January 1

First off, Happy New Year! Last year was an exciting one, but I think this year is going to be even better. I can just feel it.

Dad loved his Blue Wings ornament I gave him for Christmas. I had to let him open it a few days early or else it would have had no time to spend on our eight-foot tree. But next Christmas, it will hang for the whole month of December!

New Year's Eve was so much fun this year. Jen came over and we got to watch all our horse videos and DVDs. For Christmas, Ross, Dallas and Pepper got me LONESOME DOVE - the book and the DVD! And wow, it's amazing. Cowboys haven't changed that much! We ate junk food all night, too and if you can believe it, Jake called at midnight just to say, "Witch wishes Ace an un-Happy New Year!"

Brynna's New Year's resolution is to go to bed earlier and get up earlier. Gram's is to spend more time in town, walking Sweetheart around for her job as a therapy horse. Dad said his New Year's resolution this year is to spend as much time with Cody as he does with the stock! I know he's joking, though, because he, Gram and Brynna hardly ever put that little critter down! That's okay, though, because I've been giving him horsey-back-rides, getting him ready to be my saddle pal.

Gram wants my resolution to be learning more crafts from her, but that's just not me. Jen loved her tangerine and hot pink scarf, and I would love to make my own scrapbook of all our horses - and Blaze and Cougar, but my three main resolutions are kind of personal.

1. Concentrate on my photography. I'm really kind of fascinated with horses in different light - moonlight, starlight, fog - stuff like that, because they look magical, just like the horse of my heart. I miss the Phantom so much!
2. Start making lists of what I want to study in college. Jake knows exactly what he's doing. Jen has her path to vet school all laid out, but I can't decide between photo journalism and equine studies�I like working with the HARP kids and horses and that would be kind of a cool job.
3. Think with my HEAD instead of my HEART - although this might be a lifelong project!

The snow has really been coming down lately and I hope it keeps coming, because once it starts to melt, everything is just covered in mud. Dad isn't really a fan of my boots tracking in mud all over the floor (and I'm not really a fan of having to clean it up afterwards!)

One River Bend "guy" who wishes the snow would stop is Ace. I can hear him (and there goes Penny - they're doing a duet-- -wow and Tempest, too!) neighing for me. He's so bored. Since I can smell cinnamon and pastry, I know Gram's making pies. I think I'll go snatch a few apples and give them all something else to think about!