a whirlwind of delight

[liminal_space]

"The two most powerful warriors are patience and time." - Leo Tolstoy
~~~
last week i:

* celebrated my lovely pumpkin-daughter's 18th birthday

* test-drove a horse

*got into a pair of breeches that are on the larger (but def not largest) side of "normal" (woo!)

* got told by a relative that I was fading to nothing (not true, but lie to me more, fam....lie to me more)

* started wall pilates because every horse person in the world is talking about core strength right now and i'm annoyed

* bought a pair of pants that are my next-size-down pants, certain they'd not fit....BUT THEY DID. 😳 they were not as forgiving around the waist as i like, so i think 5 more lbs should do what's necessary for them to be where i like them. i haven't been in this size in over ten years! 😳 I FEEL LIKE A WAIF! (ha)
~~
I think we're going to get the horse I test-drove if she passes her vet check. I can't express how big a deal it was that I was willing to just get on — there was a momentary flutter of "am I too big for her?" but the trainer scoffed at me. SCOFFED. 😃

I'm holding on to this excitement to help me stay on track, because honestly? The snowy cold is making me want to eat all the carbs. It's going to be a rough month or so with the holidays. Still, I keep reminding myself that I only have one pair of breeches that fit nicely, and if I spread any around the waist, I will have NO pairs of breeches that fit nicely....the other ones are just too big and are being held up with a belt of bailing twine. 🙁 plus they're baggy around the thigh and butt, which no amount of bailing twine can help. 

here's a video of the trainer riding the pony — she's a pretty, kind, amazing girl. ;) more about her when the for real happens. 

I can't express how deeply and profoundly thankful I am to the husband who works so hard every day to make my dreams come true. SWOON. 

And pictures, because....

yesterday we decided to take the 4wheeler out in the snow, going into town. we regretted our decision about 4 minutes into the ride, but as we like to say around here....no guts, no glory. #butdidyoudie

coffee cup that basically sums up my attitude most mornings. it's good to be queen. ;)

i have a HUGE fear that i am going to encounter bears, badgers, wolves, zombies, porcupines, rabid gophers, and/or other deadly things and not have anything to protect myself with. i think i've found my solution.

truth: i will not drive the truck if i can help it. other truth: teslas are not really farm vehicles, but the people at tractor supply are getting used to me. other other truth: with the little one putting her back into it, we can fit six bags of feed into the trunk.

apparently, leinenkugel's is a big deal or something around here. on the way back from looking at the horse (3 hours away) we stopped in leinenkugel town (cedar rapids? beaver rapids? cedar beaver? no, chippewa falls! that's it!) because i wanted to see the factory since it's closing in january. they had one beer i like (see kid's cake pic below), but everything else was bleh. still, i loved it there. :)

this is the leinengkududldgle gifty shop and bar. OMG the clothes were so good. i bought a thin hooded shirt and want to go back and get the exact same one because i want to have it forever. i also need a sweatshirt from there. *nod* and another coffee cup. and a beer sign.

we got home so late from horse shopping, that her birthday was a bit subdued. i felt bad, but she said it was what she preferred. love this young lady of mine.

newest batch of raptors have made it into the big girl AREA. they're still separated so they won't get murdered, but hopefully before mister heads to california on the 11th, we can integrate everyone.

i L O V E this white little chicken but she wants nothing to do with humans. >.<