LOL really doesn't cover this!

Since texting began the lol has come to be less than sufficient for so many things, it has elevated to LMAO and ROTFL or ROTFLOL but somehow those to seem in sufficient now after all this time to cover what was happening in my house this evening so I would like to submit a new version, an elevated version of LOL if you will LSHICBAWC (Laughing so hard I couldn't breath and was crying). Now that I got that out of my system here is what caused it:

My mother and father in law stayed to eat dinner with us this evening (a very delicious chili dish she cooked up for us all) while we ate we watched a pretty funny show that had us all LOL maybe even a little ROTFL, but certainly not beyond that. After the show was over I noticed that I had made a mistake in the pattern I was crocheting. I held the mistake up and shook my head and said in a disgusted irritated voice "See why I shouldn't crochet and laugh?" Of course this question was meant to be rhetorical because no one else in the room crochets. Carla is learning, but is no where near being able to catch a mistake in a pattern I created that she hasn't learned how to read yet. So when I noticed that like me she was glaring at the spot I was holding up shaking her head with a look of disgusted on her face and even went so far as to utter a very sympathetic "Oh man", it took alot not to smile, but nod accepting her sympathy (after all I had to frog 2 rows) before asking "You have no idea what's wrong do you?" in an even voice.

She continued to shake her head in disgust glaring at my crocheted mistake when she let out a long sigh and said with out cracking a smile at all "No".

Alright maybe you had to be there, maybe you would of had to have seen her face, maybe you would of some point in your life tried to get away with the same exact thing, maybe it was the fact that we were watching something funny so already had the chuckles, or maybe it was the fact that to me it was so funny, but that all it warranted from the men in the house was a small chuckle, but Carla and I found it so funny we were LSHICBAWC. I swear that everytime I tried to get it under control, I would just glance at her and off we would go again.  Then to add to it Carla points out to the me and the men, as I am wiping my eyes and trying to breath, that I haven't even had any alcohol. Of course that started me off once more.

It took a long time to get the laughing stopped, but I'm not complaining. It's nice to cry because something is so funny, even if the rest of the world doesn't get it. I hope you all have reason to  LSHICBAWC and soon to. It's good for the soul.

He's Taylor and he is Three

Been a way for a while and can't stay long now but I just had to share the latest bit of Taylor-ism.  I had to crack up when he was playing a video game and Travis started vacuuming the floor.  Taylor yells at his father, "Hey, stop that noise I can't hear!" The role reversal in this was just to priceless not to share. 

NEW BOOTS! YAY!!!!

 

I don't know why this picture came out so small but these are my new boots and I love them.  Thank you Travis for letting me get them even though things are tight around here. Because of an awesome sale they were on the selling of one of my hats paid for them and that made me feel pretty good. Maybe I will even take a picture of me in them and post that at some point. 

She's Syd the kid

Today we are expecting Stormy as company. He is more family than company, you know the kind that you don't scrub everything before they show up, but just kind of pick up a bit.

After the kids got home from school I told Sydney I wanted her to pick up the front room, that included the table, the floor, the couch, the coffee tables, the piano bench etc etc and ended the long list with "So that when daddy gets home he doesn't go nuts."

Sydney replied, "He's already nuts." I said I was going to tell on her to which she replied, "I'm just stating a fact. Mr. Coffey (her teacher) says it is important to tell the facts, and even you have to admit he's a bit nutty."

I can't wait to tell Travis, she will receive the biggest "getting" in her life.

Aric-ism or motto of the day, I am not sure which!?!

Last night the boys were playing a video game together. Aric yells, "Come on Taylor we must take the castle!!!" Taylor proceeds to ask, "Why?" Aric's response: "Because we are men!!!"

Now to Travis and I there was only one response to that aside from laughing, if you don't know what it is shame on you. If you know what it is shame on you. lol

Either was "Because we are men!!!" here it is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRdJ9lyr9-k&feature=player_detailpage

A Happy Anniversary

So I didn't forget to send my sister-in-law a note on her anniversary, but I didn't mention it here which is remiss of me (I blames the Australian Open I am an addicted tennis fan), I would like to wish my sister-in-law and her wonderful husband a happy anniversary. They are a very good pair, in fact I would say they are made for each.

