OMG!!  I let this meeting totally slip by!!  I couldn't have done it anyway.. maybe if it had been Friday, but not Thursday. I had to turn in my billing on Thursday since I had scheduled Friday off, and right now I'm the only one if the office who knows how to do it. I'm training someone though, so I won't be the only one anymore.  I really am sorry to have missed out! 

Hey Jessi, I don't suppose you're anywhere near Payson? I will be there the weekend of the 19th dealing with the boyfriend's sister's in-laws who are a real treat.

I'm sorta not too far from Payson, but due to mountains and lack of roads, it makes me kinda far! It's about a two hour drive. If driving straight there was possible, it would only be 45 mins lol!

That's not this weekend, but the following? My dad is having knee replacement surgery tomarrow, so we will be helping him out, and my brother and sister will be in town that weekend (they're taking shifts, brother this coming week and sister the following to help out, but overlap on the weekend... we haven't all been together in I don't know how many years!), but I might be able to find some time if you wanted to visit or? On Sat evening there is a horse show I was thinking of entering with either Calista or Harley, just for fun, if things work out time-wise (depends on how my dad's doing) Let me know :)

LOL I figured you had forgot.  Good luck with the training of a backup.  And the invite still stands anytime you have "extra time" and want to come out. 

I have enjoyed meeting all the wonderful people on this forum so much.  I think we need to host an annual ES trailride or something.

Yeah, it's the following weekend. I'm not sure I could find a way to get two hours out, though, too bad. Your roads are so crazy to me, I'm used to Chicago where everything is so built up and there are many direct routes to places. I went to Payson last year as well, and was amazed by how different it is. You all get to drive faster, though! I had so much fun meeting Amber and and all of her animals in TX, it would have been a fun break from the obligatory wedding stuff to meet you and your horses - the wedding is over, but there is a "second reception" on Saturday night for Paul's family that didn't make it to the wedding. 

I finally got this picture uploaded.  It is not very good but it is Kat wearing a saddle for the first time.  She looks upset doesn't she

amberp11703:

She looks upset doesn't she

Lol, she looks a little bit miffed...but nothing that a cookie and a scratch wouldn't cure.

 

Woo hoo - look at Kat in her saddle. She looks great!  It won't be long before you're riding her :)

Yeah, Az has too many mountains to have direct routes everywhere, and Payson happens to be on the other side of a large mountain range from New River!

 

Amber, awesome photo, seeing her saddled up :)

I finally found a few seconds to write up a blog entry with pictures. I wish I had some of our lesson because Lily was moving beautifully. We only did groundwork today, but she is fine to work now, she just has some getting in shape to do. :)

I updated with another blog post! I'm back from my AZ trip, and honestly, I kind of miss the weather in AZ, it was cooler down there! Our temperature tomorrow is supposed to be over 100, and it is so humid out. Normally I don't mind the humidity, but when I was riding today I felt like I was stuck in a steamy bathroom it was so hot. Is there no happy medium in our weather this year?! Just last month it was sometimes in the 30s and 40s!

You had good timing, as all this week is between 106-109!

Yikes - it's 100 in Chicago?  Wow - I thought it was just us down here in Texas that were getting those sorts of temps.  We set a record here yesterday with 101.  I'll wait till September to ride.

Oh yes!  It's 100 in Chicago!  And we are feeling it! 

The humidity is awful... I feel like I"m breathing under water.  I'll take the heat any day, but just not the humidity!

I found the time to post another entry with pictures.