fun plans, house projects and time together.

I survived!

The first day of school has now come and gone and I made it! The first day is always so wearing because I have to be "on" the entire day. But, for the first time ever, I got a good night's sleep last night which helped. My class is chatty, but good. Hopefully the "honeymoon phase" will last all year. One girl told me I was the strictest teacher she'd ever had and I thanked her for the compliment. I have a boy that has already won my heart. His special needs make me stop with him and appreciate the little things in life. He is going to teach me to hug unabashedly this year! My only embarrassing moments occurred with my back-to-school dress. I forgot that it gets really windy at the school so I had a few embarrassing Marilyn Monroe moments. I think students and staff saw more of me than anyone intended...ugh!!! Rob is so good to me. He sent me a beautiful bouquet of variegated roses for the first day. Then I came home exhausted so he helped clean up after dinner and did his own thing while I took a hot bath. Now I'm going to bed......

Busy bees

We have been so busy this week that we haven't been able to spend much time together. I have been putting in long hours, getting my classroom ready, and Rob has been getting up at 3:30am for his job in Truckee. This weekend has been a lot of fun though. Friday my parents came to my classroom to help me get ready for Monday. For the first time, I realized how much I rely on my mom to help set up my room each year. After we worked in my room for a couple hours, my parents came to the house where we BBQd and watched part of "North and South". On Saturday I took my parents into Virginia City to look around. My mom's energy level is still low but she was a trooper and they both enjoyed their time. After they went back to Sac. Rob and I went to a fundraiser for our home owner's association. The food wasn't that great but it was fun talking to our neighbors, getting to know them better. It's such a close knit community up here, one we are grateful for. Today, after church, I have to get the rest of my stuff prepped for this week. I am now getting excited about the new school year! I am also going to enjoy my time with my husband...finally!

Nice

Life is nice right now. Rob and I work out together, which is really nice. We don't do the same workout but it's nice having someone there with me. The weather has cooled off for a few days, which is REALLY nice. We went from sleeping without the covers and all the fans on to sleeping under a down comforter (I even had flannel PJ bottoms on...Dad would be so proud!). It was nice to put on a hoodie and have a big cup of coffee with me this morning when I left the house. A mustang came in the yard tonight after we hadn't seen any for awhile. It was nice to eat dinner then watch the mustang eat his. My parents are coming up this weekend for the first time since April, which will be REALLY nice. I am excited for them to see our home and go to Virginia City.I doubt there will be much more to write about this week, but we have a very busy weekend and school starts next week so stay tuned. I'm sure there will be a lot to write about.

Silly Girl

Roxy has provided many laughs today. It started this morning when she was passing gas and couldn't figure out what was happening. Then she has this toy I call Moo Cow. It moos if you push a button, which Rob has found to be entertaining. He pushes the button and Roxy stands there, staring at the toy and cocking her head from side to side. It's this game they play for quite awhile. Roxy eventually gets "brave" and nudges the toy while it's mooing. We are watching our neighbor's horse for the weekend. Tonight when Rob went to feed her Roxy decided to try to help. She was running around the hay bale and getting into the horse corral. Much to her disappointment Rob told her to leave the corral because we were afraid she would get kicked. After we came back in the house, I was rubbing Rob's feet. For whatever reason, Roxy loved the smell of the lotion I was using. Eventually she just started licking his feet because she apparently liked the taste as well. It was grossing me out to rub his feet and have her lick them so I told her to get away. At that point Rob turned on a hunting show. Roxy laid down, facing the TV, and crossed her front paws. When the elk were bugling Roxy would stare at the TV, cocking her head from side to side. It was like she was really into the show. (I tried to get a picture but getting up distracted her) Now she is chasing flying insects around the living room. That girl I tell ya!

