Let's Rodeo!

One of these years we are going to actually take our kids to the rodeo. Maybe next year. At least the big girls. I realized this year you could spend 2 or 3 days there easily. One for the carnival, one for all the livestock stuff (and shopping! not that I could do that with my kiddos in tow), and one for the rodeo itself.

Can you guess which one my kids want to do most?  You got it - Carnival!  It's one step short of Six Flags.  You know, like a state fair kind of carnival. Huge.  (At least the Texas state fair is huge. What can I say?  We ARE in Texas!)

So this year we figured out that our big girls really needed to move out of kiddie land.  Mike and I split up. He took the big girls around while I took the little girls.  That was hard for me.  I don't like to miss ANYTHING.  That is one reason, as hard as it is, I love being a stay at home mom.  So it was hard for me not to see them go on all the rides.  But what are you gonna do?  Needless to say, I have a lot more pictures of the little girls.

Here are some cute ones:

Long story but I had to entertain the kids while Mike went to will call to get the tickets we ordered.  Nothing keeps them occupied like snacks!

Finally!  Ashley and Reagan were just tall enough to do some big kid stuff!

Oh boy.  I used to ride anything and now I'm pretty sure I was screaming more than any other adult around.  Ashley false started (swim team's already on my mind) and I was terrified that she wasn't holding my hand!  But look at those smiles!

And more smiles!

One ride that goes around is enough for me...

Mackenzie was so happy to be riding a pig!

Here was a new one the big girls tried...they had fun but Mackenzie said it made her sick while she was on it.

This is so cute. It's a walk-through farm.  GREAT for toddlers and preschoolers.  They get to farm and plant pretend seeds and then collect their crops and stuff.

Here they are milking a cow.  So weird in a way, and yet...educational...

Favorite mom moment of the day...and favorite picture of the two girls together...ever.  These cars bounced up and down as it went around and they were in full-on hysterics the whole time!  Love it!

Reagan...sit down!  I was freaking out and she couldn't hear me!  She WAS belted in but still this is not what you want to see your daughter doing as she's spinning around 10 feet in the air!

The ferris wheel....ahhh, yes.....

I really don't like ferris wheels.  I just feel they are a huge investment of time with little payoff.  Mike usually takes the big girls on them the last several times we've been places and I get annoyed because there's so many other things we could do.  In fact, I finally told him last year "I'm just going to come out and say it. I hate ferris wheels!" And then gave him my reasons.

But...the little girls had never really been on one and they wanted to go. So....in spite of the fact we were already an hour behind getting our car out of the day lot by the deadline, I found myself in line for the ferris wheel. 

50 minutes later, we were frantically on our way to meet up with the other half so we could get to our car.  By the way, in spite of the girls not wanting to stand in line AND wanting to get off, Reagan said the ferris wheel was her favorite ride.  Or perhaps she just enjoyed a good nap!

Last ride...we just had to use all our tickets....

The big girls also went on this log ride.  The Hydra Coaster.  I think Mackenzie really enjoyed it.  Kaitlyn's favorite I think was some Cobra Coaster.

It was a long, fun, and full day.  But I guess that nap on the way home that all the kids all took was too much because instead of coming home and just plopping down in front of the TV, the little girls surprised me with this lovely track that covered half of our downstairs.  Ahhh...creative minds...

Oh yeah, and I forgot to mention this.  We almost didn't go to the rodeo at all.  Our last day at the ranch, Mike's sister called and our dog had a seizure.  2 days later (the day we were GOING to go to the rodeo), she had another one.  We honestly thought we were going to end up putting her to sleep.  She is doing better now and on some vitamins but we will just have to see.  But I thought this was kind of funny - so Mackenzie announces (like those truth question games), "What's worse?  Your dog dying, or not going to the rodeo?"  Before anyone has a chance to respond I instantly shout out, "Your dog dying."  Her response: "I wasn't talking to you."

Not sure what her answer would have been, but I think she would have said the dog.  Thank goodness that wasn't the outcome and we were still able to go another day!