I have always been daddy's little girl. When I was young i went everywhere with my father, with my multicolored farm coat, badger red stocking cap, and rubber boots to my knees-i was his sidekick. he taught me things like how to drive the tractors and fourwheelers, how to change the oil in a car, and how to drive a truck. i still remember begging him to let me sit on his lap and steer while he controlled the foot pedals.

after my little brother was born, i started being left behind more and more because my brother began to take my spot as daddy's little sidekick. although, at the time it was ok because i was about 10 years old and it was becoming un-cool to hang out with your dad all the time. i had better things to do, so i thought, like hanging out with my friends, playing basketball, and talking on the phone.

As i began my teen years my dad and I's relationship continuted to grow. i never talked to him about persal guy issues or anything like that, but i did begin to wish that i would have spent more time with him. i became active in varsity sports in high school it was tradition for all the players to go hug their parents before the game started. needless to say i always gave my dad a big wet kiss too! he didn't always appreciate it at the time, but i know deep down he loved it. my dad and i love to wrestle, he often says he isn't worried about me fighting off an attacker because let's just say i have some "tricks in my pocket!"

now that i have gone off to college he often calls and begs me to come home. i am convinced he misses me dearly. when i go hom he often asks if i want to spend the day with him, driving around the country side or working outside. he tells his friends that if he could clone and of his kids it would be me. i am always willing to help and hardly ever complain. my dad knows he can rely on me to get stuff done.

when i look into the future, i can't wait to ask my dad to walk me down the aisle and dance the father/daughter dance with me. i have a side of me that wants to be goofy and make a fool out of him and then there is a side of me that wants to take the moment and fly with it. i don't tell my father nearly enough how much i love him and how much i appreciate everything he does for me, and i know if i don't do this there are many other daddy's girls that fail to do the same thing too. don't take for granted the love of you father, tell him you love him and tell him you appreciate all the hard work he does for you, so you can live a good life.

Snow Day

Snow days are great, I am pretty sure that just about every student would agree with that. Snow days in elementary school are always good because it is one less day in a week that you have to listen to your teacher lecture you on and on and on! Snow days in high school are fun as well. I remember spending snow days with my brother....sledding, building snow forts and snowmobiling. My brother is 5 years younger than I am and we used to have soo much fun. I remember last year we rolled down one of our huge hills multiple times....actually we were more like tackling each other....Lets just say we both walked away with some bruises after that day. We also live on a farm so of course we had 5 dogs rolling down the hill with us too. Then we decided we wanted to make tunnels, it was going all fine and well until my brother ruined them! I would have to say those were the greatest snowdays....Although college snowdays are just awesome....yesterday was my second college snowday...my first one was last year over in fondulac...over a foot of snow fell that night and there was no way anyone was going to get anywhere! My second college snowday was yesterday! I didn't do a darn thing yesterday....I stayed up late and slept in...then sadley I had to shovel....had to make sure that darn mail man had a path to the mailbox....also had to make sure my lazy roomate could get to her car! After having that much snow and not going out and playing in it made me sad! I really wish i could have been home and playing in the snow with my brother! I am going home this weekend and lets just say I am planning on playing in the snow! I actually can't wait!! I hope my brother is ready to play in the snow and go snowmobiling! I am not really looking forward to the drive home....The words still aren't cleaned off all that great and people really do not know how to drive in snow! The first snowfall we had there was so many accidents already....its like seriously people this is Wisconsin....it snows every single year! Use your common sense!

Thanksgiving :)

I spent my Thanksgiving by myself. It actually kind of sucked. The reason I had to spend Thanksgiving by myself was because I decided to be nice and take some hours for another girl at work, who was desperate to get rid of them. It sounded really good when I did it, which was about a week before Thanksgiving day. You may wonder, well why didn't she just go home after working the extra hours, well because I actually ended up having two shifts on Thanksgiving. My first shift started at 6:45 and went until 11:30. My second shift started at 3:30 and went until 8:30. The second shift is the one I picked up so that the girl could go spend Thanksgiving with her family. Then there was this other girl who also had to work two shifts on Thanksgiving day, she was actually kind of upset that I took the shift that ended earlier because she wanted it because her second shift ended at 10 and then she had to be back to KMart for black Friday by 5:30 the next morning! So since I am such a nice person I decided I would stay till 10 for her and then she could leave at 8:30.