Happy Anniversary to you both, we love you!

One big SISTER and two little BROTHERS

Do you know the problem with having a girl first? Besides the obvious of just not having any idea what to do with a boy when he comes as everything about the tiny little thing is different. While a girl knows that tip toeing while you spin makes you a ballerina, a boy instantly know the noise a car makes, that mud is a boys best friend, and if you can point it it must be a gun that goes bang. That adjustment takes many moms want to pull their hair out, but somehow you think it will get easier. Well let me tell you it doesn't/ 
I'm a little surprised that I wish that my boys were a little more boy like a times, but with an older sister that they worship everything she loves the love. Yup she has put them in dresses, painted their toe nails, put clips in their hair, etc... (all without permission and with a stern talking to after) but the boys don't care because Sydney loves them.  She wants to play baby dolls, or barbies, oh course if sissy wants to do it then it must be to cool to pass up.
Why am I ranting about this? Well it could be because I am laying down with my two boys for a bit of movie time so that Sydney can have some daddy time. What movie did my two little boys pick out?????

 

That's right I'm laying here watching a Tinkerbell movie with a 6 year old and a 3 year old BOY. Sometimes I think a little Dirty Harry might not hurt them at all. ;-)

Meeting.

So for the first time in to long I made it out to a meeting.  It took a lot to get there and we only staid for the C.O.'s public talk, but I was there. Hurray.

He had so many wonderful points but there was a scripture he shared about falling over and over again (7 times I believe) and Jehovah helping us back up.  Of course this was in a spiritual sense but to me I couldn't help apply it to what I have been going through. How many times have I felt like I couldn't get back up mental or physically let alone spiritually?  How many times have I felt like everyone including myself would be better off if I didn't?  So this scripiture meant alot to me even if it wasn't how he was applying it.

We left right after the public talk, I came home crawled into bed and slept until nine o'clock at night. I only woke up because Sydney was in my room and had turned off the music I was listening to so she could play a game.  I ended up with all of the kids in my room putting both the boys to sleep. And then I was out again and didn't wake up until 1:45 pm today. It's is amazing to me that getting ready and leaving the house for about an hour put me out that hard, made me want to sleep and sleep like I had climbed a mountain, and maybe for my health level I did, but it was worth it.

I knew she was my daughter.

So Sydney and I finished the Hunger Games book.  There was a lot of tears and laughs, but we got through it.  The next day we went ahead and watched the movie.  We got through it without as many tears, although (SPOILER -if you haven't read or watched the movie skip to next paragraph) when Rue died there was quite a bit of sobbing.

At the end of it I had to ask if she liked to book (although edited as it was) or the movie better.  She instantly said the book. She said she liked the movie, but you got so much more of the story, understood so much more of the emotions and what the characters were going through in the book.

I knew she was my daughter!!!!

She's Syd the Kid

While reading to Sydney last night we were going through a pretty tough patch about someone we cared about dieing.   Well she is sitting on the edge of my bed hugging her pillow trying not to sob as she hugs her pillow and rocks back and forth. As the roughest patch ends she goes to wipe her eyes and suddenly all I see is her feet sticking straight up off the floor and no Sydney.  She was a little closer to the edge than she thought and when she went to wipe her eyes she lost her balance and over she went. It happened so fast I didn't have time to see anything other than her legs and feet sticking straight up from the floor. Naturally as a concerned and caring mother I burst out laughing. It's okay eventually I was able to ask if she was okay, and it turns out that she was fine. Just so in shook at what had happened when I peeked over the edge of the bed and looked down at her, her little confused face only sent me into harder laughter. Ah my Sydney, there are days I wonder who's daughter she is, then at moments like this I can proudly say, she is definitely mine.

