Downey 1997 - 2013

Downey, one of the best horses I have owned, died on 23 Sept 2013. She was born in the spring of 1997.  I earned my first Reining cheque on Downey as a 3 yr old. A whopping $37. More due to my inexperience rather than Downey's skill. Downey had such a good disposition that anyone could ride her, feel safe, and feel like they could do all the tricks.

Here is Downey taking care of Hailey and her friend.

A ride in the Community Pasture for Barb!

Oh what fun we have had! 

Waterton for Laurel!

A rain soaked Brad and Downey, also in the Community Pasture.

When we started this ride the sun was shining!

Marilee working cattle. Downey made any job a pleasure!

Tiffy learning the basic's of reining with Downey! She was a fun mare to ride. I loved showing her, as her lead changes were so easy!

Leavitt Ladies at the ski cabin in the Community Pasture!

Love this picture!

Love this horse and so sad to lose her.

Thank you Downey for all the good times and the many things you taught me and all those who had the joy of riding you! 

Spartan Race Calgary 2013

Soooo, Saturday was the day to run the Spartan Sprint. 5km, 15 obstacles. Sounded like a fun time so I joined in this fine looking group of runners. We are the "Wind Warriors!"
We look pretty clean here I do say!

Just an idea of the terrain we had to run on. There was a lot of dust and alot of rather steep hills that we ran up and down more than once!

Here are Austin and Kaylynn Nunn approaching the monkey bars.
They are the two dressed in blue right behind the girl with the bandanna. 

Here I am on the top of the storage bin, crawling up, over and down to jump over a mud hole. (this is where I was playing princess and walked around the mud!)
Dave and Cari Pilling are the couple on the ground deciding what to do! They jumped in the mud good on them!!

v

Kaylynn (blue t'shirt and dark shorts) doing the javelin throw! She made the javelin stick into the straw bales! I'm thinking she is the only one to do so!! Yaaa Kaylynn!!

Kaylynn, Austin and Jill Nunn! Finishers!! Don't they look great?

Here I am, at the finish line. You really can't help but grin once you cross that silly line! 

Got a T'shirt and medal for finishing. The things one does for a T'shirt!??? There were some hard obstacles, pulling a cinder block up and down a rather steep hill. Carrying 15lbs of sand up and down a steep hill. Climbing an 8' fence. Going over an A frame and not falling, lots of mud to wade through. Barb Salmon helped me scale a wall and ring a bell,(Thanks kido!!) I can't remember them all. Hanna the photographer wasn't at all the obstacles, so I don't have any pics from them. Probably better that I don't anyway. :)
Important thing is that I started and I finished!

Here's the gang again, all gussied up for the photo! See they are all grinning!!

Spartan Race!

You'll know at the Finish Line!

Crypt Lake Adventure!

Today Tiffany and Cami invited me to hike Crypt Lake with them.
Crypt Lake is 10.7 miles round trip and we took the 9:00am boat shuttle over to the head of the trail. Elevation gain is 2214 ft.
Just so you can compare Bear's Hump is 1.8 miles round trip with an elevation gain of 738 ft.

A beautiful day in Waterton, no wind, and not too much sunshine or heat! Perfect day for a hike in paradise.

Crypt is a fun, difficult hike. Just behind Tiffy and Cami you can see a tunnel that we go through to get up to the lake. The tunnel is the dark spot in the mountain just above the line of people in the distance. Notice how steep it is looking down. If heights are an issue for you, you might not enjoy this hike so much.
Once through the tunnel you scale the side of the mountain, there is a cable to hang on to as you traverse the rocks on a narrow path.

And there you have it, Crypt Lake, tucked in between Vimy Ridge and Mount Bowsell. I loved it! Smooth lakes and mountain air are the greatest!! And I have to say the company was the finest!!

My effort at photography on the way down!

What is this?, you say. Well, it is hail! We got down to the boat dock in time for the 4 pm boat, but we had tickets for the 5:30 pm boat and there wasn't room for us, so we had to wait. In that hour of waiting for the next boat there was thunder, lighting, rain and hail.

This is what it looked like during the "height" of the storm.

This is my view as I waited out the storm under a tree!

The dock as the storm lifts. A hint of sunshine on the lake.

Looking for the boat to show up. I think they waited until the storm blew through before they left their dock! Oh well, we were wet once they left us anyway, what's an extra 15 - 20 minutes?
I've only hiked Crypt Lake twice in my life and both times were and adventure! Love Waterton and where I live!!!

Grandma's House!

Everyone needs a "Grandma's House"! This is the place where you stop while in town for all kinds of things. Cookies from the cookie jar, a quick shower, use the computer, perfect place to park and watch the fireworks, oh the list goes on and on....
Mostly I think it was fun to just hang out for a few laughs with Grandma and Grandpa Vadnais.

Laura Low Vadnais
15 June 1922 - 16 April 2013

Laura Low Vadnais, my Grandma, passed away the day before my birthday. I'm happy for her that she is on to better places and better things, but I have to say that I miss her and I miss "Grandma's House."

This is Laura and Laurier's Wedding picture, 30 Jan 1943. Married in the Cardston Alberta Temple. 
I just love these old photos and this   
one even more!



I told Grandma that I liked this picture so she wrote on the back for me! So cool that I have her picture and her love in her handwriting!!!

I call this one "Young Love"!

I just love this picture! Grandma on their first tractor 1952.

Laura and Laurier Vadnais family, 1966 or so.

Back Row: Lavern, Joy, Ken, Bruce

Front Row: Susan, Laura, Laurier, Gordon

Same family in the mid to late 1970's!

Low 4 Generation Picture

Dixie, Rod and Kelly Bevans (The cute kids on the knees) with Anna Joy Vadnais Bevans, Laura Low Vadnais and Brigham and Antris Gedleman Low. (Oh those kids are cute, sweet, adorable....)

Grandma and Grandpa Vadnais 2003! Oh how I love them!

1952ish

I love this picture! It was one Grandma took!

Layin 11's !!

This is so much fun to do!! 

I went to Helena for some coaching on my very nice reining mare, Lo Lit Chic! Renee is an excellent coach and I feel like I made some break through's on learning how to ride this great mare!

Oh it is so much fun when things come together! Oh and notice that I'm not wearing a winter coat!! It was great outside weather!! Double ya hoo!!!

See what's left after the dust clears!!

Now that's what I call Layin 11's!!

Oh it is so much fun to do!

Finally Made it to Helena!

I finally made it to Helena to see my new horse Lo Lit Chic. She has been in Helena from Texas since the middle of December. I tried to go south to ride her, but "Ole Man Winter" had something to say about that!

I love her, I love sliding and spinning her and I have high hopes for a fun and successful show season 2013!!! It's great to get back to riding and improving my riding. She is a very nice mare and I do have to learn how to get the best out of her.
Some of the names on her papers are: Bueno Starlight, Grays Starlight, Peppy San Badger, Bueno Chex Too, Smart Chic Olena, etc.... 

I'm very lucky to have the chance to ride such a nice horse and I can't wait for the show season to start!

Oh I should have more pictures, but it's hard to take pictures while riding and leaving 20 foot slide tracks, Ohhh that is Funnnnn!

Renee Pipinich, Renee Pipinich Reining Horses, is my trainer & coach, and she knew that LC and I would get along, a huge Thank you to Renee for picking out such a nice, fun mare to learn how to ride and show!!

I also was lucky enough to sell a nice Wrangler Mare while in Helena. It was a good trip south on all accounts!