It's a Pony Christmas!

Uni Pony approves! 

OH BOY CHRISTMAS PRESENTS!!! I hate to do a swag brag, but I want to properly thank all my wonderful pony friends!

For example, many thanks to Alyssa for making C-Rage into a Christmas unicorn pony just for me.

ponies!

Lindsey and Alyssa and I had our annual poor-folks-who-loves-ponies gift exchange.

Alyssa got me a cool bridle charm, a custom vinyl cut out of C and I, and a super cool Hammer & Clay ornament.

camera decided to focus on midgets instead of mug

And then Lindsey got me a super cool custom coffee (I guess you could put other things in it) mug with some of my favorite pictures from this year on it! (and I got them cool pony things too, but that's for them to tell).

AND THEN!!!!

JenJ (who not only keeps my haffie PADDYKINS for me, but also is an awesome person) was my blogger secret Santa. She sent me a GIANT box.

obv needed a brocade saddle pad. yes.

OF AWESOME

love it!! (back when we could see the ground)

She re-covered a sweet dressage saddle pad and trimmed up a matching bonnet! I hadn't even told anyone that I was secretly making eyes at brocade saddle pads. It's beautiful.

OH AND THEN because I have the best friends ever, another friend drove across several western states-worth of ice to come to town, and not only brought me hand made pony-shaped delicious cookies, but also came to play with Courage in the dark on a cold winter night AND got us a treasured gift card to a major equine retailer.

you can't tell but it was pitch black outside and freezing

And apparently my complaint about my family never getting me pony things was ill-founded. My super awesome SIL took my tiny adorable nephew to a tack store.

this kid has taste. the hairy one is not SIL.

 He picked colors and they came out with a fun purple halter and matching brush!

so relaxed in purple

AND THEN because I wasn't already spoiled enough, my dad remembered me pointing out a Breyer horse that I thought looked like Courage in terms of conformation and color. He bought it, had my mom get on facebook to get the markings just right, and even consulted a long time friend of mine to make sure they had it, then custom painted a Courage, just for me.

basically perfect

 If you know me, you know I love presents and surprises. It's not about the money spent--it's about that little extra thought and effort to let someone know you care. I'm enormously grateful for my friends and family. They are truly an embarrassment of riches. :-)