Night Out

Last night was the first night in our married life that Rob went out with his friend and I met up with the girls. It was different but we both enjoyed our time with our friends. The girls went to a Donna Summer's concert. I was the only one in the group that had no idea what she sang. In fact, I found out that I only knew one of her songs but it was still fun. At one point a few of us decided to go to the bathroom. The place was dark and when I started down the stairs I missed the first one. I fell about 3 or 4 stairs (My mom would've died laughing!). I turned to tell the girl behind me to watch that first step. As I did, she too missed it and fell down the stairs into me. We were both a mess. She hurt her backside and both my legs got banged up. Because I bruise so easily, I am sure I will have battle scars the first day of school. Lucky me! I wouldn't trade it, though, because I enjoyed making new friends and memories.

Overwhelmed

You ever have one of those days where NOTHING goes right? I had one of them today and it just made me feel overwhelmed to the point of tears. In the whole scheme of life none of it was a big deal, but when all of it came together in one day it was more than I wanted to deal with. I ran late getting to school but it was okay because I planned to work late before meeting Rob at the gym. Little did I know that the school was going to close early and Rob was going to work late. Then Bee had told me she was going to move everything out of the classroom yesterday (She just found out she had to move rooms) but not only did she not move anything, but she never came in today. So, I still don't know what is hers and what is mine to use. The room is one big mess, which doesn't help calm my nerves. To top it off, the classroom won't have a/c access until next Tuesday. By the time I left, it was 95 degrees in my room....yuck! Rob and I had our "Date Night" but we were both so hot and tired that we pretty much just ate and left the restaurant. I wanted to have a few minutes to myself to cry and release some frustration, but Rob is still learning that when I cry it could be for no reason. He thought he had done something, but it's just the beginning of the year stress. Luckily this will only go on for another week and then the year will start. From there hopefully we'll be in a routine and life will resume back to normal.

Things That Make You Go HHMMM...

I started back to work today and got to meet a few of the teachers I'll be working with (I also found out that this 6th grade class is supposedly the worst ever....does it ever end??). I met a very interesting co-worker that I will call Bee. She insisted on a meeting even though all of us were unpacking our cars and setting up our rooms. After the 2 HOUR meeting I went to the "Principal's Office" and was out of my classroom for awhile. When I was leaving the office Bee informed me that my phone had rung and she had answered it while I was out of my room. Now it was my fault for leaving my phone out and my room open, but I was suprised at how comfortable she was answering my phone after only meeting me a few hours earlier. On the bright side, at least she left me a message in my room so I knew Rob had been the caller.
After dinner Rob informed me that he wants to work out again. So, we headed down the hill and he signed up at 24 Hour Fitness. He even got some personal training sessions thrown into the package. 20 bucks says he won't be able to move after his first session (from what I hear from other brave souls that sacrifice their bodies to better their workout!). It'll be nice to have a workout partner now! Maybe we'll even do yoga together....yeah right!!!!!

Workin' Girl!

Tomorrow I officially start back to work. It's been a good summer and I am not ready for it to end yet. I still have a couple more projects that I'd like to have more time for. I'd also like to continue getting up and around each morning when I WANT to, not when my alarm tells me to. It doesn't help that I am nervous about starting fresh at yet another new school. I am glad to know that I am not the only new face on this campus though. That helps relieve a little anxiety. It also helps that there is a Starbucks directly on the way to school, which will motivate me in the morning. Rob told me I could stay at home and we'd make it work financially but I'd rather save now so staying home will be a more feasible option once we have kids. So, as it stands, tomorrow I become a workin' girl again!!

No Bull!