She's Syd the kid

Yesterday we had the privelegde of having the CO come over to encourage us. After just a few minutes of time with Sydney and her above average responses and vocabulary he looked at her after about the third wow and said "How old are you?" Confused a little bit by her size versus her knowlege. Travis and I chuckled a little bit used to this and just let Sydney proudly say she was 11, which brought on another wow. 

I don't mean to pat ourselves on the back or anything here, but our daughter is super smart and we are super proud of her for it!!!!!

Aric's Dual Language Program

They have re-tested Aric and it  now shows that he is above average for his age group. The tutoring sessions have paid off and he is flying through things now.  I'm so proud of him.

HORSE STAR PASSES

Looking for information about whether or not Julia Roberts actually rode the beautiful chestnut in RUNAWAY BRIDE, I came across this.  It is a little long, but it has a lot of fun information about how these horses are trained and how well they are loved, not only by their owners but the actors/actresses that ride them.  At the end is a section on beautiful horse used for the movie Hidalgo. Any horse lover like I am will find this fascinating (I love when Hightower auditioned for Robert Redford), if you aren't into horses skip on. lol Hope you enjoy the info either way.

EQUINE FILM STAR, HIGHTOWER, IS DEAD AT 26

Hightower (1982-2008) the favorite and beloved trick horse owned and trained by Rex Peterson, died peacefully at the age of 26 on October 30, 2008 at Rex Peterson’s ranch in Tehachapi, California.

Hightower starred in dozens of films over his career, most notably as “Pilgrim” in Robert Redford’s The Horse Whisperer, and he was famously FedExed to the East Coast to shoot a scene with Julia Roberts in Runaway Bride.

Hightower had a heart as big as the great outdoors and will be remembered as one of the most intelligent and noble equine actors of our day.  He will be universally mourned by all who had the honor to work with him.

Rex Peterson has 35 years of experience working with a wide variety of horses, riders, and riding styles in both the movie industry and the private sector.  He is the owner of Rex Peterson Horse Training in Tehachapi, California, where he developed his world-renowned horse training clinic.  Peterson’s many film credits include All The Pretty Horses, Appaloosa, Back To The Future III, Batman Returns, Black Beauty, City Slickers, Electric Horseman, Far And Away, Geronimo: An American Legend, Hot Shots, Hidalgo, Flicka, Runaway Bride, The Patriot, The Doors, The Horse Whisperer, Three Amigos, The Black Stallion, Wild Bill, and 1941.

Anyone who wishes to share their memories and photographs of Hightower should send them to Rex Peterson (cari@cariswanson.com)  to be included in a book, “Hightower, One in a Million.”

Tehachapi News, January 12, 2009

Long life for star horse

By: Tina Forde

A famous actor died in Tehachapi Oct. 30, 2008.

His name was Hightower. He was 26 years old.

That’s a good old age for a horse.

Among his other achievements, Hightower appeared as the ill-fated Ginger in “Black Beauty,” as the traumatized Pilgrim in “The Horse Whisperer” and as the steed who carried Julia Roberts away in “Runaway Bride.”

For that gig, he had to shoot some extra scenes after the main shooting was over. By then, Hightower was in the middle of another film in California. FedEx shipped him back to the East Coast for the additional footage.

The director and the star wouldn’t hear of using any other horse. Roberts wanted to buy him.

Rex Peterson, Hightower’s owner and trainer, lost part of his heart when Hightower died.

“He was a great, great horse,” Peterson said in an interview at his ranch in Tehachapi, where he keeps, trains and breeds about 30 horses. “If you have one great horse in a lifetime, consider yourself lucky.”

“When the going got tough, he just got better and better,” the 54-year-old trainer said. “Hightower had a presence. When the camera rolled, he knew it was there.”

By the time Hightower worked in 2004 on “Princess Diaries II” – whose director, Garry Marshall, decreed “Let’s understand this: There’s one horse on my movie set, and that’s Hightower” – Hightower would perk up like a true thespian for the cameras, but Peterson could tell it was an effort.

“He was sore in the morning. He had arthritis. He would walk up to the set like an old man and then work all day just like he was fine. He had a work ethic. He was a professional. He knew why he was there.”