Although it did suck to have to work a double shift on Thanksgiving, which ended up being a total of eleven hours, I did get paid time and a half for working, I even got a free value basket certificate for Culver's, which is one of my favorite restaurants. :)

Something that I could not believe though, was that there was a line of people waiting outside KMart at 6 in the morning on Thanksgiving. Do these people not have lives, they should have been home getting dinner ready for their families or something, not standing in line at a store.

They were all there for the deals that we had going on back in our electronics section. We actually recieved a lot of compliments about how prepared we were for the rush that morning. We had done our research and had multiple people back in electronics to help things go smooth and efficiently.

The reason I worked a double on Thanksgiving day was because my family had already celebrated Thanksgiving back in October when my Aunt and Uncle were home from spain for three weeks. We had the full out meal, we had turkey, corn, homemade mashed potatoes, buns, and even wine. Of course my uncle bought a keg of beer to see if he could make my grandma mad and to be honest I think it worked. Anyways I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving with their families. I was able to go home Thanksgiving weekend and spend some time with the family so I didn't completely desert my family! :)

Busy

Lately I have been so crazy that it isn't even funny anymore. My schedule is so hectic that it is actually amazing that I get to where I need to be when I need to be there! I have class Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and then on Tuesdays and Thursdays I have class from 2:30-3:30 p.m. My core program classes are from 8-12 and then I have written communications on Tuesday and Thursday. After I am finished with class on Monday I go straight to workstudy. I work for Shelly Bauer for two hours (12-2 p.m.) and then I work for the PCC (Parent and Child Center) from 2:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. When I work for Shelly I pretty much do whatever she tells me to. I often times end up doing filing jobs and cleaning jobs as well, although sometimes she has me make copies or put together a bulletin board. When I go to work for the Parent and Child Center, I have to clean up after snack. That includes washing dishes, wiping down the tables, sweeping the floor, wiping and stacking all the little chairs, do the the laundry, and putting away the dishes. After I finish all of that I usually have about an hour left to work so I often get stuck washing windows, wiping down door handles, watering plants, or washing toys. After I finish work I try really hard to get to the gym, but it usually doesn't happen. Also on Monday nights I play Intramural Volleyball at the La Crosse Boys and Girls Club. That is probally the most fun I have all week. It is literally the only time that I don't have to be dressed up should I say!

On Tuesdays after I finish class at noon I work one hour for work studay from 12-1 p.m. During that hour I do a bunch of cleaning. I wipe down all the tables, and straighten out the chairs, and just do little jobs to kind of tidy up all the classrooms in the Parent and Child Center building! Then I get a little free time to myself before I go to class at 2:30. After class the night usually mine. I go to the gym and try to keep my butt in shape....although it isn't really working!

On Wednesday after class I have to hurry out to Eagle Bluff Elementary school for practicum. Practicum is like my field work. I work side by side with my cooperating teacher. She gives me all sorts of jobs to do, such as helping kids with reading, math, or writing. I also do little projects for her such as cutting, tracing, correcting, entering grades, and coppies. I absolutely love all the kids they are so sweet! i also go outside for recess with the students, which is a lot of fun, I often spend time with the students that have mental disabilities only because they absolutely love the attention and they have so much to offer and they love the fact that someone is spending time with them!

