2011 in review.

2011. You were a glorious year. You have been my favourite year of all my existence. You have taught me more than I could ever put into a blog post.

Last year, when I was thinking of new years resolutions, it was to be more crafty. It was to create. To live in art. Yes, I did. I love art. I learned *sorta* how to play guitar, I painted, I listened to and found new music. I listened to music a lot. I did tie dye, made shirts, and many more things. I most definitely lived in art more so this year than any other. I appreciated it.

As the year went on, I changed it. I think it may have been around Feb or March. It was to get out more. Haha, I know. That's sad to make that your resolution. But I needed to do it. I hate not following through with things, so I had to do it. And so I did. I went out. I saw my friends a lot more. Maybe not during the summer as much, but I was so busy with agility..but this school year; it's been fantastic.

In November, for leadership, we made a wellness goal, and mine was to get more sleep. I made a goal, and I followed through. I have been getting more sleep and that has made me feel so much better! I feel like a new person! So vigourating to live each day without being dead tired!

Looking back on all of my new years resolutions of the past, I've realized that they have all changed my life. They have helped me become a better person. Without realizing it, I did that to myself. Pretty cool. For 2012, it is going to be the year of change, of growth, of opportunity. Things will change, I will change, people around me will change, they will leave and I most likely will never see some of them again. It's the year of happy, the year of sad, of moving on, of making your own life happen. The year to follow your dreams. Or to begin to, anyways. All in one year, I will graduate from highschool and start university. That's change.

Ah, sidebar.

I have decided that this years resolution will be to stay off the computer. Not completely, but a lot more. Basically to find other things to occupy my time, my brain and do something useful. Rad idea, I know.

Pictures tell a story. Looking back on the pictures from this past year, the story those photos tell is pretty cool.

We found a trail, we went hiking, Mach could be trusted more and more, I went back to school, I dissected a shark, I wrote exams; twice, I got good grades, and I got a couple bad, one of my best friends moved away, I missed her, I met new people, I hated physics, I drank tea and fell in love, we got a new puppy, old friends visited, we visited old friends, I made food, went to agility seminars, learned lots, watched the sun set in all its beauty, went to agility trials, got lots of Q's, went to more agility trials, mostly in the rain.



Mach learned all about agility, he grew a lot, and I did too because of it. I read books and got wrapped up into them, I got my full driving license, went for walks with my friends, we got a camaro, I went on a camping trip with my class and loved every minute of it, I finished the hardest year in school that I have ever had, my wisdom teeth were removed, and went to more agility trials...

Toffee and I earned our Lifetime Achievement Award and Mach and I started trialing and earned our first Q's together.

I had campfires, ate smores, chips and dip and I went swimming. Took the dogs swimming, too.

We went to Nationals. My fifth time going.

It was the most amazing experience in my life. We won nationals, along with top junior handler, and steeplechase. We did it. We made it happen. I am so blessed.

I met new people, talked to some I have wanted to for a very long time and soaked up every minute of it.

I started my Grad year. I made friends with new people, I found a new appreciation for life and all that it is. I found a new appreciation for the people in my life and have tried to make it a point to make sure they know it.

I found a passion in healthy living,(okay, still trying), and trying to figure out the wild world.

Mach got his first titles and Toffee ranked the top dog in atlantic Canada.

I lived, I learned, I loved, I laughed, I smiled, I cried, I cherish, I was selfish, I was grateful, I was selfless, I was mad, I was happy, I grew, I grew a lot.

Continue on, my love.

I was brave.
I'm not brave a lot.
Not ever, really.
But I was brave. So I applaud myself for once. I WAS BRAVE.
Yes, I finally listened to my own advice of the month and I took a chance, because they are always worth taking.

And I truly belive that they are. No, probably most of the time they wont give you the outcome that you had planned or hoped for. They will teach you lessons, though. And you will learn them. Maybe not the first time, or even the second or third. But you will learn, and you will grow. This, I do believe, is for certain.

Old habits die hard. Unfortunately I have the habit of making a fool of myself and screwing things up, usually for good. And you know the suckiest part is? It's not like my heart was broken or anything. Not at all. Because no one even truly has my heart to break. No one ever does. I get myself all wrapped up into these situations that are destined for doom. But, they dont have to be...but somehow I always make it play out that way. Sometimes I'm smart, but most of the time I'm not.

I'm crippled and slow.

Even though there are promises that things wont change, this heart may rightly be naive, but it knows all about broken promises. No, this heart aint no stupid thing. It knows when disappointment is coming. It can sense it. It's like a sixth sense. But this heard decides that LIFE IS GREAT! That things are full of love and so full of life and it should ALWAYS be happy.

