The Dark Knightess Rises

This past Saturday I attended a Halloween work party, and let's just say I squealed 

like a little fan girl when I found this BatGirl costume on sale. 

If you didn't already know, my absolute FAVORITE super hero is Batman. He's the best in my book... 

and I am a HUGE fan of the newer batman trilogy. gosh, such good stuff I could watch it on repeat. 

So finding this costume and having the chance to pretend like I was a superhero for the night was pretty much the most awesome thing ever.

( yes, I admit my inner nerd + kid is just having a hayday with this post, and costume!...ha ha)

Better watch out Gotham City, there's a new bat in town!

P.S. Don't think this getup has already seen it's last days, I still have Halloween!! 

Riding Weather

With weather like this both I and the horses are much happier campers when it comes to training and jumping! We don't get nearly as hot and sweaty as fast as we used to! Delilah has been having a blast jumping these past few weeks. She took a small spill earlier this month in her pasture, but after some time off  she bounced right back like nothing had ever happened and looks and feels great now!! ( she's such a trooper that Diva Mare) While work certainly keeps me busy,  I make sure I take advantage of any free time I have to work with her. She has made HUGE progress in her training, especially jumping courses ( and I have found out she prefers the larger jumps ha ha). So proud of that little mare, she's gained so much confidence and feels awesome. With that said, I leave you with a few pictures and videos from the past few weeks.

Happy Thursday!

This Past Weekend

This past weekend was a good one! Not only was the weather here in Florida absolutely beautiful ( we are talking cloudless skies and cool breezes folks!) but I was able to spend it with some of my favorite people. On Saturday Isaac and I drove to his Uncle's house for his Grandmother's 80th surprise birthday party. We arrived a little early and took a walk in the park...the lake was beautiful and I just could not get enough of the awesome weather! NO humidity!! ( plus spending the day with Isaac is always the best)  The party was great, she was so surprised and happy to see all of her family there! I hope I can  be that happy, carefree,  and full of laughter when I'm her age! The following day I went to church with Isaac's family and then we all drove over to a town in Orlando called Celebration. I have visited this town in the past, and I love it even more now! ( perhaps because of the weather??) Isaac and I explored  Celebration with his three younger siblings : Sofie, Joe, and Harry. We explored the lakes, a street fair, all the street lined shops, the pumpkin patch, and the boys even had a chance to play in the fountains ( while Sofie and I checked out the dress shops).  Joe and Harry are so full of imagination that there is never a dull moment when you are with them, love those boys! 

Overall it was a near perfect weekend, and I am quite sad that it has already come and gone. 

Until next time!

Vet Tech Week

This week is National Veterinary Technician Week! It has had me thinking about how thankful I am to work in a profession that I enjoy. I have been incredibly  blessed to work in a field where I not only have the opportunity help the four legged friends who can't always help themselves,  but also have the opportunity to  give back to the community. I have really come to appreciate the trust and confidence owners put in me to take care of the furry member of their family.. and love that puppy or kitten just as much as they do! I am also so thankful for the amazing support system I have where I work! Everyone is always willing and ready to lend me a hand and are always encouraging me to further my knowledge in this field.  I am quickly realizing that whether it be client education, diagnostic testing, critical care, or monitoring during surgery....I will never stop learning! The opportunities in this profession are endless, and I feel like I have only just begun to scratch the surface of it all! I am excited to see where this journey takes me.

So here's to all the VT's out there, Happy Vet Tech Week!

Ingrid Michaelson & Sugar and the Hi Lows

This past week was a busy one at work, but the weekend certainly made up for it! I spent it catching up with three of my dearest friends and it was one of those weekends that left me quiet exhausted by the end of it all! ( but the good kind of exhausted) I am so thankful for the friends that treat ya just as close as they did before  even if you go months without seeing each other. But my weekend did not end on Sunday, oh no, even though I had to work the following day I was able to join my friends David and Becca for the Ingrid Michaelson  Acoustic Concert in Downtown Orlando that night! The concert was held in an old theater turned nightclub called the Beachum. It was an amazing place, small but not too small with an incredible vibe to it. Ingrid was opened by Sugar and the Hi Lows and let me tell you, I have heard a few of their songs but after hearing them perform live ( and acoustic) I am buying their album! Their vocal chemistry is perfect, and their bluesy, garage rock sound is right up my alley. Fantastic jam music. Then there was Ingird. oh my...first time hearing her perform live, let alone on one of her acoustic tours. Amazing. If she is in your area while on her acoustic tour GO hear her perform! She makes you feel like your an old friend of hers hanging out with her at a party....and all that girl needs is a ukulele or a piano and she makes music happen! In fact she could sing without a single instrument and still blow the crowd away with that voice of hers. One of my favorite concerts to date.

