5:30am. My alarm goes off. I peek outside and see it's still dark. Roll over and go back to sleep for another hour. This whole getting back into running and dedicating myself to training is going super well! On one hand I need to suck it up and go run despite the darkness, on the other hand I should probably get my community gym card activated and go use the fitness centers. If it wasn't the rainy season, with thunder, I feel like this wouldn't be an issue.

After deciding that the run was not going to happen this morning, thanks to needing to go do Paralegal things, I got up and immediately got yelled at by the cats. Apparently having all their food on the mat as opposed to in their bowls is a crisis. Tweedles, if you didn't shove all the food out of the bowl then we wouldn't have this issue!

You've got food Bailey. Stop yelling at me!

Once I was done with everything on my to-do list at work for the day I headed over to the barn. The drive there kills me, it takes an hour and the drivers are insane. At least once every drive I'm cut off with very little clearance or tailgated by someone who could easily pass me. But it's worth it for the pony therapy time, and getting to make sure she's doing alright. Because it was extremely hot and humid today I didn't want to work her too hard. The dressage ring is used for turnout so I can't ride in it at night, and no one has mowed the jump field in a few weeks so I don't feel comfortable working patterns. We just did a few laps at the walk while asking for her to go long and low, trot work while asking for a frame and lengthening/collection, and a few laps of the canter focusing on our turns and staying balanced. Our work at the trot needs a lot of practice but Cupid works so hard to do what I ask and it's amazing to see how far she's come since our first ride last year.

After our ride, I gave her a bath including working on getting her used to having her face wet. Because I think she expects me to aim the water up her nose and in her ears I'm currently using the mist setting on the hose. Once she's comfortable with the mist setting I plan on using a light trickle on her cheeks and possibly the center of her forehead. So far she allows me to mist her face but doesn't look thrilled. She has started to play with the hose and take drinks when I offer it to her, it's this little action that lets me know she's getting more comfortable with the wash rack.

I got home after the barn and wanted nothing more than to skip my run. It was still hot and humid, and I'm super lazy. After going through various stages of bargaining, including offering to reward myself with chips and salsa, I got myself off my floor and went for my run. The plan was to just run as much as I was comfortable with. I'm not starting my official 10k plan for another few weeks so I just want to get myself to a steady 3 mile pace that's hopefully under 11:00 minutes per mile. As always my times aren't good by any standards but they're something I can do and I can only improve from here. I settled into an easy 1 mile run which resulted in an 11'24" pace. Once I finished my mile I continued for a little more just to get myself closer to my house. Overall, I feel good with myself. I got out for a run even when I didn't want to and I didn't talk a walk break until I got to my cool down starting spot.

If anyone has any suggestions for how to keep myself from getting a stitch in my side when I run in the humidity I would love you forever! 

I feel like I deserve credit for being consistent. I blog for a bit, then vanish for a bit, then pop back up and start blogging again. So here's a quick summary of where I've been since February.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dueling Homes
My parents have been looking for a house in the Orlando area since last spring. When my mom was down on spring break last year I showed her a house on the west side of town that I knew she would love. The neighborhood had low HOA dues, well maintained homes, and each lot was over 1 acre. She loved the house and the neighborhood, but ultimately decided that the house wasn't for her. So we kept an eye on the neighborhood and told our realtor that as soon as a home appeared for sale we wanted to see it. In November a home was listed and I went to the open house at my moms request. As soon as I saw this house I knew my mom had to have it. The layout was perfect, the pool was the right size with a "hot tub", and the lot was beautiful. By the time she came down over Christmas break the house had unfortunately received a contract on it.

After my family returned to Illinois I received a text asking me to see the other house for sale in the neighborhood, which I went to look at with my realtor. The house was nice and had potential so I encouraged my mom to fly down and see it. She flew down and agreed that the house had potential, but needed more work than she wanted to undertake. Our realtor encouraged her to look at the house from November which had the contract fall through. Though my mom was reluctant to look at the home she agreed since it was across the street. I wish I could say that it was love at first sight but I don't think her "I will die to have this house" moment came until our realtor opened the patio doors that led to the lanai and she heard the waterfall from the living room. It was clearly that moment that my mom had to have that house and that it was her place.

I'll spare the boring details about hosting my dad during the closing process, or the million texts I've received talking about paint colors and what furniture should go where. But at the beginning of March my mom became the proud owner of "Unicorn Hill". From closing until the end of March I was maintaining not only "Unicorn Hill" but also my own house. It was honestly extremely stressful to be responsible for two houses and I am super grateful that my dad was able to move down immediately so he can get the house ready for not only my family.

