The Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo

We couldn't let another year go by without going to the rodeo!  We actually don't go to the rodeo because it's coupled with a concert, but we love the livestock show & all of the animals!

Here we are on the Tram from the parking lot to Reliant Park, and back.  This ended up being listed by each kid as one of their favorite parts of the rodeo (go figure).

There were lots of fun tractors to climb on, and we couldn't miss the chance to take a picture by the Breast Cancer Awareness Camaro!  This is for you, Grandma Joan! (The pictures also show how Nathan is not capable of looking at a camera & Max's "special" attempts at a camera smile these days)

We loved seeing the baby chicks (especially Max - although he was a little ticked he couldn't hold one), the piglets, calves, and bunnies.  They even let us pet a couple of bunnies & guinea pigs!

But the best part ended up being the petting zoo.  It was INSANE!  You go in with a little ice cream cone of food & the alpacas and goats attack you!  I didn't get pictures of the kids feeding them because there wasn't time!  We stayed in there for a quite a while and the kids were in heaven being surrounded by alpacas, goats, pot-belly pigs, chickens, donkeys, and wallabies.  

Max's current tiny animal obsession is baby chicks (meltdown about the other chicks mentioned earlier).  They had a couple of tiny ones in the petting zoo.  You weren't allowed to hold them, but you could pet them if they let you.  Max spent at least 15 minutes over by the small bird cage trying to pet the tiniest chick in there.  He got to pet the 2nd tiniest, but that wasn't good enough.  Every time the little chick got within reach, and he stuck his hand in, it would move.  It was quite devastating to leave.  I only convinced him to not have a total meltdown by promising I would find tiny chicks somewhere else that he could pet and hold.  I need to get working on that!

We had a great time.  I do have to mention that we ate dinner there, which is always a fun experience.  The kids wanted Corn Dogs, so we ordered those.  For some reason, they were behind on making them, so I stood and waited for quite a while.  The lady felt bad (probably because I am so pregnant) and ended up giving me a free lemonade and funnel cake while I waited.  So of course I ate/drank much of that, and also finished off some of the kids' corndogs for my dinner (what was I thinking?).  Boy did I pay for that later.  I may never have another corndog or funnel cake again.  Maybe.

Until next year Houston Rodeo!  Stay tuned for that because we've promised Nathan he can try Mutton Bustin' next year!