Car Shopping

by summer this year the JP will be getting a new ride.
To make a long story short, I hate my car. It has caused some serious martial discourse that SP now says, Baby, buy whatever you want.( translation)
You've been bitching for 4 years and I will do whatever it takes to make you shut up.

YEAH ME. I worked him good these last 4 years !
We went to the Auto Show!

My first Auto Show was in Los Angeles in the 80;s !
It was huge and i just got lost in wanderlust of it all.
I ventured out on my own and sat in them ALL. It was awesome.

Below is contender number 1, the Lincoln MKX crossover.
I no longer have a need for a large SUV, we have a truck for the Star Mobile, and I have limited vision and this has a minimal blind spot. This is a deal breaker folks.
You wouldn't believe how many off the crossovers/SUV's have gigantic blind spots!




This is SP's choice the new Camaro. Although it would be totally wicked and I would look so freaking cool.
It's not practical for a horse lady. Can you imagine the dirt, poo, and hair all over?

This is SP's you buy it, I'll drive it face. Daddy likey it Red please.

BUMBLE BEE ! WE( as in both of us) wanted to get into this car badly, but went in the mood to fight a bunch of pre teen brats for a look see. I won Powerball, Bumble Bee and I would be lovers. :)

This is the new Burb. We already have a Burb, but would love to have a new one. We don't NEED a another one, but we love them just the same. we oooh and ahh'd and dreamed of road trips and what fun that large cargo area offers :)

One time, SP and I were making a very long road trip in the Burb and I often get car sick, so he made me a " bed" in the back , it was so nice !

This one was Hot Cherry Red. purrrrrrrr.

As a teenager, these cars were da' BOMB. I wanted a 70's Camaro so bad.

Sigh. We could have been very good friends MR Z...

This was Shawn number one pick the Cadillac. Purty ain't she? If this was in my garage, she would be aptly renamed. " Mistress".

She was very shiny and well loved, I told Shawn she was happy with her owner and he needed to move on before they called security.He has a rip in his sleeve from me yanking him. I think he even cried a little saying good bye.

Now we're talkin! Cruella DeVille if you please.

I WANT THOSE PUPPIES !

There are a couple more contenders in the JP search, but I was busy rolling testosterone infested beer gutted middle aged men for a chance to sit in them or little brats who were allowed to run amok and park themselves in the drivers seat. Sorry Lady your cute three year old doesn't need to daydream in the front seat of the Denali. MOVE IT!

I know you drive a used Prius and eat Hemp, so GIT! You are not shopping for a gas guzzling, climate changing, trailer/grain,pony crap hauling Denali lady. The Scions are next group over.

IT was super fun day and Shawn and I have this unusual love for the Automobile. If we had Jay Leno's money we would give him a run for it.

Why is it when you go to the store..

and you are in sweatpants and a pony tail, no make up and raggedy looking
YOU MEET SOMEONE! It never fails.

I got the privilege to meet a fellow blogger Red Dun Appy( Theres a Horse in my Bubblebath) and her Hubby today at Coastal. I was buying wormer ( surprise) and came around the corner and there she was! I wasn't going to say anything and slink off, but my Momma raised me better than that.
So I walk up and say " do you recognize me?" I got a ...NO..... LOL
I said aren't you RDA? I said I'm Jocelyn from... OH she says "Star's Mom".
Yep, I am known the world over as Star's Mom, my personal identity is now null and void !

SURPRISE!
First thing I asked was " where's Dublin? He was at home! Bummer.
I didn't get to meet the puppy, but I was happy I got to meet another blogger pal !

Thanks for not saying anything about how awful I looked ! :)

I will have fields of them

When I am old and can no longer ride my horse. I will have these.
I won't be " wearing purple" or some big obnoxious Red Hat, or one of those PICK and GO perm hair do's that old ladies swear by.
I will have fields of,
white ponies. Lots and lots of white ponies. I will teach them to drive carts and a sleigh.
I will spend hours grooming and fussing over them.
There is nothing more magical and spiritual to me than a sparkly white pony with a long mane and tail.
Bonus: This one has feathers :)



How could you not love this face? When we see a white pony we say" Oh look it's Merry Legs" Black Beauty people....!
So if you see an old lady and her team of 4 white perfectly sparkling primped ponies pull up at your house, you'll know it's me :)

Easiest Chili EVER

Edited to add: Poor SP was feeling down and crabby. Nothing says love more than comfort food.
It is true the way to a mans heart is through his stomach.
This was the perfect medicine to perk him right up.
This morning I got an " I love you" text. Yeah that's right I did!

