2014 in Review!

Happy New Year's Eve to all my readers! I like to take a moment some time to reflect on the year gone by when NYE rolls around. I'm always surprised by all the things one can cram into 12 months. This year wasn't especially "landmarky" (no, that's totally not a word, let's see if I can make it one!) but it was quite a year none-the-less. Let's take a walk back!

January:

January started out with the tail end of my trip to Florida. It was winter so there wasn't a whole lot memorable about January... I think it snowed some and it was super cold. I didn't do much running.

February:
More winter. I attended the awards banquet for the Connecticut Hunter Jumper Association and collected my championship ribbon. The horses got lots of grooming, and the dogs got... well... Chubby. (Me too!)

I also managed to sneak in a quick trip to Florida for work. My business was officially certified as Woman Owned!

March:
In March, I ran half marathon #5, which was hilly, icy torture. And I think my slowest one to date. I did a LOT of running in March. Katie and I went on a 10 miler where I lost my phone, and eventually found it. And a random 8 miler after I hadn't run long in quite awhile. I ran the Leprechaun 5 Miler with some friends:

I also was able to start the horses back to work toward the end of the month.

April:
Ugh. April was a bad month. Normally my favorite, but April is when Rio's world changed forever. Thankfully I can use the verb "changed" and not "ended". But before that drama, I did have some fun! I competed in a spelling bee with my brother representing our family company:

I joined some of my co-worker friends at The Drunken Pallet where we created these masterpieces!

And then poor Rio got sick. We traveled to Cornell where he stayed for two and a half weeks. Thankfully, the wonderful vets there got him well enough to come home!

 And roll in the mud...

May:
My world was right once more with my boy home! With Rio home and recovering well, I was able to get back to work with Jamp and Ducky. Or so I thought. Jamp was more than willing to get back to work. Ducky on the other hand? Not so much. May is when he started his Stationary Hony phase. We spent many an hour standing the ring. Not moving. At all.

The Pugs were happy to have time for walks too. With my driving 6 hours each way to visit Rio on the weekends, they were super deprived of good walks!

June:
June marked the start of horse show season! Jampy and I started with a one day show at Mystic, and finished up Champion. Good boy Jampy!

Next we headed north to Saratoga and even had the chance to jump some higher fences!

Ducky continued to act more like a couch and less like a working horse. I didn't do very much running either.

July:
July is a stay home and horse show close by kind of month. So Jampy and I did just that! We showed at Westbrook and were Champion both weeks. One was without my trainer too! (Miracles do happen!)

The rest of July was spent working, hanging out with the Pugs (and horses), and even getting in some pool time! Ducky moved to the trainer's barn in July to work on his Stationary Hony situation. I managed to run a road race in Killingworth very slowly too!

Sadly July also marked the passing of my brother's dog (formerly OUR dog) Sophie. She was 17 years old, and one of the sweetest dogs I've known. RIP Sophie.

August:
For the past many years, August starts for me in Vermont at the Vermont Summer Festival. But this year, with Rio's health in a questionable state, I didn't want to leave him for so long. Instead I did LOTS of other things!
I went to visit Ducky at cowboy camp:

 Was able to get Rio working lightly on the lunge line. It was short lived, but it was great to see him so comfortable if only for a short while.

 Squeezed in some pool time with the Pugs.

 I ran the first annual Outrun 38 5K. It was one of my favorite 5K's ever!

 Took Jamp to a couple one day shows and Medal Finals (unfortunately, the latter didn't go so well....)

Two of my good friends got married (not to each other!) and I was so happy to be home to attend both weddings!

 I got to see my boy Derek Jeter play baseball, the last year I'll get to see that!

 My family had our annual lobster fest! It was great fun, I ate a TON of lobster, and got to wear my lobster dress too!

Also exciting in August, my brother and his family welcomed a new member, Sasha! She's a one year old Husky rescue dog, and is as sweet as she is beautiful:

September:
September was slightly less busy than August... but only slightly. It started off with my company moving to a new, farther away from my house, location. The new building is beautiful, and I have a great view!

That same week, I got to see my boy Derek play for my very last time. End of an era!

At the end of the month, my family took a long weekend on Nantucket. It was perfect weather, unseasonably warm! The island wasn't too busy since season was over, and it was a great time!

October:
October started out with a one day show at Mystic with Jamp. We were Champion!

 I also was invited to attend my friend's book launch party. You should read it!

 Ducky came home, and decided he much prefers me to the cowboys.

 I got back to running (slowly) again with a virtual 10K, a Halloween 5K, and another 10K that was pure hilly torture.

I got to finally see my younger brother's new property in Vermont. Since he doesn't have running water, we didn't stay too long... 

One of my favorite events every October is the New England Equitation Championships. We didn't have a stellar performance this year, but Jampy looked handsome and we got some cute pictures at least!

November:

November was cold. Like really cold. I didn't get much riding in, but did manage to ride some friend's horses which was really fun. I also went to my first Toga Party!

I got a few outdoor runs in, and ran the Turkey Trot with my friend Vanessa on thanksgiving:

November marks the end of our show season, and almost at the very end, someone edged me out of first place! So I had to borrow a horse and take it to a horse show. My horses were already well into winter vacation. My borrowed horse and I weren't stellar, but we did pull off the points I needed!

That meant Jamp and I officially finished the year in first place for CHJA, CHSA, NEHC, and the Zone 1 Stirrup Cup. We were also 5th in the regular zone placings, and 5th in the hunters for the CDHJC. I'm so proud of him!

December:
December is for holiday parties, cookies, and family! (Two and four legged!) I attended our company holiday party:

My friend's holiday party:

Not one, but TWO cookie swaps:

And of course the holidays with my family!

I'm finishing up the year back in Florida! I've been riding horses, eating up a storm, and enjoying the warm weather and sunshine.

I hope you all had a wonderful year! I definitely did, despite some rough patches. I'm so grateful to have all my four leggeds and family still here with me into the new year.

I'll end my super long post about myself by wishing all of my readers the happiest and most wonderful year ahead! I hope you all stay safe tonight and ring in the new year however you prefer! See you next year!