Parade and Fair

This week is the Sweetwater County Fair. We began with the Red Desert Round-up rodeo and parade. It is always so exciting to see the parade, and oh man the candy they give out!!! Katie stood in the street waving at everyone!Mostly she waved to get some candy. We stayed at the parade for a long time, but then Katie had to go to the bathroom. Here we are on a street lined with businesses and you would think one near us would be open, right? Wrong. Katie had to go behind the building. I know right in town my kid pee's outside. Now we all are born with a talent. For some it is playing a piano, for others it is peeing outside. Katie and I do not posses the talent for peeing outside. We often end up with wet clothes. Long story short, we had to leave the parade early.

Yesterday we went to the fair. The girl with Katie is Aunt Carrie and Uncle Jack's granddaughter Molly. Katie and Molly get along famously. They are both only children and Lindsey, Molly's mom, and I were a bit nervous about how they would be with one another. We had nothing to worry about.

This year I put in a picture of Katie that I took last year. I am happy to report I won 1st place.

It was a bit chilly at the fair this year. 55 degrees is not an appropriate temperature for going to the fair, but we made do. Moreover it wasn't only cold, but the Wyoming wind had us holding on to our food for dear life.

After we ate we went to see the young children barrel race. The kids this age are so cute because they only walk their horses through the course. One little boy, probably age 4 or 5 had a difficult time steering and the horse was stopped in front of the barrel.

After that it was time for the rides. Yippee rides.

Aunt Carrie and I also got a ride bracelet so we could go on with the kids. But I saw this ride and as terrifying as it looked I had to give it a try. I just knew Aunt Carrie would love this ride so I forced her to go with me. Just look at our faces it was loads of fun!!

I was really glad I didn't exercise that morning because the girls needed help on most of the rides and we spent the evening doing a lot of climbing.

We had to go on rides we wouldn't even dream of. This little slide of horror made small children go very very slow. So we adults assumed that everyone went very slow. Nope. Adults go down very very quickly, and since we assumed we would go down slowly we didn't give the child in front of us enough time. It was a little frightening.

I love, I mean LOVE the scrambler. I talked Lindsey into going on it with me. Even though I have been on it tons of times in my life it never ceases to make me scream and laugh the entire time. Do you see how fast it is going. It spins in circles and forces the person on the inside of the car into the person on the outside. Poor Lindsey was trying to give me some space but it was no use.

It was a really fun night, but we didn't get home until 10:00pm. These two were tuckered out. In fact that's exactly what Molly told me. "I am just plain tuckered out." She said. Today I am suffering from a slight fair hangover. I think I need a nap!

Rodeo Time

Tonight we went to the Red Desert Rodeo. Did I bring a camera? No. Did Rick? No. We forgot the camera and we were at Katie's first Rodeo! Idiot!!! But I will tell you it was pretty fun. There were some world champion saddle bronc riders, and they were good. Have you ever seen a wild horse race? Two teams release a wild horse and two guys try to get the horse under control while the third one prepares to saddle it and ride around a barrel. It is pretty funny to see these cowboys with a wild horse's head between their legs as the saddle cowboy tries to get that saddle on.
Did you notice something in the above photo? Look close...

Rick is turning into a real cowboy. All that's missing is the hat. Who doesn't like a man in cowboy boots??

As for me I have no cowgirl paraphernalia yet. How can a girl live way out here in Wyoming and not have boots and a hat? It's a darn dirty shame. I will just have to remedy that quickly.

Katie said that she will be in the rodeo someday just like all the pretty girls who "shoo the cows into the pen." She's talking about Miss Rodeo Wyoming and if she puts her mind to it she can do it. She already knows how to saddle a horse: "put the blanket on, then the saddle then tie it on, then get on the saddle and put your feet in. Make sure you're wearing boots." I gotta get some boots!
This week is full of rodeo's, parades, and the fair. Keep watching!!

Vacation Baby!

We started our vacation two weeks ago at 4am. We drove all the way to sunny Ca. We were so anxious to get home, we couldn't wait to see everyone, and do all we missed.

The Copsey's were our first visit and Emma was the highlight. Katie loved her!! I mean LOVED her. Every few minutes she would inform us "I think Emma wants to sit on my lap now." Then we would perch her on Katie's legs. Emma didn't know what to think of her.We decided to go on an outing to Sardine lake while we were there. The fishing is supposed to be good. Just not where Katie was standing. It was full of humongous tadpoles, I think they'll be huge bullfrogs myself. It also didn't make for good fishing that Katie's mommy doesn't know how to tie a hook, and she was fishing with the little rubber weight her pole came with.
But then it was down to the docks. Daddy and Uncle Mike rented a fishing boat for the day. Katie was going to catch her first fish.
She was really excited to row a boat, and wasn't too pleased that Daddy made her wait. Waiting is no fun.

