This Ain't Our First Rodeo

At the risk of approaching rodeo overkill, we asked the Love Potions if they wanted to go to another rodeo on Saturday night.  

Suffice it to say, not only are they Not tired of going to rodeos, they are pure-tee little rodeo junkies now.

Uncle Harold has created little Rodeo Frankensteins, so to speak.

Rodeos 1 and 2 were of the outside, bleacher variety.

Rodeo #3 (this past Saturday night) were of the Senator Bob Martin Ag Center variety.

We were in the nosebleed section, but we cared not.  Rednecks just wanna have fun.

And have fun we did.

The good news is that bull riding was 1st on the show this time so Love Potion #2 finally got to see the bull riding.  He has fallen asleep and missed it before.

And they laughed until they lost their breath at the clowns.

It was a winner of an evening.  Right up until the funnel cake overdose, combined with getting too hot on the ride home caught up with Love Potion #1.  I'll leave it at that.

For the Beauty of the Earth

To Everything There is a Season

It's here

And while I love the coolness, and the colors, and the smell of burning leaves or cooking on a campfire, I still get a little "ouch" inside for alot of reasons.  Some of them I can't even put a name to.  It's just a feeling.

One of the reasons I can put my finger on, though, is that every October turns my Love Potions another year older.

Seriously?


When did she get big enough for a 20" bike?

You're killin' me Smalls.

Fair and Sunny

I love going to the county fair.

I love the smell of greasy, fried everything.  

I love the music of the merry go round.  

I love the painted pumpkins entered in the contest.  

I love the free calendar I got with all of the pretty pictures that I can put on my bulletin board at work.

But mostly I love seeing the absolute joy of the Love Potions when they ride the same rides over and over and over again.   And my joy is to be there for them and wait for them to ride 'em over and over and over again.

I love the fair.

Quack, AKA Why Else Would You Learn to Read?

We start 'em young around here:

Me and My Shadow

I love it when my Love Potions surprise me with a lunch visit during the week.

Such was the case one day last week. 

However, said lunch hour usually falls during naptime of Love Potion #3.  So when Love Potion #2 found the little American flag in my car and was playing with it, Love Potion #3 saw it and insisted in her best 2-year-old kind of way that SHE was to have it.  He gave in (he almost always does).  Fairness was not an option here.

To fill the void now felt by Love Potion #2, I placed a camera in his hands.  

He loved it.

I was so proud.

But this....This is my absolute favorite:

He was fascinated by his ability to take pictures of his shadow.

And all I could think of was how much I love having him as my little shadow.  He has no absolutely no idea how much.

Be still my heart.

Here Comes That Rainbow Again

Fides

Ya know, one of the best things about getting older is that you're not as young and stupid as you used to be.  Seriously.

Sometimes I'm old and stupid, but it's still better than when I was young and stupid.  Seriously.

Having another birthday can do that to you.  You know, make you think and all.

Life is still hard.  In some ways it's harder.  But in other ways it's alot better.

For example, appreciating the good people in your life more than you used to.

More and more I realize how blessed I am to have been born into the family I was born into.   When you're growing up, you know you love 'em and all, but you really don't think that much about it.  Then you get older and realize they're the ones who are there for you again and again and again.  At least where I come from.

But since I've not lived very close to my siblings and parents for all of my adult life, I've been given the most amazing friends you could ask for.

What fabulous birthday presents.  Happy Birthday to me.

Collards and Cornbread

I don't care if it is the same thing every year.  I love going anyway.

I truly do love a parade.