Let's Go the Rodeo!

We made our annual trek to the Rodeo on Saturday and loved it! Don's parents came with us and we had so much fun. We started out with the first ride, the Park'N Ride, to take us to the Rodeo. It was a double bus with the accordian thing in the middle, where the "special" seats were. So of course that is where we had to sit.













Once we got to the Rodeo we had to rustle up some grub before hitting the livestock show. Rodeo/Carnival food is the best! So many choices, so little time (but you will see that didn't stop us!). Basically you can get anything you want put on a stick and deep-fried. But being the sensible parents we are, we started with the healthy lunch choices of sausage on a stick and roasted corn, followed by some fun Dippin' Dots Ice Cream.






Then was it off to see the animals. At the Rodeo you can find all sorts of animals, including your basic cows, sheep, goats, chickens, turkeys, pigs, llamas, bees, zebras, rabbits, horses, and even camels! They loved petting the cows and collecting the different cards at each kid stop in the Livestock show.






In addition to seeing and petting all these animals, the livestock show has great teaching demonstrations, like the cotton exhibit and cow milking, and of course, the biggest John Deere Tractors you've ever seen!











After walking through all the livestock exhibits, it was time for a quick foot massage for Grandaddy and a lemonade break then we were off to the carnival rides!




Don took Michael and Trevor on the Sky Ride toward the larger rides on the other side of the park and Jake, Hayley & myself stuck with the wild spinning rides.











After picking up a refill of lemonade and some snacks (just a fried Twinkie, fried Snickers and cotton candy), we were all off to see the Pig Races! Michael was chosen to lead our side in cheering on pig # 4 & he kept up his streak of winning 3 years in a row. So Michael is now a proud winner of his own pooping pig keychain and bank!



FINGER LICKIN' GOOD!

We still had enough carnival tickets left for 1 wild ride so Trevor, Hayley & Jake hit the Bubble House, and Michael became a very fast blur on a tall ride.

As the sun was setting, we had to stop for one last treat. You can't go to the Rodeo and not get a funnel cake, right?




And then we saw this sign & just had to stop...wouldn't you?



All and all, we would have to say the Rodeo was definitely OUT OF THIS WORLD!!! (Thanks NASA!)












SEE YOU NEXT YEAR AT THE SWEET OLE' RODEO!!

Knock Knock

Who's there?
Irish!
Irish Who?
Irish you a Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Last Day of Soccer Games

Saturday wrapped up the spring season of Soccer and Flag Football. Hayley had an awesome game, running all over the field, dribbling the ball, juking the opponents and having a couple shots on goal. The whole crowd was cheering her on, led by her own personal cheerleader Jake, who kept the chants of "Go Hayley Go!" going through the whole game. I asked her later how she had so much energy to keep going, and she just smiled and said, "I just kept thinking about going to the Rodeo this afternoon!" We will post more on that adventure next!

"GO HAYLEY GO!"


"Mmmn, funnel cakes here I come!"


"TROPHY TIME!"

Trevor ended out his season with a great game. He was hot and sweaty when it was all done, enjoying having his cold water bottle being dumped on his head. It was in the high 80's here on Saturday, so it was good to chill out! Also worth mentioning are the 7 headers Trevor had on Saturday. No wonder his head hurt!



"PEACE OUT"

Trevor, SmackaBug, and SmashedBro

Trevor had a fun project due last Monday at school. He had to create an imaginary litterbug using recycled materials and creatively write a report on this bug. Trevor created flying insect called SmackaBug and wrote his report about it on the back of Smackabug's best friend, SmashedBro (who had the unfortunate experience of messing around with Smackabug's back flap one day...thus his name "SmashedBro"). It was a funny story with a "wicked" ending! Good job Trev!

Going to State!

Michael is on an Odyssey of the Mind creative problem solving team from school (http://www.odysseyofthemind.com). This is our first experience with Odyssey of the Mind, so I am sure I am missing some details when I try to describe it. Each team is assigned 1 of 5 different problems and they have to present a skit showing a creative solution to the problem. There are all sorts of rules about the technical & creative aspects they have to follow, including no adult help at all, including with building sets, sewing props, etc. The problem Michael's team was assigned was DinoStories - "What might have happened to the dinosaurs that existed so many years ago? In a humorous performance, teams will present their original theory of what caused the dinosaurs to become extinct. The performance will include a dinosaur, a replica of the same dinosaur, an animal that is not a dinosaur, and a technical simulation of the team's "extinction theory." At least part of the performance will take place in a setting from the Triassic, Jurassic, or Cretaceous periods."



So last Saturday Michael's team took their solution they had created to the regional competition and place 4th overall, sending them to the State competition in April. His team lost 3 of its 7 members just 2 days before regionals, and they had to do a lot of rewriting to make it happen but their hard work paid off at the competition. Way to go Mr. Gangster/Mad Scientist/Time Traveler!

Being Three

How fun is it to be 3?

Besides going to the Children's Muesuem for playgroup, helping at Hayley's school, having a party at Sam's Club with 5 other kids & moms, & playing at the YMCA everyday, below are a few of Jake's other adventures this week...



TURNING THE TOLIET WATER BLUE!!! Jake was so excited to turn the toliet water blue. He couldn't wait until the others got home from school so he could run and tell them. He didn't want to use the bathroom at first, because he thought once you flushed it, the blue would disappear & the normal water would come back. He was pumped to find out it came back blue...for 2000 flushes!




PAINTING PIG NOSES AT PRESCHOOL FOR THE LETTER P. We also had fun with Playdoh, a Parachute, pictures of Policemen, and had a Picnic lunch with Pizza and Pretzels while watching the Pirate movie, Peter Pan!




CHILLING OUT AT SOCCER GAMES. Jake is a good sport on Saturdays, going from soccer game to soccer game, to football game each week. This week he and his friend Catherine made themselves a spaceship with the chairs and coolers, while kicking back and playing Star Wars.

Good Times

The last week has been a busy one...see our week in review!


Trevor celebrating GO TEXAN DAY at school. It's Rodeo time in Houston! More to follow on this later!



Hayley's first field trip! Hayley and her kitty friends had a lot of fun with the face painting at the Children's Museum.


Grandparents and a goal! We were so excited to have both sets of Grandparents at Trevor's soccer game this week-end. Everyone arrived just in time to see his awesome goal!


Michael enjoying a Chocolate Fudge scoop of ice cream after a hot, well played football game.


Trevor celebrating a soccer goal ice cream scoop with Grandpa.



Jake and his friend Emmy having fun at the Library on Dr. Seuss's Birthday.