Lifestyle
Porn-fueled young men are destroying girls
By DAN CALABRESE - Douchebags apply the pressure, sometimes with fatal results. One of the worst effects of our oversexualized culture, of which pornography is the worst example but far from the only, is that this culture becomes the primary teacher of many young men about sex. And when they start expecting young ... continue reading
FIX IT, MOMMY!
Recently I separated from my husband. I say recently, but it's been a year. We have been together our whole adult lives—14 years now. So, by my perspective, one year is a small glitch in this second decade of our lives. Through this hard break up, I have learned incredible life ... continue reading
Above Average
I am above average. How do I know? Well, I’ll tell you. It occurred to me that the world is built for the average person. It is difficult for those who do not share certain traits with the majority of the populace to get along because of this inclination. For instance, the ... continue reading
iPARENT: Not So Random Thursday Thoughts of a Single Mom
Wake up! Five more minutes. Baby morning cry sounds more like a threat now. I’m up. Diaper in hand. Yesterday’s diaper. Discard diaper. Milk. Not coffee creamer. Child Welfare might not understand Amaretto Bliss in sippee cup. Socks? Three. Feet? Four. Brush teeth. At least theirs’. ... continue reading
Frustration
I am handicapped. I am very severely crippled by Multiple Sclerosis. I am always on the lookout for something that can help me improve my life. Imagine finding a link on a website that describes exactly what is needed. Now imagine the link is broken. This has happened to me more times than ... continue reading
Carousel Rach: Heart of the West
With only a few weeks to go, we are busily planning our major fundraising event of the year – Heart of the West – coming up on Saturday, August 25th. We hope that you will save the date and join us at Agua Dulce Airport as we celebrate and raise much needed funds for the children at the ... continue reading
The Darkness
THE DARKNESS Tonight, I am beyond exhaustion. I am typing with my eyes closed because I can’t keep them open. I forgot to take the medicine for my spasms today. I took it about an hour ago, and the spasms are finally beginning to subside. I can only think of sleep. I know I have to ... continue reading
Carousel Ranch: Lessons from Jani
This week, we wanted to share a story about one of our students – Jani Schofield. Many may have seen Jani on Oprah or on Discovery Channel, who have done stories surrounding Jani’s diagnosis of childhood schizophrenia. Jani was one of the youngest children to have ever received such a ... continue reading
Media Saturation
Our populous is the most divided it’s been since the Civil War. Conservatives versus Liberals, Democrats versus Republicans, the divides go on and on. An obvious reason for this is people are so accustomed to putting themselves first, instead of their country. I think there is another more obfuscated ... continue reading
iPARENT
My name is Jessica Brooke Sharp Durden. I have to remind myself that once daily, as my given name is “Mommy,” “Mama,” “Mom,” and once, to my horror, “Mother,” to a two year-old in dire need of a channel change from Fox News to Bubble Guppies. Before I became a ... continue reading
Political Correctness
Who remembers when almost everything in America was fun? When people were thick skinned and we could make fun of each other without someone's feelings getting hurt? When we could disagree with one another on almost anything and when it was all said and done...we were still buddies. Back then saying America ... continue reading
My Perfect Wife
Let me start this off by confessing that my wife is perfect. I don’t mean that in a sarcastic way. She has just enough flaws to avoid being annoying. Her biggest flaw is in her choice of a husband; but, I digress. She is smart. She is educated. She is beautiful. She is loving and nurturing. She is ... continue reading
Carousel Ranch
We are thrilled to have this opportunity to introduce you to Carousel Ranch, in hopes of earning your interest in the work that we are doing with nearly 100 children with special needs each week. Over time, we look forward to sharing on this blog – through stories of our children, staff, and horses - ... continue reading