Oh, and it tries to be.

It puts on its mask of happiness on even the darkest days because it doesnt want anyone to believe that it is unhappy. Because it's not. Oh, it's so happy. But for that day, it's just sad. Yes, it'll find many reasons to smile and even laugh, but for that day, it won't be that god damned happy heart that you want to shoot because your heart is having a shitty day and you think everyone around you should be too.

That's the difference between this heart and that heart. It doesn't want any other hearts to be sad. It knows, all too well, that being sad sucks and no heart should have to feel sadness all the time. Of course, sadness has to have its days, too. But they should be scarce.

But despite the days of sadness that this heart knows, it took a chance. Oh, did it ever. And no, it didn't work out the way it had hoped for. Though it knew that any other option was dead. But for a tiny moment, this heart saw a tiny shimmer of hope. It did. It was bright, too. And happy. Just like the sun.

But just like the sun, it eventually will come to an end. This shimmer was much small than the sun, so naturally it died much quicker. This hope was very hasty. Hasty is was. Very rushed, desperate almost.

Oh, but it was bursting with potential. And I think that's what kills this heart the most. There's potential in so much. But it is never, ever, ever reached. The potential just sits...and fades away.

Oh, but I was brave. Brave I was.

boy, let me tell you, bravery ain't cheap.

No it's not.
Being brave is really hard. It takes a lot, you know. It takes a lot of mustering up the courage. It takes a lot of emotion. It takes a lot of heart. I've been there. It's hard. To be vulnerable, it's hard. To wear your heart on your sleeve is hard. It's all hard. Life is hard. Love is hard. Oh, but love is so easy. Broken hearts are hard. Disappointment is hard. Losing chances is really hard. It's hard to take. To look back and go over all the "what ifs". Those are hard.

Moving on is hard, too. Much to difficult to think of right now.

Oh, but love is so easy.

Christmas!

Is all over and done with. I didnt even realize it was here, and it has already come and gone. Funny how that happens, eh?

I do have pictures, but they're on the camera, and it's really late and I dont want to go find where the camera is..download them, edit them, press the button to add them. Really, I'm just lazy. Deal with it. :)

Santa found us. Yes, yes he did.

He brought me snowshoes! Mom and I went out with them today and brought Mach and Rowdie. It was fun!!

He also brought me a pair of moccasins, and awesome boots.
and a fringe vest. AHH. Lots of goodies from Forever 21. <3

and other hippie-tastic things.

We went to see my Gramp, as we always do. The whole fam gets together. Ty wasn't there though. He called from Edmonton, where he's living. He said they were having tacos from supper. hahah, Merry Christmas, bro!

That is all.

Hope all of your Christmases were fantabulous as well!

Happy holidays, everyone!

Christmas Eve!

Are y'all just as excited, that Christmas is here, as I am?
Also, I'm on break...FINALLY! Such a much needed break. Oof.

Today has been relatively relaxing. Slept in, cleaned up, wrapped some presents, went in town to get groceries for tonight, more cleaning, more wrapping, some eating in there, too.

Tonight should be relaxing, too. Since we stopped going over to our neighbours on Xmas Eve, we've stayed home, watched a Christmas movie and ate a lot of food in front of the fire. I like it.

It snowed a lot yesterday, so now we're in for a White Christmas! I don't particularily enjoy snow. It means it's cold enough out, and I have to bundle up in a lot of clothes, and I can't play agility outside. However, I do like it for Christmas. It just doesn't seem right without it. But after the Holidays are over, I want it gone. Because, then it becomes annoying.

Mach's excited that it's a white and fluffy outside! Look how cute. Gah.

Music

"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything."

I wish to be free..

I wish that every human life might be pure transparent freedom. That they can read and be thankful for it. I wish that they keep life beautiful, never miss an opportunity to tell someone just how much they mean to them, for we miss that moment all too often. I wish that no one that is a fish is judged on its ability to climb a tree, because no one deserves to swim around their whole life believing they're stupid.

I wish to sail away from safe harbor, catch the trade winds in my sails, to explore, to dream, to discover.  I wish to meet new people, as every person is a new door to a different world. I wish to be so happy that when others looks at me, they become happy, too. I wish to make someone happy. I wish that I take every chance and drop every fear. I wish to realize that this day will never happen again. I wish to embrace it.

