October

This month was filled with horses, much the same as every other month! Sophia went on a trail ride with her 4H group. It was a cold and windy day. We left the trail ride and headed to the new barn for a dressage show.  She earned a 1st place ribbon for that and also competed in the Hunter Jumper show at the old barn.

I was not able to be at the Hunter Jumper show because I was running a Girl Scout event. I dropped you off at 6:30 in the morning, watched you warm up and then headed out knowing that your coach, Carolyn would keep you safe. You went home with your friend Rachel until I was done with the all day Girl Scout event. This was the first show you have done with Navajo since last November. He was out all spring series and you were at Comic-a-con for the September show. You did incredibly well. You took home two first place ribbons and one second place. You were grand champion for the division. It was quite the comeback.

You took your first Pony Club rating. They tested you at the D3 level for knowledge and flat riding and D2 for jumping and cross county. You have never done cross country so without that background you can't do the full D3 test for the discipline. I am sure you will be able to earn this rating come spring.

She is riding a new horse for dressage at her old barn. She loves working with Arrow.

Steve and I celebrated our 15 year anniversary. He gave me beautiful diamond earrings. I had always worn the pair my brother and I gave my mother many moons ago when we both started working as teens. I always wore one of those diamond earrings in my second hole. I lost one at the hairdresser last year. In September I went to the hairdresser with the last of my mother's earrings in and decided I would keep it safe and put it in my pocket. Only I came home and threw my jeans in the laundry and the earring fell out. I was so upset because these earrings were special to me. I never will forget my brother and I going to the store every week to put money down on the earrings. My mother never really wanted anything but that year she talked about wanting diamond earrings. My brother and I were so excited about this gift. One morning my father, who suspected what we were getting my mother for Christmas, asked us about it. He had bought earrings too. We were devastated. But he took us to the store. He said that we would give her the bigger of the two earrings, which was his. He then gave us the extra money so we could buy a matching diamond necklace for my mother. My mother loved both gifts.  Now the earrings Steve gave me have a story behind them too. I will treasure them always and put them in the jewelry box every time I go to the hair dresser!

We went to visit Angie at school one weekend. Tracey and Danielle were there too. We took Danielle home with us and she spent a couple days with us. it was nice having her with us. I hope she is able to visit more often now that she is out of college.  Sophia and Danielle had fun making bath bombs.

I finally caught our un-invited guest gardener in action. The flowers and plants in the front were all being trimmed by this mystery gardener. Guess there is less weeding for me to do now.

Our furry family members are all happy. Gracie likely has Cushings Disease. We are trying to decide if we are going to treat it because it is expensive and the medicine can be hard to get right without extensive testing. She is almost 15 years old.  Gracie loves the cats and always tries to chase them.