Christmas Parties!

Yesterday, my grandmother, Tracy, and I, along with the girls from "The Beagler" in Belle, joined a few people from ModernLitho, where Mules and More is printed, at Sapphires in Jefferson City. Sapphires is located at the top of the Double Tree Hotel, which is a round hotel. It was delicious...they even had my most favorite dessert of all time, chocolate lava cake. We had a good time catching up with everyone.

I just dropped Camri off at her preschool Christmas party. They are doing a gift exchange, and I took this photo of her before she walked in. She picked out the present (a Barbie and Hannah Montana hair sparkles) and wrapped it herself. It was kind of difficult explaining a gift exchange to a 4-year-old, but I think she finally got it.

I got lucky and have a super-short work week this week...but I did find time today to add two new DVD's to our M&M Store: the 2009 National Championship Chuckwagon Races and Hitch Up Yer Mules. Here is the link, they are the second and third items.

http://mulesandmore.com/videos.htm

I hope you are almost finished with your shopping...We will be here all day tomorrow if you still need something shipped out! I am going to try and brave the malls one last time today in order to get the last couple of items on my list done...so wish me luck!

--Cori

January Issue

I hope everyone is enjoying their December issues.
I've just posted this month's calendar of events, so you can start planning your mule-related events for next year! http://mulesandmore.com/calendar.htm
I also put up the classifieds from December: http://mulesandmore.com/classifieds.htm
We just sent the January issue to the printers this morning. We've already started working on our big Jack issue. If you are interested in advertising, you've got until Jan. 10.
Happy Holidays!
--Cori

Happy Thanksgiving (and happy shopping!)

Yesterday, we finished blueline on the magazine and sent it to the printers...you would think this would allow me to finally breathe, but I don't think I will do that until we get the December issue delivered to the office.

We had a bit more time to work on the December issue than we did the November issue, and I am very proud of it. We have gotten nothing but positive feedback from the redesign. So I hope you all like this next issue even more, since it is a bit more "polished."

"Black Friday" is coming up the day after Thanksgiving, so we have added more merchandise to the website to help you shop for those names on your list that love longears. We've got mule head conchos, plush donkeys, and mule/donkey head staple removers. We are also having a closeout sale on Christmas cards designed by Bonnie Shields. So happy shopping!
http://mulesandmore.com/shop%20storefront.htm

Happy November!

I hope your November has been as beautiful and pleasant as mine has been. I've gotten to ride practically every day and Camri has been enjoying a lot of time outside. She has even gotten to ride ol' Blue a few times, (but the picture below was snapped on a rainy day riding in the inside barn).

Your November issues are on their way. I hope everyone enjoys the changes we made. Feel free to let me know what you think! I am very, very anxious to hear from everyone.

Deadline for the December issue is today. If you want to place an ad, call the office and we can work something out, though.

And jack owners, don't forget the deadline for the discount is in a month and five days, so go take your pictures and send in your info soon!

Say Cheese

Earlier today Cam and I were taking photos to go on the website of these new donkey foal figurines. She insisted on posing with one, and it turned out really cute. I couldn't really use it on the website, so I thought I would stick it on here...

Here is the link to purchase your own: http://mulesandmore.com/cadonkey.htm

--Cori

Change Is Good...

I have been ridiculously busy putting together the November issue of Mules and More. We switched things up a bit this month. So don't be shocked when you open up your new magazine and see lots and lots of COLOR!
Along with switching to more color, we did a small re-design. It still looks like Mules and More, but with a few tweaks, hopefully for the better. Feel free to let us all know what you think when it comes out in about a month.
The November issue contains information about our special Jack Issue in February. If you place (and pay for) an ad before Dec. 15., you receive a big discount. So that is definitely something to keep in mind if you have jackstock you want to promote.
It also contains lots of Christmas gift ideas. I know, it makes me a little sick to my stomach to start thinking about Christmas time too, but there are some really nifty items for sale in it.
Besides going to the Pea Ridge mule jump a couple of weeks ago, I haven't spend a lot of time riding recently. But it is about 75 degrees outside right now, and as soon as my grandmother comes back up from working in shipping, I am going to convince her I should be outside riding instead of in here doing web design.
Everyone should pretty much be enjoying their October issues right now. If you haven't received yours by the 25th, call and we will replace it for free.
--Cori

All Star Mule and Donkey Show

The All Star Mule and Donkey Show was held this past weekend in Humansville, Mo. Look in your November issue of Mules and More for more coverage and show results...but for now, here are a few pictures from the event.