The puppies exploring their new pool and backyard

Show Pony vs. Field Pony
I've really been working on "pony boot camp" with Cupid. When I first met Cupid a year ago she didn't know what to do under saddle at the canter. When I bought her in January she wasn't much better. Her trot almost perfect and I was able to ask her to extend and collect herself at the trot. We also had success with her working from her hind end, stretching, going straight, and carrying herself. Since then I've been working on teaching her which lead she needs to be on for the canter and what the cues are for the canter. I'm proud to say that she now picks up the correct canter lead the majority of the time, and has actually given me a flying lead change! We've started working on cantering jumps but the major hurdle with this will be regaining my confidence. I've become so comfortable at trotting jumps that cantering them is a bit intimidating. But we've gotten through a few courses with our biggest issue being maintaining the canter through our triple (two stride to three stride).

On the topic of courses I've decided to go with my barn to the Sumter Equestrian Hunter/Jumper Show in May. My original plan was to do the Cross Rails Hunters and Equitation on Saturday, and the Long Stirrup Hunters, Equitation, and Classic on Sunday. After speaking with my trainer it was agreed that my original plan is too ambitious. The current plan is that I'll do the Walk Trot Cross Rails Hunter and Equitation, and Green Hunter classes on Saturday, then the Pre-Long Stirrup classes on Sunday. It's a bit embarrassing to be in walk trot classes in my 20s, but I agree with my trainer that it's best for Cupid to have a successful show than have her get frustrated with me if we have issues cantering. Once I get her more comfortable and consistent with the canter then we'll move her to the cross rail/long stirrup divisions.

My main hope for her is to eventually do the 2'6" classes, hunter paces, and possibly a few eventing trials with her. But I will have to see if she will be staying at our current barn or moving out to my parents home. The property is zoned for two horses and my parents have convinced me to allow them to set up the property for horses. So far we have the paddocks planned and are working on a "barn" plan that will work for everyone. Nothing is set in stone but at the minimum I'll be able to trailer her to their place and take advantage of the trails.

Cupid modeling her new "Cupid" saddle pad

Back to the band
Back in January I joined the Central Florida Community Arts Orchestra. After last year I didn't think Orlando was able to provide me with the type of band that fit me. CFCArts was a last attempt after seeing that a friend had attended one of their performances and I'm so thankful that he recommended them to me. I'm proud to say that I've found my "musical home" in Florida. The CFCArts family has been so welcoming, the conductor is extremely animated, and the music selection is perfect. I happily performed in the Jazz, Joel & John concert a few weeks ago, and am preparing for the American Road Trip concert on June 16th and 17th. I can't wait to share this music selection with everyone and perform one of my favorite pieces American Civil War Fantasy which is a piece I have played with every band I've had the honor of being part of.

Jazz, Joel & John practice

Pets galore
Now, if anyone was worrying about the status of Cali and Bailey I have an update for you. They're doing fine, as I write this Bailey is stalking Cali to get back the pink "mouse" they're currently obsessed with because we all know the purple mouse isn't good enough. The girls are also extremely happy to have two new friends to torture. Lucy and Kodi have returned to FL and are currently living at "Unicorn Hill". The dogs come over every few days so I can take them on long walks, cuddle with the. and dog sit. Poor Kodi isn't too fond of cats but he tolerates having the cats around and the cats pretty much leave him alone. The Twisted Sisters are more focused on attempting to catch Lucy's -fluffy tail than they are with the cotton ball who runs away.

The dogs are extremely happy with their new lives as farm dogs and love to explore my moms neighborhood with me. I can't wait for them to eventually meet Cupid and to one day have them keep me company while I work with her.

Running from my everything like it's my last name
I'm still running and am currently in my "taper" for the Dark Side 10k and Half Marathon. I try to get in about three work day runs, one long run, and one "therapy" run a week. My work day runs average about 3-4 miles and are typically one of two set loops in my neighborhood. Unfortunately one of these loops might need to be rerouted after the Dark Side events because of a few houses it passes. The long runs have been in a variety of places on Saturday and typically range from 6-14 miles. Finally, the "therapy" run is whatever I'm feeling on Sunday. So anything from a walk around the neighborhood to a few miles at a "thinking" pace. I've been trying to fit in cross training on my bike but have put that on hold until I get the brakes fixed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Overall this is a pretty thorough summary of what's been eating away at my life and keeping me away from the blog. I'd promise to get better at updating this but we all know that won't happen. So, until next time.