We had a rodeo kind of weekend. Yesterday we met up with some friends in Truckee to watch the rodeo. Then we spent the night and went to the rodeo again today. After Rob decided to retire from bull riding we began talking about different options that would keep Rob working with bulls without riding in rodeos. Over the years he has made friends with many well known bull riders. One of them, Scott Mendes, a world champion bull rider, recently talked to Rob about running a bull riding school/camp he wants to start in Reno. He's already been successful with it in Texas and wants to begin another one in Reno, where he has family. Another thing Rob and I discussed seriously was getting into stock contracting (contracting the bulls at rodeos). This is something we are really excited about! Rob talked to Scott about this and Scott decided to research bulls for us in his neck of the woods. He called Rob and told him he had found a great bull that was too good to pass up. After discussing it, the men decided on a partnership deal with this bull. About two weeks after Scott purchased the bull, he called Rob to tell him the bull wasn't so great after all and sold him. So, we are now again without a bull, back to Square One. But, it will all work out when it's supposed to! We're excited about our options that lie ahead in our future.

Random

Rob's work schedule has changed a bit so he is now getting up at 3:30 AM to get to Truckee by 5!!!! He is so tired at the end of the day but fights sleep to spend time with me. Last night he took me to see "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants", which I thought was a cute movie. On the way home he asked if we could have a date night every Thursday, whether it be going to dinner or doing something. We were not big fans of our pre-marital counseling but that is one thing we took away from it- have a consistent date night each week. We decided that we would take turns picking things to do each week so I am already excited for next Thursday!!
I am back into the swing of things in VC Highlands, aka home. I went to Sacto yesterday to pick up Roxy. With all the construction going on between here and there, it seems like a much longer drive these days. I was glad I went, though, because I got to hang out with my mom and good friend, Aimee. I am not sure Roxy was glad I came to get her, though. "Grandma" and "Grandpa" spoil her and the wind doesn't cause a wind tunnel through their backyard like it does here in our house. She did have fun exploring this morning though while I put the finishing touches on her kennel. She actually seems to like it so that makes me happy. I won't worry so much about her when I go back to work next week. Speaking of which, I am fast and furiously trying to get the last of my summer projects done before going back to school on Wednesday. You know the kind that keep getting pushed to the bottom of the list? Well that's where I am right now. I guess I better get to them or they won't get done on their own.

Ahh!

I was driving home this evening and there was the most beautiful rainbow coming up over the mountain behind our house (There had been a storm earlier) and mustangs feeding off to the side of the road. Then, once I got home, I looked out to see the most gorgeous sunset... purples, pinks, oranges. Rob and I went out on the balcony to enjoy it (The camera couldn't capture it's beauty). We talked about how blessed we are to have our house and how much we enjoy its location. These things made me realize that no matter how crazy life can get, there's always something beautiful to stop and admire!

Back home!

We got home last night and enjoyed sleeping in our own bed. We also enjoyed laughing about the memories we created and reminiscing. Rob said the honeymoon would've been boring had everything gone perfect. He was so patient while I read the map to get us places. One time I read the map wrong and we ended up in downtown Phillie at 10pm, in the ghetto. Rob refused to let me sit in the car while he ran into the store because it was that bad. I guess getting lost a few times after driving 1000 miles is to be expected though.
I love people watching so I was entertained by everything I saw. Rob got irritated with the protestors in New York, but refrained from giving them a piece of his mind. One guy was holding a sign in NYC that said, "Free driving lessons". I wanted to get a pictures but didn't. I have never heard so many horns honk as we did in New York. Rob drove through honking just because he could. It was fun to visit NYC and take in all the sights, but if I never make it back there again I will be okay with that. It was a constant rat race with way too much going on.
Pennsylvania was our favorite state (Sorry Dad Herrington, but we weren't in Maryland long enough to decide if it was better!). It reminded me of Crescent City (Cali), Vicksburg (Miss) and Buffalo (Minn) all rolled into one. The humidity was a little overbearing at times but the scenery made up for it. It was so green and lush! Everywhere we drove there was something pretty to look at.
I can tell you one thing I really appreciate on the West Coast and that is that we don't have toll plazas. Between those, taxi fares and parking we spent well over $150in 2 days. I felt like every time we got on a different freeway we were paying tolls. I was told the toll fares were supposed to go to the roads but I didn't see that happening. I asked Rob if I could point out places that needed repairs and specifically request that our toll fares be put to that part of the road when we pay.
The last night of our honeymoon we stayed at a really nice Holiday Inn. We went for a late night swim then stayed up watching TV and talking. We slept in the last morning then had to make a mad dash to Philadelphia to catch our plane. Luckily we had just enough time to squeeze in one more trip to Chick-Fil-A, Rob's favorite place.
We thoroughly enjoyed our time together, creating memories and laughing to the point of tears. It was everything I imagined a honeymoon should be! Please enjoy more of the pictures from it on our wedding website: www.robnjen.weddingwindow.com

East Coast Livin'...

