Yep... that would be my horse!

I have had so many embarrassing moments that it was hard to choose just one. I managed to narrow it down to one that was so embarrassing I cried. It involves this guy:

He looks cute. Don't let him fool you.

So I was around 14 and we were at a local horse show. Everyone who was anyone was there. I rode Casper in a few classes and he placed well. I was proud of him! Then it was my sister's turn to take him in a class or two. 

We put her up on Casper and my cousin went in on her horse. The class was a large beginners class. Everything seemed to be going well, but then I saw it. A little pony threatening to kick Casper. Casper's eyes got big but he kept trotting. The second time around my cousin lost her balance and her horse (Toby) panicked and threw her off. This is all it took. 

The next thing I know Toby is running around the arena and Casper is right behind him. My sister and cousin are both on the ground. Parents are yelling and trainers are grabbing ponies and kids. I run to the gate and ask to go in. 

The ring steward said, "Young lady only adults are allowed in the arena at this time. It is to dangerous in there for children."

I put my hand on my hip and in my sassy 14 year old way said, "Mr. if you want that big gray horse causing the chaos caught you better let me in the gate." I think he wanted to strangle me but he let me in the gate. At this point all the ponies had gathered at one end of the arena. I couldn't see over their backs to see where Casper was so I let our special whistle and yelled his name. All of a sudden a big gray face popped over the back of the pony in front of me. I grabbed his reins and got him out of there, throwing a smug grin at the ring steward. 

When we got back to the barn and I had groomed Casper and tucked him in his stall, my cousin and I sat down and cried. We realized we had one more day of competing and everyone now knew us and our naughty horses. We had to face these people. Casper kept nickering apologies at me and I accepted but I was super embarrassed and still kind of am. 

In his defense, the show officials should have known better than to let that many beginners in an arena together.

-M

Dear High School Self

 

Dear high-school self, 

You little baby hoe. Just kidding. But seriously, let's have a little chat. 

Stop worrying about boys and focus on school. You want to be a veterinarian, right? Well, they can do this thing called math. Yeah you are an A student when it comes to everything else, but for some reason that boy's curly brown locks are more important than Algebra. Guess what? You met someone else. Someone better, who doesn't say he is at his sick grandma's house when he is in fact with another girl. Someone who doesn't make you cry. Someone who knows when to grow up and takes care of you. By the way you actually meet him at the beginning of Junior year. That guy at the barn? The jerk? You fall head over heels in love with him.  Now, if we could get all those math classes back. 

Be confident. Be yourself. You are pretty awesome. You can sing, you ride horses, you are pretty and you are smart. So... try out for that lead role and belt it! You don't give your voice enough credit. Later in life you will stand in front of half the town and sing at your grandfather's funeral. Your voice is a gift. 

Spend all the time you can on that big gray horse. One day he will have to be retired and you will feel broken. Later, you will realize that is not the end of y'alls bond. Cry into his mane, canter up hills and groom him. Love him like he loves you. Unconditionally.

I got off track... just own who you are and live each day to the fullest. Don't waste a second. Take every opportunity that comes your way and better yourself. Leave the drama behind and let the peace enter your world. Push all the hate out and love. Love with all you've got and put your faith first. 

Once you've done that, it will all fall into place.

Now, get to class. 

-M

The outside of a horse... #blogtober2014

Today's topic was probably my favorite. I love quotes. I have a notebook filled with them and 2 pinterest boards dedicated to them.

My favorite quote is probably this one about horses and their healing by Winston Churchhill. That horse is my boy and he has healed my broken heart and bruised soul more than once. My husband has a rule that I have to be around horses as much as possible. If not I become grouchy and sad and not myself. Then I go ride and the outside of my horse heals the inside of me.

Cheesy yes. True absolutely. I need horses. They are my passion and my gift. You can't waste your gift or talent. And who are you without your passion?

A beautiful weekend...

Ahhh, the weekend. 

I did absolutely nothing and I am not sorry. 

I got the award for being lazy this weekend. 

Seriously. 

Okay, lets start at Saturday. 

I slept until .... let's just say really late. 

I woke up and got dressed in my lazy girl jeans and headed to the barn. 

I didn't even muster up the energy to ride, y'all. How sad is that?

I spent the day watching training horses, snuggling with Soul and helping the kids bathe their horses after their rides. I was content with the coldest bottle of water, the breeze blowing and sun and sand. I pretended I was tanning at the beach. 

I came home from the barn and soaked in the tub and then decided to take a nap. 

See how productive this weekend is turning out to be so far? 

I get lazier if you can believe it. 

Sunday, I slept late again. 

I worked on making a new "It Works" binder for all of my client sheets. 

(shameless plug: newyouwithmallory.myitworks.com) 

I napped again. 

And finally decided to drag myself to the grocery store to buy wine and cookies. 

It was the perfect weekend. Perfect. I hope to do it again in 5 days! 

Ps- If you want to tighten tone and firm, check out my It Works website. If you are interested in becoming a distributor email me! 

The Craftroom/blogging room

Hello loves!

Today I started thinking about how we all blog in our own little nooks and crannies but we never actually get to see where each other blogs.

