Little Buckaroo Rodeo 2013

The boys really wanted to ride in a rodeo this year. So we made one work. They both rode in the Little Buckaroo Rodeo in Grace. Crew really wanted to ride a calf this year. I will be honest, I was a little discouraging and not super supportive of this idea. But Rett was a good dad and said if he wanted to do it, we would let him. Drake stuck with the safer, slower, smaller, and lower to the ground sheep. They both did great. Especially considering I had them at Bear Lake in the hot sun with friends all day the day of the rodeo. They were sunburned and tired. But were good, tough cowboys. Crew really surprised us. He was third out of the 14 kids in his 4-8 year old age group. It's funny how the boys, especially Crew, are just cowboys. Of course we will support the boys in any worthy cause they want to pursue. But we have not pushed the cowboy thing. Crew however, is just plain old cowboy at heart. Such cute cowboys. And best of all, no one got hurt and they had fun!

Mutton Busting at the Preston Night Rodeo

This story actually has to be told from the beginning. Rett was gone at work on a fire out of town. The Mutton Busting registration for this is on a Saturday morning, and you have to be there early because there are never enough spots. So I asked the boys if they wanted to go wait in line with me on a Saturday morning at 6:00. They said they did, so we waited in the rain for two hours. The rodeo is Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, and we had a family reunion to be at on Friday, so we had to get Thursday. When we got there at 6, there was already a pretty big line. The first people said they had gotten there at 4am! Crazies! But I can't really say anything, after all, I got up and took my boys early too. Needless to say, we got our Thursday night spots and the boys were thrilled to both get to ride this year.

We told the boys to hold on and not let go, that when the clown had to help them off the sheep, that is how they'd know they did really well. Crew did just that. And had a blast doing it! Watching him walk away makes me giggle. He's strutting his stuff and so proud of himself!

Drake had a little more trouble. The two other sheep in his shoot were jumping all over him, so before he even bucked out, he was a little unhappy. Then his sheep turned and ran straight into the crowd.

Rett, Kip, & The Boys

Crew

Crew

Crew

Crew

Rett & Drake 

The Boys

We're grateful to have so many sweet family members who are close enough to support the boys. Teresa, TJ, and Megan all came up from Utah. We know the rest of the gang wanted to come as well, but family and work have to come first, so we completely understand that the other family members didn't make it. Kip and Deb also came with us that night. The boys loved having their family there to watch them and were so excited about the whole event!

TJ & Megan

Teresa

Deb & Kip 

We tried to get a family picture. And I guess we did get some. They just aren't the greatest pictures. But we have some and that helps remind us of the memory, so I'm ok with that. The first just has the boys playing with their gum and the second, they were pretty done for the night and wouldn't even attempt to smile or look at the camera.

Crew, Jenn, Rett, Drake

Rett, Jenn, Drake, Crew

Dreams Come True!

Last night at the Preston Rodeo Crew got to ride a sheep. I always said I would never be a parent who waited in crazy long lines for my kids, but I got up a few weeks ago at 5:30 am to go wait in line for the mutton busting registration! I am so glad I did! Dreams came true last night! Seriously. Crew said it was the best day of his life! And I don't think he was kidding!

The night before, he started asking, "Is it bed time yet?" He couldn't wait till his rodeo day came! So, when it finally did, he was up and dressed in cowboy get up at 7am. Unfortunately, we still had to get through our last session of swim lessons, I had a line of sprinklers I was going to get done, we had a lot of yard stuff to do, and the rodeo didn't start till 8:30pm. So it was a long day of questions about what time we could leave.

We finally got there and Crew could hardly stand it. He was so excited and had this crazy high. It was so stinking cute. They called the mutton busters over to the chutes and I brought both my video camera and a still camera and had already asked someone sitting by me if they'd shoot one of them for me. Unfortunately, I'd forgotten a memory card from my little video camera, so I shot video with my nice camera and didn't get any still shots. I'm so glad I got it on camera though. When they left, poor Drake was so sad. He kept saying "I want to ride a sheep with Kangaroo". And when I'd respond that he was too little, he would say "NO, mom, I'll be tough". HOW CUTE IS THAT? At this rodeo there is actually no age minimum, so we could have signed him up, but sometimes he gets really scared, so we decided we would wait at least another year. He was super sad about it. But loved watching his big brother ride his sheep!

Rett said he was probably more nervous than Crew behind the chutes. Crew was excited and had no fear or reservations at all. He asked Rett if he could say "Let's go boys" like Lane Frost did when he bucked out! He did lose his boots in the chute before he even left though. He had a ton of fun and was so excited! He won a bandana and a little belt buckle that had a sheep rider on it. He's so proud of it!




I had to post this picture. I think it is so cute. Rett really makes a great cowboy! I'm a little biased, but I think he's super handsome and hot! And it reminded me a little of how he was rodeoing when we met and gave me a little butterfly about how much I love him and how grateful I am to have such a wonderful husband who lets his kid do things because they wants to, even though Rett doesn't want him to!


Another great part of the night for Crew was that one of Rett's high school buddies, John Lewis, was a pick up man at the rodeo. Behind the chutes, Crew told Rett he wanted to shake a real cowboys hand. So he shook Johns. Then John gave him a little horse ride. And later, John came over to where we were sitting and told the boys if they didn't fight over it, they could have one of his ropes. Crew was so excited. He didn't let go of the rope all night. When I put him in bed, he didn't want to because I'd left his rope in the living room! Thanks Uncle John for being such a great friend and helping make our little guys night complete!

I honestly think that Crew felt like his life was going just the way he wanted it to last night. He was so excited that we got in the car, buckled up, and he was out cold from all the adrenaline of the day. One second Rett asked him if he blacked out when he bucked out of the chute like Rett used to, and the next second, he was out! Rett and I have talked a lot about the boys rodeoing. He says that back in the day, he would have loved having a little cowboy. But now that we're a little older, we are almost hoping he grows out of the cowboy stuff. It is so scary, expensive, and demanding. I don't know what will end up happening. I do know though, that it seems that the cowboy in Crew is totally bred into him, and I doubt if it will ever change. He is definitely more cowboy than Drake. Drake only wants to dress cowboy and do stuff at the rodeos and because Crew is. But Crew thinks about it non stop. Unless he's with his cousins, and then it's maybe only half the time. The honest truth is, we will let him do whatever he wants to do and support him in whatever it is he chooses to do. I can't imagine how poor Teresa felt having a kid ride a bull growing up. It makes me so nervous to even imagine it! But again, his dreams are all that matter! And I am so glad I was part of such a sweet night and seeing how truly happy and excited our little Crewser was!