We are on our last day of our honeymoon and we wish we could extend it. Rob was teasing me earlier about blogging pages about everything but I will give you the Readers Digest Version because we crammed a lot into a few days. The flight here was LONG, much longer than necessary. Then, our final destination was at Shawnee Village in eastern Pennsylvania at a time share our friends, Bonnie and Jason, had let us use. It was absolutely beautiful and peaceful so we hated to leave yesterday. We hated it even more because I found us a dive hotel to go to after the time share! In fact, this morning I told Rob I would not stay there again tonight. I won't go into detail but trust me when I say it was gross!
Other than the time share, it hasn't been that much of a relaxing trip. We have been to 6 states in 2 days!! We went to the Nation's Capitol one day and New York the next. It was fun to say we'd been there and seen historical landmarks but it REALLY made us appreciate home even more. Everyone is honking at others, we kept getting lost, we spent an outrageous amount of cab fares, it was raining then incredibly humid, etc. I told Rob today that I can't wait to be home so I don't have to live by a map. Every time I think I have found us a shortcut it takes double the time to get to our destination.
Today we enjoyed one of Rob's favorite past time, going to a NASCAR race. Unfortunately (for Rob) Dale didn't win but it was still a lot of fun going to a new track and watch the NASCAR fans show their enthusiasm in many different ways. We decided that we really like our new hotel so we are going to sleep in, relax in the morning and drive as little as possible tomorrow before catching our flight home. Once I get home and get settled in, I will post some of the pictures. Until then...

Vegas, Baby, Vegas!

Well, we have made it one hour out of our 12 hour travel time. Rob likes flying even less than putting things together so it's been fun. We have another hour of our layover here then on to Philly. I tried to sweet talk our way up to First Class, using the "This is our honeymoon" ploy but the flight is completely sold out! I am just hoping we won't be sitting by the same kids that sat by us on the way here. We are both wanting to get some shut-eye so that we will be refreshed by the time we get to PA. Seeing that it's a 4 1/2 hour flight that's highly unlikely but we'll make the best of it! After all, it's our honeymoon!!

Busy, busy day!

Today was the last day to get things done around the house before we head off for our honeymoon on Wednesday. I started doing yard work at 7:45am and got done around 11am. I would've gone longer but my back was killing me from digging holes and loading Rob's truck with dead branches. After a long, hot bath I went down the mountain to run errands around town, getting things for the trip. I was one pooped puppy after that and some house work so I laid down for about half hour. That really helped! Now I am going to scrapbook until Rob gets home.
Tomorrow I am going to spend the day in Sacto and Wednesday I have appointments before we head out. So, if you don't see anything new after this blog wait until next week. I'm sure I'll have a lot to say about our honeymoon on the East Coast!

Last one...

