Incredibly Ellie

For those of you know me, I've been through some health issues this year. For those who don't know me, I've been through some health issues this year. It started back around the New Year when the flu was really bad and I worked with kids from all around the country all winter in Colorado teaching ski lessons. I got sick. I couldn't work because I was sick, I didn't make money, and then I got anxiety about not being able to pay bills because I was sick and not being able to work. That stress lead to my immune system being depleted and as soon as I started feeling better and working again, I got sick...again. And that is when the viscous cycle started. I applied for a job here in Flagstaff to get me home so I could take care of myself and heal. I was so sure I was going to get the job because of my major and my internship. I did not get the job. That hurt. I was so set about going home and healing, so I decided to go home anyway. That was hard. I had made a family i

Lately, I've been having some deep conversations with some really amazing people who have either been in my life for some time, or have just entered my life. And those conversations have helped me realize some things. The biggest one, is a concept I like to call our personal factory settings. When we were kids, we were ourselves with no apologizes. We said weird things, we dreamed without limits, we dressed to express ourselves. We were who we were supposed to be before society got their constricting hands on us, telling us what to say, wear, look and act like, and who to love. We loved to move, play, create, sing, learn, and explore. That is who we are supposed to be. When I was about two years old, my parents asked me what I wanted to be for Halloween. I took my pacifier out of my mouth to respond, "A Christmas tree!" Their response was, "No, you're going to be a ballerina!" I'm sure I didn't think much of it, seeing as I was only two years old

Skiing has always been a huge part of my life, but this winter, I have fallen in love with it all over again. I have a new outlook on skiing, one I didn't know I could have. I've been skiing for as long as I can remember and it was always the highlight of the year going on our annual family ski trip. We would get up early and be on the mountain as soon as it opened. At the time, I hated waking up early every day while we were on vacation, but now that I look back at it, I'm happy that I was pushed to ski all day. Those vacations dwindled as us kids got older and entered college and high school, but we still found a way to slide around on the snow for at least a couple days during the winter. But this winter...it's all different. Being paid to teach others how to ski and help them fall in love with the sport like we have, we had to better our own ski skills. I entered the job not knowing what they were going to teach us. Not only did they teach us how to teach others

Today is my day off. I got to sleep in, finish a blog post that has been waiting for my attention, go into town for an organically made breakfast burrito, have lunch with my friends, and watch a storm come in. I am still sitting on the couch on our pouch, watching the water fall from the sky. I watched the first lightning strike come into view of this storm. I watched and listen to bright flashes of light followed by the immediate expansion of air that causes the rumble and cracks in the sky. I am enjoying spending my day off this way; at peace watching and listening to the rain, thinking about what my next move will be in a second, a minute, hours, days, weeks, months, years. I have started the lifestyle I knew that was coming after graduation with my degree. I remember sitting during graduation wondering how I would adapt to this lifestyle. Will I hate it? Will I want to quit? Or will I come to like it? Sitting here today, I realized I love where I am. I wouldn't want to chan

I was talking to Mom on the phone the other day, telling her yet another funny story about the horses and she told me, "You should do a blog post about all of these funny stories." I thought it was a good idea and it would be a funny post, one needed after the sad story of Cimmaron's passing. So here we are... I'll let you know right now, I will save the best one for last because it is pretty damn funny. The first one I will start out with is a character trait I finally put together today about one of our horses, Spartacus (we call him Sparty). I was on a ride the other week, leading three of our Junior Wranglers that we had that morning, when I saw my co-wrangler, Nick, heading back from leading his ride. I had to quickly find a spot off trail to turn us around so we can start heading back. There was just no way we could pass them on the trail, it is impossible. On the way back, I had us pull over in an area where the trail split off then rejoined 10 yards later. I

Hello, everyone! It's been a while! Its been almost four weeks since my arrival here to Harmel's and I absolutely love it! A lot has happened in the past four weeks, and the days are starting to run together. We have a joke here on the ranch that everything is "the other day." Whether it was yesterday or two days ago or three weeks ago, everything is "the other day." And this is because for everyone who works here, the days really do run together, especially when we work 48 hours a week and get one day off a week, and there is some partying at night. Anyways, here is an overview of what has been going on the past couple of weeks: The most exciting thing that has happened, is that I started leading rides! Right now I am just leading one and two hour beginner rides in the morning and afternoon, because I know the beginner trail well. I am still learning the intermediate trails, and haven't even began to learn any advanced trails. My boss, Bode, said