But when they got to the middle of the lake where Katie could row in the circle that only one oar will make you move in, she went to town. Alas no fish were caught. Katie said "Oh mommy, I will never catch a fish."

I told her it would be ok. She can try again sometime. Just wait till she catches one. She's gonna freak!

All that was missing that weekend was Kayla. Rick and Mike needed her there. The Wii was no fun without her. The only thing they didn't miss was that she would probably have whooped them good at whatever Wii game they played. It's hard on the ego.

Katie was such a good helper with Emma. Aunt Leahna hardly had to lift a finger with her around. Notice Katie's mouth. Every time she gave Emma a bite to eat her mouth opened just like this!

We attempted at getting Emma in the pool. Excuse me, Katie and Aunt Leahna attempted at getting Emma in the pool. Unfortunately Emma thought it was horrible.
But she sure didn't mind getting a bath. Katie proudly washed her feet. Squeaky Clean Emma!

Rick and Mike spent the entire time catching up. These two really need to live closer together.

After Mike and Leahna's we went to Chico to reminisce, and have fun. We went to one mile and stuck our feet in. I asked Katie if she wanted to swim, and she wasn't to impressed with this "pool".

We walked around campus, ok I made it to the coffee shop and that was as far as Katie was willing to go. Rick walked campus by himself.

We took Katie to Caper Acres. Ever since she was born we couldn't wait to take here there. She was impressed!

We didn't get pulled over. Bobby, my cousin is a CHP and he took a break and visited us.

Rick also got a surprise visit when Steve and Cinnamon took us to a little league game that Scott was umping. All of our friends were there. Matt and Christy, Brian and Lisa, Steve and Cinnamon, and Scott (Jennifer met us for Pizza, but then took her little one's home.). You would think I would take a picture of this event since it most likely would never happen again. But alas I left my camera in the van. I didn't even think of the camera until I was on the way back to the hotel to jump in the pool. It was 106 degrees that day, I'm gonna blame the heat. It was amazing though to see everyone, for Rick to be able to catch up with all of his friends from his youth, and for us to see how big their kids have grown.

Next it was off to Grandma and Grandpa's house. Katie loved to go on the four wheeler. She now knows how to start it, turn the key, push the button.

She took carrots up to Duke every day. He is getting a little long in the tooth as the saying goes, although he doesn't look a day over 20 he is in fact 23 or so. Katie is trying to help Grandma and Grandpa find a new horse for when Duke goes to the big pasture in the sky. What will they name this new foal?? Duke of course. In fact if Katie gets a horse someday it will be named Duke as well. This horse is a idol in our house!!

Katie and Rick went up to the orchard to diamond hunt. Katie found two. She was on a streak!!

While we were up there we had to be quiet. We forgot to bring carrots and Katie didn't want Duke to be disappointed.

We drove to Betty and Francisco's to see their house. Amazing. They have such cool ideas and they are putting them in their house.

After Grandma and Grandpa's house it was off to Grammie and Papa's. Rick only got one week vacation so he had to fly home. Katie loves Grammie and Papa's pool. She never wanted to get out, and she hated to leave.

But there were other things to do besides swim. Katie and Auntie Dee performed a duet. Just be happy I can't get audio on this blog.

Auntie Dee took Katie shopping and out to lunch. She came back with make-up. Yup Barbie Make-up. I think it was really grease paint. Katie was putting it everywhere. Eyeshadow, rouge, lipstick, nail polish, and body glitter. It was pretty messy. When Auntie Dee has kids I will be sure to get them make-up too.

After Grammie and Papa's house it was off to Great Grandpa, and Grams house. Katie lost her hat and had to wear this cowgirl hat. Completely appropriate for a water fight with Great Grams. Great Grams had plans for when Katie came. She stocked up on water guns, and water balloons. Then they had a good old fashioned fight. Katie has a mean shot though. We were pretty wet by the time she was done.

Katie and Papa did most of the cooking. We had scallops the first night. YUM. Katie is a very good cook.

She went fishing at the lake as well. But since Clearlake is full of nasty algae at the moment fishing was difficult.

Of course we went for lots of boat rides. Katie is a CRAZY driver. She mostly liked to sit up front and go fast.

It was a really fun vacation. Long, but fun. Katie keeps saying that tomorrow we'll get a good night's sleep, then wake up when it's dark, and vacation all over again. Maybe next year...