Tristan Fowler

Cam snoozing on the Mules and More merch. booth

Pam Robinson

Mel Wilson and Spice

Cam and Hoos after the Teddy Bear Race...neither of them would cooperate for a photo.

Cam and Hoos won the Teddy Bear Race. Cole won the youth Extreme Trail Challenge.

Hoos and I got one first (Amateur Equitation) and four seconds (Amateur Trail, Senior Ranch Riding, Amateur Mulemanship, Amateur Hunter Under Saddle) and got second in the Extreme Trail Challenge open division. Overall, we all had a pretty good show and a good weekend. The weather was great and the competition was pretty tough.

Just a reminder to those who plan on advertising your jacks in February's Annual Jack Issue, it is a good idea to take your photos now, before your stock gets all hairy and settled in for the winter. It has started cooling off quickly here in Missouri, and yesterday I had to go digging around the barn for winter blankets for a few of the mules.

--Cori

I Promise, They Are On Their Way...

We have been getting a lot of calls this morning from people who usually have their magazines by now, but do not this month...I promise, they are on their way. We mailed on the Friday before Labor Day weekend, and I think that because of the holiday, they have been slightly delayed. 

The postal service says we need to allow 15-20 business days for our magazines to get to our subscribers...I am aware that is a really long time, but that is situation. If you still haven't received your magazine by the 25th, call the office and we will replace it for free. 

We are getting ready for the All-Star Mule and Donkey show  (www.allstarmuleanddonkeyshow.com) this weekend. I'm showing Hoosier in a few performance classes and am going to do the Extreme Mule Challenge that will be held on Friday...I won the non-pro division last year and got a very nifty halter Hoos wears. 

He is once again in new protective apparel. I found a "NFL Tough" sleazy at PFI, so we are currently testing this one out. It is purple, and he looks quite handsome in it.

There were two articles in the September issue that came from the author's blog. I thought I would post links to them, because they are both very interesting:

On page 10, the "Teamdonk" article, by Kristi Kingma: www.teamdonk.wordpress.com

On page 44, the "Big Horn or Bust?" article, by Lucky 6 Nellie: http://www.my-endurance.net/profiles/blog/list?user=37dntqh12i6o9

Does anyone else follow any interesting equine-related blogs?

I promise your magazines are on their way...hope to see everyone at the All-Star this weekend.

--Cori

Apps and Dance

Deadline was yesterday, so things have been a bit hectic around the office. My grandmother went down to the Ozark Mountain Mule and Donkey Days (http://www.ozarkmountainmuledays.com/) yesterday. My dad is going to attempt to judge, but if the broken leg proves to be too much, my mom is going to fill in for him. Cam and I are going to go down for the day and watch the show.

I was reading the most recent issue of Horse Illustrated, and came across an article about equine-related apps for your iphone. Despite the fact that I have had an iphone all summer, I had never seen these before. There is a digital metronome called EquiTempo, a list of items to take to shows called EquiList, and a horse weight calculator called EquiCalc. I am going to download one and test it out. They are a good idea, but I'm not sure if I could figure out the metronome. The website with more info on these is: http://www.equiapps.com/.

Camri started her first night of big girl, mom's wait in the other room dance class last night. She did ballet, tap, cheer and tumbling. Her favorite part was tap, and she has been practicing her "shuffle" all day.

I am looking forward to the trip to PFI this weekend. Hoosier needs a new slinky and fly bands, and I desperately need to have my hats cleaned. Cam has outgrown her boots, and if she wants to do leadline at the AllStar, which she does, we need to find some new ones. (The two of us like to shop, too.)

I am getting ready to upload some more photos from Shelbyville and some from the Silver Nickel Chuckwagon Races. That way when the September issue arrives, you can check back into www.mulesandmore.com for extended coverage of these events!

--Cori

Happy Labor Day!

Hope everyone has a happy and safe Labor Day weekend! If you do something fun with your mules, don't forget to send in photos. Same goes for those who are attending the chuckwagon races in Clinton, Ark., this week.
September issues are on their way!
--Cori

First Day of Pre-School

Due to my dad's broken leg, we will not be attending the Iowa State show this weekend. The crew does plan to go down to the Chuckwagon Races next week, though. I'm not making this trip, either. Somebody has to stay home and do chores (and work)!
We have gotten a lot of calls about missing magazines this month. If you haven't received yours yet, please call or email the office and we will replace it for you.
Camri's first day of pre-school was yesterday. She said she had fun and thought her new classmates were nice. They do a star-behavior chart in class: if you get a star for the day, you were good; if you get a number, you were bad. Cam had a star, so I guess she was well-behaved. She mainly wanted to talk about how everyone thought her outfit was "so pretty," so I guess she had a good time!
Deadline will be here soon (Sept. 10), so if you want a special ad in the magazine, the sooner you get it in the more time we have to work on it. Same goes for articles.
--Cori

