Hard Work Pays Off

Brent has really been working hard on his steer wrestling.  He has been taking lessons with Brock Andrus.  He has really helped Brent with catching the steer.  This event makes me so nervous but he seems to love it.  


Here are some pictures from him winning his first buckle in Steer Wrestling.

Rodeo Season Begins

I know for some of you, rodeo season may never have ended.  We have done that some years.  This year we took December and January off.  We got to do some trailing riding and just relaxing.  We worked on training some colts and practicing events.  


Last weekend was our first rodeo of the season.  Friday night was a little tough.  Tiny mistakes seemed to be the theme of the day.  We made up for it Saturday by winning the team roping and placing in the tie down roping.  


We are getting ready for a long President's day weekend rodeo.  It will be great to get outside, see some friends and watch the kids compete.  Good luck to everyone this rodeo season. 

My Secret for Sleeping while Traveling

We are gone most weekends to a rodeo.  We travel all over the state of Utah as well as other western states.  When we travel, I have a really hard time getting the rest I need to be able to be fully functional the next day.  I worry that the alarm won't go off on time and we won't be ready for the rodeo when it starts.  I hear every new noise at the place we are staying.  If we stay on the rodeo grounds, you can always hear horses, dogs and trucks during the night.  By the end of every weekend, I was exhausted and could count the number of hours that I slept on one hand.  


I know that sleep is important to your health.  But more importantly, I just wanted the energy the next day to enjoy my time at the rodeo and get to watch my kids compete without falling asleep during their performance.  I am also very sensitive to almost any drug that is out there.  I have been looking for an all natural solution that will allow me to turn off all of the noise and sleep through the night.  I also wanted something that I could easily wake up from without feeling groggy the next morning.  My husband and I started using Deep-Z.  The results are consistent and we feel rested the next day.  


For a limited time, they are giving away a completely free sample.  Just go to their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/deepzsleep and click Like.  Then go to the left and request your FREE sample.  This is a limited time offer. 

First NLBRA of the Season

We went to St George last weekend for our first NLBRA rodeo this spring.  It was a great weekend except for the rain on Saturday.  It rained during the entire rodeo.  So the kids were soaking wet.  Then one hour after the rodeo, it stopped and the sun came out.  


I hadn't realized how much I have truly missed our rodeo life.  Brent has been out with an injury since October 31 and Racheal has had some medical issues since November.  Thankfully we are getting past both of those and are back on the road competing.  


Racheal seemed to be right at home in the arena.  She placed 2nd in Breakaway Roping both Friday and Saturday.  She placed 2nd in Barrels on Friday but really smoked them on Saturday placing 1st by more than 2 tenths of a second.  


Brent and his partner won the Team Roping in the rain on Saturday.  Brent placed 3rd in Tie Down Roping and 2nd in Team Roping on Sunday.  He is going to have good points in Team Roping when we head to Nationals in July.


Sunday was an absolutely beautiful day.  I really hated to leave the rodeo grounds.  They are my second home.

Rodeo Season is Almost Here

I can not believe how time flies.  Here we are about to start full time back in to rodeo.  We will be headed to St George at the end of the month for our 1st Little Britches rodeo this spring.  Then every weekend after that at a rodeo until June.  We get one weekend off and then to High School State Finals.


I am trying to get back in shape.  I have to get some things done around the house to be ready to travel each weekend.  We are practicing every Monday, Wednesday and Sunday as well as many days as possible in between.  Whew!

Rodeo Mom Down and Out

So what happens when your son separates a shoulder in October and you take the winter off from rodeo.  Well since you don't help the kids practice or keep the horses in shape, you get out of shape.  You gain weight.  You start to hibernate.  

Winter in Utah is not friendly.  So you go out to shovel wet heavy 12 inches of snow.  What happens to your out of shape body?  Well you end up hurting yourself.  I have a twisted SI joint and a torn abdominal muscles down by my groin.  Can you say ouch?  Yeah I have not really been out for 3 weeks.  Going to work seems to be all I can manage.  Thanks to the chiropractor I am improving.

The moral to this story is you have to stay in shape even when your kids are not practicing.  Get out there and get some horses rode and keep moving.  

Balance

Checking my blog, I noticed that I have not posted in awhile.  I think it is because I have not found that balance yet!


February and March have both been crazy but new pictures and posts are coming!

Balance

I truly believe that happiness in life comes from balance.  Unfortunately, I do not know how to keep the balance.  I always feel that my career takes too much of my time away from my family.  That I volunteer to help way too many youth groups. That I never take time off for me.  


My weekends are spent practicing for rodeos, doing the secretary work for rodeos, putting together events for youth horse groups, teaching youth horse groups and trying to start an online horse business related to rodeo.  My weekdays start with 8 to 9 hours of working at my career and then home to practice, teach or work on projects that I have volunteered for.  Plus I have a family so taking care of kids needs, laundry, groceries, cleaning and bills.  


Somewhere deep down, I must have that constant need to be busy so I don't have to delve too deep into personal issues.  After this next 4 day rodeo weekend that I am the secretary for, I resolve to find better balance in my life.  Better balance will make me a better parent, wife and person.   

New Year

I resolve that 2010 will be my best year ever.

18 Already

Where does the time go? Racheal turned 18.  How did that happen?

Seems like yesterday when she was just learning to trot a horse by herself.  Or like we barely bought her first horse Cheyenne.  I am sure she just started in rodeo last year.  Or that this is her first year of High School Rodeo not her last.  I am not really sure where all the time goes.  I just know it goes by too fast.  