Ready for Chili in an hour or less?

FYI: This makes a HUGE stock pot full , enough to feed three males, myself and lunches for all the next day. IF I'm lucky I can freeze enough for a " meal for two"

Brown 2 lbs Ground Beef
Add onion 1 ( medium) , garlic( 2 cloves) and one packet of TWO of Chili Seasoning.
I use store brands 90% of the time, except for seasoning/spice packets. Pay the extra 15 cents, it's worth it.
Dump into huge stock pot liquid and ALL:
3 cans kidney beans
3 cans pinto beans
3 cans diced tomatoes with green chilies.
( you can use plain diced and add your own amount if green chiles, I am lazy and prefer to open as few cans as I have to)
6 tablespoons of masa mixed with water to make it have the texture of pudding.
This is your thickener, it is crucial for quick chili.

After you brown the beef and did the dump and stir, add the 2nd pack of seasonings.
VIOLA! Chili in about 60 to 90 minutes because you want it to thicken.
Use brown sugar if it's too spicy and more cumin and chili powder if it's too mild.
SP hates spicy , so I have to make it tame.

Next is cornbread. I use JIFFY in a box, but SP bought Krusteaz. He said this one was too crumbly and likes it to be more dense. I prefer it to be cake like and soft, so to each his own.
This was golden brown perfection. Can't you just smell the butter on it?


Cornbread last about a nano second in this house. Same situation as a kid it never lasted, my Mom made the Jiffy cornbread too and I love how it makes my house smell.

So there you have it ! Easy Peasey!

Enjoy and your house will smell fantastic! You can thank me later. :)

Smokin' Gun

Today Shawn and I went to Mount Hood National Forest aka Riley Horse Camp to have a shooting lesson for JP1. I do not know what kind of handgun I would like to carry , so I needed to test a few.
Ironically my Sweetie is just the guy to help a girl out.
It was beautiful and mytically quiet, however oh so COLD.


We had to go really far in to get away from the rain and just falling snow. We weren't alone up there.

This is what I think of the little hail pellets that starting pelting me. The scarf I am wearing is the last gift my Late Mother IN Law made me. I have to wear these glasses as they have a wider field of lens. I wear them riding too.

I am looking fairly warm and optimistic that this is going to be a good time. I am a good student and Shawn is an excellent teacher. I pay full attention to his instructions and ask twice if I don't understand. He is very patient thank goodness!

I got my fun little noise deafening ear phone thingy's on. SP and I can talk through these, its awesome.

This is the .45 Colt

I aim to "center mass" to kill and destroy. No wounds here, if you come in my house , you will leave in a bag I guarantee it. My Dad doesnt have to worry about me when Shawn is overseas.

.38 Smith and Wesson. I like this one the best it didn't recoil the bejeezus out of my wrists.

.40 H and K.
I said Stop or I'll shoot B****!...

See my cap? It's FROM ICELAND Shawn bought it for me when he went there for a 48 hour trip years ago. It is the warmest cap you will ever own.

Those Icelander's know how to make wool caps.

the .38 smoking gun close up

This is our intruder ' Dead Fred" , see the holes in the center mass black circle? Those are from yours truly. SHA-ZAM BayBEEE

So I did some shots to center mass and a quick pop between the eyes for good measure. Shawn was duly impressed with my mad skillz.
Note to DAD: Cool HUH? Even with only one good eye.

Sweeties turn to pop a cap into Dead Fred.

This is when Shawn made me pretend the intruder was within close range and point and shoot two quick shots in a row.

On the way home we stopped at a tavern and got some food and COFFEE, it was so cold and we were payne-sicles!
I think I'll save the next time for my concealed weapons class in the inside facility !

brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

This is the video of the " intruder at close range" shots I did.

