Gainesville Date...

For those who may not know, I grew up in Oklahoma. Braum's ice cream is just about on every corner in Oklahoma. Therefore, I grew up thoroughly enjoying Braum's Ice Cream. Yet, my family moved from Oklahoma and since then I have not had any Braum's ice cream. So, Ryan told me earlier this week that he would take me to Braum's for an ice cream date. I was so excited all week! We have a Braum's in Gainesville because we live close to Oklahoma and Gainesville is off of I-35.

So, yesterday, Ryan and I decided we would go out to eat too in order to make the date more of an event. Yet, in Gainesville, there are not many restaurants. In fact, we asked a local where a good place to eat out would be and he just shrugged his shoulders and said he didn't know of a very good place, ha! There are a few chain restaurants, like chili's and applebee's. So, inevitably, we went to Chili's. Once there we decided to do the 2 entrees for $20. You get an appetizer, two entrees and a dessert! Well, this meant that we had to count out Braum's :( But, I made that decision... I just got myself 2 dates instead of just one! (see that's how you work it)

When we got our food we realized how big of portions and how greasy they can make it! We ate, had a good time, but left stuffed. Well, no date is complete in Gainesville without a trip to Walmart. I needed some groceries so Ryan got to experience the Gainesville Walmart experience with me for once. I get that pleasurable experience every week. Now Ryan knows why I hate walmart people :)

Finally, we made the trek back to our humble trailer. It was not until we got home that we realized how redneck our date was, ha! chili's, walmart, back to the trailer.

We thought it was humorous, I hope you do too :)

Lyndon Rife

Lyndon Rife is my new dressage trainer. I have been riding with him for about a month now. He is very well known and extremely talented in riding, training, and teaching dressage.

This last wednesday he was in a horseback riding accident. I saw his wife today, she taught me a lesson, but I know that they are having a really tough time. Here is a link to his website:

http://www.lyndonrifedressage.com/

Dressage Daily wrote an article about him. He and his wife are in need of help in covering the medical bills. Here is a link to the article:

http://www.dressagedaily.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4588:09rife&catid=223:october-2009

I have not known them long, but they are wonderful people! I have been wondering what I can do to help them, so I thought I would put this on here in hopes that it may help.

Family Time!

Ryan and I were to blessed to have a horse show in Katy, TX! It was a short show, we drove down on Wednesday and left Saturday, but we got to stay with my parents. It was quite a commute for Ryan driving from katy to cypress and back daily. For those in Houston it is a normal commute! But when you are used to walking across the street to go to work, it was a bit stressful!

Ryan sadly did not get to much time at home with my family, but he did get to have a night with my dad, full of hot wings, cigars and wine :) Some of Ryan's favorite things, ha!

I thought I would post a picture of my niece and nephew, this is not from our weekend together, we forgot to take pictures! But, some of y'all don't know them, they are a lot of fun! We went to outlet mall together where they are sure to get cookies and starbucks, ha! They get the chocolate milk at starbucks, not coffee!! Thursday night we had a mock Thanksgiving meal together. Ryan and I will be at a horse show in OKC so we will miss Thanksgiving. We had the most amazing ham EVER with a cranberry sauce glaze. Complete with sweet potatoe soufle, pumkin pie, and stuffing. It was absolutely delicious! So delicious that the next day my sister and I just ate the ham right out of the container for lunch, we didnt even grab plates or any sides, we just ate the ham and that was it for lunch!

Friday my mom gave me some sewing lessons :) I still have not fixed the sewing machine that was given to me for free. And yes, it was quite an amazing thing. Maybe when I get it working I will post the story about it on here. Anywho, I have some crafty ideas and needed to learn how to do some things before I can make it. Friday night, the girls went out to Lupe Tortilla and then to Michael's starbucks. We had a blast together!

As far at the horse show went. Ryan's boss, Patrice, got second in the futurity on a horse name Rambler. He was tied for first in a four way tie, when one of the guys he was tied with (Nathan Piper, the guy that helped Ryan find this job) came in on his last horse and beat them all! It was a nice day for Nathan! Pat's other horses only did okay. They are all tough rides and have been having some problems in the show ring, but hopefully that will be fixed by the time the big futurity comes up!

Next stop is Ardmore, OK this Sunday. We will be taking our "home" with us! I just have to laugh at that! But the plus side is, we don't have to pack. We just need to fill up the tires, secure everything in place and we are good to go.

These Days

I just need to take a moment and boast in the Lord. His creation is so beautiful! And yet, I know that it in no way compares to the Glory, Beauty and Majesty of the Lord!

