My parents have a treadmill. While they lived in dreary water drenched Seattle it found frequent use. Here, all the sunshine encourages walking outside so they decided to let us borrow it for a bit. I thought it might be available for me to use in the evenings.

Not to be.

As soon as it arrived in the house both children turned it into their new jungle gym. E.C. climbs on it, crawls around on it, then stands there and calls out for someone to help him off it. You can imagine this gets old fast.

W.W. wants to use it. I have to set a program and let him walk until his legs get tired. I keep thinking this is a good thing.

However, as soon as it turns on E.C. runs as fast his chubby little legs can carry him in that direction.

Has Mom used it yet? Of course not.

So if anyone can explain the fascination of treadmills for little kids I’m all ears.

Hosted by Cecilyand Krista

Popularity: 27% [?]

Recently I decided to invest in a baby backpack. Unfortunately my older kids and husband find hiking not located at the top of their weekend to do lists. However I like to hike and never do enough of it. I think of this purchase as a motivator as it sits in the bedroom reminding me to get some exercise.

Last weekend we tried it out. Friday we visited Fourth of July Campground up in the Manzanos. Hiking down The Albuquerque Trail E.C. loved his new ride. Mom thought what a work out!

Sunday we toured around the Salinas Mission Ruins with another photographer. He kindly took a group picture of us which turned out pretty good with my ole camera. Although it looks like E.C. is attempting to hide behind his sunshade straps.

Both hikes turned out nice and not too long and the baby backpack a complete success.

Hosted by Cecilyand Mamarazzi

Popularity: 20% [?]

Christmas 2006 my sister-in-law gifted her pony Cracker to our daughter. Our daughter expressed interest in showing, barrels, poles, and running for Junior Rodeo Queen and needed a reliable dependable horse. At 24 years old he came to live with us.

What you don’t know is my sister-in-law is a horse trainer extraordinaire who married my husband’s brother. Now he ain’t to shabby one bit when it comes to horses either. Together, I’d lay money there isn’t a horse out there they couldn’t handle if they wanted too. When he arrived, my sister-in-law had already taken this little pony to barrel racing finals all over the state of Arizona for years and won a heft number more than she ever lost.

County Fair Horse Show 1st in Barrels
Cracker arrived at what many would say are his senior years. I’d say a welsh pony cross hasn’t got any senior years. To this day people ask how old he is and rock back on their heels shocked when we share they just lost to an almost 30 year old pony. He’s become quite notorious in our county and easily recognized on site at events we attend. In shape he still runs low 18s around the barrels.

Junior Queen Runner Up
Cracker lounges in semi-retirement. He spends his winters eating and growing fat and sassy. At almost 30 he’s still an ornery bugger to catch. He darts away from everyone until you get him in a corner. He’ll still pull you over at the entrance to the arena charged up and rearing to go round those barrels. If you don’t get the upper hand at the first barrel, he’ll jip ya the rest just to make you mad.

April 2010
Standing in the bleachers watching her run, the audience stares and speculates.

Is she riding a pony?

Is it a mustang?

Wow, did you see that time?

He sure is short.

Do we trail ride with him? Of course. Around here trail riding is as easy as turn right, then left, and head straight for the ditch banks and the Rio Grande. No surprising Cracker either as dogs nip at his heels, he jumps over small logs, and runs circles around Mouse and Diesel when racing on the sand bars. This pony loves to run. His heart is strong and just a little bit willful too. We figure he’ll be around for a few more years to beat the pants off the kids in the junior division when the younger boys start riding in shows.

Popularity: 23% [?]