Rodeo and Houston Weekend

As we were getting excited for our upcoming weekend at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Ethan practiced and trained for Mutton Bustin' which he was finally old enough to do! (Spoiler alert: he did not do any such activity at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, but he sure would have been ready.)

We headed to Houston on a Friday afternoon.

naptime drive success!

at *THE* hot spot for bathroom and snacks

On Saturday morning, we put on our howdiest of outfits and got ready to go. (Of note, Sandi and Mira were attending a makeup spelling bee, and Spencer was too stubborn to join the cousins picture.)

On our way!

We began by vising AGVENTURE seeing many live animal exhibits and learning all about agriculture. First up, the parakeet encounter.



More Agventure fun took us to rabbits, the birthing center, and the "We're Small Y'all Barn."


Next up, Fun on the Farm, which is an annual favorite of ours, allowed the children to explore the world of agriculture by following the process of producing agricultural products, from farm to market. The kiddos helped with farm chores such as gathering eggs, planting and harvesting crops, and milking a cow.

planting and sowing seeds

working the farm with a tractor

pumping water to wash the freshly picked produce

(Note the amazing and cool 10-year-old who loves to be in pictures all the time.)

milking the cow

shearing the sheep

toddlers being adorable carrying their baskets together throughout the farm

feeding corn to the hens and collecting their eggs

the always-favorite bed of corn to play in

Spencer shows off his basket of goodies he collected.

time to sort all the goodies to be sold at the market

Farm fun couldn't end before gawking at the baby ducklings.

Next, we visited the Petting Zoo where we met a wide variety of ridiculously hungry animals.

Of note, they cornered the pregnant lady first.

The animals let us know when we weren't fast enough.

The baby goats were definitely an adorable attraction!

After the fun of the Petting Zoo, we walked to the Carnival for some rides.

Since other folks were either too wussy, too pregnant, or too short to ride alone, I somehow volunteered to ride this spinning ride with the 3 nudniks. I am sincerely dizzy after rewatching the video.

riding the Ferris wheel with Zayde

We headed inside for pizza lunch and other indoor shananigans.


Next, we headed to the always-popular John Deere display of tractors.



We walked through the livestock show to see the cattle there to compete.

We met a cow named Ruby and her handler while exploring.

Energy levels started to dwindle, so we did a few last musts on our way out, starting with visiting poultry to see eggs incubating and baby chicks hatching.


You can't have a Kaye Fam visit to the Houston Rodeo without sticky, ooey-gooey, sugary, yummy cinnamon buns!



And last, but certainly not least, the group pictures by the rodeo barrel:



Why weren't all these children sleeping on the way home???

It didn't matter if anyone was tired because we all got to watch Jacob's baseball game that night to round out an exhausting and great, fun-filled family day!

On Sunday morning before we headed out of Houston, Aunt Mor came over to visit Mommy, and everyone else seemed to enjoy baby Jackie's company as well.


And some outside pleasantries to end the trip:

Ethan and Spencer played outside with Uncle Craig for a while.

Ethan changed the rules to his advantage.

SUCCESS!