Horses and Cows and…Fireworks? Oh my.

{ January 24, 2010 @ 1:50 am } · { Uncategorized }

The first official “let’s save money and do something frugal” outing was today…we scored rodeo tickets for nothing, complete with parking passes.  I was up super excited because somewhere deep down in my heart, there lives a cowgirl just aching to get out. I assumed the rest of the fam would share my excitement…wrong! The DD’s were apparently only in it for the loot, trying to convince me they could not possibly show up at a rodeo without new boots and western shirts. Really? Because I was totally wearing an old (warm) sweater and sneakers. I know how cold, slippery, and downright mucky those paddocks can be, and I wasn’t going anywhere near them wearing more than $30 worth of clothing. The old boots (which really weren’t old, per se) were plenty good to wear, but I’ll admit, I caved on the shirts. My sole justification rests on the fact that Monday is “Western Day” at school, and the oldest DD is in student council so she HAS to participate. So, kill 2 wardrobe birds with one stone, right? A trip to the hick store  Western outfitters was in order. Thank sweet Jesus for clearance racks. I have never in my life seen a child’s shirt for $49, but lo and behold, it was the one…the ONLY one the younger DD wanted. Finally she settled on something with rhinestones and zebra stripes that was marked down to $19. But seriously? It went against every fiber of fashion sense I posses, like some kind of Dolly Parton-goes-on-safari costume. Not to be outdone in the drama department, the older DD had a meltdown because everything in her size was pink. She hates pink. She’s more of a purple or teal gal. And I’ll grant her that one, but lawsy mercy, what a scene! 8 years old is TOO old to have that kind of a hissy fit.

Fast forward to the actual rodeo…due to the matinee timing of this event, it required my 2 year old son to skip naptime. Bad idea. It began with the fireworks…the kid is scared of my hair dryer, did I really think he’d take kindly to a 90-decibel cannon blast? Kicked, cried, screamed his whole way through the bulldogging, the saddle broncs, and the tie-down roping, till I finally strapped him in the stroller. Phew! That quieted him down! Much like the calves in the roping competiton, a miraculous calm comes over young ‘uns when they’re restrained. Crisis averted. Uuuuuntil I was tapped on the arm by the friendly usher-ess and told I couldn’t stand on the ramp with the stroller. A fire hazard or some such. That was our queue to leave, and darn it! Right before the bull riding…my fave! Mmm, hmm…yessir. Something about Wranglers wrapped in leather chaps on a hard-workin’ rear end just ices my cupcake like nothing else.  

Now we are home, warm and de-mucked. DS is happily dozing on the couch, DD’s hitched a ride home with Gramma and Papa and should be arriving shortly-no doubt hopped up on cotton candy and McDonald’s. For the time being, I am going to browse paperbackswap.com and enjoy my tea. Next year, come January, if I so much as get that wistful look in my eye when someone mentions Rodeo, please…please take me out and shoot me.

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