My gosh, the month of December, has flown by.  Mark and I went to Stuart, Florida to visit family and as always, we had a wonderful time.  We also stuck a board meeting in the week and got everything done!  You can go to www.pinelakevillage.com to see our park.  I am very proud of it!

Tux, our new Siberian Husky boy arrived on the 10th!  He is five years old and just breathtaking!  I am so excited to see what he and the girls will produce!  He is such a handsome dog and has such presence about him!

Tila's puppies went home on December 23 to happy husky families!  I can't believe the great families our pups go to!  Thank you everyone for taking a little bit of Double L Acres' home with you!

We had a whirlwind December!  Matt played at Donnie's on the 17th.  As always, he was a hit!
Seated around the table, Kyle (Matt's good buddy) and his fiancé, me, Rachael (Matt's girlfriend), Erin (my daughter) and Mark (my wonderful hubby).  Second picture is Matt playing.
 

Christmas was the next weekend, and the snow we had was beautiful.  All the kids came home for Christmas eve and Christmas morning.  How wonderful it is that I can still have my children here for Christmas morning.  I don't think I will ever see them as adults on that particular day.  The twinkle in their eyes, the excitement in their hearts!  Santa still comes to our house and fills their stockings!  I think Santa has to try a little harder each year to find those individual stocking stuffers that best portray the young adults the children have become.  So far, (s)he has done pretty good, thanks to the internet!  LOL!                                                                         

The last week of December, the quiet, peaceful time before the new year rings in.  Time to thank the big guy upstairs for all the blessings he has bestowed on our family.  We are truly blessed.  All of us are in good health and doing what we love to do. 

Our first foal is due around the second week of January.  Jamaican Rose has a half full bag and looking bigger each day!  She is bred to Exceptional Look for a double registered foal.  I can't tell you the excitement I feel waiting for Kidd's first baby.  I felt the same when I was waiting for DC Precision's and Jamaican Hottie's first baby.  I have no idea of what the foal will look like, but knowing the lineage behind the horses, I know the foal will be a good one!  Our halter industry is changing so much.  We have gone from the big, massive horses to the fit, modern type of halter horse.  As breeders, we need to change with the times, as the breed just continues to get better.  I feel our stallions and mares fit this pattern and am looking forward to showing the world what we at Double L Acres can produce!

I want to wish all of you a very Happy New Year.  May you have your health and love of your family all through the year!  I want to thank my wonderful family for the wonderful life I have gotten to share with you all.  I want to share with my friends, a memory of our middle son, Matt.  We played this during our family holiday.  He was in first grade and played the leading roll of "Frosty The Snowman!"  Happy New Year everyone!!

As usual, the APHA World Show was a blast!  Got to see old friends and made some new friends!  The food down in Ft. Worth is soooooo good!  My favorite place to eat is Pappadeaux!  The have the most amazing yellow fin tuna!!!  We met a group of friends and ate at Joe T Garcia's!  This is a huge Mexican restaurant--it takes up one city block and it's all outside!  Gorgeous plants and waterfalls all over.  They only serve 2 dishes, chicken or steak fajitas and enchiladas.  They serve homemade chips and salsa and the Margarita's never stop!!  We had such a great time!!!

I'm proud of my two boys~!  They were tough stallion classes!  Olin Parker did a great job of fitting on the horses!  Exceptional Look won a 4th in Ammy and 5th in Open.  DC Legacy won a fifth in Ammy and a sixth in Open.  What was even more amazing was me showing!  Poor Olin, he worked with me and showed me so much.  The boys stood so good and I didn't make a fool of myself!  LOL!!  I even learned to do the "foot thing" when getting a horse to set up!  Olin's right hand man, Taylor, was a joy to get to know!!!  He is such a sweet guy!

I really love Texas...the weather, the people, the food!!!  We stay at a great RV Park in Ft. Worth.  In this park are the nicest people you would ever want to meet.  I enjoy meeting the "horsey" people that go there.  The sweet lady that runs the park, is a stitch.  She makes sure she knows where everyone is and who comes and goes. 

We always drive to Mark's favorite place--Cabela's.  This year, we bought those nice lounge chairs for the horse trailer!  How wonderful to sit in the Texas 77 degree weather and read my Kindle!!  Life is good!

