Non-Hunter dates Hunting Guide

As everyone knows my dear boyfriend works as a hunting guide for his profession, most guys dream jobs. I must admit he has a pretty cool gig, and it is awesome that he enjoys what he does so much and takes pride in succeeding at his job! I, on the other hand, was never around hunting much growing up. I was too involved in sports & horses, loving animals and not guns! I have been "varmint" hunting in my days, but nothing past that. Josh was going to let me shoot an axis for Christmas in 2009, something I had been begging to do! I am a pretty good shot (usually), and I wanted to kill something cool....or at least I thought I did. We sat in the blind, the Axis looked awesome and beautiful as they began to come into the blind. Then I hear those oh so terrible words "There is the one you will shoot. He is Perfect. Get your gun set." So I did, but through all this I was simply terrified...uneasy feeling...and I didn't want to. But I am not one to quit- Yes I know this is not a competition, but everything seems to be a competition between us! lol. Turns out the Axis spooked from something, and not me, and I was relieved. I waited until we got back to the truck and told Josh "I don't think I could kill anything other than a varmint" in which he replied "ah, you will get use to it"

Aug. 2010 Josh was on a hunting show! Pretty cool right!? Yes, but that is the day I 150% decided I am not a hunter! I got to watch them call in the Elk and then shoot it. So sad! I knew I could never do that! I handle all of this by telling myself "It IS the circle of life, and it IS a food chain. This stuff is real" Plus TNT does not just shoot these gorgeous animals to kill! They use the meat, and we do eat it! Or the hunters take it and process the meat! Either way it IS used! I am not that girl that is "OMG you killed the little animal" trust me!

Although, I am a huge animal lover I do handle his job fine! I can see the animals alive, and then dead and I am fine. I just don't like seeing them shot, or ran over for that matter. I witnessed Josh hit a deer in front of me, and my heart broke. It upset me, I will never be okay with them getting hit by cars :(. Josh couldn't do anything because I was behind him and a truck was on my butt and would have hit me. Boobi Miles was fine.

I love all the animals at the ranch, and I love getting to feed them and watch them. I, of course, always talk to them! We do have one really tamed doe named Mariposa. The old worker on the ranch raised her and she will still come up and eat out of your hand. She is getting older, so we get nervous if we don't see her for awhile, but we have seen her three times recently! She is so tiny and neat!! Here is a pic of her!

Along with Mariposa I have also found another little doe I love. I named her Thelma!
On my very first day at my new job I saw her in the ditch eating, and she continued to be in the same area for many weeks. I told Josh about her, and how I think that she must have seen her mom get ran over because she is still in the same area, annnnd has not been hit yet. One night on our way home from San Antonio she was there and I showed her to him! He asked if I wanted to try and catch her, DUH! So we turned around to try and capture my cute little friend I had grown to love! Unfortunately, Josh thought she was only a few months old from how I talked about her, but it turns out she is about 8 months old....which meant too big to catch :( I was bummed, but happy to know she was old enough to survive without her mom!! Here we are 2.5 months later from the first time I saw her and she is still there!! She does do a little roaming because we have seen her up the road further, but she always goes back! Josh always looks for her & Now Taylor has event noticed her! It is pretty neat! I love seeing her. Sure hope she doesn't get hit or I am going to be pretty bummed. Maybe we will somehow get her to our ranch someday soon!!! :)

Driving Gypsy

So time is flying by now! Wedding festivities have begun full force, just ask my body, car, and washer machine! I love getting to see everyone and catching up! I am so blessed to have such wonderful friends that when we get together it is as if we never missed a beat! This weekend I am going to Houston to see my dear friend Lindsay who got engaged a month ago! I am so excited, especially since I had to miss her engagement party this past Saturday.

I'm leaving the man at the house for a "Bachelor" party! Our good friend from back home is coming up with some friends to celebrate. He gets married April 23! This is one of the 2 weddings we have that weekend and they are over 5 hours apart, one being on Friday and one on Saturday AND we are both in the weddings. Both of these are very special to us and it broke our hearts that we could not be at both. But my creative mind came up with a marvelous idea, if I do say so myself! And we have now managed to make Amy's rehearsal together, and will both be at Bo's wedding!! :) We are both excited.

