Watch out for Coyotes!

I am blessed to have my own personal body guard. How the whole situation transpired is a little bit unclear, but all the same I am grateful for it. You will see what I mean in the video below. 

If you couldn't tell Nick was repeating "coyote" over and over in the background. We didn't see any coyotes on our walk, but later that night we heard the horrifying noise of several packs howling/shrieking to each other. I was definitely a little unnerved! 

Ditch the Comfort Zone

Nick has Special Olympics ski team practice every Saturday morning. We typically warm up, practice some gates, do a few free runs and call it a day. As of recent, this routine has been getting redundant for Nick. He has been showing a huge interest in the terrain park and even ditched out on his practice course to duck under a fence (while flying on skis) and chase down some jumps. Here is a pretty hilarious video of his first attempt.

Turn your volume down unless you want to hear me screaming, "Nick, NO!" at the top of my lungs. I will never attempt to hold him back again.

Hopefully this video made you giggle, but also compelled you to strive to be your best self everyday. Nick later hit that same jump, got some air, and landed it. I'm kicking myself for not getting that one on video. Here's to trying until we succeed! 

Life of the Party

Hello again!

A lot of things have changed since I last posted. Nick is approaching his 27th birthday on December 1st. WOW! Can you believe how fast time flies?

Recently, he has taken an interest in "going out, drinking beers, and meeting girls", as he says (non alcoholic beer, of course). I believe that this new interest transpired because his siblings, cousins, and friends are of the age where we do go out on the weekends. He feels rather bummed out when he misses these events, which,  just to clarify, is not often. His extroverted nature frequently makes him the life of the party.

The long holiday weekend was a perfect excuse for some sibling bonding and as Nick says, "drink beers". So, myself, Nick, and some friends hit up the Turf Club for a Fleetwood Mac Tribute.  By the end of the night, our friends had left and it was just Nick and I remaining from our group. We were having such a fabulous time that it just made sense to stay. At one point, Nick disappeared from my sight. I realized it was because he was surrounded by a pack of girls that had been chatting him up all night. He managed to attract not one, but multiple,  beautiful ladies to his side. "So typical", I thought as  I continued to dance by myself.

Even though Nick ditched me to awkward turtle alone, I was a very proud sister. His charm and light hearted nature make him a magnet for fun. It just goes to show that your life is a product of your mind. Nick lives each moment to the fullest and the world around him responds.

Back in the Game

Hi Everyone!

It has been awhile since my last post, but trust me I have some really great summer Nick memories to share with you all.

One of the most recent experiences I had with Nick really shows off his edgy side. I felt terrible because I convinced Nick to go trail riding with me, but forgot to check the trails for debris and fallen logs. He typically is not a fan of off-roading. From experience, he knows that I often lead him into what he considers danger.

Long story short, Nick and I ended up having to leave the beaten path several times encountering brush, hanging vines, steep embankments, and massive fallen trees. At first he was very upset with me, but it was not long after that he was hollering, "YEEEEEE HAWWWW, I'm Zorro" at the top of his lungs!

I'm so proud of Nick for embracing the challenge that fell into his lap. We can all learn from Nick and remember to take life in stride when unexpected events occur.

Spring Fever

For all of you horsey people out there, the riding season (the enjoyable part where we don't freeze our butts off) seems to finally be upon us! Nick and I have been doing lots of work around the farm and attempting to get the fury beasts back into shape. It truly is a breath of fresh air!

Nick says he's looking forward to volunteering at the spring horse shows again this year. Last spring, I was not ready to compete due to my late return from college, therefore, we enjoyed helping out at the shows. However, this spring I have every intention of competing. I am hoping my incredible groom will find some time to spend with his sister at the events. His enormous friends group gives me the feeling that I may not see him until the weekend is over haha. The independence he portrays is that of a true horseman.

I will keep everyone updated on both Nick's and my show schedules this year!

Check out the pic below of Nick and I jump judging at Otter Creek Farm last spring!

Werewolves among us!

You know that ever familiar feeling that creeps up on you on a Friday?; the one that says you have worked your butt off all week and it's time to go out, get wild, and do something fun! Well, Nick gets that too except his idea of a great night is a LOT cooler than other people’s perception of a picture perfect Friday.