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving was here and gone!  It is so wonderful to have all our children home.  It just seems that our lives are so busy, that holidays are the only time we can get together.  Josh and Amanda came from Nashville, TN.  Matt and Rachel drove up from St. Louis area and Erin and Jake were here too!  We decided to play a board game the other night with all of us!  I think it was called Cranium.  We laughed so hard!!!  What a hoot to watch us all make fools of ourselves trying to get our partner to answer the question given to us!

The stallions are under lights, getting ready for breeding season.  Just waiting on the mares to do their part.  I purchased a gorgeous mare, My Cool Angel, just to breed to DC Legacy.  Angel is at Chris Arensten's now finishing up her superior.  Chris took her to a show in KY and she pickedup 4.5 points with 3 reserves!  Only 8.5 more points until her superior!!  She is a gorgeous mare!!!  I'm hoping for a WC filly out of these two.  The foal will be double registered! 

I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  There is much to be thankful for these days....our family, our friends, our health, and all our critters.  Every day I am blessed with the chance to have all of these and cherish all of them!!

Made a trip down to Stuart, Florida for our yearling board meeting!  So nice to see green!!  Most of my family lives down there in the Stuart and Jensen Beach area.  My favorite place, the beach in Hobe Sound.  That is probably my favorite place to go.  I love hearing the waves come in and putting my feet in the wet sand and letting the waves hit my legs.  No matter how old I get, I still hunt for shells.  My sister and I were laughing and saying we don't get to look up because we are always looking for the perfect sea shell!  She took me to a place where there is coral up on the beach and it was so beautiful.  I had a great time and didn't want to come back to the cold weather in IL!  Back in the long johns today the the insulated jeans!  My sandals are tucked away to wait for warmer weather!

This month started wonderfully...On October 3, we went to Grafton to watch our son, Matt play at the winery.  The weather was wonderful, the people with us, were wonderful...it was such a great day!!  Below are two videos I took of him playing!  Matt takes his comprehensive exams this Wednesday to complete his graduate program.

My oldest son, Josh and his girlfriend Amanda just returned from Greece.  They were there for a month climbing on an island.  Here are some pictures a photographer took of him.  He's going to be featured in a climbing magazine.  He is climbing Aegialis, overlooking the Aegean Sea in Greece.  I am so proud of him, he is living his dream!!
 

Check out our Accomplishments Page to see new pictures of DC Legacy!  We are in the count down to the world show and I couldn't be more excited!!

We purchased a new male Siberian husky!  "Tux" comes from a long line of champions!  Check him out on our husky site, www.siberianhuskydla.com  We are waiting for Tila to give birth.  She is tucked in her birthing bed and as happy as a clam! 

All of Misha's puppies went to great sibe homes!  I miss the pitter patter of little paws!!!  I am so very lucky, I get to live my dream....I am truly blesssed!

Not much has happened this month, so I apologize for not having more to say!  Hopefully after the APHA world show, I will have more to say!  I'm looking forward to seeing my boys again!

Our son, Matt passed his comp exams with flying colors!!!  He will graduate from grad school this December!  His sweetheart, Rachael, passed hers also!  I am so proud of those two!!!!  It's not easy working full time, going to school and doing all their internships.  You guys are the greatest!!!

My little Martini laying in her bed watching me type on the computer!  Well, one of her beds.  She has one in each room and they are all heated for the colder months...Yes, I know...I'm sad!!!  LOL!!

Our first futurity this year, was the Indiana Futurity.  I didn't have a paint baby, so I took DC Legacy, as he had a yearling spot.  He won his three futurity classes, Non-Pro, Open and SSA!!!  We ended up getting 13 first and 3 seconds, picking up some more points!  I would like to thank Brent Harnish for doing such a good job of showing him!!

Jamaican Royale was in the IL Quarter Horse Futurity.  He placed 4th in the SSA with all age colts.  They didn't divide the class, so he was showing against colts 2 months older than he was.  I was really proud of him!!!  It was a tough class and he pulled through for me!  Chris Arentsen did a fantastic job of fitting and showing him.  If you are interested in a good quarter show colt, give me a call!  Royale should mature to 16+ hands~!

