Home-made Christmas Gifts...

I get it....we're in a recession....I'm all about being thrifty, and I LOVE a heart felt gift just as much as the next person....but if any of you send me these "slippers", you can consider yourself a candidate for my 'special friend' list....'special friends' are honored with a 'special gift' from me at the most inopportune time and with the least amount of forewarning.....

Happy Holiday Shopping,

Leah

I've been skooled!

I am HUGE proponent of continued education...That is, education as it relates to my job and function in society....my calling in life has always been training....growing up, I could be found training my siblings to do as I want (I'm the eldest of 4...total A-type too...poor kids), training my dogs to obey, and training my horses to perform...as I entered the 'real world' beyond HS, I continued to gravitate towards training....training new hires on my fire fighting crew, helping with remediation in boot camp, training subordinates in the Marine Corps, and so on....it seems everything I have done in my life, I have eventually ended up training....it's no wonder I have made my choice of career Training Development....it just makes sense!


Of course there are always other perspectives on how a person gets to where they are and why....my husband believes I just like to boss people around...tell them what to do....I say he is a goober and is over simplifying my enormous capacity for encouraging others to do what it is that is in their best interest to be doing :) SO THERE!


Anyway, I just returned from four full days of professional development. ASTD offers a variety of courses for educators and others working to support education of all types....the classes I attended were the E-Learning and Advanced E-Learning Instructional Design programs....they were AMAZING! I expected traditional classroom instruction....that was not the case at all, and fitting considering the content was based on making your training more LEARNER-centric vs CONTENT-centric....we learned what our instructor set out to teach us, and SO MUCH MORE! The class was presented in an instructor led, open discussion forum type format....we were provided guidance, demonstration, and challenges, and we did the rest!


My fellow participants included business owners, CEO's, consultants, programmers, subject matter experts (SME's), writers (like me), project managers, graphic artists, and so on....because this 'training' was more knowledge based than process based, it was a learning experience that touched us all....


I will gladly and enthusiastically attend more of these type classes in the future...Hopefully I can go at least once a year to help stay on top of industry best-practices, tools, and technologies. This instruction truly challenged the way I have always gone about business, inspired me to look at development from another perspective, and also provided me affirmation for many of my own best practices based on my own experiences.


I can't be truly honest with you all unless I reveal the negative side of this experience as well though...it's not all sunshine and roses.....there WAS that horribly long, exhausting, endless, dreary drive up to DC each morning, and back home.....even though the last two days of class were a bit closer to me in Alexandria, I was still faced with much too much of this....


and this.....


There is always a down side....

Happy Trails....and TRAINING!
Leah

It's Christmas Party Time!

We aren't a froofy bunch...we don't have lots of fancy clothes, wear lots of expensive products, or spend lots of money pampering ourselves on a frequent basis....once a year though, we make an exception! It's PARTY TIME, and we look forward to it every year....our companies put a lot of time and energy into throwing us a Holiday party each year, and we enjoy them to the fullest extent...I bought me a fancy dress (although I will wear the same one to both parties), JR got a dapper new tie and shirt (although the suit he has owned since we met), I got my nails done (drats...broke a nail on day 1 feeding horses!) , highlighted and up-do'ed my own hair, bought me some shiny new makeup and looky there....aren't we a mighty presentable couple after all?!?!?

One party down, one to go! We enjoyed ourselves at my company party last night, while the brats had a 'parentless' party of their own at the house....I would guess close to 800 were in attendance at this shindig in northern VA! It was a circus! Good food and good friends were in abundance though...looking forward to JR's comparably smaller party this coming weekend that is also closer to home....It will mark an end to our party season, and return to our normal, boring, plain selves...sigh.

Happy Trails,

Leah

One week missing...

...and the area has been searched time and time again....

We miss you Banjo...please come home soon! It's getting awful cold out these days, and we have a cozy little spot waiting just for you!

SANTA TIME!!!