We had a DQ in our midst today.

The Self Proclaimed DQ herself JP2 came out and met Star today.
She took sis for a little spin or 5 around the arena, to help me figure out why sis wont loosen up through the back and soften more.She is like riding a surfboard instead of WP Princess.


I like big butts and I can not lie...

So here are a couple of videos for your viewing enjoyment. JP2 is short and Star is 16h, so it makes it look like she is riding some big fancy Warmblood.

I don't have an English saddle to poor JP2 had to ride with English Bridle because it had the snaffle on it, that's what I'll be showing her in for the classes , and a Barrel racing saddle.

Funny.

How I see myself...

This is how I feel I look when I see myself riding Star. Pictures always make me look and feel like this woman. Also known as....
" Shrek On Donkey" syndrome.
Can you imagine what this poor Donk is thinking?
I have a hard fast opinion on that you should weigh NO MORE than 20% of your mounts weight. That includes TACK.
I am right at or below that mark. So to make sure my horse and her joints last a long time and keep the chiro and Vet at bay), I need to lose weight to get down to 15 % or less.


This is how I want to look and feel. Slimmer, toned and a great view when I am walking away.
Field boots are so sexy , but I want the whole package.
So I will be taking before pictures and after in this above pose for the WHOLE world to see.

I bet you guys just can't wait for that!
Until next time........

Make it so Number 1

I have committed to doing a 10k on July 4th in m hometown.

http://www.runnerspace.com/buttetobutte

I have also committed to long term health and weight loss.

http://backinthesaddle.tsfl.com/esuite/home/backinthesaddle/

I am a personal Health Coach with take Shape for Life and am looking forward ot helping any and all Blogger peeps on their journey to maximum health and wellness.

PLEASE JOIN ME AND GET OFF THE COUCH AND BACK INTO LIFE.


I will be posting my running miles and weight loss and the good, fat, ugly and blistery on the blog.
I will be running with Shawn's BFF Mitch. Mitch is an avid runner and has been nagging me to do a race with him. So our spouses will be the water getters and cheer squad.
Look for Mitch to come in first and the me to come in last.

So this is the year.

If anyone wants to join me, look for the girl in Pink and having a mild panic attack at the starting line.

Tuesday Tip of the Day.

I wanted to buy a roping reins for drill practice and the occasional outing to a gaming play day/trail ride.
So, while we were at Spotted Mule I picked out this HOT PINK Nylon barrel racing one for like 20 bucks. We'll be so cute I thought....
Well, SP picked up this one and said this one is only $40 and nicer. Me being the cheapie said, no I don't want to spend too much for something I will hardly use. SP once again insisted I buy the nicer rolled leather set he had picked out one as SP is not a fan of cheap colored tack, neither am I but OMG ! Hot Pink !
Well, let me tell you it's worth every penny. I love them. Plus it perfectly matches my bitless bridle I use, and the rolled part is dreamy.
I have a personal TACK mantra, buy what you can afford and take care of it. I do .
My tack box is NOT full of cheap unused items. I have what I could afford and its well taken care of and has lasted me for 6 plus years.
I also put a snap on the other side so both sides have a snap.
I have claw snaps on all my bridles and all my reins so I can interchange any at any time.
I hate Chicago screws, latigo laces etc. I want to clip/change out and roll. Try it, you'll wish you had done it sooner.

So the moral of this post is, IF your husband insists on you buying something more expensive for your pony.
LET HIM. :)

No evening is complete without.........

all your bestest girlfriends.
So to set the scene we had snacks.. All healthy of course.


plenty of seating and mood lighting :)

A girl in gold pants , every party needs one of these!

Gift bags to die for!

I'll send a prize to anyone who can guess what was in them!

yummy healthy dinner of Chicken Ceaser Salad and gorgeous flowers!

and.............. a trip to the Naughty Store.
Oh wait there's more

My favorite fake fur jacket

see the red spot on my nose? Leftover Jell-o from the Jell-o shooters I bought.

Transvestites, who by no exaggeration were 7 feet tall.

another gorgeous friend!