Our Illinois Paint Horse Futurity was this weekend!  DC Legacy won across the board in his yearling futurity class and his open yearling class!  8 firsts!!!  Then he went on to win 3 grand championships and 1 reserve championship!!!  DC Legacy headed home with Olin Parker to fine tune him for the APHA World Show.  Olin had the ad done for Exceptional Look.  I haven't seen him in a while and my first thought was....WOW!!!  He has really matured and is turning into such a great horse!  One more month until the world show...I am so excited!

I put our ad on facebook and have had lots of positive responses to Exceptional Look.  He is double registered and OLWS Negative--he will not throw a lethal white!!  If he is half the producer his sire is, then my life will be complete!!!  KidLook is a phenomenal sire and his babies are just breathtaking!

Misha had 6 puppies on the 5th of September.  This was her first litter and she is such a good mom!  The puppies are growing like weeds!  You can see them at, www.siberianhuskydla.com
I love puppies!!!  I have a hard time working when I begin watching them.  They are so cute the way they crawl around!

After having had an ending of the month like July, I welcome August with open arms!  My mom and her sweet hubby (Jack) traveled from Florida to visit!  It's so nice to have your mom with you!  She is an amazing woman!  Mark, Mom, Jack, Erin and I went to Grafton, IL to listen to Matt play at the Piasa Winery.  As always, we had a great time and I love to watch him play and sing.  Such a talented guy!  I don't think a mom can ever tire of watching her children to something they love!

Mom Matt playing at the winery and Martini says, "This is the life!" www.mattlivasy.com

My friend, Mary Hirsch, sent me pictures of her trail riding Lexie.  Here is a picture of Lexie in the lake!  How wonderful to have someone love a mare as you do!  Mary is planning on trail riding in southern Illinois and coming up to visit!  I'm looking forward to seeing her!

Jamaican Me A Hottie is going to go to her new home in Texas!  Rafael, you have a great mare!  I will miss this girl, but I know she is going to a loving show home! 

I wanted to share a picture with you of my "first" horse.  I loved "Trigger!" He was always so good to me, not once did he offer to buck me off.  But...the best part of owning Trigger was that my mom let him into the house!  Now, how many of your mom's did that with your first horse?  I still have Trigger!  He is in the barn now and watches over my breeding room!!!

DC Legacy is coming along!  I took some pictures of him yesterday...and I am pleased!!!  It's hard to believe he is only a yearling at 15-3 hands tall!!  All that muscle and NN...I do believe it is possible and we will see!  He will go to Olin Parker's after our Illinois Futurity in September and Olin will put the finishing touches on him!

A friend of mine from Chicago sent me an email with a saying....it is so true: "Life isn't about how to survive the storm  ......  but how to dance in the rain."  I am learning how to dance in the rain!
 

Mark and I flew to Stuart, Florida to share my mom's birthday (July 3) with her and my grand niece's baptism!  I can't tell you how wonderful the seafood is down there!  My favorite is the sushi grade, Yellow Fin Tuna.  I can't get enough of it!  Sad to say, the Midwest's only seafood delicacy is Catfish!  LOL!

My sister and her husband, Jon, took everyone out on their boat, the "Miss Chris!"  We went down the St. Lucie River and got to see some amazing houses!  After that, we went to Shrimpers for lunch on the dock!  As we were coming home, storm clouds started to gather.  It seems every time I go out on a boat, it rains!  LOL! 

While we were in Florida, I went with my mom, 2 sisters and my 2 nieces to see the movie, "Eclipse!"  I am such a fan of Twilight, Edward is so gorgeous!!!  I'm can't wait until "Breaking Dawn," it was the end book of the series and I've read it several times!  I know, I'm sad!!

I was going to try to get to Rita Crundwell's sale to see my friend Sandy Ellis, but it seems work piles up here so fast, I just couldn't make it!  Sandy said some gorgeous horses were there.  I know if I would have gone, I would have come home with more horses!!  I have a hard time passing up a nice looking mare!