Some people take their brats to see Santa at a mall, or at a department store, and wait and wait and wait in line for an eternity just to get a little 1 on 1 Santa time of their own....round' these parts we get full dibs on Santa almost exclusively to ourselves at our annual county holiday parade...the parade starts at 2pm, so we be sure to arrive no later than 130pm and await his arrival by the big red fire truck that serves as his 'ride' in the parade....I guess his reindeer are still getting conditioned for the world-wide trek they are scheduled to perform in just a few weeks time...we stake out the place like groupies, and its always worth the wait!

This year, LB was the first to greet him! As he approached the fire truck, the mauling occured! Before poor ole' St. Nick could even get his hat on! LOL....Regardless, Randi got some 1 on 1 face time with the special guy and made sure to let him know her most special secret wish, "a bike and a helmet"....the word has been passed, now all there is to do is wait and see if she was naughty or nice!

Santa is always the last entry in the parade each year...I thought it was pretty neat when he drove by, heard the Little Brat screaming "SANTA SANTA SANTA", and acknowledged her by responding "Hey, I know YOU little girl!"....Boy, I don't think we can top that! I did notice that she must have thrown off his whole preparation though, as he was still missing that red cap!!!

Santa gave Randi a cute little pin that she displays proudly in this pic on her scarf....

This is such a great time of year, and such a great place to spend it....

We wish you lots of love and magical bliss for you and yours this Holiday Season!


Happy Trails,
Leah

The Spotsylvania Christmas Parade is...

...is a family tradition!

Every year we start preparation WEEKS before the big day...my local 4H group has ridden in the Equestrian Division annually, and it takes a lot of time to get all the decorations planned out and created for both our riders and our float kids....this year is very different tho...I handed over the reins for our 4H Group to one of our most senior families this past summer....for the first time in years, all we had to do was show up and watch! What a wonderful experience THAT was!

Little Brat, Middle Brat and I headed out in the freezing temps to downtown Spotsylvania....after finding a good parking spot, we walked down the Parade route to the Courthouse Cafe', where we sipped on some hot cocoa until the Parade was ready to start...at 2pm, we grabbed a couple hot cocoa's to-go and crossed the street for a front row view of all the cool Parade entries....

Here they come! WOOOHOO! Kicking off the show was the color guard and MIA/POW representatives....they were SHARP!

Then the JROTC marched by smartly...

We call this group the Karate Kids....they were ready to rock!

These girls twirling flags were spectacular....

This was one of my favorite displays...ALL the local High School bands combined to play together in the parade...I think there were 4 or 5 in all! I t was grand, and although they nearly ran us over, they were our favorite entry!

What? No, I can't explain this one either......

And what parade is complete without an Elvis appearance?

This baton twirler wins TWO grand prizes for her talent...HOTTEST and COLDEST chick of the Day! Those are flames on them there baton ends! And she is wearing little more than underwear in freezing temps!!! Oh my! And did I mention the snow flurries?!?!? Someone get her a robe! A Fireproof robe, that is...

One thing about Spotsylvania is that we have a lot of pride....that includes pride in our waste management services....yes, that is a trash truck IN the parade....and the sign behind it? It says: "The Cherished Sounds of Christmas Morning"...really!

Here comes my ole' 4H club now, The Jolly Ranchers! Hi girls!

Here's there float....they are rocking out!

And here come their fearless riders! The parents walk between the horses and the crowd to keep the horses and riders safe, as well as the spectators, in the event they are spooked....

The llamas finish out the animals on display...SO CUTE!

Santa brings completion to the parade festivities...all-in-all it lasted about an hour...can't wait to come back and do it again next year!

Tyler scoops up LB and off we go to the warmth awaiting us in the truck....just wish we had parked a little closer!!!!

Happy Trails,

Leah

*sorry about the text/pic spacing on this post....it got whacked somehow, and would take too long for me to can and start over, so we'll just look past it this time...k? Thanks!*

Enjoy the view!

