A Family Tradition...

Every year for as long as I can remember my family has enjoyed going to the Lehi Roundup Rodeo.   We would start counting down sometime in early June and as the anticipation built up the rodeo would slowly roll around.  Most years my parents would spring for the traditional rodeo going outfit so that we might fit in a bit better.  One year it was new boots, another year it was a lavender, tuxedo ruffled cowgirl shirt, sometimes nothing at all, but doggone we never missed Rodeo Days.  My mom would demand that we had a nap the day of the rodeo because we would be staying up especially late.  We normally went to bed at 7 p.m. but on rodeo night it was more like 11 p.m. We always sat in the same spot and we could gaze across the arena and see my Grandpa Duane in his usual spot by the gate.  Sometime during the festival he would take us and introduce us to the clowns and cowboys because he was heavily involved in the Roundup celebration.  This is probably why my sister thought that he was a professional rodeo clown her whole life.  As I grew older and started working I would attend all three nights, but those were the nights where we were mostly trolling for hot guys.  Every year held out the same hope, and every year ended the same,  a lot of trolling but no reeling.  Mom, Dad, if you are reading this you should know that I always conducted myself like a lady unlike your other daughters.  Since I have been married we have continued on with this tradition, only missing the last two years because of the All-Star tournament.  This year we are back on track.  My dad always gets us fantastic seats and we seem to sit by the same people every year.  It is like a miniature class reunion because we get to see a lot of people we don't normally see.  This year was great as usual and I will share with you some of the highlights:

• During the Grand March Jake told us that all of the beautiful queens were waving at him.  Of course they were, Bubba, of course they were.
• The flag ceremony and the singing of the "Star Spangled Banner" was amazing.  It brought tears to my eyes.  Don't tell anyone, but this is my very favorite part of the entire rodeo.  It is amazing, and the speech they prepare about "Old Glory" is always very stirring. 
• Rodeo Hamburgers - Mmmmm...... good.
• Torey told us that the horses were hesitant to leave the chutes because they had to go to the bathroom.  Makes sense.  Apparently there were a lot of horses and bulls that had to go to the bathroom because some of them were not leaving those chutes.
• Taylor went nuts during the calf roping and demanded a stop watch because she thought the cowboys were getting cheated.  After she had the stopwatch in hand she was able to relax and enjoy the rest of the rodeo.  Nobody likes to be cheated.
• The "Canadian Air Force" motorcycle duo was amazing and had the crowd going wild.  The Roundup committee likes to appeal to every demographic so they pull out all of the stops and do this for intermission, or time out, or half-time, or whatever they call it in rodeo.
• Two words - people watching.  It is a veritable melting pot of people.  You get your cowboys, your wannabes, your little girls who dress like they are big girls, the people that spent hours preparing so they could parade themselves up and down the aisles, the ones who just rolled out of bed and then showed up, and then your run of the mill family types.  Hopefully we fit in the last category.  The rodeo is no respecter of persons, they will take them all, and this year they did.
• And last, but definitely not least, the closing song - my second favorite part of the evening.  "Thank you very much, thank you very much, that's the nicest thing that anyone's ever done for me..."
  

So, I would like to say to my dad, who very generously bought our family's tickets - Thank you very much, thank you very much, that's the nicest thing that anyone's ever done for me.  We had a great time and can't wait to do it again!