What a fun Sunday at the rodeo!!! We were up early Sunday morning to check the baby chicks and get some ranch chores done before rodeo time. The Etna rodeo was AMAZING! We are used to the big Red Bluff rodeo with thousands of people and lots of Crown Royal girls ;) This was a small town, know everybody there kinda rodeo. We are so lucky we feel SO welcomed by the Fort Jones/Etna community and everyone was so accommodating to open their tailgates and coolers to us and to our kids. We were there early after the parade for the kids events and stayed til 6pm. We met new people who introduced themselves (one nice lady said "ok you are talking to all the people I know - but I don't know YOU!?") and the girls mae fast friends with some kids their age and palled around hitting up the snow cone booth, the fancy jewelry booth and sliding down the big hill where the littles all congregated. I loved it so much I was bummed we were going to have to wait a whole year to do it again - but come to find out there is a JULY rodeo AND a rodeo at the August county fair - yessss. :)

Morning mist - love this image of Maisie looking out her window to see what this new day will bring. And yes they all sleep on that mattress on the floor. It's cozy.

A single line rainbow lingering on the Marble Mountains on the way to the parade

downtown Etna parade route - this parade was awesome! It was sprinkling when we got there but the sun came out. They threw candy from every truck, tractor and float - girls loved that!

I've seen some crazy things... But nuns on a miniature donkey cart!? and it had a flat tire.

My All American girl MaryMarjorie.

then after the parade we hit the fairgrounds for the RODEO! Everyone backs up their trucks to watch from above the stands - lots of food booths (gotta have a corn dog!), beer and so many nice people!

back in the chutes to watch Dylan, their new buddy, Mutton Bust. She was one of the only girls!

looking ready to mutton bust!!! GO Dylan!

The girls agreed this rodeo was AWESOME! Small town, safe and so much fun.

kids on tailgate trucks (stacked with hay bales for personal grandstands :) watching the bull riding and saddle cows

sweet Emma looking good in Dad's hat

hold on tight - Dylan about to go. Each kid gets a dollar coin for participating and winner gets a belt buckle.

great day at the rodeo - time to head home with tired kids

it got pretty chilly that night so we got home to cozy in the cabin by the fire. Maisie fell asleep in 3 minutes flat in her cozy Jannie knit blanket.

and this one helped her big sisters check their baby chicks. Bungled up in handmedowns.

One of my favorite weekends in Red Bluff! We brought a whole house full of guests up to invade Oma's house - she was a very good sport about it and feed us all weekend :) It was like a revolving door - we had friends come up with us, a whole bunch come up the next day (some we didn't even know were en route!) and our Bumble server Tracy Hinson who is this years Miss California Rodeo Queen! She and her mom and her horse stayed with us too. SO MUCH FUN!!!

We drove up in the RV with the Edwards - it always sounds so much more glamorous than it actually is :)

and on the way there we couldn't get the back AC working (just needed to turn on the generator :)

Heff at the wheel - he can handle any size rig ;)

The guys were nice and cool up front in those captains chairs while Susan and I had kids crawling all over us!

cowboys and girls arrival in RB

and then off to RODEO Friday night at the fairgrounds!

opening ceremonies -

gotta love the USA

Let's do this

Initiating the Edwards - they were naturals

got the most important stuff

my cowgirl (hair is not straw francie - trying to break this habit!)

much better

Maisie fits right in

Dads and babes

the plaid gang family shot

cowboy up!

our chaperones Oma and Lala!

Tessa's first Rodeo

Maisie kept hiding her eyes when the Buckin Broncs came out. I told her "it's ok Maisie - see the cowboys stand up and are fine when they get bucked off." and she goes "Mommmm - I'm not worried about the HUMANS I'm worried about the HORSES!"