Behind on my Blogging...Oops

But I have a good reason!  It was my much needed Spring Break last week so I was busy.  I spent lots of time with my family and my boyfriend, Brian.  I also got to go shopping with my mom one day, and I rode my horse.  It was a good break, except, it had to end.  Thank goodness there are only seven weeks of school left, though.  Six of those are weeks of classes and the other is the bittersweet week of finals.

Boyfriend?  Yes, that's what I said.  We started talking several weeks ago and recently decided to be a couple.  I am so happy that our friends introduced us because Brian is such a great person and perfect for me.  I got to spend lots of time with him while I was home because he lives in a neighboring town back home.    He is so awesome!

Family time during my break was so nice, too.  I absolutely love being with them.  I especially love meal time with them.  We are all in the kitchen at once and we get to visit with each other.  It's so wonderful and the food at home is so much better than cafeteria food!  One day just my dad and I went to lunch, and it was good because just the two of got to talk about things.  Getting to go shopping with just my mom was fun because we got to chat about everything.  It was also a successful shopping day because we each came home with some cute things.  Erin and I spent most of our time together out riding horses because we both really enjoy it.  Daisy was a good girl while I was home, which made for relaxing riding.

Well, there is a little gist of what I was up to this past week.  Now it's time to say good night, sign off, and go to bed so that I can take on these last few weeks of my sophomore year of college.  Yikes!  I'll be a junior next year! 

Lent 2011

This is day two of Lent 2011, and I am going strong!  This year I decided to give up ice cream and chocolate.  I may end up regretting this, and many others may not be happy with me because I am predicting that I will have a hand full of cranky days.  Don't cross my path!  But, I did give up ice cream last year and did just fine.  I should be able to handle it again.  The chocolate part may not be so easy, though.  I didn't prepare for giving up chocolate like I did for giving up ice cream.  I had ice cream every night for a week before Wednesday.  I had to get my fill!  I had chocolate the day before and it ended up being a very disappointing treat.  It wasn't as good tasting as I wanted it to be.  So maybe I am not going as strong as I think I am.  Currently, I am craving some good chocolate.  I will make it, though!

March 5th

I went home over the weekend for a schooling horse show.  When I got home, I wasn't sure if I would show or just help.  Well...my mom helped me make my decision.  When I got to the show, she happily told me I was signed up for 5 classes!  Whoa! Back up this horse!  I was about to show in 5 classes on Erin's horse HotRod, and I had only ridden my horse, Daisy, once since August because I've been at school.  I said okay to my mom but wondered what I was agreeing to.  My mom assured me the classes were all walk trot classes and that HotRod would know what to do, which I knew he would be a good boy. 

So a little while later I strapped on some spurs and put on a cowgirl hat.  Then I climbed on to HotRod, Erin gave me some tips, and we headed into the arena.  I won the class!  Well, actually, HotRod deserves most of the credit.  He is a cool horse who knows what to do in the show ring and takes care of his rider.  This class and the next one were walk trot classes. 

Now let's remember it's been a few months since I've ridden, therefore, I was feeling a little sore by the time I had shown in two classes.  I was going to scratch the next classes, but the woman running the gate convinced me to go in so that they didn't have to cancel the class.  I agreed to go in because I knew the others in the class wanted to do it for practice.  So there I was up on HotRod heading into the ring when my mom yells across the, "Cara, why are you going in?  You don't know how to lope HotRod!"  Whoa!  My mom was right I didn't know how to lope him, yet she had signed me up.  I thought oh boy what am I getting into.  Erin quickly gave me some pointers and with courage I headed into the arena.  At first, he wouldn't lope for me but then he did!

It was a victorious moment when HotRod began to lope for two reasons.  That was the first time I had ever loped him.  Second, it was the first time I had ever loped a horse in a show ring setting.  And I got to do it all on HotRod.  I didn't get a ribbon from the judge but I gave myself and invisible one.  I'm pretty proud of myself for being brave and going in there, and I accomplished two things at once!  It was a good weekend!