2016 was a year of big changes for me. While everyone seems to be glad to see the year end, I find it bittersweet. 2016 was good to me and allowed me to grow in both my personal life and professional life.

January:

I packed up my life in Illinois and moved across the country to Florida. I had virtually no family here and only a close knit group of friends. While it was hard knowing I wouldn't be with my family, it was exciting knowing that I was setting out on my own. 

Pumpkin checking out what's on tv

Max knew I was leaving and wasn't a happy camper

Brother trying gator tail for the first time

February:

I started a new job in a profession I never saw myself in. Training was stressful, but I learned so much and feel like I've gained several extremely valuable skills. Through training (and this job) I've also been able to meet people who have pushed me to be the best I can be. February also brought the Princess Half Marathon weekend. This race occurred during my training for work so I was stressed, exhausted, and so excited for everything. I wouldn't change how this race happened for anything. 

In addition to work and the race I also suddenly lost my Cockapoo, Max. It's still hard to think about how I wasn't able to be there with him and how I'll never be able to do the things we loved with him. Red in peace buddy. I know you're waiting for me somewhere (with your red ball or squeaky pig). 

Last picture of Max. Rest in Peace Bubbie.

Mom and I at the Princess 5k

Princess 10k character stop at the Boardwalk

Meeting with Jack and Sally at the Princess Half

March: 

I've always had cats in my life. After the decision was made to not move Pumpkin down with me, I took it upon my self to find a cat to adopt. The requirements were it had to be an adult, have short hair, and display it knew how to use the litter box. Somehow one cat turned into two and I couldn't be happier. Cali and Bailey fit every requirement and added one that might have to be on my list in the future: they're bonded and always make me smile with their "sister act". 

March also brought my mom down for spring break. During her trip we hoped to get my washing machine repaired but this wasn't a goal that HHGregg seemed to have. The darn washing machine repair lasted almost two months and several hours off work. 

The day I went to look at the girls at Petco

Bailey's adoption picture

Cali's adoption picture

April:

In April, I was one of a small percentage at work to pass a competency test. This pass was due to hours of study and making sure I knew my info 110%. Passing this test might go down as one of the proudest moments of my career. 

I also participated in the Dark Side half marathon. The race was fun and is actually one that I've signed up to run in 2017!

April also brought me to my current stable. I met with our barn "ambassador" to learn about the facility and our trainer. It was during my tour that she pointed out a grey pony and commented "You would make a good team with Cupid. You're the perfect size for her". Talk about sealing my fate. 

Dark Side Half Medal

 May:

I got to go home for my brothers graduation. It was strange seeing how my room had changed and not having Max around, but it was nice seeing everyone. I got to see my best friend for a bit and catch up with her (and her boyfriend) which was a major highlight of the trip. 

I also had my first few lessons at the new barn. It was at my second lesson that I rode Cupid and at my third lesson I made the decision to lease her starting in June. 

For work I achieved a major milestone where I was invited onto a team of select individuals to do more advanced work. Knowing that I had been handpicked validated my choice in accepting this job. 

Graduate Kitty?

NIU CLAS Graduation. Go Huskies!

Cupid doesn't understand "stand still and take the picture"

June:

June was much slower. I started my lease on Cupid and spent as much time with her as I was allowed. I also had my mom come visit and got to go antiquing with her. It was during this visit that she suggested I look into purchasing a house so I could get out of my shoddy apartment. 

July:

I spent the Fourth of July with a friend at Altamonte Springs Red, Hot and Boom. It was a fun and cheap way to spend the holiday, plus Altamonte threw a really good event.

My riding took a backseat in July when Cupid tried to jump out of her pasture. She made it but also took down the fence a injured her shoulder. So we took time off from riding and spent a lot of time cleaning her cut and making sure it wasn't infected. Because she hates being stalled and the cut was in a place that we couldn't bandage I did have to spend a lot of time cleaning dirt and other nastiness out of it.

Towards the end of July I got to test if my cats were actually dog friendly with my moms two dogs, Kodi and Lucy. Poor Kodi was the first victim and we learned that my cats are so dog friendly they will back the dog up into the wall in an effort to smell him. All four animals are now able to live in peace and we've actually left them all home alone without incident. This really helps when my mom comes to visit so that she doesn't have to get a hotel room with the dogs.

Hulk pony waiting for me in her stall

This is what happens when you challenge a metal fence

Aftermath of Hulk Pony using Hulk Smash

One of the many lunch breaks I spent applying meds

Bailey preparing to pounce on Lucy's tail

Somehow harmony was achieved

August:

August brought be back into the saddle and back into biking. Cupid's leg had fully healed so I was able to start riding her again. After a brief discussion with my trainer, we decided that it was time to try Cupid at a show. We set our sights on an upcoming show at the Sumter Equestrian Center and set to work on getting her ready.

