DC/Baltimore Trip

More adventures with Leeny & Brian! We stayed at their place, and the girls went to ACPA while the boys sampled brews. We took in the Cherry Festival, ate dinner at Jaleo with Heather Peto, and ate some more (crabcakes, sushi, pizza, chocolate cake, etc.). A fantastic time was had by all (as usual).

Braden's Birthday--Love Bun Overload

The Challenge Horse Show

Dutch and I trotting during a flat class.

Cantering around the end during one of our hunter rounds.

Dutch and I cantering around in the open flat equitation class.

Addie and Levi.

Kelly and Moment.

Karen and Dutch.

The faithful show husband observes from his vantage point.

Jake and Ariel.

Kelly and Moment waiting for their next round.

Dutch and Moment hanging out.

Meghan and Tsuki hanging out at our apartment in July.

Family Vacation--St. Thomas, V.I.

Leeny & Brian's Wedding--Dominican Republic--February 2008

Braden's 27th Birthday

Leeny & Brian's "Destination Wedding" Shower

Christmas 2007

Braden and the fantastic burr grinder

Rachel and her "haul"

The ever-popular trombone, sax, sax trio.

Fall Weekend

Leeny, Brian, and Tuscany came up from Baltimore last weekend to enjoy some fall color. (And we enjoyed their company and food.) We ate, talked, cooked, ate, and on Sunday went for some brief hikes and a picnic lunch with the dogs. It was a gorgeous and extremely warm day. We went to Treman State Park down by Ithaca (where these pictures are from) and Buttermilk Falls State Park (where the camera got left in the car, but there was 1/2 mile of stairs... just picture it in your mind). Needless to say, the boys and dogs slept all the way home after that. It was a fantastic weekend.

Ta-da! My new (short) haircut. It looks mostly like it did when the stylist did it correctly a few weeks ago...

Annoying Braden in the morning...

Braden and Tsuki playing around.

Ariel and I at the Challenge Show in August, which is usually at the Cayuga County Fairgrounds in Weedsport. However, the horse barn had burned down during a rock concert there earlier in the month, so the show was moved to Heritage Farm outside Skaneateles. It was fun to have new grounds and some different jumps, although the footing was pretty deep, so it was tough to keep Ariel going the second day. I don't think it was my best show ever, but we did manage two 2nd places on my best over-fences rides of the weekend.

Ariel and I in a flat class. (Notice the spectator chairs at eye-level.)

Karen on Pepper, a lesson horse I sometimes ride.

Isabella on Snow in the walk-trot.

Sam on her horse Kas and Brandon on Dutch, a lesson horse I sometimes ride.

A view of Burlington, VT, from the ferry.

We spent a few days at the end of July up in the Adirondacks at a cabin Braden's parents rented. We had a great time around Lake Placid and Saranac Lake, Burlington VT, and canoeing, eating, and making food in a campfire. Here are some views from the Paul Smith Visitor Interpretive Center, where they had a number of nature hikes.

Braden's parents got lots of great shots, too. (Now they just need to start a photo blog so I can link to it... :)

Ariel and I over fences at the Gallop On Farm Show in July. We did okay. My best accomplishment of the day was a good rollback on the equitation over fences course. And of course Meghan was there to help!

Trotting along.

Me and my "show mom" Meghan by the in-gate.

The "kids' table" at a July picnic at my parents' house. We all used to be so much smaller...