I can be a very resourceful person when I need to be....especially where the safety of our friends and family is concerned....I have been mulling over a means to get our road frontage cleared, without commiting a great deal of $ that we just don't have. You see, we are afflicted with a scary driveway...it sits atop a blind hill, and no amount of signage has slowed down the local traffic to make it safer for us to exit our driveway and onto the road....the feat makes for a very tense 10 seconds filled with terrifying thoughts of what monster (aka. Sammy Speed Monkey) lurked just out of view....Well, we are on our way to safer days now....thanks to the local classifieds....I found an ad for a company willing to come clear your land for free, granted you have the lumber they are looking for....I called, they came out, and they like a small patch of trees in our front hay field....I agreed to let them take the whole lot, in exchange for clearing some of our road frontage...they agreed, and we were on our way to bluer skies and happier days!

Here is a shot of our 'tree island' in the front hay field as they got to work....

Here is a shot after the trees were down, and the stumps and brush were piled and ready to burn.....oh my, MORE to burn....will it EVER end????

Here are some of the logs they gathered off 'tree island'...about 6 semi-trailers total!


And here they are getting started on our road frontage....isn't it scary? Look at those mean tree's mocking me...."I'm mean as can be! You can't see past me!", they taunt....Take them down, take them ALL down!!!



Here's as far as they got....we can finally see down towards the KOA entrance....I would like to finish the remaining 100 feet to the property line, but this was a good start to make it safer in the short term....Look, there's a car!

One thousand ONE, One thousand TWO......One thousand EIGHT! There it is again!

And TEN seconds later it has safely passed......

Yessirree Bob (or Bill, or Joe if you choose), I am feeling more aware of my surroundings and safer my the minute! Thanks Mr. Contractor-Guy-who-put-an-ad-in-the-local-classifieds-to-cut-peoples-trees-for-free!!!! They are also known as Triple H Contracting and charge $1500/acre to clear land if you have lumber that isn't worth their time to cut for free....we had a lot of that too...

Happy Trails!

Leah

One of my favorite things....

From time to time we stumble upon special little things that make our life more wonderful and complete.....before these special little things come into our lives, we are just plowing thru life, oblivious to their wonders and beauty.....and once we have found a special little thing, our lives are never the same again....


Case in point: C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Tint!



I absolutely favor this lip gloss above any other that I've ever used before it! If you have not had the fortune of experiencing this minty, glossy bliss, let me try to describe it to you....Have you ever felt the tingle of a thousand tiny icycles on your lips? No? OK then, how about Carmex...have you ever used Carmex and enjoyed that refreshing splash of cool on your lips after you apply it? Yes? Great...moving on then....think back to your favorite lip gloss to date. The shine, texture, applicator....got it in your head? It wasn't too shiny, right? Or too thick? And of course the applicator never leaked or melted into a creamy, waxy, goopy mess! Good, we agree so far! Now, what to do about that, well, less than pleasant stink that can develop in our mouths over the course of the day....you know what I'm talking about....'morning breath', 'after lunch yuck mouth', call it what you want, what do you usually do for it? Pop a mint? A peppermint, perhaps?


Now, combine that cool, tingly, crispiness, with a medium consistency glossy niceness (tinted in the color of your choice, but not TOO much color), with a no mess no fuss applicator (squeeze out JUST the right amount and the rest stays IN), with a fresh minty tastiness for you or your lucky smooching recipient (it is infused with real no kidding peppermint oil) and you have C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Tint!


I carry one in my purse, keep one in my truck, have an extra at work and one more in my bathroom! I can't possibly live without these yummy gifts of goodness and lippy perfection! Try it and let me know what you think! I am all about spreading the love...and this is about as close as you can get too love in a bottle :)


Happy Trails,
Leah & "Violet Mint"

Tis' the Season!

Well, we are officially beyond the Thanksgiving Holiday, and headed head long into the Christmas Season! Our tree is up and lit and our Christmas lights illuminate the barn.

Here's a short clip of us all enjoying the spirit of this jolly time!

A Class Act in Spotsylvania...

A letter to the editor of the freelance star proves there are still great role models out there for our children to learn from....this lesson of taking personal responsibility is timeless. Kudos to Mr. Wolfe and all he does for the children he is entrusted with each day.....I pray my own Little Brat is blessed with such honorable leadership when she heads off to school!

Happy Trails,
Leah