I made a new friend Yelena.

So there you have it ! A fun night had by all. The next Cocktail /dinner and field trip will be a surprise~!

Every girl deserves a night out with her girls !

Friday's Tip .. A must have...

Ladies if you have dry winter parched skin.

This is your MIRACLE

I have the worlds most sensitive skin.

I have to be super careful of what I put on my skin, most OTC products make me itch or burn...

I got this as a gift and let me tell you.

It's amazing and the smell will take you to a tropical island paradise where cute boys bring cold drinks as the waves lap your perfectly polished toes.

Well maybe not that but it's awesome.

Im in love

I finally got a new home computer.

I will call him....

Hugh.

A Few Things

Tip of the Day:

Dressage Whip. If you don't have one go buy one.

Very useful in a variety of situations.
1. Naughty no go forward pony situation. Cluck, squeeze, WHACK.
2. Pushy in your space forgot who is ALPHA Mare situation. Poke in the shoulder and or chest area does the trick nicely.
3. Husband says let your grey hair grow out I want to see what you really look like situation.
Try not to leave welts on anyplace that can't be covered up with clothing.





I can't revamp my blog until I get a new computer. My home computer is a dinosaur and its too frustrating. So my new look for 2010 will have to wait.

On a side note:

I am on the starting line to lose 60 pounds.

at least 40 by 3/13/10 which is a huge show for Star and I.
I have the cutest show shirt to wear and I want it to fit me.
I have to buy a red and black Navajo Pad and we will be fabulous !

There are alot of great new things going on in JP -Land.

Starting with weight loss and the relaunch of my Take Shape business.

I am a Health Coach with Take Shape for Life that uses Medi-Fast as meal replacement.

http://backinthesaddle.tsfl.com/esuite/home/backinthesaddle/

This business and new weight loss is going to put me on the road to all the goals I have set for myself this year.

Clean House Field trip

Saturday my son Logen and I wen to the Clean House garage sale in Portland. This is a show on the Fine living Network that I watch nearly everyday. They find people who are hoarders, pack rats and junk collectors and clean it up, sell their stuff and redo their homes.
It isn't as easy as it sounds, this crew works so hard and the homeowners can be major PITA's.
You really need 10 BBQ's and 4 Dishwashers that don't work? Like that...


This was the opening shot of the family saying welcome and come on in , we had to do this three times. Boy was it cold outside!

Another cameraman, they where everywhere. You couldn't move 5 feet and there was another one.

This is Trish one of the gals from the show. Her role in the show is that she is in charge of the garage sale.

The theme was " lets get physical".
Her and I discussed the " side pony" she has a deep southern accent and she said " well it's either go big or go home" :)

This is a view of the entire sale, it wasn't really that big, and the shopping was kind of lame. But the idea was we went for the experience and to meet the people I see on the TV everyday.
My house has clutter, but when I watch this show I don't feel so bad.

This is Mark Brunetz the " show designer" He is a nice guy, kind of quirky and the make up he has to wear must be murder on his skin.
He was dressed almost like the guys from Dodge ball.
This is Trish again, she actually had 8x10 Glossies you could buy and have her autograph.
weird.. but I am sure its part of the money making scheme for the homeowners. So how it works is that they have minions with Walkies on meandering around and when they think a good interaction with a star of the show is happening, they are on you like white on rice.
I was looking at a hutch and POOF ! The minion was right next to me. So now I get how it's done.

This is Matt and the Homeowner. She was a very nice lady. I wished her luck. Matt is like 6 foot 5, He's larger than life. I wanted to get my picture with him but god forbid I look like one of all the other women my age or OLDER who were acting like silly school girls. No thank you.
PASS. Now if this was say........... Gerard Butler, Orlando Bloom, etc..

Logen took this for me, so I can say I went!

IT was fun and the crowd was insane. I would do it again for sure! I am so glad Logen went with me, it was a mad house and he went and looked for the jewelry while I ran to the ladies room, he is the one who pressured me to get my picture taken with Trish.
We were so BUMMED that Neicey Nash wasn't there. That's the majority of the reason I went!
Maybe another time.