I wish that I am the crazy one that dares to change the world, because those are the few that actually do; the ones who believe.I wish that I can change someones life. Because to every person, the world is different. Each and every person has a different perspective of this earth, and if I can change one persons life, I can change the world; for that person, and that is a great gift.

 I wish to remember that every little thing is gonna be alright, that nothing is permenant in this wicked world, not even our troubles.

I wish to embrace everything. To live in art, as art is a way of life. Without art, the earth is just "eh". I wish to have less, do more and be more. I wish to have the passion to not settle for a life that is less than the one I am capable of living.

I wish to do small things with great love. To live, love, laugh, sing and be happy; to smile when I remember that where there is love, there is life.

I wish that I take deep breaths and just go wherever the wind takes me. Life is not a race, it's a journey.

I wish to love, because I have a sneaking suspicion that love actually is all around.

Be free. Move forward.

It's such a wonderful time of the year!

Today was PERFECT.
Okay, kinda stressful. But not at all at the same time.

There's only 5 days until Christmas. FIVE. Il y a seulement cinq jours. CINQ!
Ah, mon doux!


All of my friends loved their cookie baggies. I got a hug from all of them and I loved every minute of it.
I love my friends. They are golden.

Today was Ugly Sweater day. A lot of people had them, and I'm not kidding when I say that I would wear about 90% of them on any given day. They're all so pretty. I love sweaters.

Our trip to UNB was fun, too. Well, sorta. Kinda boring. Not really. A little interesting. Maybe. Yeah. No. Hmm. A guy in our class reached 60 VO2. That's awesome. But all I could really think of the entire time I was there was just how hungry I was. So hungry. All the time.

Also, we have to do a french speech (die) after the break. Meaning I have to write a friggin french speech over the break. I'm sorry, I thought "break" meant no work; an actual break from school work. But they don't seem to understand that. But at least I get to write it whatever in the world would please my little heart.

I watched The Santa Claus 2 this evening. It was splendid. I remember when we were younger, my brothers and I, would chant around our living room on Christmas Eve, saying "Santa Claus is coming, Santa Claus is coming!" Watching that movie reminded me of the good 'ol times.

Back then, in any persons childhood, your life is full of magic. You believe in everything. You believe in magic, you believe in love, in the easter bunny, the tooth fairy, that you wont have a broken heart because everyone will always come back for you. Why do we lose sight of the magic in every day things? Why do we lose the magic in the belief of something so simple. Maybe it's a simple answer, and maybe it isn't. Who are we to decide. But wait. Who are we not to decide? Magic is in everything.

I've stayed up a half hour...okay, forty five minutes past what I should have...okay, it was an hour...looking at grad quotes. (We can have a quote of anything at all under our picture in the yearbook). They're due on Friday, and I cannot decide on one. I have a page and a half a written out quotes. Yikes.

But here's a picture. Enjoy. Love yourself, always.

Christmas is coming!

Although it most definitely does not feel like it. I will be in school until the 23rd. I don't know if I like that or not. We will get our two weeks off. We go back to school the 10th, and I do like having the time after Christmas to get ready and all that. But I also think it's stupid because we're back to school for 10 days and then it's exam time. I just wish we had our exams before Christmas to get them over and done with. I don't like having to think about exams while on vacation. It's a much needed vacation.

But school has not stopped me from getting into the Christmas spirit! I've been listening to Christmas music all month. Our house has been fully decorated for a while now; our christmas lights on every night. They're beautiful.

I've finished all my shopping, wrapped most of it, done all my baking and they are all ready to be given out to my friends tomorrow. I made little cards for all of them, too. I hope they like them :)

This past Saturday we had our Kapers (our agility club) Christmas party at our house. It was fun. It was nice seeing everyone together, especially all the newbies to the club. Nice group of people. The oldies practically rasied me.

I made Scotch cakes, iced them with whipped vanilla icing, and decorated them with smarties and chocolate chips, Magic sqaures, which are quite literally magical. I also made the best in the world chocolate chip cookies. It's the best batch I have ever made. Baked to perfection. Yum! And lastly, I made peanut butter chocolate squares. The recipe is in one of the pictures. So easy and they definitely have the YUM! factor. So delish.

For the Christmas party, I have made a themed cake for the past couple years. This year I decided to make a tree. Much easier said than done. It was really difficult to ice it, but it turned out okay. And delicious. I also made Santa Hat brownies, thanks to Pinterest for showing me the wonderful creations. I made them with Ghirardelli browni mix from Cost Co.....best brownies in the world. You have to go but a box. So. Good.