My bridesmaid dress for my sister and Jessica's weddings have both come in! I am so excited for the both Brandi & Jessica as their special day is approaching!

With all these weddings I have decided to kick my butt into a little bit more high gear of working out. Waking up at 5:20 is getting a little easier, but boy do I feel better after my morning work out! I bought some new amazing running shoes last week that I love! Erin, I went with the Brooks also, and could not agree more with you!! Great minds think a like! My knees & ankles thank me and I thank Brooks for letting me be able to run again without my knees hurting!!!

On another quick last note, my dad is having knee surgery on Friday, March 25 with Dr. Barnhill. He is the same Dr. who did my knee surgeries. It is a little scope to fix meniscus, but please keep him in your prayers. Have a great Hump Day!

Every day seems like Vacay!

So I now live out in the middle of no where on a 3,000 acre ranch! Quite the adjustment from living in a college town with tons of restaurants, bars, people my age, and happy hours galore! :) Crazy thing is I don't miss it one bit! There are days where I wish we didn't have to cook, but I absolutely love my new home! I have 3,000 acres to run, explore, and have fun with all of the puppies and Josh, a beautiful view to wake up to every day, and most of all I get to spend every day with my best friend! I could not be happier!

I love taking pictures, and am working on getting better with my photo eye! I love to take pictures around the ranch when the weather is nice! Here are a few shots I have snapped over the weekends when the weather is nice! I will have to post my first arrowhead find after i take a picture! It is a broken one, but still a good piece! I was very happy! :) If anyone is ever bored and wants to come visit us give us a call...on our landline! :) We love visitors, and I can guarantee you will have a good time and we will feed you well:)

Truly Blessed

So last week was super crazy with everything at work! I absolutely love my job, and this week it definitely challenged me! I was super busy all week long helping plan an event called 1st Friday Wine Share that Kerrville has the first Friday of every month. This month we-Comanche Trace- hosted it! Let me explain what this not so little event is. 1st Friday of everyone month a different location host the event and you bring a bottle of wine per 2 people and 2 wine glasses. You show up, set your wine bottle down, and begin drinking whatever wine you choose. Then just mingle and get drunk of wine basically lol.We also had the "official" after party at the Club, which was a lot bigger than expected. We had to close down the entire club house, and were fully booked with reservations 5 days prior to the event. Awesome right? yes and no! We had people calling all the way up until 4pm the day of event trying to get in, along with people showing up at the door, and last minute cancellations. This also meant, I was constantly changing floor plans, RSVP list, and communicating to a waitstaff of 10+ the constant changes. Needless to say it was a great success and a ton of fun! To top it off my parents and Josh got to come to the event! We had so much fun! And I was so blessed that they met so many nice people to mingle with while I ran around, and then were there with me when I got off after a 12 hr day! :) God has truly blessed me with an amazing life and I thank him every day for all he has done! Here are some of the shots I took from the event! :)








It was a great success and wrapped up end of the week so I could enjoy my weekend with my family! Everything was smooth-minus the small injury I did to may right arm/shoulder, in which I am still feeling pain from. Clumsy. The weekend continued to be a great time! Tennis, Arrowhead Hunting, Feeding the deer, shopping, eating! :) One wonderful weekend!

Shellac is Where it is AT!

Have you ever gotten a manicure and it last for oh about a week if you stay indoors and no sort of living at all?

Who wants to pay for a manicure, and polish, when it last less than a week?
NOT THIS GIRL!

I was getting tired of it and decided to try Shellac! and Must say I will not go back to a normal polish for my nails! It stays on for at least 2 weeks! Helps your nails get stronger and grow! I am an outdoor girl, and not easy on painted nails! I had my last one on for 15 days and it hadn't chipped, just started to grow out at cuticles.

