The Insider

     I don't want to be a boring blogger who only post about herself, but I feel like that is half the blog getting to know who you are reading about. Most people think; she's a neat freak, she's got a perfect life with a waterfront cabin and two barrel horses. Honestly that is just one small piece of who I really am.
     My brother Brandon is my best friend, and my rock no matter where life takes us. We have been partners in crime since day one and we don't have any plans for it to change. When we moved into our neighborhood 15 years ago, we became extremely close with our neighbors who are now our brother and sister (family isn't always blood)! Each and everyday I am thankful for the people who have come into my life over the years.
     I haven't had the easiest journey getting to where I am today with my barrel racing career. Between ages 6-9 I had four different horses none of which worked out. I took a year off and just had riding lessons twice a week, before finding my paint mare Casey who gave me all she had. From the moment I sat on her I knew she was the one. She came from a cutting and performance background, but was awesome to grow and become a better rider on. Without her I wouldn't be riding today or be the rider I am. I was blessed enough to receive her daughter Zoe when I was 13 years-old for Christmas and she has been an adventure and a half!
     A year and a half ago today, my family suffered a great loss when my Papa had a heart attack. Things were forever changed and I lost certain relationships but gained a stronger relationship with others throughout the extremely tough time. I was very close with my Papa and he was my biggest supporter when it came to my passion for barrel racing, and without him I wouldn't be where I am today.
    I don't want to bore you all so, get out there and enjoy the weekend! xoxo

 The horse that changed it all! 

Sometimes work gets a little crazy! 

My Brother Brandon & I at a concert last month

My Papa and I at my last fair on Casey R.I.P. Papa

The trouble maker Zoe and I 

Stormy Night Crafts

After work today it got really stormy so I decided to spend my evening crafting! Totally last minute but I had tons of fun!

I hot glued letters onto my boxes from Ikea! Super easy and took hardly any time at all, but gave them some character. 

The words ended up fitting in perfectly on my shelves above my desk! 

I glued scrapbook paper onto cardboard that I traced out to be my initial. 

The attach the string on all I did was hot glue the ends and they stayed on perfectly! 

Hope you enjoyed these and watch for more easy craft ideas to come! xoxo

Home Office Decor

This on the wall home office is perfect for a family who doesn't have room for an office corner but extra space on a wall. The whiteboard keeps track of messages or notes about upcoming activities or events and there is plenty of room for mail. The last name initial on the wall is a perfect personalization touch! 

Jazz up the boring old clipboard by covering them in scrapbook paper! This is easy and inexpensive while still being super cute! Scrapbook paper comes in such a variety making it easy to have them for all occasions. 

Boring coasters no more! Purchase cheap tiles at Lowes for less than a dollar and cover them in different prints of scrapbook paper. They are inexpensive and easy to make. 

Every couple needs this in their house! An adorable way to leave the other person a message and make their day! Place velcro on the back of the name tags makes them super easy to change out. 

Place scrapbook or wrapping paper on a cookie sheet and you've got yourself a magnetic board! 

Planning for the Road

     This will be the third weekend in a row on the barrel racing trail. Things get crazy, cluttered and I often stay packed from weekend to weekend. Always remember to only pack what you need and nothing extra, extra stuff takes up too much space! I plan all my meals and snacks out ahead of time and usually package them up before I hit the road, this way when I am there all I've got to do is quickly put together a meal. I try to make things as easy as possible for traveling, for both my horse and I.

     I make all my grain for both morning and night ahead of time, and just bag them up in ziplock bags. This way they are in their spot in the trailer, aren't spilling everywhere and are ready when I need them!
For my dry beet pulp I use the sandwich bags and for the grain and supplements I use the gallon ziploc bags.

Ziploc Products

     Lists, Lists, Lists! I make a list for everything I need to buy, pack and get ready. I have a list for the menu with all the meals on it along with snacks I will be bringing. Then another list is for the grocery stores I need to go to and what I need to buy at each of them (I try to buy everything from Trader Joes). If I am making a new recipe I will make a list with each recipe on it to make sure I have everything I need! List keep you from forgetting things & over packing what you won't need. 

Look for more list tips to come! 

Every spring when race season rolls around I see what I need to add to my shower caddy that I keep in the bathroom. I keep everything in a simple caddy you can pick up almost anywhere, that way on the road nothing spills all over the place. My medicine cabinet is already jam packed full! 

Things for the Caddy: 

1. Shampoo & Conditioner

2. Comb/ Hairbrush

3. Toothpaste

4. Tootbrush

5. Body Wash

6. Razor & Shave Cream

7. Make up Wipes

8. Face Wash

9. Deodorant

10. Sunscreen

Shower Caddy

A Weekend of Can Chasing

     I just got home from a weekend of can chasing that was filled with long nights and early mornings. While on the road it is easy to become cluttered and unorganized for both my horse and I. There is a few easy ways to rid the mess and just keep everything in its "spot." I do have to remember not all of us are as lucky as I am to have a Mom and Bestie who travel along with me and help to keep the mess away!
   
