The Oakland Zoo

Today Auntie Cracker, Sweetie Pie, The Best Sister ever TLC and I went to the Oakland Zoo (not to be confused with the S.F zoo which is where the Tiger attack happened a couple years ago). We saw all kinds of wonderful animals (disclaimer: some pics are better then others.) The Oakland zoo is fairly small in comparison to other zoos, i.e the San Fransisco or Central Park. It is however perfect for an low key afternoon with toddlers. It took us about two hours to walk through the gently rolling and beautifully landscaped park. They have really made it feel like a park instead of just a place where animals are kept. All the exhibit areas are large and inviting for both the humans visiting and the animals. After the tour of the zoo we rode the little train they have and the carousel. TLC loved both. I can't wait to go back.

This was the first thing we saw. Sorry for the cage bars. There really was no other way to take the shot with my camera. (The Wife or Trainwreck I ain't)



They have lots o monkeys at this zoo. These are Gibbons. He was putting on quite a little show for us.


There were real giant tortoise there but this pic turned out a little better




I know it's hard to tell from the pic but this is a bat! A huge bat. It's body was about the size of a large house cat. They were so cool. They had a whole bat exhibit!


God forbid we miss the goats!


I find baboons both fascinating and a little scary at the same time. These things are pretty cool.


Just in case your wondering...it's very hard to get a toddler to look at the camera when there are giraffes standing behind him.






The view from the train was really cool. We got a good view of the Oakland and Berkeley skyline.


So this was our last stop. The carousel. TLC loved it. Which totally surprised me.

The longest Parade I have ever been to.

So last weekend, TLC, Auntie Cracker and Sweetie Pie and I went to the Butter and Egg day festival and parade in Petaluma CA. This is a really cool event their town puts on to support the local agricultural business (namely milk and eggs.) Apparently, Petaluma is the egg basket of the world. It is also home to Clover Storneta Farms Dairy. Clover milk and their products are found in all the stores in the area of CA I live in.
It was a two hour parade. Yes 2 hours. The little ones were so good for the whole thing. We got really good seats on the curb and we were able to see everything. I have added so pictures for you.
They had other things to see and do after the parade but it was so packed that Auntie Cracker (who is about 4 months pregnant) and I decided stop while the kids were ahead.


There was a lot of patriotism shown in this parade. This kinda surprised me because Petaluma is kinda an earth cookie peace and love town. I was so happy that they showed so much support for the military and the vets that came out.


lots of floats with giant chickens and eggs.

Why yes..there is a piano on that float. And that feller was a playin it good! And singin too.

Happy California Cow.

This is a local gymnastic club. They were actually doing stuff (as you can see) on the bar while the darn thing was moving.(They were tied off)

Personally I don't feel any parade should be without and Elvis impersonator...

Or a drill team.

The parade had every thing. Really cool cars, old tractors, Fire trucks. Lots of fire trucks. I wish I could show you the whole thing. But you really don't have that kind of time.
Tomorrow we go to the Oakland Zoo. Pictures and post to follow.

Goat Hike number two.

Well the Hunter says the goats only have 4 1/2 months till they need to be ready to pack in the wilds of Wyoming and Idaho. Poor little fellas. They thought they had a pretty good life. Hangin out in the pasture burnin up hay, chewin cud and such. Not any more. This was our second packing outing. The Hunter decided that we need to start adding weight so he loaded them up with twenty pounds each. Yikes! Then we did the same hike as last time....but faster. They were OK after that but on the way back Hunter decided we needed to go up and down hills off trails. If I keep helping him with the goats I am going to be in some super shape.



The Hunter and Dick.


Don't they look cute all tacked up?


This is a little part of where we hike. We walk all the way to the end of the left side ridge. Then we walk back. It takes about two hours or so.

The Show

So I went to a little one day show with my mom on Sunday. I was thinking Bob was going to be really good......then we went in to the actual class. Unfortunately and to my great dismay my darling angle of a horse has become what we in the biz like to call "ring sour". Ugh. I was hoping that it was just that maybe it was a once in a while thing but noooo. Hmmm. This will be a challenge. Any suggestions.

On another note. Is the moon making all men be assholes or just the ones that live in my town? I swear sometimes I could hit him in the head 47 times with a pick axe and not feel bad about it.

Just another day

So I had a really good week. The Hunter and I went jogging around a local reservoir. He is a freakin machine. He pushed the stroller with TLC in it and did two laps to my one and a quarter. It's about 2.75 miles all the way around. It only took him about 44 minutes to do his two laps. Then we let TLC play at the little park they have there. That was on Wed. On Thursday we took two of the goats (Dick and Dan) out for a hike (sorry no pictures. I am a loser and forgot the camera). We ended up walking probably about four or five miles. The Hunter is in way better shape then my poor, fat, lazy goats. We are hoping to change that though. He wants to take them to Wy this year to pack out for his elk hunt. After we got back from the hike I went out and rode Bob. In fact I have gotten to ride every day this week. We have a little one day show on Sunday. I will try and remember the camera. Hope you all have a great weekend.