We have something going every weekend in August so we decided to stay close to home this weekend, relaxing and doing house projects. On Friday we intended to look at SUVs for me, but we ended up getting a great deal on a Yukon. In fact, as you can see, we couldn't pass up the deal so I now have a new SUV! It has a lot of things I liked on my Honda- a sunroof, power everything, multi-disc CD player, etc. Plus, it has SOOOO much more- seat warmers, OnStar, a DVD player, etc. It drives real smooth, like a really big Honda! Now we're set for the winter as far as vehicles go.
As I mentioned, we also did house projects. I like color so I planted some new plants in our "rock garden" (The previous owners must've loved rocks because, other than weeds, that's all there is.) Then, today after church, I bought more plants to plant next to the rock wall. I can't wait to have more color, other than what the weeds provide! On top of that we also put together a dog kennel for Roxy. (What a fun experience!!) I hate keeping her pinned up but I have no choice once I go back to work next month. Tomorrow, I will finish the dog kennel and planting the bushes. Then, other than the fence, we'll be done for awhile.
Today we relaxed and watched the second half of NASCAR (I am glad Kyle Busch didn't win!) Then Rob treated me to a movie, the first one we've seen at a theater in months. Now I am going to end this so I can clean up from dinner and work on my parents' wedding scrapbook. Ah, another good weekend.....

"My" Paint

I was in the house and could hear horses outside at dusk. I ran out to the balcony to see that "my" paint had returned. It was light enough to take pictures so now I can share her with you. Rob tried to rope her and joked around about keeping her in the garage until we finished our fence. I was worried he'd scare her enough not to come back though. Hopefully she'll come around on a regular basis because she's by far my favorite!

A Beautiful Life

This morning I decided to drive to Sacramento to surprise my mom, who continues to have setbacks from her surgery (Please pray for her). After spending most of the day relaxing with her and helping with what little I could, I made the drive home (I can't believe I used to not think twice about doing it at least once a week while Rob and I were dating!). When I got home my wonderful husband was putting away the clean dishes and grilling steaks on his new BBQ. After dinner we talked and thoroughly enjoyed each other's company. Now, to end the day, I am looking out over the balcony watching the most beautiful Paint I have ever seen graze on our land. The pictures I took didn't do her justice so hopefully she comes back so I can take more. What a great day with the people I love and the love of my life. God is good!

Mustang Mystery

I have now had two Sacramento friends come visit. One of my friends came up today with her dog and hung out. I get so excited to have friends visit and see our house, but I also get excited for them to see the wild mustangs since that is not an everyday occurance in Sacramento. Unfortunately, the mustangs have not been cooperating. There were two last week when Marisa came up, but they were a ways away. Today Kirsti didn't even get to see any until she was leaving the highlands... after spending the day at the house! I guess that's the joy of wild animals- they come and go as THEY please, not on our schedules! At least my friends get to see the nice views from the house and I get to spend time with my friends so that is what matters.

What a weekend!

I love the weekend because I get to spend more time with Rob. But, this weekend was a great combination of relaxing and social engagements. Friday night Rob went down the mountain for awhile so I rented a couple "chick flicks" and watched one. Saturday morning, while Rob was at work, I had a lazy morning and watched the other one.Once he got off work, we picked up his new BBQ and got to use it with our friends, Matt and Jena, last night for dinner. They brought their kids, who enjoyed the house and Rob's NASCAR collection. It's been nice having friends come over for dinner so they can see the house.
Today was yet a new adventure for me. A bullfighter was killed a couple weeks ago doing what he loved and there was a memorial rodeo for him. Rob is mentoring a high school kid that wanted to ride. So, we picked him up and took him to the rodeo. (On the way to get him we saw a hot air balloon descending in front of a beautiful mountainous landscape). We left early enough to make it to "Cowboy Church". If you have not been to "Cowboy Church" I believe everyone should experience it at least once. People sit on bales of hay, the chaplain wears Wranglers and reads from the Cowboy Bible, and in the background you can hear the bulls in the chutes. Although I didn't take away much from the sermon, I really enjoyed experiencing the whole thing.
Now, to end our great weekend, we are listening to the rainstorm outside while watching our favorite show, "Army Wives". This storm has a lot of thunder and lightning that I've enjoyed. After a few times of the lightning striking and me saying,"Wow! That was a good one!" Rob asked if I planned to say that every time it struck. What can I say? I am fascinated with lightning (although Roxy doesn't like the thunder that accompanies it!)
I absolutely love weekends like this!!!