“I said, ‘enough.’ I retired him after Princess Diaries II.”

Happy in Tehachapi

The unregistered chestnut racing Quarter Horse lived out his days peacefully in the company of Peterson’s other equine actors, including the pure black Justin, who still lives there among his numerous progeny, and offspring of the star of “Hidalgo.”

During his aging star’s retirement years at the Tehachapi ranch, Peterson said.

“Hightower would run with babies. He was a good babysitter.”

Hightower’s pal Justin, a Quarter Horse stallion whose registered name is Doc’s Keepin’ Time, starred in the 1994 Warner Brothers production of “Black Beauty,” wearing a wig for the white diamond between his eyes. Justin appeared in “The Horse Whisperer” as the horse Gulliver, who was killed at the beginning of the film, and performed in commercials, music videos and television, including the Family Channel’s “Black Stallion” series.

Peterson learned the hard way that Hightower, a gelding from Beaumont, Calif., was a unique animal.

“Hightower was given to me as a two-year-old,” Peterson said. “He wasn’t much when I got him. I used him for a ranch horse. We were roping (in an event) at the top of Topanga. A 2,000-pound buckin’ bull – a Brindle that had escaped — picked us up and carried us 50 to 60 feet. This horse never panicked.”

He said his friends told him, “That horse will never rope another.”

Aboard Hightower, Peterson said, “I roped another that afternoon. There was no panic in him. A couple of months later I got a call for the “Winter People (a movie).”
In that film, a horse was required to “drag a guy to death,” Peterson said.

“The other three horses burned up, dragging him mile and after mile.”

But not Hightower, Peterson said – he just kept dragging that guy better each time.

Audition for Redford

Hightower won the starring role in the “Horse Whisperer” by nailing his audition with Robert Redford.

Peterson taught Hightower to feign a charging attack, one of the actions that the injured, anti-social Pilgrim would do in the story.

“When they drop their neck and charge you, the game’s over. It’s serious,” Peterson said. “They are coming at you to hurt you. They come in low to get at the jugular.”

Redford came to Peterson’s ranch, which was in Simi Valley at the time, to look at the prospect.

At a hissing signal from Peterson and from a standing start 30 feet away, Hightower bore down on Redford, head lowered as if to attack, backing the startled actor against a fence before pulling up about a foot away from him on command.

Redford hired him on the spot.

Peterson, a native of Nebraska ranch and farm country, worked the rodeo and Wild West show circuit as a prelude to becoming a renowned trainer, performing trick riding, Roman riding, chariot racing and jousting.

While working at a spectacular Wild West show in New Jersey, Peterson became a protege of fellow Nebraskan Glenn Randall, Sr. — “the greatest horse trainer Hollywood has ever seen,” Peterson said.

Peterson’s mentor

“He did stuff with horses nobody ever did,” Peterson said of Randall – including teaching Roy Rogers’ Trigger to “empty and drain” on command before entering a children’s hospital.

“Glenn was a master horseman,” Peterson said. “When someone asked if something could be done, he said, ‘Never been done doesn’t mean it can’t be done.’”

Peterson said Randall rode and trained every day.

Peterson learned from Randall how to build confidence in horses by using whips – not ever to touch the animals, but “as extensions of your hand.”

Peterson said good trainers aren’t born.

“There’s no such thing as a horse whisperer. It’s a fantasy. A fairy tale,” he said.

“There are people that spend their lives becoming great horsemen.”

Similarly, after “The Black Stallion,” he said, “Everybody wanted to buy their kid a wild horse. I would tell them, ‘Do you have a lot of life insurance on your kid?’ A horse is not a dog. It’s never your buddy or your pard. It’s never bought you a cold beer or paid the electric bill.”

Hidalgo horse tale

For “Hidalgo,” the story of a western showman (played by Viggo Mortensen) and his mustang who compete in a 3,000-mile race across northern Africa, Peterson spent seven weeks hunting for five paint mustangs to play the lead role.