On Thursdays I go back to the PCC. I have to be there at 8 in the morning. Right away when I get there I have to change all the cot sheets. Which actually doesnt bother me that much. I also have to wash all the cot sheets and dry them too. After I get done doing the cot sheets I usually get stuck washing toys again, but I also don't mind that either because it's a time that I don't have to talk to anyone so ya! I work there until 10 and then I go and work for Tracy Cracker. She is a really sweet lady and for her I usually do a lot of computer work. I actually do a lot of work in the Constant Contact. I usually end up calling a lot of people for that which kind of sucks because I don't like call people. So I work for her until noon and then I usually go grab something to eat and work on a little homework until I have to go to class at 2:30. After class I usually end up working at Kmart from 4-8:30 which kind of sucks because that is usually the busiest time of the day because everyone is getting off of work and stuff. Finally Friday is here. I go to practicum at Eagle Bluff at 8 in the morning and I am there until 3:30. It is kind of a long day, but it is well worth it. I learn so much in that period of time that it isn't even funny! :) Well that is a sneak preview of how busy my life is on a day to day basis! ;)

Dream Wedding! ;)

I know it is a little early to have my wedding planned out, but as a matter of fact I actually do have my wedding planned. For any people that may know me, my favorite color is definitely blue, basically everything about me is blue! :) I don't have a preference of blue, just as long as it is blue basically, Although I am not a big fan of certain really dark blues, but for the most part I like the lighter blues! Anyways back to my wedding! My dress is going to be strapless and fairly simple. I want it to be form fitted around my stomach and then once it gets to my hips i want it to become puffy. I actually want a fairly puffy dress because I think long puffy, almost like ball room gown dresses are beautiful. My vail is going to be fairly simple on the top of my head but then as it falls down my back I want it to be outlined in the color of my wedding which will most likely be a baby or sky blue. My shoes will most likely be slippers because my dress is going to be long enough, that I will not need to worry about my shoes/feet showing.

I am actually planning on having about 6 or 7 people stand in my wedding my maid of honor will most likely be my best friend from middle school, we have been through a lot together and have kind of even grown apart, but all in all I still consider her my best friend. I know I can go to her with my deepest secrets and she wont tell a sole. The other girls in my wedding will of course include my closest friends from high school and my sister. My flower girl will be my niece Jayda! She is going to make a very adorable flower girl, I almost wish I could get married now so I could see her walk down the aisle, she has recently just began to walk and it would just be so stinken cute!

My groom is going to wear a black tux with a light/sky blue vest and I think I am gonna go with a tie for my groom and bow ties for the groomsmen. The guys will also wear black shiny shoes. The girls in my wedding are going to wear sky/light blue dresses and they are going to be long. I think I am going to have them somewhat form fitted around the belly and then poof out at about the hips. I am just trying to think about that because I want to make sure my dresses don't make anyone look too fat because I hate looking fat! :s I am also planning on being in the best shape of my life for my wedding I do not want to be a fat little flabby bride when I walk down the aisle on one of the biggest days of my life! I am going to work out like crazy before my wedding and I will most likely have a perfect tan to go with it!

I want my wedding to be an early fall wedding because its not too cold and its not to warm either. Also I love the colors. I am also kind of debating on a spring wedding too! I know I don't want to get married during the summer because with my luck my wedding would end up on one of the hottest days and then I would be completely miserable! My wedding would be in the Lutheran Church in Wilton, Wisconsin and my reception will most likely take place at the legion hall or the community center in Wilton.

I hope you somewhat enjoyed my wedding plans they maybe simple now, but I will most likely need my mother to help me with the fine details when the date gets closer....as of now I am not engaged to anyone but I do have a wonderful boyfriend! :)

Midnight

When many of you first look at the title to this blog post you may be thinking that I am talking about the middle of the night, but I really am not! I am talking about Diamonds Midnight Star, for short called Midnight. Midnight is my horse. He is a registered black and white pinto, he is registered through the American Pinto Association. I have had Midnight since he was three and green broke. Many of you may wonder what does green broke mean? Well green broke basically means knowing the basics. When I got Midnight he really did know only the basics. He knew how to walk, trot, lope, steer left and right, and stop and that was about it! Midnight is now 13 years old and knows a lot more than just the basics. Actually another way to actually demonstrate how much he really knows and how much he is really worth: when I first bought Midnight I paid 1800 dollars for him, now if I was to sell Midnight I could easily ask at least 8000 dollars for him now. In this blog I will let you in on our amazing journey, as him and I grew together and learned together.