Beautiful

We love many things about our home, but one thing we really enjoy is the view. Last night Rob called me out to the back balcony to look at the full moon rising up behind the mountains. It was too beautiful not to share so enjoy!

Yardwork...

For the past week I have actually been getting bored during the day while Rob is at work. The house is clean, errands are ran and laundry is done. So, I decided to take on a big project and clean up the property. I have only put in a couple hours worth of work so far but I've accomplished a lot. I have been pulling up dead branches and raking pine cones into piles so we can fill up Rob's truck and dump everything by the fire station. Roxy is being a good helper by digging holes where the old stumps were to make sure no critters have been left behind...for her entertainment purposes.
I don't know if I'll be able to clean up all the property by the time school starts but at least I'm getting rid of the stuff close to the house that would help prevent fire danger. The way I see it is that I'm getting a good workout and being productive all at the same time. Well, the dead branches are calling....

OUCH!!

I have been doing exercise type activities that my body is just not used to and today I am paying the price. I tried Hot Yoga a few days ago, where the room is set at about 110 degrees then humidity is thrown into the mix. We did yoga in this room for 1 1/2 hours. It was the most intense workout I've ever done, but I was glad that I was able to do it my first time. Afterwards I could ring my clothes out because they were so drenched in sweat (As gross as that sounds, I didn't know it was possible to sweat that much!).
Then, yesterday I rode my dirtbike in the morning, did a couple hours worth of heavy yard work in the afternoon and went horseback riding. No wonder my hindquarters and back are so sore today. I like variety in my workout, though, so I guess I'll just have to cowgirl up, lay off the yardwork and exercise today and know tomorrow I won't be as sore...hopefully!!

My husband rocks!!!

In my opinion, I have the best husband! Yesterday he called to tell me he was going to take me on a surprise date in Truckee. When he got home from work he informed me that we would be going on a horseback ride through Apline Meadows. He is helping me overcome my fear of horses so we can get horses someday. So, after working a 10 hour day full of hard physical labor he met me at the stables for a two hour ride. He could've easily come home and rested, but he knew this is something we'd both enjoy!
The ride was so beautiful,peaceful and fun! For the first time ever, I was completely at ease on the horse. My horse, Mae, was mellow and good with me. The only problem is that she ate a lot on the ride, which she wasn't supposed to do. But, I was afraid that if I pulled her reins too hard she would buck me. The part that made me really as ease was when she stopped to relieve herself and let out the longest, loudest fart I've ever heard. I couldn't stop laughing, especially since Rob was down wind. After that I knew I'd be okay.
Who knows? After a few more rides like today I may even be a pro...ha!

Summer Storm

I had a friend come up from Sacramento for the day so I wasn't really paying attention to the weather. When she left, I sat down to relax and saw threatening clouds outside. Much to my enjoyment, it began pouring down rain. The thunder and lightning has since been added into the mix. Since I am not from the South, it is hard to fathom being in a house that is 90 degrees while it's pouring down rain outside. But, that's what is happening now and I love it...pending no fires from the lightning! Hopefully it'll cool the house down as well and I can have a good night's sleep.

PART 2.... So, it ended up raining for almost an hour and I'm not talking about a little drizzle. It came with hail, wind, the works! I made a pot of coffee and sat on the couch, enjoying the sound of pouring rain. A HUGE plus is that our house temp dropped to the 70s....WAHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We may even be able to sleep in our own bed tonight instead of the guest room in the "basement" as Jay calls it.

Romantic Getaway

Rob always treats me well, but this week he has really been spoiling me. He brought me roses one day, left me a beautiful card the next. But, the icing on the cake was when he suggested we go get a room for the night in Truckee. Our house was 90 degrees one night this week when we were going to bed and we wanted to get away from the heat. So, we ended up going to Truckee last night. We got a great room with a well powered air conditioner! The ironic thing is that we sat in the hottub before we went to bed. But, I guess since our thermostat was set at 58 degrees in the room we made up for it. It would've been perfect if Rob hadn't had to leave for work early this morning, but I was just happy that we were able to get away and sleep in a cool room.