Racheal has grown up to be such a beautiful person.  She truly cares about others and their feelings.  She always tries to be helpful almost to a fault.  She is good to her horses.  She has a natural gift for working with animals.  She has became a really good trainer and I don't think she even knows it.  

My only hope is for her to find the things that she truly loves to do and go do that.  She deserves to simply be happy!

First High School Rodeo of the Season

We went to our first high school rodeo this year in Salina.

It was Brent's first high school rodeo ever.  He was pretty nervous. The calves were about 200 pounds.  He caught the first day but couldn't quite get the calf flanked.  The calf weighed twice what he does.  On Saturday he caught but his curl came around and caught both front feet.  The mare was doing her job and she kept pulling.  There was no way he was going to get the rope off.  It was a great first try and we did get both calves caught.

Racheal started the season well.  She caught both of her breakaway calves and both times she was clean at the barrier.  She place 9th on Saturday.  So a qualifying run and points for State High School finals.  This picture is with her breakaway horse.

She also had 2 solid barrel run and a clean pole run on Saturday.  It is a great way to start her senior year.

Utah's Beautiful Fall Day

A couple of Sundays ago, we actually got out of the arena for a trail ride.  Since we have been at a rodeo almost every weekend this summer, this is the first one I have been on.  I know that is so sad.

Anyway, it was a perfect day.  It was warm but not hot.  The leaves had just started to change.  For the most part it was a good trail and our horses did really well.  We rode the back side of the nebo loop.  The trail we were on took us up to an old cabin.  It has be over 100 years old.  It was really neat.

Here are some beautiful fall pictures from Utah.

State 4H 2-Handed Show

Racheal showed at the 4H State 2-Handed Show.  She showed a 3 year old paint mare.  The mare did really well for a show this size.  She had a beautiful trail pattern.  She did not hit a log and she went over every obstacle but she missed one lead and it cost her a placing.  

Here are some pictures from the show.

Juab Homecoming

Last week was homecoming for our high school. Since Racheal started high school, normally homecoming was the same weekend as Richfield's high school rodeo. Of course she chose rodeo over a dance. This year it was earlier. So she actually agreed to go with someone.

I was out dress shopping for her 2 days before the dance. We did not have time to dress shop earlier because we had been to a big 4 day rodeo in Panguitch. Well Brent decided that he wanted to go to homecoming too. So the Friday before the dance, I was looking for a dress shirt and tie.

Here are the pictures from homecoming:

First Tie Down Roping in NLBRA

Brent moved up to the Senior Boys Division in the National Little Britches Association. So this year his events are Team Roping and Tie Down Roping. Team Roping is not a change. He has been Team Roping for years.

It is Tie Down Roping that makes me nervous. It is also Brent's favorite event. It is the one he practices constantly. He is always out roping the calf dummy or tieing the tie dummy.

Well practice paid off this weekend. In Friday's rodeo his time was 19 seconds and he placed 3rd. On Saturday the calf got away from him for a few seconds. His time was 31 seconds and he placed 6th. Sunday the calf was just a little too fast and ran right through his loop. On Monday he was 22 seconds and 4th. I wish I had a video of the first night. It was so great.

Eat A Rainbow Everyday

You should try to eat a rainbow of foods everyday. Choose white, purple red, orange, green and yellow. By eating the rainbow, you are supplying your body with all the nutrients it needs to be healthy. Here is a picture of what the sides for your meals should be.

Hint: There are no potatoes, rice or bread as a side. These all make you fat and increase inflamation in the body.

2-Handed Show Goshen

We went to the 2-Handed Show in Goshen at the end of August. Racheal had a good show. She won the Western Equitation. She had a beautiful trail class except the carry object. She has come a long way with this colt.

Feeling Old

So I now feel really old. Both of my kids are in high school. I can not beleive it.

Racheal has always been older. So her starting high school was not so strange.

Brent has always been my baby. It is so strange to say that he is in high school.

Here is a picture of them on their first day. (Where did all those years go?)

Unique View From The Inside

We were traveling to the Little Britches National Final Rodeo in Pueblo, CO. Racheal was reflecting on our year and what it took to get here. She came to a very interesting conclusion.

She said "mom you know rodeo make no sense right." I said "why?" She said "we work so hard. We spend hours and hours practicing each week.

We go to a rodeo and spend 3 to 4 hours. And what do we do all of that work for a 21 second pole run, a 16 second barrel run and a 4 second breakaway run. The total time I spend in the arena competing is less than a minute at a rodeo!"

Rodeo really is a crazy event but I had never thought of it that way.

Junior High State Finals

Brent qualified for the Junior High State Finals in Breakaway, Ribbon Roping and Team Roping. The first day was really rough. He did not get a qualified time in any of his events. It was a cold, windy and wet day in Heber.

He had redemption in 2 events in the second go. Brent and Rhett placed 3rd in the Team Roping. Brent had an awesome heal loop. With this placing, they were sitting 5th coming into the short go. There was only one point between 3rd, 4th and 5th. They take the top four to Nationals. He placed 8th in the Ribbon Roping.

So we qualified to go to the short go in Team Roping. I think we may have placed too much pressure on Brent and Rhett. They knew they needed to place in the short go to go to Nationals. Unfortunately, they did not get a time.

I know they were both devasted. They tried hard and worked hard to get there. They finished in the top 10 in the state and they should both be proud of that.