And what's a post without an adorably beautiful Toffee photo?

This week is going to be pretty crazy. I have 3 tests on thursday. Tomorrow I am going to the Currie Center for Exercise Science. This week at our school is Themed Day week. Each day is a different theme, all in the name of Christmas Spirit. Today was Red and Green. I wore a red sweater and green sweat pants (it's monday ;)), tomorrow is Ugly Sweater day. That is my most favorite day of all. My sweater is the best. It has ornaments on it. Wednesday is Christmas Character day. I don't think I'll do this one...it seems as though I don't have an elf or santa costume laying around....Thursday is Classy Christmas...you have to dress up? I don't think so. This chick rides in sweats all day, every day. ;) But it may be an excuse to wear this cute little dress/leggings/boots combo that I've been waiting to wear. But I have three tests that day...so maybe not. And lastly, Friday is PJ day. (Just another sweats day for me, haha) Also, it's only a half day. And there is the Christmas Assembly, where I could potentially win prizes. For nothing. #win.

That was a emmence paragraph about pointless school activities that nobody  cares about. hehe.

There's also a lunch time activity each day. Today was Chug-a-Nog....chugging a carton of Egg Nog. No thanks. Tomorrow is pictures with Santa. And I don't know what else is going on.

Christmas Coffee House is Wednesday evening, but seeing how I have three tests on Thursday, I doubt I should go. Would probably end up being very bad...

I am very tired. I need to get up early and go to school. At least I am missing 3 periods for a field trip. (in grade 12 :) )

Wishing you all a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Stop The Bullying.

Came across this video and it really hit me.

I'll let Jonah do all the talking.

Review

I went to go see Breaking Dawn, part 1 last night.
I may or may not have LOVED it. I'm sad I have to wait an ENTIRE YEAR to see the last one. Heartbroken.

Mach is feeling better. Not sure what was upsetting him, but lately he's been a little off.

I'm tired and I'm going to go eat and have an afterschool nap. And watch tv. All at once. That's right, I'm talented.

Also, I need to review for my math quiz tomorrow. Boo.

But today was an awesome day, full of happiness. And I'm thankful for that.

Also, I watched this TED talk video the other day and it totally was what I needed in that moment.

There is hurt. Here.
That can't be fixed by bandaids or poetry
So the first time she realizes that Wonder Woman isn't coming
I'll make sure she knows she doesn't have to wear the cape all by herself
'Cause no matter how wide you stretch your fingers, your hands will always be too small to catch all the pain you want to heal
Believe me, I've tried.
- Sarah Kay, If I Should Have a Daughter

'Tis the Season

Before I begin, I think I have figured out what I want to do. With my life, that is. Well, maybe. I mean, probably. Most likely.

I will stay home and go to UNBF for Kinesiology. Then, off to Dal for PT, then off to the states for Canine Rehab courses.

Done.
 Future = planned. I'm feeling good about it.
Applications + Scholarships = Not done. = Needs to be done. Pronto.

MOVING ON.

We are going to get our tree on the 4th. I'm excited! Every year, a bunch of us get together and go out to a christmas tree farm to get our trees and then we all go back to town and eat brunch together.  When we were all younger, it was a much more awesome time. My brothers have grown up and are stupid and are "too cool" to spend time with the fam, though they came along anyways ... just for the food.

Since Ty is all moved out, it'll be a little different, Ry may not come.
But it doesn't really matter, they just cause headaches anyways. I, however, LOVE it. I love old traditions. I love christmas. I love old christmas traditions. Best ever.



Last weekend my mom and her friends went down to the states for their annual christmas shopping trip. Those girls (minus my mom) just loooove to shop! They love it so much that they wanted to go down this weekend for Black Friday and thought it would be a good idea to bring me along with them!

So off we went.

I hate shopping.
Always have, always will.

I was in so much pain in the first hour, I didn't know how I was going to last the day. But I managed.

We found a little homemade native apparel shop...and I nearly died. Everything in there was PERFECT.


Today was the Santa Claus parade here in Freddy. We weren't in it..err...supposed to be in it.
A guy from our club said he was walking in it with the Greyhound rescue group. His wife has the greyhound and he has the border collie. He asked if anyone wanted to join.

After we were done with our things this morning, we remembered we needed dog food. So we ended up at the market, to get samosas, to walmart to get christmas doggy things because we decided that we should walk in the parade, to sears, to the dollarstore, to zellers and then to home, only to have an hour before we needed to be back in town for the parade.

