Shad Wink 1984-2008

Remembering Shad

I had to do the hardest thing I have done in a longtime. I had to let go of one of my very best friends,my horse named,Shad Wink. Even though Shad belonged to me everyone that knew him loved him, and everyone knew that he was a once in a lifetime horse. shad was my professional barrel racing horse. Shad was one in a million. I started riding him when I was about 11 years old. I remember taking him to a barrel racing futurity in Elko, Nevada. It was our very first big barrel race together. I competed on him in the futurity winning $1,100. That was the beginning of our , barrel racing career together. In Idaho Falls, I exhibitioned Shad in the rodeo and would have won the rodeo barrel racing event, but instead I had to be satisfied knowing that I had out ran many of the very best barrel racers in the country at that time. The next year I bought my permit to be in the WPRA (Women's Professional Rodeo Association). I again entered the Idaho Falls Rodeo winning the Rodeo along with Coke a Cola money and a beautiful rifle engraved by the rodeo committee. A rifle was given to winners of each event at the Idaho Falls Rodeo. Shad and I accomplished a lot of great things together. We made 5 trips to the Wilderness Circuit Finals between 1990-1995, Shad and I took competed a The National High School Finals in 1992 in Shawnee, Oklahoma, The Silver State Invitational Rodeo in Fallon, Nevada in 1994. I feel truly blessed to have been able to own and compete on such a wonderful, talented horse such as Shad. It was a great experience and one that I shall always cherish and forever hold dear to my heart.

our little slideshow

Safety Meeting Experience

I have to share this with everyone. Ryan and I went to a safety meeting for his work yesterday. I got to go the wives were invited. Well anyway this guy was injured due to just taking a shortcut on an everyday routine. The story is 7 years ago he was on his way home from work and he received a call from his wife to hurry home. Because their one year old son just took his first step. But he told his wife that he had to stop and feed their elk first. When he went to feed the elk he had to lift a one ton bale with his tractor. But the tractor was low on hydraulic fluid, and he knew it. But he done it tons of time like the way he was going to do it. But something went wrong and the one ton bale come back and fell on top of him and pinned him under it. He laid there for almost 45 minutes before his wife found him. To make a long story short he ended up paralyzed because he took a shortcut on an everyday routine. His point was in this safety meeting was. Life is to short take the time to fix what needs to be fixed and never to forget to communicate with others. He was a very strong speaker. So let's all not forget to live life to the fullest but don't ever take shortcuts. Always remember to take time just to let other people know that you have time for them. Even if it's 10-15 seconds of your time. Let them know how much you care for them. So who ever reads this blog just remember that I do care and I always have time for you.

Gingerbread House's

Every year in December everybody in the Bywater family makes a Gingerbread house. We all gather at Grandma Bywater's house. The kids like it because they can be creative also get messy. Grandma makes the frosting and provides most of the candy. If want some kind of special candy then we have to provide it. Some of the Gingerbread houses gets pretty creative. I remember one year my sister in law done a log cabin with a barn. It was pretty cool looking. Grandma Bywater makes all the Gingerbread by hand. She let's everyone of the Grandkids have their own Gingerbread house. Then the parents has to do one together. Here are some pictures of
the kids making their house's. This has a been a family tradition ever since Grandma and Grandpa Bywater has been married. The best thing about making the Gingerbread house's is that you can eat the house on New Years Day. It's all edible!!!!!!!

Kelton's Gingerbread House

Bailey's Gingerbread House

SNOW SNOW SNOW SNOW

Oh My Gosh I can't believe how much snow we woke up to this morning. The kids were supposed to go to school today and tommorrow but they canceled school today. The sad thing is it's only going to get worse. It is supposed to snow all week long. The kids are having a ball in the snow, even Fancy. It's funny to watch her because she gets lost in the snow. I had to share these pictures with you.