Exceptional Look is at Olin Parker's now, getting reading for the Fall APHA World Show!  I am going to continue to fit on DC Legacy and see if he will be ready to go in November.  I would take him to Olin's, but I have more shows here to go to. 

It is with very, very deep regret that I must tell you that my beloved 2 year old stallion, Sparked By Precision, had to be put down.  "Sparky" died of complications from EPM.  He put up such a fight, but in the end, the protozoa invaded his spinal cord, then brain stem -- and he was paralyzed.  I am still numb, inside, my heart has been ripped into a thousand pieces.  I want to thank all of my friends for being there for me.  It was such a surprise how fast the EPM went through his nervous system.  He had the best possible care, with the drug, Nitazoxanide, IV's, and tube feeding...but it wasn't enough. 

**EPM is caused by a parasite spread in the feces of opossums. Opossums are everywhere in the United States.  The opossums defecate in pastures or any place outside.  When the horse ingests the feces, the organism's eggs, called Sporocysts, migrate to the central nervous system and multiply.   Leaving lesions on the spinal cord and brain stem.

I was hoping Sparky was one of the lucky few who survive this, but his father, DC Precision, must have wanted him up in heaven with him.

I also want to give my sincere condolences to my friend, Sherry Cesar, who lost her WC producing mare, "Zippos Heiress."  This mare was the mother of DC Precision's first world Champion, Rapped With Precision.  She had been Sherry's baby for 15 years!  Our friends, the Howertons, lost their WC mare, "I Concur."  All of you are in my prayers.  I know how hard it is to lose your "children."  Please stay strong.

My mom sent me this poem when Sparky died, I want to share it with all my friends who have lost their beloved horses...

I know I'm starting my June News early, but it has been a great month and it is only the 9th!  DC Legacy went to the Iowa Memorial Day Classic and got 3 firsts, 1 second and 3 grand reserves showing against all aged stallions!  His third show was June 5 at Gifford, IL - he received 2 firsts and 2 grand championships!  DC Legacy has his ROM in only 3 shows!  I am so proud of him!!!  I just can't believe how good he looks.  I would like to thank Rick and Lonnie McClain for doing such a great job showing him!  I am very proud!!!

On June 6, Mark, Erin, Jake (ER's boyfriend) and I traveled to Grafton, IL to hear Matt play at the Piasa Winery.  We had such a good time!  The winery sits on the Mississippi River and we watched every type of boat go by.  The winery has a double porch that overlooks the river.  The day was perfect, the weather was wonderful and the wine...well, what can I say...it was FUN!!!

Matt playing at the winery and Martini says, "I'm havin' fun!" www.mattlivasy.com

Jamaican Ruba went to his new show home this month!  His new mom, "Marcia," is so excited about him!  She plans on showing him AQHA and APHA!  I think she has a winner there!  He's just a gorgeous colt and has a heart of gold!

I'm holding onto Jamaican Royale until after the fall futurities.  We have some big ones to go to and I think he will do so good~!  The babies this year are so sweet...it is hard to part with them. 

The rest of the summer will be showing DC Legacy and gearing up for the world show.  I'm so excited to see all my "horse" friends again!!!  I would also like to get Sparked With Precision to some shows, but he is growing so much, I don't want to push him now.

My friend, Joy McGuffin, emailed me and told me her sister, Joell, won a Reserve World Championship with her yealing mare, PS I Love Lucy!  That is so exciting!!!!  The McGuffins have some gorgeous horses!  This was Joell's last year in youth, isn't that a great way to end?!!

 Congratulation Joell!!!

I am proud to announce that will have 8 foals coming next year on our farm.  Bred to Jamican Hottie, Exceptional Look and one to Sparked By Precision!!!  I guess I should start getting caught up on my sleeping now....!!! 

Have a great 4th of July everyone!!!

What a great month!  Our weather is hot, the horses are outside and happy!  We have all the horses pregnant this year and I'm so excited about the 2011 foaling season!  This will be Exceptional Look and Sparked By Precision's first foal crop!

Chris Arensten, a wonderful Quarter horse trainer In Illinois, came to visit us and look at the horses.  He brought his wife and two daughters. What wonderful people they are!  We had a great time talking horses!  I surely appreciated him taking the time to drive all the way here!!!