Needless to say, our costumes for the dogs were awesome, we were late for the parade, had to hop a barrier to meet up with them, even though we are not even a part of the group ... yeah, we crashed the greyhound party.

Mach didn't really like his costume, though. "Santa's Little Helper" wasn't too impressed.

He's so cute, though :)

Rowdie was a star! He was the crowd pleaser, helped hand out the candy canes (that Mach carried) and took everything in stride. I suppose he was kinda cute, too....

Little "Santa Paws"

Toffee wasn't too happy about being left behind and being forced to wear a hat. Not impressed at all.

We listend to Christmas music all day, and yes, it's safe to say that I'm in the Christmas spirit and sooo ready for Christmas Break!

Merry Christmas everyone!!

Falling into place

Well, it's trying to anyways.
Life, that is.

As you probably know, I am graduating from high school this year. That means university and real life is coming near. Did you know that it is the second half of November already? Yeah, it is. Time is a funny thing, eh. Sneaks up on ya, that's for sure.

I've really gotta decide what I want to do with my life...pretty freakin soon. I have to get scholarships and applications all figured out. Oh, and the thing where I decide which school I want to go to, too.

Everyone keeps telling me that I don't need to figure it out...that they don't even have it figured out and they're all adults. I don't like that...I need some stability in my future. It just scares me.
Last week, our school put on a career fair. In the back of my mind, I know I'm going to UNBF. I get to stay at home, with my dogs, my room, my mom's food and everything familiar. I like familiar.

On the other hand, I am clearly freaking out, because I honestly don't know what I want. Do I really want to do this for the rest of my life? Wouldn't that be so much fun to do? Oh, but it would be cool to volunteer for a year and not to go school. But, if I don't go to school right away, I would not want to go back after being free.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. A teenager who doesn't know what to do with their life, how weird. With me, though, I've always known what I wanted to do. Yea, it changed over time. I wanted to be a princess, then a hair dresser, then an architech, then a dog trainer, then a vet, and then a animal rehab practitioner. Now....notta.

Yes, I would LOVE to do rehab. How fun! Getting there, however is what is keeping my mind a little grey. But you know what else I think would be wicked? Training dogs and travelling the world teaching others. Now, that's my kind of life. I want to be like Susan Garrett or Nancy Gyes. Training, teaching, playing. All the time. Sure, it would take lots of work, just like anything in life. But I LOVE teaching, and training and playing. More than anything.

Of course, it only happens to a select few. You have to get a name for yourself first. Maybe it could happen, maybe not.

I'm obviously just not gonna not go to school, waiting for a distant dream to come true. Nah, I gotta be a real person and go to school and learn boring things. Well, some boring things.

So, back tracking to the career fair, I got talking to a lady from NSAC (Nova Scotia Agricultural College). They have some really cool programs. They have animal science, and pet specialty with a buisness diploma attached, and other cool and earthy things. I like earthy.

I lady who I have known for a while, taught agility to and cool things like that told me that's where she graduated from and loved it there. She said there's lots of farm people who have John Deer sheets on their beds. And they wear overall's to class. So they're all awesome.

If nothing else, I would be surrounded by a bunch of people who love animals and and cool that way.

oof. Deep breaths, right?

In other news, Mach's dogwalk seems to be getting much better...getting lower hits and more speed. Im trying something a little different. And today, I drove myself and Tof across town and went to the FSPCA's Pet Expo and did demos. Ahh, growing up. Ain't it a treat...

Dog World Adventures

I have many of things to talk about in the dog related world.
I will try to keep things short and sweet, however, that has proven to be near impossible for me.

Superdogs. Yes. I was invited to be a part of the Superdogs show in Moncton a few weeks ago. Toffee and I struted in there with our bling and did our thing. No, we didn't do any of the three "events" correctly, but hey, life's not meant to be perfect. Tof handled the weirdo agility just fine and didn't seem to mind the commotion and the crowd much either. I think her favorite part was the "Pat and Chat", where everyone could come meet them, hence belly rubs for Toffee....what do you think?

I think yes.

I do have video...but  haven't gone through any of them yet...yes...procrastination at its best.

Also, the OJAC came up...it's kinda short notice for me to go, since it's in February, and since Tof mesures over the cut off for medium, she would have to jump 26"...which is not going to happen. That of course, would leave Mach. I'm not so sure he's ready for something like that just yet. BUT, I think he will be by next year's, and it'll be my last year being a junior handler, so why not? I'll get fundraising, like...now. And I suppose Anthony Clark aint so bad. ;)

Some Superdogs bling


November 5-6 was our last trial for the year.
Sad, yes. But it was pure awesomeness.

