{rodeo: texas style}

I started hearing about the Houston rodeo when we moved here last summer--nine months before it was to begin!  I decided then and there that we would it become one of our new Texas traditions, and yesterday we were able to experience it for the first time.  

Since moving here, we've applied the cliche "everything's bigger in Texas" to just about everything around us, and this rodeo was no different.  It's held at Reliant Stadium and Reliant Park, which is where the Houston Texans play, and it IS the largest rodeo in the US.  This rodeo is a BIG deal--it spans three weeks, has millions of visitors, and hosts major performers--this year alone it was Tim McGraw, Alan Jackson, Lady Antebellum, Mary J. Blige, Martina McBride, George Strait, Toby Keith, Demi Lovato, Styx, Blake Shelton, Kenny Chesney, and more. I would have loved to have gone to a concert this year, but not this late in the game, lol.  I can't wait to go next year, though!  

We headed down as a family yesterday, and we were excited to have my parents with us.  There is SO much to do there, you really have to pick and choose what you want to do the most.  Since I was 11 days away from having a baby, we weren't even sure how long we could stay, so we made a list of the things we wanted to do first, and started there.  

Yes...we started with the food.  Can you say FOOD?  I can't even explain to you how many vendors and restaurants were set up there, and the array of food choices was almost staggering.  I really haven't been to a venue that large before, but it was fun to look at all the options. We ate a yummy lunch, and then headed off to see all the animals in "Agventure" and "Kid Country".  

There were animals of all kinds, and you could get up close and personal to take a look at all of them, including babies that had just been born.  The kids were in heaven, and it was pretty exciting to walk around such a huge area with so many people and so much to look at. 

We also had to go on over to the carnival, which was seriously the biggest carnival I've ever been to in my life.  This was no local carnival, that's for sure!  Once again, we were bombarded with the smells of popcorn, cotton candy, turkey legs, BBQ, and snow cones, in addition to the sight of millions of blinking lights from the rides, and the sounds of laughter and carnival games.  Kate thought she had died and gone to heaven, and all Henry wanted to do was ride the ferris wheel.  The ENORMOUS ferris wheel.  They all chose the rides they wanted, and we we went from ride to ride so they could try them out.

What do you follow up great rides with?  Treats, of course!  :)  Cotton candy and giant snow cones were the kids' choice, but Rick and I went for something a little more...decadent.  They also offered deep fried anything and everything, so we decided to try the deep fried Oreos and a deep fried Snickers bar.  WOW.  Let's just say I couldn't eat one everyday, or even once a month--I think once a year is plenty--but they were both delicious.  Once I have the baby, I think I'm going to need to run 10 miles per Oreo I ate, and I'm so glad I don't actually know how many calories were in it, lol.

We had wanted to go to the actual rodeo as well, but it was already late in the day, and I was ready to head home.  We had church super early the next morning (8:30am church, plus Daylight Savings Time = 7:30am church), and the kids were showing how tired they were. 

I'm just glad we could make it at all, because I wasn't sure we would be able to, with the timing of the baby being so close.  We loved it, but we also have a list of things to do and try next year...a concert or two, mutton bustin' (they all want to try it!), the rodeo, and maybe deep fried cookie dough.  :) I can already tell it is going to be a much-loved family tradition!!

{Henry was fascinated by this pig!  There were two people in there, rolling him over, patting him, and trying to get him to stand up. Apparently, they will sleep all day if you let them, so they make them get up several times a day to get their circulation moving.  It was pretty funny to watch this process, but he finally got up!!!}

 
{Branded!}

{Learning about the cotton gin}

 

 
{Kate and Rick are somewhere up there.  Kate loved it.  Rick didn't. :) }



{Henry's Ferris Wheel!  Good thing he had Poppy to take him, because I couldn't go, and Rick was having no part of it.}



 

{Deep fried Oreos}

{Deep fried Snickers--Rick ate this in three bites!}

{This funnel cake was gone in seconds...YUM!}

 

 

{Long day finally catching up with these boys...}

 

 

It was really so fun, and the late night (and early morning) were worth it!