And Then There Were 2!!!: Spring Break 2016

Tate's Spring Break festivities did not end with our weekend at the Woodlands Resort. Though I had to work the entire week...all 5 days...I made sure he had some fun during the week! He had really enjoyed a writing camp he had gone to last summer in which they presented a play at the completion of the camp. So I asked him if he'd like to attend a theater camp for the week of Spring Break. He was all about it :). The cool thing about this Spring Break camp is that each day stood as an individual day, so while we signed up for the whole week, each day the kids in the camp presented their plays. Apparently they divided the kids into two groups in their age groups, so Group A presented to Group B and vice versa. The kids got to choose which characters they would be, design/make all their own costumes and write their plays.

Tate LOVED the camp! He was so happy every afternoon when I got home, Even better Stuart came in the mornings to hang out with him, so he had lazy mornings and then Stuart picked him up in the afternoons, so he got to hang out at home as well!! Thursday afternoon Papa picked Tate up and took him back to his house for one day of Camp Grandmommy and Papa!!! I got a night home to myself, so Thursday night I went out with some of my peeps from work to celebrate St. Patrick's Day!!!

Reading books with the much loved Stuart!!

Such a very happy little boy!!!

Iron Man costume!!

Spiderman costume complete with webs!

Darth Moll from Star Wars!
How he knows who this is is beyond me!

Joy from 'Inside Out'

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Friday night I drove down to my parents' to hang out with them and Tate. Saturday bright and early, Tate and I loaded up the car and headed into town to pick up a couple of friends and head to the RODEO!

On the tram to the rodeo!!

Ready for mutton bustin'!

1 day old twin lambs!

Post snocones, horse riding, carnival rides and games, lunch
and cotton candy!!

I convinced Tate to give Mutton Bustin' another try. All year long he has said he did not want to do it again. From the moment he came out of that barn last year until the morning we went to the rodeo this year he has been adamant he didn't want to do it again. I sat him down to try to ascertain why. I knew he was probably a bit scared, but I really wanted him to overcome his fear to try again. I finally was able to get him to tell me all of his concerns. He had been really upset to get an 89 last year since the winner got a 95. Now his favorite number is 95 because that's Lightning McQueen's number (sigh) so that really hurt his feelings. He didn't want to get another 89. I told him he wouldn't get a better score if he didn't try. Another thing was that he was really put out last year when he realized that not everyone got a belt buckle though he really liked his ribbon...for me that just magnifies what is wrong with all this business of everyone getting a prize, everyone being praised for effort and the winners not getting more than the losers. These kids are not learning to lose with grace and win with humility. I can't stand the not keeping score idea. That is not real life. And I told Tate all of that last year...that he lost. Losing is ok as long as you try. Sure it's more fun to win, but unless you try again, you won't win the next time either. That seemed to get through to him. So then he decided to try again! I was so proud of him. I told him I knew he was also scared, so we practiced the night before with him riding me around my parents' living room :). He mentioned that he was not expecting how fast the sheep would run, and I said 'Well now you know, so you'll be able to hang on better.'

And hang on better is what he did...

He was so proud of himself. Well after he cried, had to see the rodeo nurse and get checked out to make sure he hadn't broken his leg after his sheep stepped on him. It was a lot of drama, and he was absolutely fine, though a tad sore when his sheep stepped on his thigh. But goodness the tears. But he was a good sport and went back into the arena to get his blue ribbon. He was a little taken aback to realize he got another 89, but also noted that the highest score this year in his heat was a 92. And I must say myself...these judges were much much more hardcore than the judges last year. They gave some of these kiddos 81s and 82s who fell off immediately. Last year Tate barely got out of the chute before he fell off and made an 89. This year those kids got 81s.

But I was so very proud of him. So proud! He faced his fears and tried again. He was proud of his effort and his score. He's learning that practice and repetition will pay off!! So proud of this little boy!

We stayed at the rodeo grounds for almost 5 hours then took everyone home then came home to relax and have a movie night!

We went to church that Sunday for Palm Sunday then hung out at home for a while!!

I managed to book-end this Spring Break for myself with two trips to the Rodeo to actually see the rodeo and a couple of concerts. Monday night (while Lindsey babysat) Julie and I went to see Kenny Chesney in our chute seats, so we got a fabulous steak dinner, free drinks and seats on the dirt during the concert. We insisted on standing up and dancing while everyone else sat on their keisters and had a blast!!!! Kenny even pointed us out and blew us kisses. Seriously. I know it sounds like I'm making that up, but he did. Julie and I were on our feet almost the entire time and were the only ones. As the stage circled around each time we would blow kisses or make hand motions and he copied them almost every time. Now I'm still in love with Keith Urban, but Kenny sure did make my night :)