I also went and joined the Florida Freewheelers. They're a local bike club and it allowed me to explore some of the biking opportunities that Florida has to offer. Unfortunately, they cater to the road bike crew and I refuse to spend money on one. I would rather keep my hybrid and stick to local trails than bike on the road constantly.

Wine and Paint night with my mom

Hulk Pony showing me she's no longer lame

First Florida Freewheelers ride

September:

September brought my first show with Cupid. We showed at the Sumter Equestrian Center's September Hunter/Jumper, Dressage show in walk-trot cross rails, and pre-long stirrup. While Cupid and I do canter at home she hasn't gotten her leads consistently on her left side so we didn't want to set her up to fail. We took 5th in pre-long stirrup hunter on the flat, 4th in walk-trot hunter on the flat, and 3rd in both walk-trot equitation on the flat and pre-long stirrup equitation on the flat. We did scratch all of our jumping classes. On Saturday Cupid had been so exhausted by the show environment that she laid down right before we were set to do our first fence course. My trainer and I decided to scratch her for the rest of the day and I would take her out later that night to do a quick course at the open warm-up slot. We wanted to make sure that she was just tired and not sick. On Sunday Cupid had adjusted to the show environment so well that she was back to pulling some of her "I don't want to trot, so I'm not going to trot" stunts. Because I wanted to have a good experience showing her and not have a course where we took out every fence we decided to scratch her. Overall, we had a good experience and I now know what to expect from her.

I also made my first "giant" adult decision. After the news about the UN I knew that interest rates would possibly be going up so I decided to look for a house of my own. I knew the exact neighborhood I wanted and at the end of September I put an offer out on a townhouse and had my offer accepted. The house passed the inspection with flying colors.

Pony all clean and loaded in the trailer

Showing off her ribbons from the first day

Walking before our class

The green bean and I waiting in the lineup

October:

Which brings be to October. At the end of October, I closed on my house and began preparing it to move in. My apartment complex was a complicated mess who attempted to make the whole process difficult which meant I would have my apartment until the end of November. This did allow me to paint the house and do minor work on items that I knew I wanted to change (like the gross bathroom lighting).

Also in October, I went back home for a weekend to see my cousins and family. Thankfully this trip was a short one because the day before I returned home my maintenance man at the apartment decided he needed to do a repair right then and there. They entered my apartment, unauthorized, and while performing their "good customer service", locked poor Cali in the closet. Thankfully I came home the next day and was able to get her out of the closet and get her food and water. This officially marked the end of my cooperation with the apartment company and helped validate why I needed the house right away.

My emergency water stash during the hurricane

Looking out my back door in the middle of the storm

November:

I was finally able to move my furniture to the house in November. I also stripped and completely refinished a china cabinet that I had bought while in my apartment. The cabinet had been painted in chalk paint and took forever to remove the paint enough to take another coat. Never again will I buy an item that has been treated with chalk paint and chalk paint wax.

I participated in my final races of the year, the Wine and Dine Half Marathon and 10k. They were great races and I'm glad I did them, but the timing of the races has really caused me to reconsider signing up for Disney races in the future. Because I had signed up months before I didn't know I was going to purchase the house. Had I known, I would have waited and wouldn't have had a 10k and a move on the same day.

Speaking of Disney, in November a friend of mine from my Disney days came down to visit. It was my first time meeting her fiance and he fit in with our group just fine. I'm so glad she found him and am so proud of her.

Poor Cal didn't take the move too well

She had to learn how to do stairs

Bailey got rushed to the vet

During the Half Marathon

The color I had to strip

Final product

December:

Finally, December brought the return of Cupid. I took off October and November to have a bit of a financial break and to focus fully on my house. Seeing her and being able to work with her again was a huge relief.

I also went to Battleground Orlando for the first time. It's a laser tag and paint ball course set up like a video game. We went for a friends birthday using groupon and it was totally worth it. The games they arranged were extremely fun and I was exhausted by the end. If anyone in the Orlando area is looking for a fun activity I would highly recommend it. 

It's hard to believe that was my entire year in a nutshell. Here's to a great 2016 and a (hopefully) even better 2017. 

Battleground Orlando for C's birthday

Work ugly sweater group costume

Christmas pony!

Here's to our Vegas trips in 2017

I couldn't think of three better people to say goodbye to 2016 with