About The Hunter

So the question has been asked, "what attracted me to The Hunter?" Well That's a long story Harold. The minute I saw him I told my girlfriend I was going to marry that man. This was funny because at the time I was living with someone else. (I know I am a total shack up hussy). There are actually a lot of things about The Hunter that I really love. They are as follow but not necessarily in this order.
1. He has a wicked sense of humor. He can make me laugh even when I am totally mad at him. He is very witty and sarcastic (like me) so we totally "get" each other.

2. He is very smart. He is one of those people who can read something once and remember it forever. And on top of that he's good at math. A skill I lack so it balances us out since I am a faster reader.

3. The Hunter is one of the hardest working men I have ever met. He hardly ever takes a sick day (of course there is the several weeks he takes off for hunting, but that's different). I always say he's like a shark If he stops moving he'll probably drown. He never, never, never leaves a project unfinished. (A trait uncommon in most men) If he starts a project he works like a maniac until it is finished. Not only is he fast but he also takes a lot of pride in his work so it is always done correctly with out shortcuts.

4. He is the savenist damn person you ever have seen. This happens to be a curse as well as a gift.

5. He is a great Dad. He gets down and plays with our boy for hours. He is always generous with hugs and kisses. Our little boy probably spends more time with his dad then most kids get to with their fathers.

6. Strength. I really love his strength. I have been known to use a man as a doormat. (I know it's hard to believe). There is no way I can walk on this man. He has a backbone of iron.(again a blessing and a curse). He also, sticts to his principals (even if it means I can't shop at Walmart).

7. He is fiercely loyal

The list of things I hate depends on the day. Having said this it is mostly as follows.

1.He is anal about certain things. Such as, he gets all pissy if I put the butter back on the wrong shelf in the fridge. This can also lead to other stupid arguments. like I left a spoon on the cutting board or other such nonsense (never mind I do all his laundry and put it away and clean the entire house as well as rear his only born son.)

2. He has a quick temper, and can be moody (he is a Gemini). He has a horrible tendency to take out whatever is bugging him on the moment on those around him (me). Of course if you wait 10 minutes his mood with usually shift.



3.He can be stubborn and closed minded. If it's not his idea it suck and there probably isn't anything you can say that will change his mind so save your breath.

that probably hit on most of it. I really do love him and even at his worst, I know he loves me and TLC. He tells me all the time that he like being married and wouldn't change it. So I got that goin for me.

Boring part two.

So Vaquero Girl wants to know what I did think was going to happen to my life when I was in High school. Honestly I don't even remember any more. I think it was something along the lines of getting a great job that paid lots of money and find a handsome Trainer of a husband that would support my horse riding habits. We would live on 100 acres of prime horse real estate and travel all over America showing horses.

As it turns out that is not what happened. I did however find a Hubby that accepts and moderately supports what I do as a "hobby" (I use the word lightly). We live on 17 acres of somewhat prime real estate in sunny CA. I do not get to travel much at the moment, but, we did go cross country on our honeymoon. Hunters friends called it out scouting trip. It was pretty awesome to go to Yellowstone park with someone like the Hunter. He is really, really, really good at spotting animals. At one point we had seen a bunch of bison, some elk and some deer. So I said I wanted to see a bear. Hunter pulls over whips out the spotting scope and in about three minutes found me a grizzly bear.

Gettin to know Lil Mamma.

So lately I feel pretty boring. This is a major factor in why I don't blog to much. I think my life is kinda dull and I don't really have much to say. My Mother says that I am creative and that I just need to practice it more. So I decided to tell you a little more about my boring life.

I am 31 years old. I have four sisters and a brother but I am the only child from my mother and fathers first marriage. That makes me the oldest.
We always had horses growing up. I was very lucky in that aspect. I didn't really get into serious showing (Breed show, etc ) until about ten years ago. I always just did the schooling shows and 4-H thing, and of course trail riding.
Ten years ago is also when I met the Hunter. I met him at The Grand National Rodeo in San Fransisco. (He totally ignored me.) Not to be deterred. I found him again in a local bar near our home town and basically hounded him until he gave in to my charms. (It didn't really take that long). We have been married for 4 years this year and have an adorable little boy who will be two in June.

My mother is Vaquero Girl. She's a really great mom. She does a lot for TLC and I so that I can show while The Hunter hunts. I also call Unpaid ranch slave, my other mom. I have known her since I was a little kid and spend a lot of time with her and the best Horse show Husband on earth.

Well I think that's probably enough to bore you all to sleep for now. I would love it if you had questions for me to answer cuz lately I got nothin else.