Broken Legs and Busy Plans

We sent the September issue to the printers today, which means tomorrow, we start working on the October edition. I am certainly not ready to think about October yet. October means colder weather and shorter days, and I am not ready to give up summer yet.
I updated the classifieds and calender of events today on the website, and added (for the first time) picture page ads. We also still have books and videos available for purchase on our site, too.
I guess I have a little addition to add to the Susan Dudasik's article from the August issue, "Feeding Hay Can Be a Dangerous Prospect." Yesterday, a round bale fell on my dad and he broke his leg. It actually hit him in the head first, so I think we are all very lucky that the injuries were not more severe. He gets his cast on Thursday and plans to be riding on Friday...I guess we will see how well that goes.
The September issue is full of Shelbyville coverage. My favorite part this month is the front cover story, about one of the gaited exhibitors that cleaned house with his two-year-old mule at the show.
The Mules and More staff will be very busy in the next few weeks. We are attending the Iowa Donkey and Mule Society State Show in Bloomsfield, Iowa. The next weekend is the Clinton, Ark., Chuckwagon Races. Then up next, there are the Ozark Mountain Mule Days in Springfield, Mo. The next weekend is the Boone County Mule Sale in Columbia, Mo. Following that, it's the All-Star Mule and Donkey Show in Humansville, Mo. Then there is a tiny break, and off to Pea Ridge, Ark., for the Pea Ridge Mule Jump.
I am not going to all of these places, but my grandmother will be making every single one! She will be very busy these next few weeks.
The October issue will feature the National Chuckwagon Races in Clinton, Ark. So for those of you attending, feel free to send in any photos or stories.
We are also always looking for articles and features. I think that writing these types of stories is a great way to get free advertising. For example, if you a trainer and write an article, you are going to get your name, number, and e-mail published for free. Plus, it looks good on your part because you are willing to share your talents, which is definitely a good thing in most people's eyes.
Photos are always good, too. Everybody likes to see their mule's picture in print!
If you are interested in writing an article, feel free to send any questions you might have concerning the topic to mules@socket.net.
--Cori

August issue on the way...

By now, the August issue of Mules and More should be headed out. We got it in the office on Weds., and I am pretty happy with.
I definitely learned something putting this one together...to not give myself to many cover options! I had narrowed down the cover to two different photos, both with the forest background, and I seriously stared at the Mac screen for an hour attempting to make a decision. Finally, grandmother walked over to me and said, "Just use the snigging one!" I had gotten stuck in a rut and could not get out of it, so thank goodness for opinionated grandmothers/bosses.
Jim Porter, of Onyx, Calif., is on the cover. Anna Arnold (Granny's Adventures) did an interesting article on a show they all attended, which is where the photo was taken by Dale Allen.
Maggie and I have moved on to groundwork. I thought ponying was hard, but it's nothing compared to this. I still am amazed that my dad and brother do this stuff all day long.
My Grandma Sue is currently on an adventure...a 500-mile-long garage sale...
Right now, Mules and More has 65 fans on Facebook! That is really exciting! And they are not all my family, either! :)
--Cori

Cajon's Maggie

This is my two-year-old, Ms. Maggie, on her first day with a "real" saddle. I had saddled her English about three times before this, and this step up was no problem. Hoosier and I are currently working on freeing Ms. Maggie's feet up... lots and lots of ponying around the hay field. I had no idea how hard ponying could be. I have done it for two days in a row now, and my right arm is so sore!

We got the bandwidth problem fixed (thanks, Paige!) and videos are up to purchase online now!

You can also become a fan of Mules and More on Facebook now, too...

