Summer Boating

This summer Annie and I got invited to go boating with one of her friends from work and her husband. It was one of the best boating days ever! We packed up lunches and I brought along some of my delicious red velvet cupcakes. The weather was perfect and the water was awesome. We boated for a good 8 hours or more, which made for some pretty sore muscles the next day, but it was so worth it.

Annie getting up on the surfboard.

My turn! I love wake-surfing!

Trying to get in the sweet spot where I can let go of the rope.

Justin showing us all up.

Billie channeling her Hawaiian roots.

Finally able to let go of the rope! I think I surprised even myself! I had to yell at Annie to get a picture of me so I could have proof. I'm totally posing for the picture too. :)

Trying to stay in the sweet spot and not lose momentum.

Annie couldn't let me show her up, so she had to get back out there and prove she could let go of the rope too. I had the camera ready this time.

We had such a blast!

~CNR~

Another thing I love about Summer is the Caldwell Night Rodeo! It's a tradition to go every year and I love it! We always start out with eating at the Kiwanis Chuckwagon Dinner and all you can eat Crookham corn on the cob, Mmmmm! This year it was just Annie, me, and my mom for the dinner, my mom was on call so she couldn't make it to the rodeo. Heather, Brandon, and my Dad weren't able to make it this year either. Annie invited one of her co-workers and her husband along to the rodeo with us and we had a good time hanging out with them. I got smart this year and purchased some bleacher seats to sit on, no more sore back for me! I also bought a portable battery operated fan. (I got the idea from Brandon's Dad when we were at their 4th of July party.) It was a last minute purchase as I was trying to race home from work to get changed and head to Caldwell. Let me just say that the seats and the fan were the best ideas I've ever had. I don't think I've ever enjoyed the rodeo so much before. :) We were also smart this year and sat on the Civies side of the arena. We used to sit there growing up, then for some reason we moved over to the Rowdies side. The problem with the Rowdies side is one, you have to deal with more alcohol drinkers, and two you sit in the blazing hot sun for a couple of hours before the rodeo starts and then for another 30-45 minutes after the rodeo starts before the sun is down behind the arena. Annie prompted the change of seats as did her friend Billie. We got to the rodeo about 6:30-6:45ish and got really good seats, we were right by the bull shoots and three rows up. Perfect spot for taking pictures. :) And without further ado, prepare yourself for picture over load of bulls and broncs at the rodeo. (The other events were too hard to get pictures of because they were on the other side of the arena, and I didn't feel like getting up and walking down to the other side to get pictures. :)

Annie and I very happy sitting in the shade, with our bleacher seats, and a nice cool breeze from the fan!

What's a rodeo without a Dodge truck!

The Rowdies roasting in the hot sun. I don't think the bleachers on that side really filled up until about 9:00 that night. It was 100 degrees that day!

Finally can take the sunglasses off. Having fun at the rodeo!

Billie and her husband Justin

This cowboy dislocated his shoulder, cause as you can see, the bull landed on it's back side, right on top of the cowboy.

The bulls were quite surly this year. No one stayed on the full 8 seconds and I think there were at least 4 cowboys that ended up getting hurt.

These next few are a sequence of a cowboy that literally flew in the air off the bull.

These next 11 shots are a sequence of the bull that broke it's leg. Quite sad. If you hate seeing animals hurt, I suggest you scroll past.

Everything was going well once the bull was out of the shoot...

the cowboy was looking good...

then there was trouble on the horizon, as the cowboy lost his grip...

and started to slid off the back...

bringing the bull down with him...

the bull tried to run, everyone scrambled...

but, then it started acting funny...

it kept falling on it's rump trying to get up and out of the arena...

then a shocked gasp ran throughout the area...

as the crowd realized it's left leg was broken.

Up close shot of the poor bull and it's broken leg.

The clown in the middle finally got some action with the bulls this year.

This always causes a rush of excitement, though I'm sure it's a rush of something else for the clown in the barrel.

You couldn't pay me enough to be in that barrel.

Another bull taking another charge at it. Luckily neither bull hit it, they just ran after it, then ran past.

Sunflower photoshoot

One of our neighbors is growing a patch of these huge sunflowers, so I decided to go and have a little photo session with them.

I love that I caught the bee coming in for a landing