The two foals are growing like weeds!  It seems like they just keep getting better and better!  They are shedding out to be such rich dark colors.  I've started weaning them and neither one likes it!  LOL!  I'm taking it slow.  It is so much fun watching them play in the pasture...best friends!

Jamaica Rumba Jamaican Royale

DC Legacy went to his second show in Iowa on Memorial Day Weekend!  Rick McClain showed him in Open Yearling Stallions.  He won 3 firsts and 1 second place!  Then went back in and won 3 Grand Reserves showing against yearlings, two year olds, three year olds and aged stallions!  When we get his picture from the show, I will post it!  I'm so proud of this guy!  Thank you Sherry for all your hard work!

After breeding season, it's nice to have the quiet of the summer months!  I bought a convex probe for the ultrasound and it will be so much fun to be able to ultrasound the mares from the outside to see their foals!  I love playing with new toys!

I think we have all the outside work done!  Barn is free of cobwebs and dust, pasture has been seeded and the grass is growing, trees have been trimmed, mulch has been put down, drive way has new rock...it looks so nice!  Why leave the farm when it's a small piece of heaven? 

Happy Memorial Day to everyone!  Bless the ones who gave their life so we may have a future!

I am so excited, that I had to write!  We had our first POR in Gifford, IL was this weekend.  I wasn't going to take anything, as I've been too busy to start fitting on anyone.  Everyone has been outside for the winter and have enjoyed being a horse!  I decided to just go and take one horse.  I took DC Legacy.  He was such a gentleman and so good!  Olin Parker showed him in open for me and he ended up with 1 first, 3 seconds, 1 grand championship and 2 reserve championships!  I was on cloud nine all day!!!  Here is a picture I took of him in ring with Olin.  He takes my breath away, just like his daddy did!

Olin Parker was kind enough to drive over the Sunday after the show to check on my stallions!  I enjoyed showing him all the guys and girls!  He is taking Exceptional Look in July to start getting him ready for the World Show in November.  Sparked By Precision and DC Legacy are growing so fast, they are higher in the backend than the withers.  We are going to wait and see what their growth does to determine if they go this year.  I don't mind them being off, it means they will grow tall!!  ...and...it will be a lot kinder to my checkbook with only one going every year!  LOL!!

You can certainly tell spring is here.  All of our trees are just beautiful!  Three of the huskies were sitting under our cherry tree, enjoying the sun.  Our official greeter, Tiburon, our giant cat was also basking in the warm sunshine! 

Click on pictures to enlarge.
 

The young colts are growing like weeds.  Jamaican Rumba is so independent.  He can be at one end of the pasture and his mother at the other end!  He is going to be such a rich chestnut when he sheds out!  Jamaican Royale is just so gorgeous!  He has so much presence and when he comes to see me, the first thing he wants done is some "Royale" scratching!!  These two have such "neat" personalities!
 

Jamaica Rumba Jamaican Royale

Martini loves running and playing outside.  I think she thinks it is her job to herd the huskies!  In her little mind, she is bigger!  Should have named her "Fearless!" 

 

Click on pictures to enlarge.
 

Martini was stalking Tiburon, trying to get him to come out of the bushes!

Finally, warmer weather has come!  Being outside is so wonderful when the weather is sunny and warm!  Breeding season is going well!  Jamaican Hottie looks forward to Monday, Wednesday and Friday!  LOL!  Exceptional Look has been doing so well on the breeding phantom and we have live covered a couple of our mares with Sparked By Precision.  We call him our "Minute Man" around here...that's all it takes!  (More LOL!)

We got a late start breeding our mares, their heat cycles were not cooperating with our weather.  We will check most of the mares in April to see if they took!  I'm so excited about the next years foal crop!  When you have a new stallion, it's like waiting for Christmas and so very exciting!

I've started fitting on the show horses and they are coming along great! The boys are growing like weeds, but are very mild mannered and easy to handle.

Our two baby boys are growing!  Jamaican Royale, "Roy" is breathtaking. (picture to the left)  The muscle on this big boy just doesn't stop!  He is the total package!!  If all goes well, this boy will be at the AQHA World Show!  The other colt, Jamaican Rumba, "Rumba" (pictured on the right) is also doing equally well!  These are the friendliest boys I've ever had and very easy to handle.  Rumba is double registered paint and quarter!  It has stopped raining so much, so the babies have been able to go out and play!