Toffee was a superstar. Need I say more? Seriously, this dog couldn't get anymore awesome, because she's totally rad and cute. Like...so cute.

She was running just awesome all weekend. Her first run was superb! It was a gamblers, and she was just running like craaazy! We got 128 points, I think, and first place. Usually gamblers aren't where we do so well, so that's good news :) We even beat Marco. And Blaze. ..Yuh. Her other runs were equally as awesome, where she hit EVERY.SINGLE.DOG.WALK.CONTACT. That's great news! Okay, maybe two of them were a little iffy...but hey. Beggers can't be choosers. So...she went 6 for 6. I think she won every class? Maybe, maybe not. I could be making these things up.

Let's talk about Mach.

He was a rockstar! So great!!!

His first trial on turf, first trial indoors.

His first run, he was a little sketched out. It was gamblers and I think we got like 29 points. He just wouldnt do anything. And then I got flustered by it. BUT, both of his dogwalk contacts were perfect. Win. His next run was much better. The only fault was his dogwalk contact. I could tell he wasnt going to get it when he got on it. Oh well. All of his other runs that weekend were beautiful, only knocked 2 bars (both caused by me). His jumping has become much better since I started training him at 26".

No Q's on Sat, but nice runs anyhow. Sunday was better! His first run, a standard, and just a hardlywassuperclosejustmessedhisstridesorsomethingclose missed dogwalk contact. The rest was beautiful. The second standard was it. I needed just 1 standard to get our starters title...and it was the last one of the year. And we got it!! He was moving, too. He messed up the weaves, so I had to take him back (it took 6 seconds....yes, I counted when I watched the video later...) and we finished with a time of 36 seconds. (yep...basically did it in 30 seconds.) We got first place and our title!! In advanced now. So excited :)

Our very last run of the season was an advanced jumpers. We also only needed 1 for our title. It had a tricky opening, and I knew I couldn't do that far of a lead out pivot. I decided to run into it, but lead out to a Toffee position. I completely forgot for the 0.00043 seconds it took for him to get to me that he is much faster than her. Oops. Way late getting into my serp after, but I managed. His turns were all so beautiful and he was moving on top of it! We got another Q! And 25.95 for a time! And first place! And a title! And we're in MASTERS! My baby dog! Best way to end the year! Such a great weekend! So many exclamation marks! !! !!!

Some TNT lovin'! 4 dogs got their ADC title on the last run...Mach, Quake, Pip and Quick! So exciting! Yay baby dogs!

So the tallies for the year is as follows:

Toffee: 70 Q's, Lifetime Achievement Award, National Champion, Steeplechase Champion, Top Junior Handler [Champion], Riverside Steeplechase Champion [500$, aw yea], Superdog Extraordinaire, Bellyrub Masters of Excellence.

Mach: 13 Q's, ADC, AJDC, [a VERY close SGDC{I just had to put it]}, World Team Hopeful, Quirky Dog Champion, Blue Eyed Boy Heart Melter belt of strength.

Okay, I'm not sure what that last one was supposed to be. Moving on.

At the trial, there was a very special person. So, anyone (the one person) that reads this blog knows that I love Tori Self. Yeah. I mean, who doesn't? She's awesome and inspirational and wins things and has a rad dog named Revolution. Everything about her is awesome and I wish I was as awesome as her to be her friend. Lols. And through her, I somehow got watching videos of her friend's dogs, Reef and Caper.

I was watching the starters gamblers class and this girl and a border were running. The girl was bare foot. And her border collie had running contacts. *Erin freaks out a little* I loved this girl already.

I went over to the gate to try and figure out who it was, but everything was all scratched out and there was so many people there, it was too hard on my brain.

I wanted to go up to her and talk to her, but I'm too much of a little nugget to do something so human.

But later, my mom got talking to her and called me over. She goes.."Guess who this girl is friend's with?" and I go "TORI SELF?!!!!!!!!"

I lost my cool. Damn.

So turns out Tracey, with Reef and Caper knew about me, through Tori. And my life is just so awesome all the time now. And I knew Tracey through Tori. And the world is such a small and wonderous place sometimes. :)

Mach lost his cool, too.

We went to our first Jessica Martin seminar the other weekend.

It was quite possibly awesome.

Mach was a radicalrockstar!

I jumped him at 26". I thought he would get tired....but he never did!

I remember getting so nervous going to seminars with him, because I never felt we were at the same spot as everyone else. I was so nervous, I felt sick to my stomach and I couldn't eat and I would always want to back out of them at the last minute.