I like to be able to put a name to a face. Take it a step further and a bit more stalkerish... I like to be able to imagine people in their own little environment. So I figure eventually post by post I can let you visit me in my home.

First stop, the office/craftroom. When I want to feel important I tell the hubs I will be in my blogging room doing official blog business.

One thing that I insisted on was a wall full of bookshelves. I have always loved reading and think that private libraries are romantic. I am a nerd.

I loved the idea of a nice open work space that 2 people could use. I also needed a way to fill this huge room. So we put the desk in the middle and got 2 chairs.

Excuse the mess. It was a hardcore crafting day!

I am an organizer. I have binders with receipts for each year. I have binders for each dog and horse's medical records. I have binders for the blog, our medical records and recipes... the list goes on and on. I needed a place to store the binders without them taking up space on my bookshelves.

Enter, the Pottery Barn Hutch... 

It needs stuff. And I needed to clean up from painting. Oops. I am a real human, ya'll.

Then I decided I really needed a print station. It needed to have drawers to hold my different stationary but fit the room. My mom thrifted an antique dresser, we painted it black and I fell in love. With a piece of furniture. It happens.

I am eventually switching out the handles and knobs on this. One is missing but it's still a charming piece. 

Then there is the view from the backside of the house which is where this room is located. It looks like this... 

Casper aka my little "cappy roo" ans yes I yell that from the 3rd story window to get his attention in between blog posts.
Is he not perfect?

Eventually I am adding a crafting table, but for now it works. 

Where do you blog?

Rain, Rain Go Away!

It has been raining for four days in the lovely state of Georgia. Four days!

My whole world is soggy. Does anyone else think that the word soggy is an odd word?

Any who, with the wet conditions there have been no photos and as you can imagine no fun activities. It has seriously thrown me into a rut. Not just a blogging rut but a life rut.

My poor horse has not been outside in four days. He reared at me Monday. Lovely. Sorry, Casper, we have at least two more days of this crap.

I have to beg my dogs to go outside. Do you know how embarrassing it is to stand outside in my pajamas begging, " Please go potty, pleeeeaaaase." My neighbors probably think I am pretty pathetic and I can promise you my dogs think they have the upper hand here. And maybe they do.

My garage is flooding and smells lovely. I just kinda hold my breath when I walk to the car. I cannot wait until the rain stops so I can use the shopvac and clean up that mess.

I am sorry I have been slacking here the past couple of days, but now you know why. I am basically having to swim to work and back!

I promise to be in a better mood tomorrow.

Friday letters.

Dear Baby K, You have grown so much and aunty loves being able to see you everyday. What a blessing. Happy one month little bit! 

Dear little blog, You are growing and we are meeting new people. Yay! I love the community. I love the people I have met. I love the outlet.

Dear Mama and Daddy, (yes I am a true Southern girl and still call them mama and daddy) I miss you guys! 2 weeks is way to long. Work is boring without ya'll. I didn't realize how much I enjoy seeing ya'll everyday. Please come home soon!

Dear sissy Sara, I hope you are rocking it at the World Championships. Enjoy every moment because you will miss it. I know your 17 year old self said that it is interfering with life, but honey you will realize that those horses are a huge part of  life. When you grow up and have a job and have to squeeze in ride time you will miss spending 6 hours a day in the saddle. Trust me. 

*** Update*** One World Champion Title and 2 reserve World Champion Titles! Way to show off The Castleberry girls' talents! I am proud of you. 

Dear hubby, Yay for this new chapter! You know the one where we get to spend a lot more time at home? Sitting on our deck, eating dinner and watching the sunset behind our horse was amazing. Can you believe we are lucky enough to see that every night now. 

The hay bale in my car

With this whole moving stuff I have neglected everything. Seriously everything.

I only posted 3 times last week and they were hurried posts. I apologize.

 The sad part is the blog is one of the least neglected parts on my life. 

My house looks like a tornado hit it. There are boxes everywhere, there are cleaning supplies lying here and  there and there are piles of stuff to be donated in every corner. I want to scream. 

My barn... Oh my... the barn. I got a load of bagged shavings in 2 weeks ago. They are still in the aisle. One of the stalls has all of the mats removed. Those are also in the aisle. There is grass growing in the aisle. My horses mane is impossibly long and needs shortened and thinned. I just avoid looking in the barns direction. 

Then you get to my car. You know that new car I swore to clean weekly. Its been 6 weeks. Those 6 weeks have included 2 trips to the farm with dogs and cows. My car is disgusting. 

That is what the pretty baby is supposed to look like. I am pretty sure there is enough hay to make a bale in there now. Plus, the hubby wants to trade it for a truck and it's hard to convince him to let me keep it when it's gross. 

I cannot wait for this long drawn out move to be over. I cannot wait to get my life organized. My OCD is making me stressy and cranky and I am on the verge of a panic attack. Not a fake panic attack. A real deal one. I can feel my body shutting down the way it does before I panic. I am taking more naps, not taking time to do makeup or hair, not caring.... I keep telling myself one more week and it will be over.

 ONE MORE WEEK.