The director threw the photos of the first 200 candidates on the floor, dissatisfied with them all.

Peterson finally handed over a shot of one last horse. It was a show horse and did not look anything like a mustang.

The director said, ‘This is the horse I want. Every little girl in America will fall in love with him.’”

Peterson had to find four others to match the horse, named TJ. Actor Mortensen, a superb horseman, bought him from Peterson after the filming.

As the main horse trainer on “Hidalgo,” Peterson made it clear he would tolerate no fighting among the horses.

In Morocco, he said, the men ride stallions  — no mares, no geldings, just stallions.

So the grand shot of the start of the race, featuring high-strung local Arab horses and riders, could have been chaos.

“There were 120 studs on that starting line,” he said.

At the first take, two stallions got into it. Overriding resistance from the local contractor (“But they’re my friends…”) and with full support of the director, Peterson ejected the miscreants.

He had no more trouble.

Peterson used his magic touch to train Justin for the video of British pop group Procul Harum’s song “Won’t Fade Away.” The sequence called for a horse to burst forth after being completely buried in sand. Peterson accomplished this near-impossible feat, and will not reveal the secret.

Peterson lives at his ranch with his two sons, Tyler, 18, a 2008 graduate of Tehachapi High School, and Ryan, 17, a senior at Tehachapi.

He moved to Tehachapi six years ago after the notoriety of “Hidalgo” brought too many curious visitors to his door.

Each and every horse is an individual, Peterson said, and he is hoping that one of the horses he is currently working with will be as good as Hightower.

“He will hopefully replace Hightower,” Peterson said, conceding that any newcomer probably will not have Hightower’s work ethic. “He will have to fill awfully big shoes.”

RJ, the Equine Star of “Hidalgo” moves to Millbrook:Ambassador at Large for Horse Rescue Rehabilitation and Retirement Foundation at Windrock Farm

