Thursday, March 29, 2007

Back to Buksbari!

So my riding instructor cancelled lessons until the week of March 26th. I'm back now! I volunteer on Thursdays and have my lesson on Thursdays, so I was there today from 3:45 to 7:20. Jennifer rides on Thursdays too! I got to see her, and we've started doing Natural Horsemanship too. She only taught the friendly and porcupine games, pushing passenger and one rein stops today... but she said she's gonna gradually teach the games until we have them all down. I'm hoping she'll try to move along fast, because I know all 7 games! *sobs with desperation* But she did help me to realize that Cowgirl was dashing to the side of the poles when I was going over at a trot, BECAUSE I MYSELF was tense!

I can think "Naturally" (aka- w/Natural Horsemanship), and if you give me a situation- I can bail you out with NH....I just have troubles remembering and keeping all the "Natural Ways of Thinking" in my head when riding!

BTW, I have no saddle at the moment that fits my horse, so I get to focus solely on Parelli NH groundwork YAY! He needs it too, the little pookey. The pic is of us JUST the other day, w/Sabina!

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Zaide and Malik


I seriously cannot remember WHEN but here's the SHORT version of Zaide and Malik's story:

Buttercup gave birth to two baby boy goats, but didn't know exactly what to do with them. She licked them a little bit, and stayed with them, but really didn't know what to do beyond that. Well, they were both still in the sac, and Zaide wasn't really doing well. Malik was on his feet like a normal kid, but they were both very weak - too weak to nurse even. Zaide would lay there with his head bent back (just like our other goat kid Ginger before we had to put her down), looking dead other than him breathing. Mom said we might oughta just leave them, but I couldn't! It made me cry they were just so small and pitiful. So I milked Buttercup and fed them. Zaide wouldn't suck the bottle, he was probably close to death; Malik sucked greedily. Well, the SECOND time I fed them, Zaide finally was sucking the bottle!

To sum it up, they're both alive and healthy. Another baby, Sugar, (whose mother neglected her and her brother, so they were adopted by Piper who had one boy) was starving to death literally. Those two male kids were sucking Piper dry so there wasn't anything for Sugar. So now we put Buttercup up three times a day in the milking stand so Sugar can nurse. Zaide also nurses on her (then I feed him because he doesn't get enough), but Malik is totally dependent on a bottle (and us!). They follow me around EVERYWHERE, especially Malik. He's discovered how to get out of the gate and will follow me into the house! They're so darlin'!
(top one is Malik, second one is Zaide--they were about to follow me out the gate!)

Hiking! (and a wee bit of randomness)

First, let me explain the randomness: I'm in my mom's office and her analog clock just went buzerk. It started spinning around REALLY REALLY fast, changing the time. OH! It just hit me- it sets itself. *dies* Well, let's just say that analog clocks resetting themselves is a LITTLE scary when you first witness it. *shivers* I really had NO idea what was going on.

Okay so "Hiking!" well, for Youth Conference this year we're having a trek. I'm not sure how many miles it is, but we're pushing actual handcarts filled with our stuff and food for probably about...25 miles is my guess. Anyways, I need to get in shape! I'm sick and tired of walking up the hill at Virginia Western and being so out of breath that I'm embarassed. (and yes, this year I've been diligently parking ACROSS the street instead of anderson's parking lot) Not only that, but- I enjoy hiking! I enjoy walking outSIDE! It all started with:

I went to Mary J's and she takes walks on her VERY convenient and secluded walking path (consisting of: her extremely long driveway, her neighbor's extremely long driveway, and the two ginormous fields of her neighbor's). Then, I come home and Bonnie's at my house the next day. Well, we all know Bonnie's lovely-super-skinny and ultra-high-metabolized, plus she loves working, walking, and basically anything physically challenging. So her and I took an HOUR long walk on Sunday and - while it was thoroughly exhausting - it made me excited and I enjoyed it! Since then, I've been doing exercise videos Monday, Wednesday and Fridays along with pilates ab moves M,W,F, eating LESS (yes Sarah! I'm doing so good!) and healthier, and being more active overall.

SO, Bonnie's been dying to go hiking this summer, and I said I'd like to go. In July we're planning on a three day-two night 27-30 mile hike on the Appalachian Trail. Do not gawk, gasp, etc. THEIR Girls Camp's 4th Year hike is 27 miles two nights, three days. The 3rd year hike is the one *I* went on and it was one night 12 miles or something. But anyhoo, I need to get in shape for that too!

I'm gonna start hiking every Friday or Saturday at Waid, the Parkway, or the Cascades, etc. This Friday I invited everyone at seminary (4 consented to go) to come to Waid and go hiking. I'm so excited! I'm anxious to get started too! This is my third week of exercising, and I made a deal w/mom that once I've exercised for three weeks I can get new shoes. I probably should get some sort of hiking shoe, but I want some walking shoes too.

I'll be sure to take pictures and post them!

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Friendship? I don't think--

Gollee, I do get tired of being a friend sometimes! This is what *I* imagine a friend is supposed to do:

1. Be there for your friend
2. Understand when something's wrong and what it is with your friend
3. Help your friend to become a better person
4. Pick them up when they're down (make them happy)
5. BE their friend, CONTACT them, CALL them up, INITIATE a hangout time
6. And when they trust you enough to tell you a secret about an interest, or something personal, be nice and don't crack jokes or let your disgusted feelings with their choice show
7. MOST OF ALL--Believe them when they say that you'll "Have a good time" or that "Yes girl, you are pretty" or that "I'm not sure if you'd be happy with them"
8. And when they tell you to try and be optimistic, then BY golly DON'T JOKE and actually BE optimistic- that MIGHT actually BE what they meant!!!


***inserts exasperated sigh here*** Oh well, at least I have my family. They're the only ones that I can STAND for longer than a couple of minutes! Soon, I'm going to construct the "Bruingtonappolis" and no one is allowed unless they're Bruington or married-into-Bruington blood. Then I shall be content. >.<

Friday, March 16, 2007

The Beginning...

...of a new blog. Xanga was wonderful, great, not to mention FUN while everyone was there. We commented, read, enjoyed, laughed and blogged together. Then MySpace took over! No more blogging, just stupid bulletins stuffed with nonsense posted everyday. BARF! I blogged a little there, but the clutter of everything else was too distracting. Going back to my xanga, I posed a few but it wasn't the same without everyone else's xanga comments. *sigh*

So then Sarah started blogging here and I like it! Now I am here, and this is where I'll stay.

hahahaha, I'm such a dork. xP