I am Gini's favorite!

I AM Gini's favorite! I have proof!

Regionals

I know, I know, I havn't written here in months. Probably no one will read this, but I may as well post it so I have it. 

Ian went to regionals back in November and won Men's Preliminary Trot. Again, we are VERY proud of him. However, I did not get to watch as I got stuck in the barrel arena helping the judge.  I was ANGRY! But at least Brian videoed it for me. 
This is one of the first times Ian has ever vaulted on Max, so you can see him crawling up him. Max is a 17+ hand horse, so very tall.  He's also the most gentle, sweet natured creature in exsistance.

Since this time Ian has tried out for a position in team vauting in his club. There are 6 people on the team, onlt 3 of which will be on the horse at a time, Ian will be a "base" which means he's at the one that helps the "flyers" get up in the air. Basicly, he's the muscle. He's the youngest and at the same time the biggest and strongest on his team. What an amazing kid.

Nationals 2011

Well, it seems we have a National Champion in the family now.  Yup, Ian took nationals in Men's Preliminary Trot winning first in both Compulsories and Freestyle.  We are stinkin' proud of him.  Here are the links to the videos first is compulsories and the next is freestyle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6lOeIYjg6c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cS6367dS57o

More book winning!

Go here!
http://veschwab.wordpress.com/2011/07/25/1wtnw-or-the-final-epic-giveaway-of-epicness/#comment-5827

Friday Confessions With HOT DOGS!

 

I confess:

I haven't done this in a while. Life has been busy. But, I want to assure you I haven't died and there will be a stunning revelation that will change Hot Dogs forever for you. Promise!

 

I confess:

My sweet darling hubby had knee surgery this week and I keep expecting him to be a baby about it.  He's not, which is a relief, however I keep thinking back to the last time I had surgery, I had my tonsils out and I am pretty sure I was a big baby about the whole ordeal.  (Sorry Love!)

 

I confess:

I read a really good book this week.  Apparently it's a New York Times best seller and one of those books EVERYBODY is reading.  It's called "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett.  Excellent read.  Some language, and one very graphic part. But I read it in about 5 hours because I could not put it down.  Its about being a black housekeeper in Jackson Miss. in the 1960s.  When there were the race riots and Martin Luther King's march in DC. And how these women survived and what they had to put up with. The only bad thing about it is it ends rather abruptly. But it's still a fascinating read.

 

I confess:

My son goes back to school on Tuesday and I am sad.  I like having him around.  It will be nice to not have to worry about telling him to not slam the door so he doesn't wake up his sister, but otherwise, I'm going to miss him. I can't believe he's in THIRD GRADE! I hate year-around school!

 

I confess:

Okay here's the good part. The bit about hot dogs.  I bought a Hot Dog Toaster! It is wonderful!

You pop in a couple of dogs and a couple of buns and, Voila!, instant lunch! Ian loves it because he can do it himself when ever he likes.  And I like it 'cause it makes good tasting dogs.  I don't like them boiled, and they're too messy in the microwave and I don't like getting a pan dirty for hot dogs.  The best part is, I got it for less than $20! Yay me!

Win a book!

Check it out!
http://veschwab.wordpress.com/2011/07/18/2wtnw-%e2%80%93-the-ya-rebels-giveaway/

High School Library NEEDS BOOKS. How You Can Help.

 I came accross a cause that is near and dear to my heart. A high school library in DC has (count 'em) 63 books, and 77 more in the area of "Pure Science"  I have a more extensive library Than that in my own home! I'm betting you do too.  Here is the original post with what you can do to help.

http://www.frenzyofnoise.net/2011/07/high-school-library-needs-books-how-you.html

While I was in classes a few weeks ago, I had this huge (kinda funny to me) realization. All week everyone kept talking about community. Saying "this is the place you'll build a lifeline." All week I was that smug girl who's said to myself: I have that. Because I do have that. I have it in bloggers, in readers, in writers, in authors, in twitter. I know I have people.

I know I'm part of a community that bans together to stand up for literary injustice, backlash, plagarism and everything in between. We build hashtags on twitter and give small ideas a way to be big. We're awesome.

That's why when the director of my MFA program sent us an email about a book drive, I knew I had to bring the need to my community. This community. Why? Well...

"The literature section of Ballou Senior High School's library in Washington, DC has 63 books, not enough to fill five small shelves. In the area marked "Pure Science," there are 77 volumes. The generally accepted standard for school libraries is 11 books for each of Ballou's 1,104 students."

THAT'S WHY.

It's completely unacceptable that a high school is lacking a basic need of life, a need that opens the doors to education, creativity and imagination---books. And this is the time for all of us to step up, to ban together, to help out. No matter what genre you read, because they need everything.

This selection I take out of the email from my program director because he says it better than I ever could.

"It's a challenge for kids to take their literacy seriously when they don't even have books to read. Ballou is located in the most dangerous ward in our nation's capitol. Right now, the library serves as a physical safe space and a refuge for students in off school hours, but wouldn't it be great if they had something to read while they were there--even choices across genre?....This is not the only school in the country with needs, but when the flare went up we saw it and chose to respond."