Don't get me wrong, Nick is just like any other twenty five year old man that wants to show off and impress the ladies, although he does this in a much more creative way. No joke, last week Nick asked me to make him look like a werewolf before he went out. "YES! I thought silently, “This was finally my chance to do Nick's hair without him yelling, Stop! I am not a girl!" I obviously took full advantage of the situation. This is how his hair turned out (And yes, I screenshotted my snap chat; I was impressed he let me do his hair in the first place!).

He thought it was werewolf enough. I mean he did run around howling and leaping through the streets, so I assume the hairdo sufficed. Later, I asked if I could shave the sides and make him a "permanent werewolf". "No! Just one time," he yelled. I sadly gave in and agreed. I mean I could always do it in his sleep right (KIDDING)? 

Seeing beyond the Curtain

It is 10:00 pm and Nick, mom, and I just walked in the door from our trip to the Capital in Madison today. It was an absolutely exhausting day, and yet incredibly empowering as well; this is why I simply could not resist sharing with everyone what I learned today.

As some of you know, Wisconsin offers a program for the elderly and disabled residents which provides long term care in a self-directed manner. This program has proved to be highly successful and I have watched, first hand, the benefits it can provide participants. Because of IRIS (Include, Respect, I Self-Direct), Nick has been able to participate in many activities in the community. He has been able to choose his own staff and have transportation when other family members were unable to drive him places. Most importantly, he has been able to live at home with his family & animals on the ranch he loves so dearly.

But now, with Walker's proposed budget cuts, the entire program is in jeopardy of becoming completely eradicated. The information regarding what will replace the non-profit program is very unclear. However, there has been talk of Insurance companies aligning with the state government to turn the not-for-profit into a for-profit operation. An option,such as this,will cost more money in tax payer dollars while quality care is decreased. The largest question for many is why a successful program that is currently saving tax payer dollars by keeping participants in the home (instead of expensive nursing/group homes) even belongs in the budget cut proposal. These are huge concerns for the disabled and elderly community and questions that remain unanswered even after our trip the capital today (Boulton 1)!

IRIS is a very sought after program because it encourages participants to "Self-direct" or make decisions that best suit their lifestyle and needs. Today, I witnessed a young adult with cerebral palsy crying with the thought of having to return to a nursing home. I witnessed physically disabled individuals dealing with the emotional distress that they may lose ALL (or what little support they receive) when the proposal goes through. I heard stories of people from all walks of life. How are these people supposed to work to support themselves and receive the care they need?  What will happen to these people and their quality of life? The same cry was echoed through the capital from IRIS participants, family members, and advocates alike stating how IRIS has improved the quality of life [of participants] by providing an independence that has never been experienced before with any other program. Many of us take for granted our ability to choose when we get up in the morning, what we do that day, when we eat, and when we will go to bed. Not all people have this option, especially those requiring care. IRIS provides people with the ability to make these sorts of decisions for themselves. Can you imagine how empowering this must feel!?

After a long day of meetings with senators and legislative representatives, many questions have yet to be answered. The grey areas are vast and only one thing is clear; the budget cut currently proposes that the IRIS program will become obsolete. That is the one true fact we have been given. After spending a day speaking with Senators, I have realized how uninformed many of them are on the negative impacts the removal of this program will have on thousands of people’s lives (Survival Coalition). It is our job, as people with voices, to STAND UP and help those who do not. We can do this by writing letters to our senators, governor, and newspapers. We need to inform the people of Wisconsin that our most vulnerable people are being threatened. Remember these unique individuals did not choose this life, but it was the life they were given. Together, we can create a loud enough voice that the Capital simply cannot ignore.

Please comment below or contact me for more information.

Sources Cited:

Boulton, Guy. "Gov. Walker Proposes Overhaul of Wisconsin's Long-term Care Program." Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel (2015): n. pag. Web. 17 Mar. 2015. <http://www.jsonline.com/business/gov-walker-proposes-overhaul-of-wisconsins-long-term-care-program-b99453054z1-295281591.html>.

Survival Coalition. Survival Coalition Press Release. Madison: 13 March. 2015. Print. http://www.survivalcoalitionwi.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Disability-Advocacy-Day-Presser.pdf