I am a pretty big Western/English pleasure fan. So as soon as I got Midnight home we started training him (my mom and I). Everything that Midnight knows I taught him, which I take great pride in that because Midnight and I are an awesome team, and he has turned into a pretty amazing horse! Let me tell you though this did not come easy. It was a lot of hard work and many many hours a day spent riding him. I sometimes even rode him twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. We worked on the many different gates and there speeds, we worked on pivots and side passes, we worked on using his butt to stop, and we also worked on showmanship too! You may be thinking my goodness what he she talking about with side passing and using the butt to stop, don't worry I will explain! Using the butt to stop means when I ask him to stop he should basically lock his hind legs and slide on his hind legs, now mind you Midnight is not very good at this, but he does try his hardest. If horses do not use their hind ends to stop they end up stopping on the forearm, which is their front end. When a stops on its front end it is very choppy and bouncy, because they are basically locking their front end up to stop....it also can be slightly harmful if they stop to hard on their front end.

Midnight has been my best friend for over 10 years and we have been through a lot! I am actually the only person he will be good for, when other people try to ride him he doesn't do so well. He is actually a very lazy horse and if you don't properly ask him to do something he wont do it! Its actually very funny how stubborn he can be! He even knows the person that makes him work hard! He roles his eyes every time he sees her it is actually very funny! I have never seen a horse with soo much personality!

Jayda Bug

Jayda Bug is my little niece that has just recently turned one year of age! Her birthday was on September 21st. She is such a bundle of joy! I recently got to spend an entire day with her and I loved every minute of it! She has actually just learned to walk and the cutest thing ever is watching her tottle around. She thinks it is so funny when she bends down and picks something up...but then when she falls she laughs even harder. She has also started to master climbing the stairs, she actually thinks it is a game because of course we all go running after her! She turns back with this devil little grin and then turns around and tries to go faster! She is in that stinker stage right now and it is so cute, of course I can think it's cute, but that is only because I can give her back at the end of the day!

Some of Jayda's favorite things to do are ride horses, ride the fourwheelers, and to go for rides on the mule, by mule I mean a four-wheeled utility vehicle! She gets super excited when she see's the horses and definitely when she gets thrown up on one. She just sits back and relaxes, it is actually very cute and funny! Then when you ask the horse to trot she giggles/laughes so hard, because obviously all you do is bounce and little kids her age love to bounce!

Jayda has also learned the importance of blowing on her food to cool it off. Last night my mom gave her some really hot chicken...not really but you know...and told her that it was hot and that she had to blow on it to cool it off! Well she actually did she blew on her food untill it was nice and cooled off. Also she blows on other peoples food too. Like she blew on my sisters soup one day to cool it off for her. After Jayda got done eating last night she decided to drag empty milk jugs all over the house. While she was doing that she kept saying ow. So like every step she took she would ow, It was soo funny! One of the cutest things I have seen though, was last night grandpa was getting ready to go to bed and grandma was like ok Jayda grandpa is going to bed you better go give him a hug and a kiss....well she did. She tottled over to him and gave him a hug and a kiss before he went upstairs to go to sleep!

It's actually amazing how much love you can have for a child because when my sister first got pregnant with Jayda I have to say my entire family was not too happy about because for one she was only 17 years old and for two the father dumped her right away. He clearly stated right away that he wanted nothing to do with Jayda, which is very sad because she is such a bundle of joy! And all through the pregnancy the entire family just got used to the idea and learned to except it and when we found she was going to have a girl we were very happy because girls are so much fun. By the time Kayla was due we were all definitely ready for Jayda to be here. She was so cute too, she had perfect skin, she slept through the night, she was down right the perfect baby. Now that Jayda is a year old I can't imagine life without her. My entire family has come to love her so much and it's amazing because at the very beginning we pretty much resented the pregnancy....I mean the beginning when Kayla told us she was pregnant. All in all I have come to realize the love that a baby can bring to a family and how much your love grows for that child once you get to know her and interact with her. Jayda is a bundle of joy and I don't know what I would do with out her!