Lately, here in Gainesville, TX, God has given us the most beautiful days! We have had blue skies, 70-75 degree temperatures and always a flowing breeze. Every morning I just can't wait to go out and run! The horses are feeling good and running around. I decided to take a few pictures of the ranch yesterday of what I run by. I wish these pictures could do it justice, although they are not the mountains, they are still beautiful!

Ryan and I have also found that the sunsets here on the ranch just get better and better every evening. Hopefully I will remember to capture those and put them on here!



For the past month, Ryan and I have been attending The Village Church in Denton, TX. We have always enjoyed and learned a lot from the pastor, Matt Chandler, through his poscasts. Yet, now we are able to be part of this body. We have been wanting to get connected to some people there so badly. Sunday night we went to a homegroup for young married couples. It was amazing! We are reading "This Momentary Marriage" by John Piper. Our group was so full of God-centered discussion! We all shared our testimonies and I feel we really got to know each other well through that. It is so fun to see the body of Christ, how everyone is SOOO different, yet the Lord brings us together in unity for His Glory!

We are excited to connect with people outside of the horse industry here. It is a good reminder that horses are not the meaning of life, they are only a means of bringing the gospel to people who do not know the Lord.

I am finally working on some really fun crafts, they are mainly all Christmas presents, so I cannot post them on here for quite some time! Yet, I am excited to give them to everybody

AJAX

I am so sorry that this has taken me so long. I have been wanting to introduce this lovely little friend of mine for some time now. I do not have the excuse of being too busy to post on here, so I am not sure what other excuse to give other than I just haven't.

This little donkey is named Ajax. He came from the vet, needing a home and Pat took him to watch over the mares and babies. Donkeys are very protective of their herds and will fight off coyotes and other predators. I know, this is very shocking, but they can be very vicious.

Ryan and I have noticed that people up here in Gainesville seem to have a fetish with donkeys, they are EVERYWHERE! And most of the donkeys are fat. We have a quite exceptional donkey, I believe he is the most cellulite enhanced of them all. Sadly, he has been lame. He has really bad feet so he has been in the stall for awhile. He misses his mares so you hear him "Hee-Hah" all day long. The best part is that the mexican guys that dont speak much English do impressions of him, and well, it's hilarious!

This next photo emphasizes his cellulite booty.



You really have to see him in person, he is quite a site. I will have more posts coming up soon.

Tulsa Reining Classic

Ryan and I just returned from our first reining horse show with Ryan's new employer, Patrice St. Onge. It was a very long week for Ryan. He would wake up at 4 AM to go ride horses and stay up at the show grounds usually until 9 at night, or later! He was one tired man when I finally got to see him this last wednesday. By the time I got there his schedule slowed down a bit.

One of my favorite parts of the show is when Andrea Fippani and Big Chex to Cash did a clinic for people to learn from. He rode a young horse and Big Chex (a well known stallion that has won A LOT) and talked with everyone to teach them. I learned a lot from him! I had been wondering about a lot of things Ryan was doing and after hearing Andrea it explained a lot to me. Here is a link to Andrea and big chex:

http://www.bigchextocash.com/Home.html

Also, the first one hundred kids to come got a breyer horse that looks like big chex, I thought that was a cute idea! Sadly I did not take any pictures myself. I totally forgot!

Ryan and I met a lot of people, trainers, wives of trainers, the guy that drags the arena at just about every horse show, etc. We had a blast! But we are glad to be back "home."

My AMAZING cappuchino maker

This is my Phenominal cappuchino maker. It is called Mukka Express, made by Bialetti in Italy. I received it as a wedding present, I believe from the Decrosta family. It looks like a simple stove top espresso maker, yet it is so much more!

The inovative part in it is the pressure valve that causes the milk to froth up to make your delicious cappuchino. All you do is take it apart, put water in the bottom portion. Then you place a piece on top of it and fill that with finely ground espresso. Then screw the top on, turn the pressure valve into place, fill it with milk and place it on the stove top. Within 5 minutes you hear the pressure valve open and the coffee begins to swirl to the top causing the milk to froth on top of it! It makes two VERY small cups, so I usually just put it all into one. It tastes like it is straight out of Italy (which I can say that because I have had cappuchinos in Italy).

One thing that Ryan and I had noticed in Italy and in Austria is that no matter where you went you could find AMAZING coffee and cappuchinos. From coffee shops, to hotels, to restaurants, even gas stations! It was not the nasty gas station coffee that you see here that was brewed 8 hours ago. It is always fresh. So this little machine has brought that same amazing cappuchino to our home. I highly recomment one to you! And if you want to make a trip up to North Texas I could even make you one!