Rewind: Trail Riding in Spain

My husband finally decided to tackle sorting through his years of junk e-mail and stumbled on pure gold. 

A fellow trail rider had taken took a few photos of our group in Barcelona while riding in Montserrat and actually also remembered to send them to us. They aren't the best quality, but they capture a very special time and moment for us. It was a beginner level ride but I got paired up with a super cute chestnut Arab mare named Mariposa which made it more fun for me. 

It was so nice to look back and remember what an amazing time we had on our honeymoon almost SEVEN years ago! Our life looks very different now, but not any less amazing.

March Recap

It was a wild and crazy month, in terms of everything. The weather couldn't decide what it wanted to be, poor C and W's seasonal allergies started up, and we had a very dramatic end to the month. Details below...

Cold frigid weekends mean we hunkered down and watch indoor go-kart racing.  

First brief respite in the temps = we are outdoors!

He is a very good noodlehorse boy.

Big bro helps his sister stuff her BAB birthday bear.
The machine is quite loud. I don't fault her for being scared of it. 

She enjoyed the shopping portion much more.

Mmmm...food samples!
My kids love family shopping trips to Costco.

Reading on weekend mornings.
There is always a steady supply of fresh library books thanks to my husband!  

My baby girl turned 3!
She posed when I told her to smile for this photo haha 

I finally set up my art/computer desk and finished up a very overdue personal memorial project. It felt so good to scratch the creative itch and have a dedicated art space again.

We went to our new town's annual Easter Egg Hunt.
The kids were in two different age group events.
C did awesome and held his own among kids 2-3 years older than him.

I helped baby girl and we found one of the golden eggs!
She got a special prize and has been cuddling it since then. 

I was in the office at work when the cameras in my driveway and backyard started going off like crazy. NGL it was very scary seeing huge black clouds of smoke pouring from the neighbor's garage and being completely helpless to do a single thing. I called W who was working at home to check on him/our house and it sounded like the fire department was on its way already. I watched my next-door neighbor jump our backyard fence and try to put out the fire using a household-sized extinguisher while the firefighters were en route. 

Unfortunately I have a 99.9% confirmed suspicion that this was probably caused by the neighbor himself. He smokes cigarettes outside his house and that location is his usual spot. Thankfully no one was hurt, but it is scary to see in aftermath how bad it could potentially have been. 

February Recap

Another month has flown by! I am starting to look forward to making these recap posts. It is a nice way to look back on everything and be excited for what is to come. 

The kids working on the monthly craft project at Home Depot.
We have been going pretty regularly and have become friends with the employees and other families. 

Husband and I celebrated Valentine's Day by trying a new-to-us restaurant.
The food was okay, but we value and enjoy our time together so it always worth it. 

My shadow is always watching...
It's been 3 months since Onyx came home, which is a major milestone in the adoption timeline.
I think I have a pretty good read on his personality now. He is definitely the quintessential greyhound, and more like a cat than a dog in someways. 

I had a really productive puzzle month! This one was my favorite. 

We bit the bullet and splurged on Legoland Season Passes.
In addition to theme park perks, the pass includes unlimited admission to a bunch of
other attractions like the Legoland Discovery Center and SeaLife aquarium.
The kids had SO much fun. 

In case you haven't heard...there was another snowstorm.
The kids were cooped up at home with us for a couple days,
so I introduced them to one of my favorite childhood movies. 

We had a break in the cold weather and did playground/park day. 
We swung by the barn first to check on Quest. The fur kids got to meet for the first time. 

Quest was perfect from the get-go (as I expected). Onyx was a little more wary but he warmed up and behaved very well. This photo makes me all sorts of happy on the inside <3 

We were enjoying the last bit of warm afternoon sun on the weekend.
Onyx has a whole entire fenced yard to himself but he always chooses me.
He gives the best hugs.

January Recap

 Oh boy I actually am doing this thing! Monthly recap post below. 

Our morning weekday routine continues - waiting for the school bus. 
Onyx sporting a new addition to his wardrobe, I wanted something that was good for milder weather.

Bday party and my kids are the only two still sitting and EATING at the table XD
Fellow parents will understand why this made me laugh so hard. 

This was my favorite from C's artworks this month. The three of us walking in the rain <3 

His first real roach at home!
 Onyx has been with us for close to 2.5months now.  

During pickup one evening, I noticed that C's teacher featured one of his artworks and a little winter poem he put together. I was so excited for him! 

His eyes trying to guilt me into feeding him early while I was working on my puzzle.
And another new item to the doggie wardrobe, sighthound body type makes sizing very strange. Ordering stuff is always a gamble.

So much snow.
After living in with a HOA for the past 6 years, I've forgotten how exhausting shoveling a driveway is...

Trying to make the best of it! 

Onward to 2026 & December Recap

Happy New Year, dearest blogger friends & readers! 

It has already been a wild start to the new year and we're only 5 days in. Poor baby girl had a bout of food poisoning this past weekend and it was not fun. 0/10 do not recommend. 

On the upside I did end 2025 with two weeks of PTO and immensely enjoyed the time away from work and with my husband and kids and our closest friends.  

My personal 2026 goals are super mundane and modest because being a working full-time parent with two toddlers underfoot is already THE challenge. 2025 was a lackluster year for riding but my fitness improved just by pushing a lawn mower, redoing all the landscaping, raking leaves, and shoveling snow from my driveway, front steps and sidewalk. Having Onyx as my loyal and ever-eager walking buddy has been really nice too. And of course, I'd also love to keep blogging here as best I can with the aim of monthly posts. 

To start, here's the December Recap: 

Waiting together for the school bus to arrive. 

"More petting, less working!' - Onyx

During break, we met up with close friends for an ice-skating playdate. My husband is a trooper and handled the on-ice part. I never learned how to rollerblade/ice skate as a kid and definitely do not have any talent or skill in this area. 

It has been bitterly cold for the past several weeks. Both of us are bundled up for our walks.

For my birthday, one of my closest friends generously treated me and the husband to a restaurant that served Japanese hambu. We decided to finally do a lunch date during our time off and it was so good. The staff was 10/10 and even gifted me a complimentary drink.  

It was another SUPER cold day so we did an afternoon unlimited playpass + arcade food. One of C's best friends from daycare also happened to show up (we parents think alike!) and the boys had a ton of fun together. 

Our first Christmas morning in our new home <3

Onyx modeling on Christmas Day. The cute holiday bow tie was a gift from a pet store groomer who stopped to admire him while we were bathing him in the self-service dog wash. We always seem to meet folks wanting to say hi to Onyx.

No holiday break is complete without a barn visit to see my best mareface <3 Quest is doing super and holding her weight very well so far this winter.

We arranged a huge group playdate at a local ninja gym for C's close friends. My baby girl T got to enjoy a lot of obstacles fit for her size and ability and had fun.

I was SO impressed with C for tackling the warped wall repeatedly. It was so cool seeing him persist and finally figure it out. His confidence grew each time he reached the top!

Onyx got a nice fluffy donut dog bed for Christmas. I think he likes it.