By Jeanne Chisholm with photos by EG Simson and Kathy Landman

HOLLYWOOD  A LISTER  “RJ”, the famous American paint stallion that played Hidalgo will make his East Coast debut at a benefit performance at noon on Saturday May 5th at Windrock Farm. The popular equine movie star has relocated to Millbrook and will help in bringing attention to the Horse Rescue, Rehabilitation and Retirement Foundation owned and operated by horsewoman Cari
Swanson.  “Initially, like most people I was unaware of how many horses were needed to play the famous mustang for the film Hidalgo,” Swanson says.  Hollywood being what it is, five different horses were used for the demanding role. “Each morning of shooting, the horses entered the hair and make-up tent where artists armed with paintbrushes and airbrush guns created a uniform look.  The primary trick horse was RJ, one of the most expressive and charismatic of the horses recruited for the part.”
RJ was trained for the part by the legendary trainer Rex Peterson, whose movie credits include “Runaway Bride” and “The Princess Diaries 2”. A mutual friend, Margaret Hilliard, who works as a unit production manager in Hollywood and has frequently called upon Peterson’s expertise, introduced Swanson to Peterson.
“When a film script calls for the use of horses, Margaret [Hilliard] is the go-to person who makes the film happen,” Swanson says. “She looks for the best horse trainers and wranglers in the business. As the trainer for the horse scenes of each film, Peterson works closely with the director and principal actors.  His expertise allows the cast to feel confident and comfortable with the animals, enhancing their individual performances.” His film credits also include “All the Pretty Horses”, “Black Stallion”, “Electric Horseman”, “Horse Whisperer” and “Flicka. He is currently developing a reality TV series about horse stunts behind the scenes.
The film, “Hidalgo” was pegged as an “incredible true story of the greatest long-distance horse race ever run.” The story was inspired by the tale of Frank T. Hopkins, played by actor Viggo Mortensen, a Pony Express rider and his mustang invited to participate in a 3,000-mile Arabian Desert race in 1890.
The movie was produced by Hidalgo Productions and Casey Silver and directed by Joe Johnston. Actors Omar Sharif and Zuleikha Robinson were also part of the film which involved intense action not only with the horses but also leopards and a falcon.
Of the five horses Peterson eventually selected for the part, it has been reported RJ proved to be the most agile trick horse. He did however, draw the line when he refused to be covered with fabricated locusts while lying down.  Swanson, who will introduce RJ to visitors at her farm for the May 5th event, has worked with horses over many decades and been fortunate to meet interesting and unique equines. This has inspired her to begin writing a book called “Horses with Charisma.” She feels a celebrity horse will boost visibility of her book and at the same time highlight the Horse Rescue, Rehabilitation and Retirement Foundation.
“Until recently RJ suffered from the common Hollywood curse of being type cast as the Hidalgo horse,” says Swanson, a United States Dressage Federation Silver Medallist and international competitor in dressage and eventing. “Many may think it ridiculous that a seven-year-old equine celebrity in Hollywood is a wash up due to typecasting. Not to worry as RJ is reinventing himself by finding a new career at Windrock Farm.”
According to Swanson, in March of 2007, Peterson drove RJ three thousand miles from Southern California to Millbrook to help raise awareness of the Horse Rescue, Rehabilitation and Retirement Foundation.  “Over decades of working with horses, I’ve recognized the urgent need to help misunderstood, unsound or difficult horses find a job they’re happy performing.  If horses could speak they’d have a great deal to say and their needs would be hard to ignore,” she adds.
“It was obvious from the moment I met RJ that he was a superstar, demanding attention and respect.  His noble eye never left Peterson as he obeyed each voice and body command with lightening speed and precision. Transferring the trainer/horse connection to me is challenging at times.  Sometimes RJ takes advantage of my cues and bolts away,” say Swanson who also trains and sells dressage, jumper and event prospects.
“We’ve had several sessions where I must make it perfectly clear that I’m the boss, laying him down and sitting on top of him.   Fortunately he continues to come back to me with a twinkle in his eye and a smile on his face.  I think we may have designed a new trick.  This horse has a sense of humor. When I cue him to shake his head yes, he paws with the right, then the left, shakes his head no and finally sticks his tongue out yawning.  He’s warning me that we’re in transition.  I quite agree and accept this challenge.   There are several basic rules when working with trick horses.  If I remember these rules, all’s well. There’s nothing more exhilarating than a stallion rearing up over your head pawing at the sky.”

And, although RJ does not in anyway qualify as a resident of the Horse Rescue, Rehabilitation and Retirement Foundation, he can bring nationwide attention to this worthwhile cause, but stay tuned. RJ’s new career is taking off, he’s currently in negotiations with a new talent agency in New York to represent him in print ads and commercials.

Horse Rescue Rehabilitation and Retirement Foundation at Windrock Farm will provide a home for unwanted horses primarily but not exclusively from the horse show world or thoroughbred racing. Having successfully placed many horses in new homes, Windrock Farm in partnership with the HRRR Foundation will lead the effort to create awareness, action and support to help our equine friends. In addition the Horse Rescue, Rehabilitation and Retirement Foundation will educate individuals through clinics and lectures to help prevent horses from being mistreated or misunderstood.

About The Author: Jeanne Chisholm is the owner of Chisholm Gallery, LLC & Emporium in Pine Plains, NY specializing in Fine Sporting & Equestrian Paintings, Decorative Arts, Architectural Elements, Lavishly Illustrated Books, and many Estate Offerings. www.chisholmgallery.com
Chisholm lives in close proximity to Windrock Farm, keeps her watchful eye on Cari Swanson & RJ, and encourages the reader to support their noble efforts.

November 2005

RJ Masterbug, the Equine Star of “Hidalgo” (Disney film, 2004) is introduced to Cari at Rex’s ranch in Southern California

Rex Peterson

The Man Behind the Reins of Hidalgo

Professional animal trainer Rex Peterson has trained horses for the movies for more than 25 years, creating some of the most exciting and complex horse action sequences ever filmed. His many credits include Black Beauty, The Black Stallion, The Horse Whisperer, The Patriot, Runaway Bride, The Ring, and Hidalgo. As he commented to American Humane while on the set of Hidalgo, “The horses are my kids and I won’t have them mistreated,” he says.

