friday inspiration

TGIF everyone!! It's been a busy few days around here (check out my recent videos to see why haha, #spoilers yasssss), with an upcoming weekend that promises even more madness. Hopefully. Fingers crossed lol.

But.... That's not what I'm writing about today. Instead, do you all remember that awesome volunteer challenge Sara from Roaming Rider hosted last year? I LOVED that challenge and was super motivated and inspired to get out and volunteer like never before, ultimately logging more than 80hrs over the course of 2018.

This year won't be quite as prolific, but I'm still getting out there. I jump scribed at Loch Moy's YEH/NEH qualifier a few weeks ago, stewarded the show jumping warm up at MCTA, and just this past weekend stewarded the cross country warm up at Waredaca. All super fun times haha.

incredible portrait by Stephanie Newman

Anyway, I was reminded of all this when my year end prize from Sara arrived last week. This portrait is.... Honestly I don't even have words for it. It's perfect. It's everything. It's my boy, Charlie. Stephanie did such an amazing job capturing his soft sweet expression, his gentle but attentive nature. I'm obsessed.

I feel like it pairs perfectly with the other portrait I have of Charlie - more of a serious, fierce action shot in bold colors painted by Alyssa Kelley.

Stephanie's portrait was based off a picture from Charlie right after he stepped off our epic wild-n-wooly BN season opening cross country course last year (note the flared nostrils!) and Alyssa's portrait is from one of Charlie's racing win pics. Two such different sides, but both capture his personality entirely.

I'm so grateful to have these pictures, and am especially grateful to Sara for coming up with the idea for the above portrait as the year end prize. Thank you so much!

portrait by Alyssa Kelley

One of Sara's quarterly prize givings from the Volunteer Challenge was equally inspired too. This awesome calendar that is chock-full of so many of my all-time favorite pictures of Charlie. Literally every single one of these pictures is tied to a memory, and I love seeing it every day.

Turning the card on each new month is pretty exciting too -- both to see which pics will be used (I never peek ahead haha), but also to see the new month's quote.

Actually, it's kinda funny bc I just assumed the quotes were part of some template that Sara had selected. Altho it seemed almost eerie how perfect and spot-on they always are. It all made sense tho when Sara said she actually chose them all herself!!

freakin awesome calendar designed completely by Sara!! and source of today's quotes ;)

So since Sara spent the time to find these perfect quotes for this amazing calendar, I wanted to spend the time today sharing them all with you too. Seems like good Friday fodder, yes? A little inspiration going into the weekend haha. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do!!

"A goal should scare you a little and excite you a lot." -Joe Vitale

"If you never did, you should. These things are fun. And fun is good." -Dr. Suess

"Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you are right." -Henry Ford

"Stars can't shine without darkness." -Unknown

"You are never too old to set a new goal or dream a new dream." -CS Lewis

"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." -Walt Disney

"A trophy carries dust. Memories last forever." -Mary Lou Retton

"Believe you can and you are halfway there." -Theodore Roosevelt

"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." -Wayne Gretzky

"It's not whether you get knocked down; it's whether you get back up." -Vince Lombardi

"Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations." -Zig Ziglar

"Do more of what makes you happy." -Unknown



Have a great weekend everyone!