a {yearly} texas rite of passage

Well, minus the boots.



This is not our first rodeo.  *giggle*  I love that expression.

No, truthfully, we've walked this park before.  It's a month long rodeo, filled with all kinds of money suckers games, rides, critters on a stick, pony rides, cotton candy... You name it, this rodeo probably has it.



We even saw camel rides.  Camels.  At a rodeo?  At least we expected the ol' longhorn, the easter bunny, pigs, and the guy with the droopy neck.  Mine will be headed in that direction, without intervention.  Poor guy.  I feel ya.

Hubs and I wanted to head to the beach this last day of winter, but alas, we felt compelled to use the coupon package we'd bought a month prior.  We'd already missed all of the great concerts that came through, so what was the point, right?  ;)



The girls survived the ol' barrel races,  and standing in line.  As did I.

Confession:  {Many} mini-skirts, sporting young, tanned legs... don't bid well for the self-esteem of this nearly 40 year old.  Let them wear their skirts while they may, I suppose.  Before long, they will be sporting stretch marks, cellulite, and sore feet.  Comfort will outweigh fashion.  I should know.  I tried walking the rodeo marathon in my cute boots one year.  Ouch.  *sigh*  Just wait... they'll see.  'Mom' will, one day, be the first thing they think of when someone asks their name, too.  ha.



No trip to the rodeo is complete, it seems, without a round on the Ferris wheel.  This year, we found two.



Isn't this the cutest lil' kangaroo?  So sweet, being held like a baby by its handler.  And that's a real porcupine.  If he hadn't raised his head in slow motion, and laid it back down, I would have thought it fake.  He was real.  Maybe on tranquilizers?  Are they supposed to be that tame around people?



Mom is always the volunteer where heights are concerned.  Hubs is happy to wait below.



Hubs and I were so ready to go.  Too many people.

But not without exploring the butterflies on our way out.  If you placed your finger in front of them, gently, they would crawl onto your finger.  I enjoyed this first lil' guy.  Poor thing showed signs of wear and tear from being mishandled.  This second guy landed on my leg and gave me quite a jolt.  He was intimidating to look at, and I couldn't bear to let him crawl on my fingers.  Eeek!  I tried shaking my leg, but this apparently wasn't his first rodeo either. ha!

Hubs to the rescue.  He also held Gracie, who really wanted nothing to do with the little guys.  Especially after one landed on her back.  Nator followed me, exploring.  Too fun.

To put it in Gracie's words, while watching Disney's Ocean this past week,

"God, you have a lot of imagination."

For the girls, the tram is almost always as exciting as the rodeo itself.
Too funny.

Maybe next year, we'll just ride the tram back and forth a few times, in our boots...
and call it a day.  ha.

Do you feel the need to say "y'all" a few times after reading a Texas post?  ;)