I got red the first time and it just got them re-done this Saturday! My nails were strong, longest they have ever been for me, and no stain! I got bright pink for spring this time! Since March is just around the corner! :)


So if you want a manicure that last! Go Shellac, it is a little more! But it is worth it since it last so long and I just do a polish, no manicure!Who has time to go get a manicure once a week! Not me! :)
Next time you go ask for it! You wont be disappointed! :)

T.G.I.F

Yep, I said it! TGIF! Thank Goodness It's Friday!!! :)

It is funny how this phrase comes back to life once you are in the working world! :) I love the weekends! I am especially looking forward to this one! Josh and I are headed to San Antonio tomorrow for our own little date day! Going to be a blast! A day full of eating, shopping, a few drinks I am sure, and hopefully a movie at the IMAX theater! I have never been to the IMAX theater! I am excited!! We already have our meals planned out-PF Changs for lunch and Maggianos for dinner! I have heard that Maggianos is amazing, so I can hardly wait! Definitely going to eat a light lunch to leave room for some amazing Italian food that night! Italian is my weakness!

Dad is going to get Coup this weekend and take him to Vernon. Wedding season is about to start off full force for me, so he is going to keep him for a couple of months & I will get him back in June! I am already planning out my riding areas, and beginning to clear rocks this weekend so I can make sure and have my trails ready to go ride! :) Too bad I have to wait until June!

Well Have a marvelous weekend! I know I will! :) Maybe I can take some great pics this weekend and post them on Monday! :)

"No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle. "

This is dedicated to horse lovers! Anyone who knows me the least bit, knows that horses hold a special place in my heart and always will. I have ridden horses since I was 2, and still ride today!

There is an unexplainable connection I feel when I ride my horses. They are my way of therapy, happiness, and laughter! When riding, you are putting all of your trust into a 4-legged animal that weighs over 1,000 lbs. and at any moment can throw your butt, but chooses not too! (Most of the time lol) I would never have traded my horses for anything in the world growing up. They have taught me so much, and have also been apart of some of the greatest pain and loss I have witnessed thus far. Growing up with horses taught me to take care of things, and that certain things in life were a privilege and you had to work hard to accomplish things- it was not just given to you. All of this that was taught to me from owning horses, has been a lesson that applies to all parts of life.

God has a plan for each of us, and believe it or not, our story is already written for us. I always hoped to attend college and participate on the College Rodeo Team, and then go on from there wherever that might have led in the barrel racing world. Did I plan on going to the NFR? No, but I did plan on pro-rodeoing. December of 2003 "my" plans for life were changed drastically when my amazing horse, Showbox, had to be put down. I was at a difficult time in a 17 yr olds life, that most don't go through, and this was like my the last straw and my heart ripping out. Showbox was the hope I held onto, the friend I always had, and the heart that carried me far. I learned so much from him, and though I was upset at the time that all my plans were doomed, I learned that god had written a different story for me. I got another horse, and though we were not as successful as Showbox and I, it snapped me back to reality. You aren't going to win everything, and life comes with struggles, and we make it through it. I was so frustrated, but the story began to unfold, and as I sit here today it is greater than I could have hoped. Losing Showbox was, is, and will be one of the hardest, most important, things in my life. I cannot talk about this horse without getting tears in my eyes. Later I got Coup, who through EVERYTHING we have been through this horse is pretty amazing. He has personality like a human, and makes me laugh. I enjoy riding him and finally began enjoying to run him again. I need to sell him & hope to, but do not know if I will be able to with his issues. If not, he will be one expensive pet that Josh and I will have until we do get him sold! And I am okay with that, because he will be the horse that my kids will begin on! Because Coup will always be dear in my heart because through him I feel a piece of Showbox.

So with all of this said, Horses are like therapy, and probably just as expensive, but I would not have it any other way!
I leave with my 2 boys and amazing quote that I think wraps it all up:

"A horse is the projection of peoples' dreams about themselves - strong, powerful, beautiful - and it has the capability of giving us escape from our mundane existence."


Showbox- The amazing horse that will never be forgotten by many in Vernon


Coupers