An animal-loving trainer

Peterson knows from experience that the animal/trainer bond is essential because, in filming, the animal has to ignore the camera, lights, actors, smoke, and crew and focus solely on the performance.

In filming Hidalgo, Peterson’s team of experienced trainers worked with each horse to enhance its natural talents and to match each horse with an appropriate rider. Stunts in Hidalgo required plenty of preparation and in some cases up to nine weeks of training. Shooting schedules change often in filmmaking, and the lead time Peterson had expected for one scene in which Hidalgo drags an actor out of the Wild West Show ring was pushed up.

RJ — one of the horses playing Hidalgo — had trained for this stunt, and Peterson called him “smart, powerful, and a quick learner.” Although RJ was an unbroken three-year-old when cast, Peterson recalls knowing within the first five minutes of meeting the horse that RJ was an exceptional creature.

For Hidalgo, Peterson was able to teach the lead actor to lay down a horse safely — a critical skill during filming when the trainer could not remain close to give cues and the action required significant trust between man and horse.

An American Humane kind of trainer

American Humane has found that when filming abroad the standard of animal welfare varies based on cultural beliefs, local animal welfare legislation, economics, and technological availability. During pre-production of Hidalgo in Morocco, Peterson insisted that the production adhere to American Humane’s Guidelines for the Safe Use of Animals in Filmed Media. He also refused to use studs and demanded that all horses be in good physical condition and free of ring bit sores in their mouths.

Both American Humane and Peterson recognized that the local trainers in Morocco needed help adhering to American Humane Guidelines that call for a high standard of care, especially in the use of bits. The local horses wore severe Moroccan ring bits, which go around the horse’s lower jaw and can tear the tongue and corners of the mouth, and in some instances, even break the jaw. Peterson recommended that instead the production supply Spanish bits, which have a short shank, mild low port, and a leverage factor that helps control but is not severe. Production donated the bits to 100 of the local riders in hopes they would extol the welfare benefits of the Spanish bit to other riders.

An award-winning trainer

The American Paint Horse Association presented a special “Legendary Achievement Award” to Peterson, who accepted on behalf of himself, Walt Disney Studios, Hidalgo Director Joe Johnston, Producer Casey Silver, Actor Viggo Mortensen, and “Hidalgo.” These entertainers were credited for their brilliant and outstanding work in showcasing the beauty, talent, and versatility of the American Paint Horse breed in this epic action-adventure film.

Weather Warning

I don't pay much attention to weather warnings. I grew up in snow so deep that what you guys get around here makes me sad. But Carla just called to tell us that we have a weather advisory for our area.  A snow storm is moving in, and they have named it Gandolf. This better be a wicked awesome storm or I am going to be so disappointed,

A Friend Blogger!!!

So a relative of my BFF is now been claimed as my friend too. She is like me trying to be a blogger with some sort of discipline and I told her we would encourage each other. So here is a link to her blog and I will add it to my blogs I follow list too.

In Pepper's Words

Aric's Dual Language program

Aric is in kindergarten this year and he made it into the Dual Language program. It has been keeping us all busy as none of us really speak spnaish.  But he is also working on learning english. They send a book home everyweek that he reads to us for the week and he sends it back on Monday and we go again.  This week is:

He read it without missing one word, I was so proud of him.

What I am watching: Runaway Bride

"Don't knock drunk people in a bar, it means they aren't driving."

Is just one of my favorite quotes from a fun movie.  Not feeling well I am laying in bed watching movies and listening to the kids go crazy in the other room. I will let you know if anything more interesting happens.  Otherwise just come join me in watching Richard Gere get turned into a clown.

Clip of "Hair Treatment" 

Does it bother anyone else that she kept the rings from all of them?

Does anyone know if Julia Robers does any of her owb riding in thus movie?