Thank you to everyone who has been sending me their "Hottie Baby" pictures!  His babies never cease to amaze me!  The are all so elegant!!  I also want to thank everyone who has bred to him so far this year!  Without you, I wouldn't have all these "grandchildren!" 

I wish I could tell you that I've traveled to some very exciting places this month...but it just didn't happen!  Breeding and babies keep me very close to home.  I do enjoy my web site business...I can let my creative juices flow.  I met  a very nice lady in Canada and am doing her artwork for her.  I hope to meet Sherry some day....we seem to have a lot in common!

Again, thank you to all who has bred to Hottie and Exceptional Look!  I know you are excited for next year as I am!!!
 

My goodness, how time flies!  February is gone!  We had 3 babies this month!!  Jamaican Rose gave birth on January 26, to a double registered colt by Absolute Precision!  This boy has the same head as our DC had.  Kind eye, gorgeous colt.  He would make someone a nice colt and they could show APHA and AQHA!!!
 

On the same day, A Starr Attraction gave birth to a "gorgeous" bay colt by Jamaican Hottie!  Is this colt built!!! That Lexie is some producer an she didn't let me down!!! 

Our last baby was born on February 23!  This is the colt of colts!!!  43 inches at birth and just has legs that don't stop!  Our of Casinos Ms Elite and Jamaican Hottie!!!  This colt will be a world contender.  We have never had a colt this huge on our farm!  I can't wait to get pictures of him outside and show his popping muscle!  This boys hocks are as tall as his dam's and she is 16-1H!!!

Breeding is going well!  I have Jamaican Rose in foal to Exceptional Look and will check Justa Seductress the first of March to see if she is in foal to Sparked By Precision.  We bred Fanny to Sparky...live cover.  He is young and I thought this would be better!  From now on we are calling Sparky, "The Minute Man!"  LOL!!!!  What a great job he did in such a short time!
 

With all the mud we have, I just hope our spring rains don't add to it.  We've had so much rain and snow.  Spring will be a welcome sight!!
 

I want to thank everyone who has bred to Jamaican Hottie and Exceptional Look.  You've kept me busy this month!!  (But I don't mind!!!)  Hottie is throwing some just truly awesome foals!!!  I am so proud of him.  Next year, will be like Christmas for me...Exceptional Look and Sparked By Precision babies will be here!!!

Happy New Year everyone!  Oh my goodness, the weather that we have had this January.  Many inches of snow and colder temperatures that I have remembered in a long time!  I got some great shots of my little Martini in the snow.  When she would run way out, I felt like the game, "Where's Waldo."  All I could see were 2 little black eyes and a nose!

If you go to our new site www.siberianhuskydla.com you can see I put new pictures of the sibes on the adult dog page!  They are in heaven with all this snow!!

Tila is due to have her pups the 23 of this month.  This will be her first litter and I am so excited!! She and Misha have become best friends!

A Starr Attraction, "Lexie" is due the middle of this month.  We ultra-sounded her in the spring and we never saw a baby, but low and behold, she kept getting larger and a milk bag appeared.  We palpated her and yes, there is a baby on board!  "Rose," Jamaican Rose is also due the end of this month.  She is a maiden mare, so I'm not sure of her schedule!  You can go to www.marestare.com under Double L Acres and watch our mares!  Isn't technology wonderful!!!!?

Looking forward to breeding season this year and to our babies coming next year.  It is so exciting when you have a new stallion and wait for the babies!!!!  Hottie continues to throw us exceptional foals, and talk about gorgeous!!!!  This will be Exceptional Looks first breeding season.  He is such a gentleman...he knows his job and he does it well, LOL!!!!

We will be welcoming 2 new, fabulous broodmares to Double L Acres.  Check them out on our broodmare page.  They will be here the end of February!!!!  Thank you again, Olivia Palousek!!!  One mare is a full sister to our April, OP Obviously At Last and the other is her dam.  I couldn't be more excited!!!!!