Arizona Hot Springs

Today Joe and I were invited by our friends Matt and Carla to join them on mid-winter hike in Arizona along the Colorado River. It was a pretty tough hike, but the pay off included incredible views of the river and relaxing in a 100 degree, crystal clear mineral pool. The White Rock Canyon trail head begins four miles down river from the Hoover Dam and is about 6 miles round trip. To reach the hot springs you must climb a 20 foot ladder up a waterfall. Good thing we brought our bikinis!

 I would love to take the dogs and camp on the shore soon!

Keep Calm, and Canter On

A couple of days ago while the husband took his first riding lesson, I befriended some of the animals around the ranch.

Later on at Vegas Sands I rode Kyle and Joe took this little video of us.

(song by The Black Keys)

California Adventure.

As a Christmas gift my parents purchased Disneyland tickets for my husband and I. We did not hesitate to use them.Wednesday we after a long day of work we drove directly to their house in Los Angeles and crashed for the night. 

The next morning we headed to Anaheim extra early. It was 80 degrees and gorgeous outside. We had a ridiculously good time riding everything we could and eating as much food as possible. 

It was exhausting.

 

We ate strawberries, giant turkey legs, chocolate covered bananas, macaroni and cheese, popcorn, and giant pickles. I may or may not have indulged in a churro while Joe was riding splash mountain. The park was still decorated for the holidays, including the Nightmare Before Christmas Haunted Mansion. It even snowed during the fireworks finale. Friday morning after coffee with my parents we made a quick detour in search of lunch and the seaside. With little time to spare we decided on Venice Beach since neither one of us had been for several years and my parents live around the corner. It was just as I remembered it. We walked along the boardwalk stopping for a bite at Poke-Poke. 

 We had the Wasabi and the Spicy Tuna poke. They were both amazing. Portable, inexpensive and delicious. We wandered around the beach for a while watching the waves and picking up shells.

I could have stayed all day and watched the sun set, but traffic from Los Angeles to Las Vegas on a Friday evening is not something I like to participate in. To make the drive home a little less brutal, we made one more stop on the boardwalk for a snow cone and a slice on the walk back to the car.

So this is the new year.

I am not one of those people who makes new year resolutions. I am especially not one of those people who makes them involving a diet. I come from a family of foodies and we know how to eat. Any kind of family gathering, holiday or travel usually revolves around food. That being said, we also know how to eat healthy. We (my steak loving husband excluded) only eat meat occasionally and use strictly seafood and poultry. I make a mean turkey burger and I believe sushi should be it's own food group. We purchase the freshest, preservative free ingredients we are able to. Believe me, my mother is high fructose corn syrup's worst nightmare. Cooking something delicious is satisfying and eating it is even more gratifying. It is comforting. Can't. Stop. One goal I have set for myself this year is to compete with my horse at a few local shows. I have spent almost four years, and more money than I care to admit to myself training and caring for Kyle. Our first and only show was an epic failure, but we have come along way since those days! I am hoping to attend a show in March, so I am currently spending all of my free time at the barn and riding four days a week. My husband gifted me with a new show saddle for Christmas and today I rode Kyle in it for the first time. He gifted Kyle with these adorable leopard print polo wraps.

Sundays are our most intense work out and tonight my body is feeling it. Kyle is tucked into his stall under a warm blanket and feeling the same way, I'm sure. He had an extra scoop of grain for dinner and I, an enormous pile of carbs in the form of angel hair with sauteed garlic, mushrooms, spinach and sun dried tomatoes. Yum.

 In my opinion 2012 is off to a fabulous start!

(source)