What they need:

Everything. From Shakespeare to Octavia Butler to Richard Wright. Fantasy, sci-fi, YA, adult fiction, history books, poetry, classic literature, science. Basically anything and everything that's suitable for high school. They will take anything as long as it is in GOOD condition and has no writing in it.

I've asked if they would accept ARCs (new and old), and the director of the book drive, Lisa, said YES. Please note however, that this they really need finished copies. ARCs are fantastic, but the lasting value isn't always standing.

How to donate:

If you have books you want to give, please mail them directly to:

Perry School
c/o Margaret Pegram
128 M St. NW suite 318
Washington, DC 20001

Inside the box put a note that says "c/o Lisa P. Ballou Book Drive".

They will be accepting books until August 22!!

Also, if you'd like to include some kind of quick note for the kids, words of encouragement, that would be awesome!! But it's not mandatory.

Spread the word!

Reblog this post on your blog. Tweet this post. (we're on twitter at #HSBookDrive) Tell everyone. Send books.

This is a chance for our community to step up, to reach out and to provide teens with books. This is why we are here so I challenge you to be part of this. If you can, if you have even one book or a stack of books from that project you finished a year ago, give them. Donating books is not really about the book, but about what happens when someone reads a book. And not even having a chance to read a book is completely devastating to me. I can't even imagine my life without books.

I hope you will help!! Even if you can't send a book--tweet, tell others, and take action.

Anniversary Inn

Brian took me too the Anniversary Inn in Logan, UT for our 15th anniversary.  (Yup, 15 years, Wow!)
Our anniversary is officially not until the 13th but we went early because Brian's folk's were here for Ian's FunFest competition and we had ourselves some built-in overnight babysitters!

If you've never been to the Anniversary Inn, it's a hotel with "theme rooms". We were in the "Biker Roadhouse" room. Why? Um... why not? I know were not exactly "Harley" people, but the room had a pinball machiene, a pool table, a Harley to sit on, a huge spa tub and a huge shower as well as a king sized bed.  And do you know what else it had? It was sooooo cool! A hot dog toaster! You put buns in on either side and two hot dogs in the middle and it toasted the buns and cooked the dogs! I want one!  And they gave us hot dogs to toast! With condiments! So we played pool and pinball, watched TV, ate hotdogs and generally enjoyed ourselves a lot!

Thank-you Brian, I love you forever!

Technique FunFest 7/9/11

http://youtu.be/aQMw1hzDxXY compulsories

http://youtu.be/UdpY3te04FU freestyle

By the way, all the squeaking you hear in the videos is not because Opal needs to be oiled.  There are a bunch of barn swallows who are not happy about all of us invading their home.

 Here is Ian's most recent competition.  He got a blue ribbon level (highest) for his freestyle and a red ribbon level (2nd) for compulsories. He would have gotten a higher one for compulsories but he was trying to do his click (where you push off with your hands on the handles and click your feet behind you and sit back down on the horse) but he got out of alignment and ended up dismounting instead, which was the next move anyway.  But he did awesome, as usual. He loves this sport so much and he really puts a lot of time and effort into it.

Afterwards, Tana rode Opal a little, and as usual, did NOT want to get off.  She is so funny, she ties to do compulsories on the barrel after watching Ian do it, and she wanted to try on Opal too.

Friday Confession!

I CONFESS:
Yesterday was my birthday.  I am officially 39 years old. No, really. That is not a euphemism for 40, I am really 39 and next year I'll 40. I see no point in lying about my age. I'd rather be getting older than not.

I CONFESS:
Yesterday my sweet son brought me breakfast in bed.  I had oatmeal, a glass of milk, and something that could be generously described as coffee. In reality it was warm water with a little coffee flavor and a whole lot of creamer. (Yes, I drank it with a smile.)  I have never had breakfast in bed before, with the exception of when I was too sick to enjoy it. This was much funner as Ian, Tana and one of the cats shared it with me. Amazingly the sheets stayed clean.

I CONFESS:
My darling hubby bought me a Nook Color for my birthday.  I've already bought three books and read one and checked out some from the library.  This is AWESOME!  I love to read. I love books. Now I can take a whole library with me wherever I go!

I CONFESS:
We went to dinner at The Spaghetti Factory. I had the spaghetti with cheese and brown butter.  It was yummy! The funnest part of dinner though, was watching Tana eat. She ate Brian's salad and got dressing all over her face and down her arms and was licking it off her fingers.  Then when he shared his spaghetti with her, she had a hard time getting the noodles in her mouth.  Them guys are LONG!  But she managed!  Finally, we all had ice cream Ian and I had the Neapolitan, and Brian had vanilla.  Tana did not want to share his ice cream, she wanted mine.  I don't blame her Neapolitan is MUCH tastier!

I CONFESS:
So while I had to do things like grocery shop and dishes, it was a great birthday.  I love my family very much and could not possibly ask for a better one!  Thank you Brian, Ian and Tana! I Love you!

I CONFESS:
I used to work as a graphic designer. In the strange, mixed-up company I worked for, IT and graphics were together.  We used to joke that most computer problems could be solved with "Shut-up and reboot!".
I was having a problem with my Nook.  I called customer service. They told me to shut-up and reboot.  Actually, they were much nicer about it but since I felt like such an idiot, that is how my brain translated it.  It's working fine now.