--Cori

Camri at the Magic House

August 2009 Issue

I hope everyone is enjoying their July issues!
Yesterday, we looked at blueline for the August 2009 issue. I must have lost my proofreading goggles, because when I sat down to review it, I found all sorts of problems I had previously not seen. But we got it taken care of, and after sending quantity on Monday, it should be printed and in the mail by August 5!
I did not get to post a photo of Hoosier in his new fly-protection get up, because he TORE IT UP before I got a chance. First, while destroying the so-cute leopard print fly mask I picked up for him out in Bishop, he put a hole in the neck part. Then, about four minutes after we got to Shelbyville, he put both hooves through the body part and ripped two huge holes in the shoulder. So, back to square one on the hunt for the perfect fly protection wear. For now, he has got to deal with fly-bands on his legs and a boring old black fly mask.
Even though I am the only one in the office right now, there is a little drama going on...We have had so many hits on our website this month that we exceeded our bandwidth limit, and the website is down. It is kind of a bittersweet moment...I have worked really, really hard putting the website together, so I am glad that everyone is enjoying it...but, it doesn't matter how hard I have worked if no one can see it! I am patiently (not so patiently, actually) awaiting a call from our former webmaster to give me the info to upgrade our web hosting package. Once I know who our host is, I can fix it, but until then I am out of luck...
Back to Shelbyville. Hoosier and I placed quite well in the English classes: 3rd in senior hack, 3rd in amateur hack, and 3rd in hunt seat eq. I am looking for some Hunter-Jumper shows around take him to in order to keep him entertained...
Camri had a good time at Shelbyville (5th in leadline!!!), and again at our town fair, which was the next week. Monday, we took a trip to the Magic House in Kirkwood, Mo., and she got quite a kick out of that, too. And it looks like we are headed to Branson this weekend to the Dixie Stampede...
It has been unseasonably cool here...but I am not complaining. It beats having to ride at 8 p.m. to escape the heat.
As soon as I get the website back up (fingers crossed!), I am planning on adding videos to the "M&M Store." There is quite a wide selection, so don't forget to go on and check it out!
--Cori

Camri and Blazin' Blue

July 2009 Issue

Today, our printer brought down the July 2009 issue. This is the first issue I edited from beginning to end, and I've been scrutinizing it pretty much all morning, and it seems to have turned out pretty good!
It features Kati King and Pete Cooper on the cover, and LOTS of Bishop Mule Days coverage from numerous attendees (including me).

My mule, Hoosier, is notorious for tearing things up. Just in this month, he has destroyed two fly sheets, numerous fly bands for his legs, and a fly band for his neck. He has very sensative skin and looses hair very easy. I went on an investigative mission to find him a fly sheet that won't rub hair AND won't get torn up within a matter of days.
After a lot of research, I narrowed it down to two companies: Kensington Protective Products (found at http://www.kensingtonproducts.com) and Robinhoods (found at http://robinhoods.com/). I settled on Robinhoods, and ordered him a "Kool Robinhood" and a "Kool Richard." And so far, so good. But it has only been a day...so fingers crossed this one will hold up and do it's job! He is quite handsome looking in his new get-up...I will post a picture soon.

Around here, we have been busy getting ready for Nationals next week (held in Shelbyville, Tenn.). Hope to see everyone there!
You can now purchase all of the books carried by Mules and More online, now. Go to the homepage, then "M&M Store," then books... There are some good reads on there.
--Cori

To the printers...

We sent the July issue to the printers today (with fingers crossed we didn't make too many mistakes). It features a LOT of Bishop Mule Days coverage and many, many good photos.
Last week, we sent in our entries for Great Mule Celebration in Shelbyville, Tenn., July 9-11. Camri is going to come this year, too, so look for her in the lead-line class.
As of today, you can go online and purchase books through mulesandmore.com. Click on M&M Store, then on the books link. You can order and pay online now. I plan on getting DVDs and merchandise available within the next few days...
I will also be adding more photos to the Bishop Mule Days gallery. I took quite a few, so it may take a while to put them all up.
I hope everyone received and is enjoying their June issues!

--Cori

New Website!

Yesterday, I got the new Mules and More website up and running! I had taken a Web Design class while at MoVal where I completely redesigned the site. So far, it has gone well...no major problems. Let me know if you have any comments or suggestions for it...
I uploaded photos from my trip to Bishop Mule Days to the new website today. Look for more once the magazine comes out...along with full coverage from myself and Anna Arnold, along with show results.
Next week, the 6th Annual Rocky Mountain Mule Days and Auction are held in Eagle, Colo. Lenice (my mom) is covering this event for the magazine, so if you can't make it out there, it should be in an upcoming issue.
I am attempting to get my fat mule Hoosier back into shape...I let him get kind of chubby after he competed in the Extreme Cowboy Race with my dad this winter. He will be back to his slim self soon, though.
If you have a blog you would like to be featured on Mules and More's "Featured Blog" section, just email me at mules@socket.net, and I will get it on there!
We are putting together the July issue as I speak...And your June issues should be shipped out some time this week!

---Cori