Rodeoooooo...

Every year our ward has a rodeo.  Yep.  It is true.  And it is freakin' awesome! 

Friday night is the hoedown and everyone is dressed in their cowboy attire.  Everyone.  There is line dancing, square dancing (complete with a square dance caller), cake walk, bake off (you'd better believe there were some amazing baked goods.  I'm still ticked my two pies didn't win!!!), and hay rides!  I don't have pictures because I was too busy doing the boot-scoot-boogie.

Saturday starts with a 5k run.  I was in charge of the race this year.  

5k starting line.  Carter got to shoot off the start gun.

Even though I was in charge, I still got to run the race.  I had a PR too.  Nice.

Starting line of the kids race.  They took off like a bunch of wild Indians. 

I ran with the kids until the last home stretch.  Carter (green shirt) is on the heels of the first place boy. 

Annie right on Carter's heels.

Abby is right on Annie's heel.  Barlow family took 2nd, 3rd and 4th.  Way to represent!

 Then there was a children's parade followed by breakfast.

Georgia riding her scooter in the parade

Carter carrying a parade sign

Annie (yellow shirt) marching/running in the parade!

Abby with her sign in the parade

Georgia on the horse contraption swing

Georgia riding the bucking bronco

The actual rodeo consisted of mutton busting, calf riding, bull riding, chicken chase and the cash cow.  Carter really wanted to do the mutton busting but was too big so he was automatically put into the calf riding.

I was a bit nervous when I saw all those calf.  My son is definitely not a cowboy and doesn't have any experience with riding 4-legged creatures.  But the cowboys in charge plopped him on top of the calf and let him ride.  Granted he only rode for 1.2 seconds!

The calf pen

Getting ready to ride

In the shoot on the calf.  He has on the white helmet in front of the cowboy with the hat and green shirt.  Yes...this was very official!

The calf jumping out of the pen and Carter flying off.

Face plant into the dirt arena.

Broken heartedly walking off with tears streaming down his face.

 The CASH COW is a large cow with dollars taped on his back.  All the kids chase after the cow to get the cash.  Animals rights....not at this rodeo!

Carter is in the lime green shirt and Annie in the pale yellow shirt.

Carter is almost to the cow.

Calf riding woes were quickly forgotten when he grabbed a dollar off the cow!

Showing off his loot!  We were definitely dirty by the end of the day!

Annie showing off her cash cow loot!

Carter after he climbed the grease poll.  We ended up throwing that shirt away.

 There was even a variety show during the rodeo.

Annie doing a dance on the stage!

Georgia doing her dance!

There was carnival type treats:  cotton candy, snow cones, popcorn and nachos.  They gave away 600 snow cones that Saturday.  The best part....all the food was free!  My kids were in heaven.  I kept waiting for the pukes to come.

Annie and Abby getting their 6th snow cone.

Carter jumping the hay bales.

We (more so ...the kids) had an amazing day.  They spent all day doing fun activities, roaming the rodeo grounds on their own, hanging with their friends, getting dirty, and filling their bellies full of junk. 

Till next year!