It was much different leading up to this one, however. I was excited. Pure excitement.

Before, at seminars, because I was so stressed out, Mach stressed hard core. (Remember the running away incident?) He couldn't work for very long. Half day seminars zonked him right out. We would be out training for 5 minutes and then he'd be done done done. And getting in and out of his crate, alone, exhausted/stressed him.

Mach was a different dog at this seminar. It was a full day, jumping and handling at 26. My group mainly consisted of the same dogs and people from the other seminars, so it wasn't bad that way. But it was a new place, and he's notorious for stressing in new environments. He was a little sketched the first time I left him at the startline, but he opening ip and loved life after that!

Jess picked up on something major, that will most definitely help us become the best we can be.

Because he recall sucked and his retrieve suck[s] and something could trigger stress at any second, I really worried about him taking off, so at the end of a sequence, or anything at all, he would always have to turn back to me for the reward. So, where I should have been throwing the toy ahead to cue extension, I was getting him to check back into me. Sure, it helped with him not running away, but now he doesn't know when he should extend his stride, and adds check strides in everywhere, therefore taking more time to get to where we're going.

Sure, his turns are incredible, and it's partly because that's all I really have room to work on at home, but the ground speed is also important. Finding balance in everything in life, eh?

So that is our homework, and I think it'll be an easy fix. Who cares if he does a victory lap with the toy every time I give it to him? .... Okay, I HAVE been working on it...it's getting better, I swear.

Some Rowdie Lovin'











Heartwarming

So much in my life has been so full lately.
My heart has been exploding.
.......

I started this post about three weeks ago...look how far I got. Clearly, my life has been busy busy.

So lets see....
School has been going pretty good. I mean, my morning classes are great. I love all the subjects, I'm doing well in all of them and it's just great. Afternoons suck and I hate them. Oh well.
My friends are awesome. I've found my twin and I'm wondering why the heck we haven't been best friends since the beginning of time. But I'm so glad to have her in my life. I'm not such a hermit this year. I actually go out. It's kinda awesome.

A good friend gave this to me...how awesome? :)

A few weekends ago, I went out golfing with my dad. Wow. So much harder than it looks. Like, much harder. I think I got about 4 good hits out of like the billion that I took...on a 9 hole round. My arms hurt for a week afterwards.

I am now obsessed with Adele, more so than ever before. And also Ed Sheeran. Oh and I've been watching the XFactor. I. Love. It. I love Josh Krajcik even MORE. Now....that's a lot of love. I really loved this performance. Oh, and this one.  That one gives me goosebumps. I suppose I should just say that I really loved his second live show, too. But his third show's song has been stuck in my head, and because I love Joe Cocker.

It snowed. A lot. We had like 4 or 5 inches. And this was before halloween. I made a cyclopse jack-o-lantern.  The snow eventually melted...way after everyone else's melted,  but it melted.

I came across this, thanks to Tori and ... well, isn't it the cutest thing ever? I think so. Music and Agility. Best combination ever.

For leadership, we have been doing reading buddies with a local elementary school during third period every tuesday. I was a little nervous going into this. I'll be the first to admit it; I'm not the greatest with kids. Frankly, they terrify me. But I lucked out. My girl is the best. I'm really enjoying it. It's so interesting going back into an environment with children. Their spirit and innocence is heartwarming.

Also for leadership, we were assigned a wellness project. We were to choose something to improve upon to balance out our wellness wheel. I chose sleep. I have never slept well...ever. And what d'ya know...I'm getting more sleep because of this project! My mom also picked me up some Sleepytime tea, and I love it.

My oldest brother, Tyler finally left the nest. He left to go out west a couple weeks ago. I haven't talked to him much, but he's anxious to get a job and get his own place...yikes! ;) I think it's going to be a great experience for him. He really needed to get out. For his sanity and for the rest of the family, hehe. Although he did cause stress, as any person may in a family, and as much as I wanted him gone, I've noticed that I keep expecting him to come home in the evening....or at 3 in the morning, like he loved to do.

Last week was my favorite teacher's last week teaching. Of course, she had to go get pregnant...and have to leave half way through the first semester. Of course, she did. Grr. I'm sad that she's leaving, she's honestly changed my life. And I thank her for it. However, we're getting a super rad and respectable replacement...just a super rad guy. And I'm excited.

I've been pretty inspired by people lately, trying to find the little things in life and use them in my life. Just enjoying life, no matter how exhausting, is most important.

