Yee-haw!

This past weekend we had the time of our lives at the rodeo. It was a very last minute decision to go. And one in which we didn't have much time to think about the possibility of it blowing up in our faces.




The rodeo didn't start until 7:30 pm just a half hour before bedtime. Would it be worth it? Would there be a major meltdown? Who knows, but if we want to go we'd better hurry!

It's freezing outside. Is it going to be too cold? Who knows, but our coats are in the car, let's go!

There are cars everywhere! Can we even find a spot to park? Of course, it was only slightly illegal, and we repented all the way up to the pavilion. But hurry, they've already started!

There are people everywhere and the stands are full! Can we find a place to sit down? Oh yes, way over on the other side, only a half mile walk! Hurry!





We fought the traffic, the people, the cold, the cowboy hats, found ourselves a good spot on the far side of the stands and enjoyed ourselves to pieces. And I'm not just saying that! We really had a great time! Dan and I looked at each other in disbelief when Ava stood with her popcorn, yelling, "HERE COMES ANOTHER ONE!" at the top of her lungs whenever a cowboy was getting ready to go. I really think she just enjoyed being able to scream and me not tell her to use her "inside voice" and Luke smiled and watched and then fell contently asleep in the sling. Could this be happening? Is it really 9 o'clock and Ava is happy and and we're not too cold and the baby is not screaming? Yes!


At one point Ava was standing up and dancing to the music and I asked her, "Where are we?" And she said, "The Zoo!". In her defense there were all kinds of livestock to see and we kept pointing out all the cows, and sheep, and horses.

The announcers told some of the most un-politically correct jokes I've heard in public. I guess Texas really is it's own country.

There was bull riding, which we missed most of, steer wrestling, calf roping, a stick horse race, bareback buckin' bronco riding, some other stuff I don't know the correct name for, and mutton bustin'. Do you know what mutton bustin' is?




Parents stick their small children onto the back of a sheep, tell em to hold on, and open the shoot. The sheep usually takes off running while the kids dangle in the breeze until they fall off. The kid who hangs on the longest wins! In a moment of genuine surprise, our Relief Society president's 5 year old daughter won the Mutton Bustin'!



And you know I just can't go anywhere without sampling the food. Ava loved her popcorn,



and we ate this obscene looking sausage that was so yummy.

We finally packed up about 9:30 and headed home, still in shock that things had gone so well.


We decided that this was just the first annual trip to the Katy Rodeo. We'll definitely be back next year!