The smoke, The Shack and No sleep....

Well, I had another sleepless night last night. I don't know if it's because of the thick layer of smoke that seems to permanently cover the Reno area and California or because of a troubling book I'm reading. Either way, it's getting annoying to go to bed tired and "wake up" exhausted!
I just started a book called The Shack by William Young. It is one of the most well written novels I have ever picked up. However, it is also very disturbing. Since I have an active imagination, reading a book about a little girl getting kidnapped does nothing to help me sleep better at night. I had a nightmare last night that it was me that was kidnapped and then I couldn't go back to sleep. (I am sure Rob is getting frustrated with waking up only to find me upstairs on the couch!!)
I came upstairs (We are still sleeping downstairs because it is SOMEWHAT cooler down there) and I was going to sit on the deck to have some quiet time. Although, I guess it's pretty quiet anywhere at 3:30am. Anyway, the smoke was so thick I didn't want to step foot outside. As bad as it is here, I heard it's SOOOOO much worse in Sacramento. I guess I will find out in a few hours when I go see my mom, who is recovering from surgery. I pray that the fires end soon and the air quality gets back to normal for a lot of reasons!
Please keep the residents that are having to evacute and for the firefighters that are trying to save land and homes in your thoughts and prayers. For once, I can't even imagine how horrible that is!!

INSOMNIA!!!!!

Have you ever had trouble falling asleep, no matter what "sleep tricks" you try? That happened to me last night, but it was partly my fault. I asked Rob to make some sweet tea because it was so hot yesterday. I know my body doesn't handle caffeine well after dinner (yes, I sound like an old lady) but I couldn't help myself. I had 3glasses of the stuff, right up until 8:30!!! Needless to say, I tossed and turned until 1:30, at which time I gave up and got out of bed. It was so hot in our house last night since we don't have a/c that we even went downstairs to "Jay's room" where it was cooler. We each had a fan blowing on us but it didn't help me.
So, at 1:30am I came upstairs and watched "Happy Days", "Judge Mathis" and two hours of news re-runs. I also Googled everything that came to mind. In fact, I found out some interesting stuff on pregnancy should the Lord ever bless us with that. It was enough to turn my stomach, but not enough to make me scared of it.
Anyway, I finally fell asleep around 4am, which is close to the time Rob wakes up for work. He was so sweet, though, and turned off the alarm I had set for him so it wouldn't wake me up. Then he quietly got ready for work, making sure not to wake me up. When I woke up an hour later I was worried he had overslept but he was already gone for the day. I missed saying good-bye to him! Hopefully tonight will be different and I will be able to have a good night's sleep, even with the heat! (I won't drink sweet tea either)

Roxy, the country canine

So, Roxy has gotten used to country living...maybe a little too much! She now likes to kill any insect within her reach in the house. Tonight, when we were walking the property (of course she had her log in her mouth) she ran over to a tree. She started burrowing her head under the tree. That's when I heard an animal noise. Before I could get there, Roxy lifted something in the air and watched it fall to the ground. To my dismay, it was a newborn bunny. It didn't even have its eyes open yet. I got her away from the hole before she could kill any others but it broke my heart. Rob informed me that a coyote or snake or any other type of animal would probably find the baby bunnies but I don't want Roxy to be a bunny killer. So, she may have to be trained to be a country canine in a different way....like chasing lizards or mice! I can't handle her killing the cute country animals!!!

Rob, the bull rider....

Well, Rob got to ride a bull after all. He ended up riding in a Mexican rodeo in Truckee. It was interesting to say the least, mainly because we didn't understand anything that was being said. Rob was impressive, though, and came in 3rd!! The first ride, I was a nervous wreck but by the second ride I felt like a pro so I enjoyed it. I was the proud wife, cheering him on and praying for his safety. Once again, Rob amazed me!