Jan 7th at the kingdom Hall = PROUD PARENTS

Two stories to report from our morning at the meeting. Well not mine, Carla stayed at home with me as I was not doing well at all, but Travis and the kids were there.  Travis said the boys were being absolutely golden.  So he leaned down and started to tell Taylor how proud he was of him and Taylor turned and with a stern look said "SHUSH DADDY"!  How adorable is that. 

Then after meeting Sydney got sighed up for the ministry school. 

We are so proud of are spiritual little ones.

She's Syd the Kid

Nov 17, 2011

Taylor was strumming on Sydney’s Hannah Montana guitar.  It needs new batteries so it doesn't play music anymore, but it kind of twangs from the strings moving. Sydney says to him “Your song sounds like when a bird tries to sing, but has a bad cough.”

Aric-ism

So even though I haven't been blogging I have been keeping a diary on and off again and will share a few of my memories I wrote down there from time to time. This first one comes from Nov 19, 2011:

Aric was playing Metal Gear, there is a part in it where Snake is fighting a girl and Aric yelled “Take that fluffy panties!” No the woman was not wearing fluffy panties, but normal pants and a tank top as you can see from this screen shot. I thought Travis was going to die laughing.

I'm Taylor and I'm THREE

This is my first post since Taylor's title can not longer be I'm Taylor and I'm Two.  Holy smokes. When did that happen? Worse it is now 2013 which means in 6 months it will be I'm Taylor and I'm FOUR! I don't think our last kid should be able to grow at the normal rate. I think if it's your baby it should take twice as long for them to grow, keep them littler for longer so that you don't have baby cravings!  Anyway this post is supposed to be about my Tay, not about my surprise over the title change, so here we go:

I made monkey bread again the other day. It was sitting in there on my kitchen counter, the warm gooey bread sending out it's delicious aroma through out the whole house brought all four of my kids (this includes my daughter's BFF Zoe who was spending part of winter vaca with us) up from the basement to see what I had pulled out of the oven and when could they possibly have their larger than fair share of it.

It was Taylor who first worked up the courage to quit standing there staring at it to come and find me and in his sweetest most endearing buttering mommy up voice asked "Please may I have some monkey bread?"

I wan't about to be fooled by the voice, the batting doe eyes or even for that matter the prayer like way he was holding his hands as he stood there waiting for the answer. Putting on my best confused mommy face I said "I don't know, are you a monkey?"  Well let me tell you this brought on some deep thought.  I mean I could see the wheels turning, the gears grinding, the poor hamster running for all it's worth behind his eyes. To admit he was a monkey was out of the question, but to deny it might mean he didn't get some monkey bread. What to do??

Finally it was like a light bulb went off and he gets a small smile and looks me right in the eye and says: "I'm sorta like one." That answer won him his monkey bread.

Reading

Sydney and I have been trudging our way through series.  I am a firm believer in reading a book BEFORE watching the movies made from it. We read (much to the displeasure of some of our family) the entire Harry Potter Series, reading each book then watching the movie, moving onto the next book and so on.  After 7 incredible books finding another series to sink our teeth into has been difficult, but this is our special mom and Sydney time and having struggled to find a series has meant that we haven't been having that time together. We started and stopped a few series as we just had a hard time getting into a new one, some were not exciting enough after the Harry Potter series, some were to grown up and therefore to boring (sigh) some she wanted to read but I think she is to young for (huge sigh from her lol) but I have finally giving in and we have started the Hunger games series. So many of her classmates have seen the movie and she wants to watch it so bad, (refer to earlier comment about book before movie) but I haven't let her. I think the movie was very well done considering how violent the book really is in parts, but I also thought you lost a lot of the story in just the movie. In the end I have agreed to read her the book, but I am, shall we say editing some of the more graphic parts as I read. That has been a challenge but I am loving watching her get involved in the characters and guessing on how it will end or what will happen to Katniss. I love story-time with Sydney. I hope to God that when she is 18 she will still throw herself into my bed while we read through yet another series together. Reading is a passion of mine, and I love sharing that with her regardless of who approves of the books we are reading.