Elbows & Hips in The Saddle VS The Gym. The Apartment Viewing & Choosing Decor.

Friday I accidentally slept in... I really need to stop doing that lol. But sometimes my body just needs it and there is nothing I can do about it so poor Amber escaped a workout... :(

We had just enough time to eat and hit the Gym before Matt had to leave for work. We did Back and it was a really good workout. My right deltoid still felt just a tad pinched on Lat Pulldown but not too bad.

Saturday we did Chest and Abs at the Gym. My Abs were already really sore from the day before, I don't know exactly why but I guess I definitely had them engaged the day before which is good. Matt had me try cable crunches. Took a set or two to get it just right. In riding we learn to let our elbows and hips flow with the horse. But when doing cable crunches you need your elbows and hips in fixed postions with no give. After 10 years of "give" drilled into me it took a bit of concentration to get it right.

I'm a strong beleiver in working out in a Gym on top of riding. I am not very fond of the idea of "riding to get in shape". Riding can be dangerous if your not already in shape. If your legs and core arn't strong enough you will easily lose balance and slip right off with a bad trip or stumble.

These cable crunches are an awesome addition to strengthening your Core for better riding by helping you balance and have a better seat.

Here is a video on how to do them: http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/cable-crunch

After the Gym we went to my cousins house for a family dinner in honor of my Uncle & Aunts Anniversarry.

On a more Fun note..

We have been looking at furniture and decor for when we move. We agree that we want to go for a Nautical-Equestrian feel. So natural barnwood/driftwood furniture. A white Rug. A Navy Blue convertable sofa made from the same or similar clothe material as our Chocolate Brown Wingback Chair. And a mix of Nautical and Equestrian Decor. Nothing too over stated one way or the other, we want to blend it all together very well.

Something like this..

Sunday morning Amber was ok. She was eager to get going to say the least. She wasn't "bad" because she was trying to listen but just was a bit of a hot head which is my fault for not coming before because I slept in.. Sorry, I feel terrible about it. Makes me sound like a bum. But my body refused to wake up and function without a full 8 hours of sleep and that's hard when you share a house with night owls..

We just did walk/trot focusing on relaxing and bending with LOTS and LOTS of circles. I got rewarded for my patience with some relaxation, enough bend, and this perfectly square halt!

That face.... lol

And finally the much anticipated apartment viewing. Seriously, we were dying to just get through the week so we can see these apartments in person. The lady was super nice and very proffessional so that's one HUGE thing to check off my list. I'm very picky about people in general but being picky about the staff of an apartment complex has it's perks. You can get a taste of how the place is run and know what to expect from them. When I say I'm "picky" I mean that in a good way. I'm an "INTJ Personality type" according to the Meyer Briggs system so I'm pretty good at seeing through fascades and stuff. If my gut tells me someone is genuine, they are.

The apartment itself was gorgeous. It's just a studio but it's well lit, a VERY nice kitchen, and just enough room, plus a HUGE closet. The facilities are nice too. Very well kept. Has a nice Gym with most of what you'd need. A beautiful pool. And the tiniest "dog park" I've ever seen, but hey, at least there is a small area for them to just hangout outside.

It was pretty much exactly what we expected. Clean, updated, mold free, well maintained, affordable, with good staff. Did I mention it's just outside of Houston which is the city but still in town (which where I come from is still city lol).

We got put on their waiting list and hope to move in June :)