I apologize for the horrible picture quality, but I had such an amazing time last night I am posting them anyways!

 and with all that, I leave you with my favorite songs from last night. Feast your ears!

Roller coasters and Banjos

This weekend was a grand one. 

Rode roller coasters to our hearts content.

Beat the thunderstorms.

Watched Taken 2.

The food. oh we had a lot of good food.

Music. He played and I listened.

There was singing.

Good Conversation and a lot of laughter.

(These weekends go by much too fast.)

Until next time...

p.s. Hello post # 200! 

Hello Friday

I am really quite happy today is Friday!!! ( hello weekend!)
It might have something to do with the fact that Mr. Isaac is coming to visit, maybe...just a little.

Have a happy weekend!

Consumed

I took this photograph while flying home from Indiana ( more about my recent  trip here). 

(There has been no filter added to this picture, nothing was edited)

Before take-off I wasn't quite sure how the flight would go, it was raining off and on, the wind was blowing, and all I could see were overcast skies. It was early in the morning and I hadn't gotten much sleep the night before...I was sad to be leaving but also just so ready to go home. I tried resting my eyes a little once I boarded the plane, according to the weather this was going to be a rather dull flight as far as the view was concerned. I was completely surprised when I opened my eyes a little while later and saw this incredible view outside my window! Down below it was raining cats and dogs yet above all the dreariness was this canopy of clouds, a bight sun and calm blue skies. Just an incredible sense of peace.

How small and unimportant I felt as I observed this beautiful sight. It really got me thinking about how consumed one can get with only what is going on directly around them.  We can become so  completely consumed with so many things in our lives: our jobs, our needs, problems, concerns, what others think and say of us, how we look to others, our dress and appearance, what we plan to do that day, our future, school, that to-do list that needs to get done, what we say, and how we feel.. we can become so engrossed with our own lives...our small little world and our own cloudy sky. It  becomes all we think about, the only thing that seems to matter.  Yet seeing this sight reminded me how small and unimportant my little life is- if I just look past my own overcast sky and realize that above it is this glorious light, this grand sense of awe, peace, and power! I want to be consumed with the one who created me, to look up towards that promising light instead of dwelling on myself and what is around me in this temporary world. 

It's so easy to become consumed with life, to live in the "moment" with no sense of direction. To only see what is below us instead of above us. I need to remember that while storms will come and go in my life, above those clouds there is always promise.

Let me be consumed with God and not this world.

Of Tea and Afternoons

 Top: Sara and Lydia

Bottom: Hannah and I

Chloe enjoying her tea!

This past Saturday afternoon I was walking up the sidewalk to our house after arriving home from work  and came across Sara and Hannah by the front door all dolled up like they had some place important and fun to go. Hannah's face immediately lit up with surprise and she exclaimed "What are you doing home?! Wait! You get off work at this time???" I reminded her that today was Saturday, and I only work until noon. "Oh!! Well,  all us girls are about to head over to the Tea Room, we made reservations and everything and have to leave, like,  right now!". I looked down at my scrubs covered in animal hair and then touched my hair, hmm, it could use a washing today but it wasn't too horrible. How could I pass up a girls day with all my sisters?! I decided I was fairly decent enough to go, ran inside, threw on the most wrinkle free dress I could find and bolted right back out the door. Then we all made the drive to "down town" for our afternoon tea reservation.

I love going to Camelia Rose. It's one of those places where you feel like you've have stepped back in time and the world just slows down for a little while. The place is beautifully decorated, the service is incredibly friendly and personable, and the tea is splendid! You are served your very own pot of tea so we each chose a tea to our liking ( I couldn't decide between the Gingerbread tea or the Chocolate Dipped Strawberry tea, I chose the Strawberry tea and let me tell you, how they got that pot of tea to taste just like a chocolate covered strawberry without any sugar added I have no idea! It was amazing!). We were then served the soup of the day which was Pumpkin soup or Northern Bean soup. Both were quite good! And then a tier filled with all sorts of tea treats was brought to the table, my sister's devoured them in minutes!

 I am such a huge fan of tea I almost downed two entire pots of the stuff before I realized what I was doing! 

Once afternoon tea had ended we then explored the local antique and consignment shops. I found a steal of a dress for only $12! Highlight of my day I tell ya! We then stopped by the cutest little old style candy shoppe I have ever been in! You should have seen the look on the shop owner's face when five girls walked through the door and immediately started oooooohing and ahhhing and saying " this is SO neat!!!".

Spending an afternoon with all four of my sisters was long overdue, so glad I caught them in time!