Saddle Pictures

Here are some pictures of the saddle I received from my step dad. I still have yet to do anything with it. I can't afford to repair or fix it up, let alone have someone else do it. I need to the research to see what I could be able to do on my own. I know that it is already in bad shape, but I don't want to do more harm than good. If you have suggestions, I would be glad to hear them!

Saddle:Part two

So in my last post, I promised pictures of the saddle I got. For some crazy reason though, the computer is not wanting to upload my pictures. I guess I will have to try again, or find another way....

Summer Project: researching saddle repair

One evening, I was at my mom's house. My step-dad, Jeff, made the comment he had something old for me. He went to the storage shed behind the garage and came back a few moments later with an old, worn out saddle. He and his brother had been cleaning out their dad's sheds and found this saddle. Jeff said it had no family ties or family history. It was mine if I wanted to take the time to figure out how to clean it up, fix it up and either keep it or sell it when I was done. Granted, knowing nothing on how to repair a saddle, I'm taking the time to research how much I can do myself and getting help when there's something I'm unable to do. I'm excited to take on the task of fixing up this saddle. I'm going to be taking pictures as I go. (Pictures to come)

It's been over a year since I last posted anything. I have lost about 30 lbs and would still like to lose another 15-20 lbs. In August, I moved to a different town for 6 months and met some wonderful people. I even made friends with a few South Africans (who happened to be married to some of my friends) and I was able to learn some of their language. I plan on furthering my learning of Afrikaans because not only do I find it interesting, but then I can be able to talk with my South African friends in their language and not just in English.

This past year, I also learned how to be a stronger, tougher, and wiser person. A guy I dated treated me like I was nothing. He made me feel so small and insignificant. To him, I could never do anything right. Many times, the way he said things was almost so subtle that I missed it or if I had caught what he meant, I wasn't sure if others heard. I was starting to feel like I was going crazy. On the night of my 30th birthday, I had invited my family and a few close friends over to my mom's house. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves from what I could tell. My family and friends were picking up on some of the things he was saying to me, and they didn't like how I was being treated. Towards the end of the evening, something changed. The guy I was dating decided out of the blue that he and my out of town friends needed to leave. He told me I made him look bad in front of my parents after we left. The next day when I asked my parents about it, they said he had made his own self look bad.

It took me about another 4 months or so to finally end the relationship entirely and cut off all ties. I remember telling friends to never put up with an abusive person, whether it was physical, mental, emotional, or otherwise. But here I was going back over and over several times. I am thankful I finally got the common sense God intended me to have to get out of it. Ladies, if you are ever in a relationship with a guy and your family is telling you to get out of it because of the way he treats you, please listen to them.

Weight...

My goal for the year, or at least by my 30th bithday in August, I want to lose about 40 pounds. By doing so, this would put put me where I was when I graduated high school. It is hard and easy task to do. I lost 11 pounds but I gained 3 back. Now I'm trying to work it off. I've been trying to eat better and eat less (I'm. not starving myself. I used to eat A LOT). I realized I didn't have to entirely give up everything I liked to eat, but to just make better choices for myself. Somedays are really easy and there are days its really hard. I do keep track of what Iat and how imuch and I also keep track of when I exercise and how long. My mom, sister and brother have all been amazing in cheering me in in my weight loss journey!

Too Cute

On Wednesday nights, I met with a small group of friends. Last night when I got to group, my friends almost six year-old daughter was standing in the hallway looking through some drawers. She showed me some stick on earrings she had found and let me pick the ones that I wanted. Looking through the drawer again, she found container of water color paint and told me that she gets to paint in school. I asked her what she paints, and she said "lots of things." She proceeds to tell me that "when she gets older, she's going to go to college and become a veterinarian." I asked her what kind of animals she wanted to take care of. She said, "Dogs, cats, and kitties. Those kind of things." I told her I thought that was pretty cool. She then asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up and if I was going to go to college. I told her I had already been to college. She said that was cool and then ran off to find her brother. I told her mom and grandma about our little conversation and they had a pretty good laugh...

What a Slacker...

So I've been slacking on writing about the letters to my mom. Everyday when I get up, I call her and ask about the note for the day. So far, she is seeming to enjoy them, which is obviously a good thing because it took a veeeerrrryyyyy long time to write all of those notes/letters.

She's opened several lately from family and she has liked those. Last Monday, there was the one from her friend Jane telling my mom to call her. Without realizing, I had put the note on a day when Jane is off from work and made it easier for them to get in contact. This past Sunday was a note from my grandma telling mom hi and to think of her. My grandma is so cute. Back in December when I had gotten her note in the mail, I called to tell her thank you. So mentioned she hoped it was what I was looking for because she wasn't sure what to write. I told her the note was absolutely perfect and that my mom would love it.



About a week or so ago, my mom and Jeff came over to my house for chili and cinnamon rolls with my brother and me. It was fun and we were all stuffed by the time they left. I miss having the family dinners with my family. Maybe that's why I started cooking so much lately. Even if it's just Adam and myself, it's better than eating alone all of the time.



Today's note for my mom I knew she would love. Today is national popcorn day. My mom will make two big bowls and popcorn, keep one bowl for herself and the other bowl is for everyone else to split. So in honor of National Popcorn Day, we are setting up a time to watch a movie and eat a lot of popcorn!