Riding Lesson #7

Hey ya'll!!!! (In case you were wondering, I'm practicing for my move back to NC). That's right, ya'll.

Just thought I'd give ya'll an update on my lesson that was last night. This was lesson number seven. I have six more to go before we leave.

I am starting to get emotional about leaving. A few nights ago, Duke and I were sitting on the couch and I just started with the waterworks. One of my parents' sweet kitties had to be put to sleep last week after sixteen years, so I was already emotional from the loss of him. We were on the couch and I just started crying because I am going to miss Artie (my super special lesson horse) so much when we leave. I get super attached to all the horses that I have ever ridden....it's just a problem for me.

I also got emotional before we left the San Diego Zoo. I know. Crazy, right? But, it's probably the last time we'll ever be at the San Diego Zoo! Duke says that when we leave Cali to drive back to NC, I'll probably cry all the way to Arizona. Haha. He's probably right.

Well, I had a great lesson on Artie last night. He is such a good boy.

I am super grateful that I have been able to take lessons out here. Duke has been super supportive of my (expensive!) habit. He goes to my lessons every week, takes photos, videos, gives me water so I don't pass out, and then he always buys us food on the way home. I married such a good guy. <3

Buying Organic

So, I have been trying to eat healthy. Or healthier. Duke lost about 80 lbs on his last deployment overseas, and has kept most of the weight off. We do not eat out very often, and I try to cook most of our meals at the house. It's hard to find meals that are healthy and taste as good as the real thing. Usually, we eat really healthy for breakfast and lunch, and then I just sort of make whatever I want to make for dinner. But, we almost always have veggies as sides.

These last few weeks, I have stopped drinking sodas. For the most part. I looove root beer, and I was drinking one or two cans everyday. It was getting out of control. So, I started buying the small cans of soda, and I'll have one every few days.

Now, sweet tea is another problem. But, I will never cut out sweet tea. I have been drinking a lot more water and milk though.

Last week, I was very excited when I purchased organic eggs at the grocery store. I don't know what made me do it, but I did. I found that they had much thicker shells---and heck, they look so much better with their cute little brown shells. But it got me thinking. What should I really buy organic? So I found this article. The article goes into detail as to why you should buy each item organic. Here's the scoop.

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Things to buy organic:

Beef

Strawberries (or any berry for that matter, and apples)

Cookware

Popcorn

Yard pesticides

All-purpose home cleaners

Water bottles

Food storage containers

Milk

Celery

Tomato sauce

Mattresses and Carpet Padding (what!?)

Five Things You Don't Have to Buy Organic:

Avocados

Eggs

Frozen food in plastic bags

Spices

Clothing

Of course, eggs would be on the not to buy list. Because I bought them. Ok, ok, I fell for the cute brown eggs instead of the white ones with the super thin shells. But, the shells are thicker. And they're brown. And they taste better---I think.

I hope this list was helpful.

Rose Bowl Flea Market

Today we went to the Rose Bowl Flea Market in Pasadena, California! Eeek! I have been wanting to go ever since I moved here in April. Our time here in California is running out very soon, so Duke and I decided not to wait until next month to go. I was very excited.

All in all, it was fun. It was so hot today in Pasadena. It made me super thankful that we have been able to live on the coast all this time where there is always a nice, cool breeze.

To compare the Rose Bowl to other flea markets, there are definitely better ones to go to. Like the Long Beach Antique Market. Overall, I would say that the Rose Bowl has more clothing than anything. There's also a ton of junk. And not the good kind. Long Beach has way more antiques. And that's basically what I am all about when I go flea marketing....errr...whatever it's called.

Here it is. What you can't see are the HUGE mountains all around it. So cool.

Four lemonades, one taco, and a lot of walking later, here are my goodies. Two pieces of vintage Pyrex and a vintage mod enamel Dutch oven. Love. Duke put the handle back on, but I forgot to take an "after" photo.

Here is the new home for this guy.

And this guy. And I'm super proud of Duke for trucking through hours of junking and feeding me lemonade. Thanks for reading. :)

Grilled Chicken Kabobs

Oh, delicious kabobs. This was our dinner last night. I'm still thinking about it. My husband is still talking about it. Our friends raved about it. Here's the recipe. Enjoy!

 

P.S. Sorry about the poor quality photos. I was too excited about eating. The photo on the recipe page looks much better. :D

San Diego Zoo

For Labor Day, Duke and I decided to go to the San Diego Zoo. He took me last year, but I love the zoo, so I have been driving him crazy to go back. We are from Asheboro, NC (home of the NC Zoo), but it's still fun to go to the zoo here because it's so different. I didn't take as many photos this time because I took a million last time, but here are some anyways. :)

Duke getting into character at the Sabertooth Grill! :)

Amazing Panda!

I love Pandas.

The Koalas are my FAVORITE!

Sky Tram

Red Panda.

Where's Santa?

What a face!!!

Duke was a little scared to ride on the sky tram. I made him do it THREE times!!!! Haha!

Petting Zoo

Elephant!

Hello, there.

Safe Haven

I love, love, LOVE to read. Duke bought me a Kindle for Christmas last year, and I love my Kindle. It's really cool because you can find lists of the daily free Kindle books online and it only takes a matter of seconds to download an entire book. But, sometimes the books on Kindle cost just as much as a paperback, and if I have a choice on which to buy, I will always go with the actual book. There's nothing like having the actual book in your hands when you read it.

Nicholas Sparks is probably my favorite author. I've read all of his books except for The Wedding and Three Weeks with My Brother. I love the fact that he can take very average characters and turn the plot onto something completely amazing. I think that Sparks is one of those authors that you will either really enjoy, or completely dislike. His books are romantic (but not at all trashy), but usually involve some sort of mystery or twist. I always read his books in a day because they are just that good.

This week I read Safe Haven.

Ohhhh my goodness. It was so, so amazing. Definitely one of his best books and one of the best books I've ever read. Like many of the other Nicholas Sparks books, it is being made into a motion picture and will come out next year. I am so sad that I am finished with the book, and I am sure that I will read it again before I see the movie.

My favorite quote from the book:

"Maybe I don't want to be defined by what I do. Maybe I'd like to be defined by what I am."

---Nicholas Sparks in Safe Haven.

I have been starting to freak out lately because I am twenty-four years old, and I am still unsure about what I want to do as a career. I feel like I've got everything else in my life figured out, except my career choice. This quote describes exactly how I feel, I just could never quite put it into words.

So sometimes, you have to remind yourself to calm down, and take life one day at a time. Look around and enjoy it. Be present. Don't live in the past, and stop trying to live in the future. 

Riding Lesson #5

I had my sixth riding lesson last night at Top Ridge Farm, but Duke had duty last night, so he wasn't there to take any photos. I feel like my lesson went really well. I am getting so attached to the horse I ride, Artie, and I know it is going to be really hard for me when we have to leave California because I know I'll never see him again. (Sniffle).

Ah hem. Anyways, here are some photos from my lesson last week, which are a bit overdue.

I am having soooo much fun riding and learning how to really jump. Artie is a great teacher. He has given me a lot of confidence over the fences, because he will go over any fence no matter what. I love him so much. If I won the lottery, I would buy him tomorrow. <3