Agility Musings

Wahh..so much has happened recently, I just haven't had the time to sit down and write it down!

The 8-9 we went to a trial. Holy poop, my dogs are awesome!
Toffee had some pretty rad runs. It's kinda weird going between Tof and Mach. I know Toffee isn't slow, but she seems SO slow compared to Mach. Even though we're still wipping out 35 secs standard runs, it just feels weird.

After we got home from the trial, the judge had emailed me and asked if she could interview me for the On Course magazine. For the october issue, they're featuring the national winners as well as junior handlers. It's a two-in-one deal with me! ;) Personally I think Toffee should be interviewed. She's the superstar in all of this. Though they wouldn't get very far in the interview...she'd just be laying on her back, demanding a belly rub. Silly girl.

ALSO, we were asked to be in the Superdogs show in Moncton! Very exciting! I'm a little nervous, though. We only know how to play agility...we know very little outside of that. Even to catch a frisbee...I'm not sure Toffee would be so superdog-ish in that section. Eep. Oh well. It's the 29th. We go for practice in the morning, and then the show is in the afternoon. Hopefully everything goes well! Wish me luck!



This is how cool my dogs are.

Here's Toffee's video. 

Mach was AMAZING!
I am so so so proud of him!
My goal for the weekend was to get good dogwalk contacts. And I soo got them! He was a little rockstar on his dogwalk all weekend! As well as his teeter and aframe.
Bobbled a couple times in the weaves - at the 10th pole. But we really haven't worked much on them lately. However, after I was done teaching one night last week, I had him doing some wicked entries. He even surprised me! The only one he has trouble with is the big piece of the pie for onside. He's getting faster in them, too. Sometimes he'll even break into single step for a couple poles. Not sure if he'll fully change or not.

Anyways, the trial. This is how it went.
Standard 1: Perfect! His first Starters Standard Q!
Standard 2: 1 bar, but beautiful contacts <3
Gamblers: Awesome points and a Q...move up to adanced!
Jumpers: Off course at the very end! Ahh, heart break. Would have been his last leg to get into masters!

Standard 3: Another awesome run! His 2nd Q in standard! One more :)
Standard 4: Knocked the first bar, so I was proofing things - weaves, table. And then knocked the double.
Snooker: Beautiful opening, however it was awkward to get 4 reds. I settled for 3, so I needed 6 to qualify. He knocked the middle jump of the pinwheel of #6. Oh well. One more snooker for his SGDC title!
Steeplechase: Popped the weaves, so took him back and then knocked a bar...

So he did knock quite a few bars that weekend. I have been training him at 26" so hopefully it will help. I find courses are very condenced and he has a hard time getting his feet under him to take off nicely. I really do need to do jump grids with him. I find he'll start jumping from his front when things are tight or when he's going nuts. Meh, what do I know anyways?

Here's Mach's video.


Training today was super amazing awesomely awesome! I've been working on our threadles lately - we totally sucked at them, but they're looking pretty good! At my house, there's not too much room, so it's hard to work on acceleration. We work mostly decel's/tight turns, etc. Holy cow, they're so good! I was so excited today. And he kept most of his bars up all practice!

Since Worlds were that weekend, too, in my head I was running at worlds. Lame, I know. :)
I was so excited to hear about Tori and Rev and how well they did! She is such an inspiration to me every day! Such a cool experience, wouldn't it be? Ahh, so lucky.
I was living vicariously through her and others on my facebook. Just hearing about everything they were doing lit my fire and I wanted to go out and run all those courses again and again and again.
I never did set up a course...too big. But I did set up a section of the Large Team Standard, I believe it was. I ran it with Mach. And he rocked at it. I on the other hand, really suck. I need to re assess how the poop I'm going to get around a course with running contacts and a dog that is much much faster than I'm used to!

We're almost done agility trials for the year. One more to go. In 3 weeks.
What on earth do normal people do on weekends?
Whatever, I'll just end up playing agility anyways :)
But the trial is on turf, so it'll be interesting how Mach runs on it. It may change when we get there, but as of right now, my goal for Mach and I is to get weaves. I mean, I'm hoping his contacts will be awesome again, but one thing at a time, right ? :) It'll all piece together soon enough.

School has been pretty hectic lately...I should have been studying for my two unit tests tomorrow or working on a math assignment that's due thursday when I wrote this. But meh, I needed a break. And talking about agility is much more interesting than sliding filament theory, porous bones, ossification, Canada's food guide, macro/micro nutrients or the 6 dimensions of wellness...right? Right.