     I have a horrible habit of just tossing my boots and polo wraps on the floor of the trailer after my run but lately I've been trying to break that habit. All of my sport boots and bell boots go in a bucket by the trailer door for easy access and all my polo wraps go into my classic equine boot bag. I have a three tier plastic storage container that I use to keep all my boots in and are organized by, front, rear and bell boots for those that I don't use everyday. It's nothing fancy but its small, portable, and keeps things out of the way.

Plastic Bin

     My horse's legs mean everything to me and my first priority is keeping those where they're suppose to be. I keep a tote bag filled with my clay, gloves, and linament gels. This way I know no matter where we are her leg care kit will all be together. Otherwise after a few practices and weekend on the road, they'd be scattered all over the tack room and I don't have to waste time looking for all of them.

Tough 1 Tote

     I am lucky enough to have tons of hooks in my tack room and a carpeted wall so that things don't get beat up on the road, but another way to keep things organized is always hang everything back up! The hooks are there for a reason, use them. I hang everything up from whips to extra reins and halters. It keeps things off the floor and the clutter away. 

     If you do have windows on your rear doors of the trailer they come in more handy than most would think! To keep things out of the tack room I hang all my hag bags on the left rear door by just hooking the straps around the window bars. I didn't think it would come in as handy as it does and then I am able to keep all the feed together in the same spot. 

Sometimes you find things you never thought would help keep the clutter away!

     A trailer door caddy is a great tool to keep things organized, off the floor, and right at your finger tips! I use mine for spurs & straps, rubber bands, and all the bottles I could imagine. Just make sure you keep your tack room window closed, so things don't get wet! 

Trailer Door Caddy

Purse Organization

Anyone who is extremely busy and always on the go knows how easy it is for their purse to become a complete mess! 

To avoid a mess I have followed a few simple guide lines: 

1- Keep your bag small

2- Have a bag for everything

3- Put things back where they belong

4- Don't just throw cash & change in your bag

I keep all my personal items in this little bag, that way they are out of the way!

My coin/ card holder was life changing, I now keep all my change, Starbucks cards, and coupons in here. Keeps them all together and the only thing I need when running in for a coffee. 

My planner is my life, it goes with me everywhere. 

My wallet is cute and simple and not too big that it takes up my entire bag, it holds everything I need. 

Now keeping your tote bag for class/ work organized is another story for a later time! Hope this helps & would love feed back! xoxo

Home Office Remodel

     My office always follows me everywhere, and it always seems I become more and more busy! Sometimes I take work home with me, but often times I'm filling out barrel racing paperwork or prepping for an exam. This summer I am working to become even more organized and keep it all separate yet together! I've been searching around for some office organization pieces and coming up with a few of my own, let me know if you have any tips of your own and I would love to include them on here. 

Save money buying a white board calendar you can use all year! 

White Board Calendar

This paper drawer is perfect for printer and lined paper and could be painted or decorated to go with your office theme. 

Find it Here!

Magnet boards are so simple and can even be made from a cookie tray. Just spray paint the cookie tray to match the rest of your decor and there you have it. They are perfect for anything from postcards and pictures to receipts or keys! 

Dollar Store Tips

Dollar Stores can be the best and worst place to get certain items. I am crazy about saving money but not about buying low quality items! 

Do Buy: 
~ Cleaning Supplies
~ Paper Products -> But watch the quantity!
~ Shampoo
~ Bins 
~ Poster Board 

Don't Buy: 
~ Pens/Pencils
~ Food that doesn't have an expiration date
~ Vitamins and Medicines 

Happy Savings!

Meet Maddi

Hi, 

     Ever since I can remember I have been crazy about being organized. In Kindergarten I became obsessed with classrooms and converted mine and my brother's playroom into a classroom where he was my student. I clean my room weakly and am always searching for new ways to keep it organized, and tidy. Prior to finals week I have to completely clean my room and organize my study space just to keep my sanity! 

     This summer it is my goal to not only remodel my room but have it as organized as possible to maximize the little space I have. I search daily on Pinterest (my favorite site) to find new ideas about staying organized especially for my study area. I have had deep searches lately to find ways to maximize the space in my horse trailer's track room and find organization tips! I don't have a lot of space but I want to use up every inch possible. I am also addicted to cleaning and organizing my tack room. 

     When I'm not being a freak about being organized, I'm competing at barrel races across Washington or boating and enjoying the family cabin in the San Juan Islands. 

 Sunset in the San Juan Islands