Moving Day

Last Saturday we got up bright and early and headed to Newman Grove to help Dusty and Erin move out the the farm house and to help Mom get settled in house in town.  In August the renovations to the farm house began and Mom moved into the basement of the house in town where Dusty & Erin live. The day finally came for Dusty's family to move out and Mom to move upstairs.  It was a busy day of cleaning, packing and moving but we got it done and managed to fit a quick birthday party in for the 4 Two Year Olds!   It was a cold day for moving!  I think it was a high of 20 that day. 

 

Sunday was really cold as well.  We went to Church then to Foster & Sue's house for brunch.  The girls and I spent much of the afternoon doing some cleaning and getting the house prepped for Christmas decorating!  I refuse to actually decorate before Thanksgiving, but usually Thanksgiving night we start decorating.  I do like to have a nice clean house before we start the decorating :-)

 Colin, Whitney, Jaxson & Jace in front of the fire place.

 The birthday kids with the cake.  Not sure what Whitney was chatting about!

The kids rocking it out in the basement!

The 12 grand kids!

Louisville 2013

Well 2013 Great Lakes Circuit Finals is in the books.  It had its high points and low points, but all in all, it was a great trip. 

I am going to brag on my husband for just a minute.  He will probably be embarrassed, but too bad!
Kyle won his 10th Great Lakes All Around Championship this year.  I know my husband is super talented, but getting to be there to witness first hand just how talented his is, was pretty cool!  Kyle got stepped on in the bronc riding on Friday night.  He spent some time with in the Justin Sport Medicine team.  They told him his leg was bruised deep enough that they thought he would still be icing it in 3 months.   He was disappointed to travel that far and work that hardly to get there to then get hurt and not be able to compete at his full strength. It was heart breaking. As his wife, I hurt for him because I knew he was disappointed.   He iced his leg off and on for the 20 hours between Friday and Saturday's rodeo.  I was really worried how the rodeo would go on Saturday.  Trying to compete with an injury usually ends up getting a person hurt worst.  He not only competed in all 3 events on Saturday night, but won the steer wrestling with a 3.3 second run and placed on his bronc.  Now to me that is a true All Around Cowboy!!!  I am so very proud of his determination. 

I am going to give some of the highlights from the trip

 

Wednesday

• Left home after the girls got home from school
• Dropped Whitney off with Erin & My Mom to stay for the rest of the week (taking a 2 year old on a 16 hour road trip while trying to potty train did not seem very practical)
• Drove all night to Louisville, KY!

Thursday

• Got to Louisville 10:00 am Eastern time
• They let us in our hotel right away, the girls were swimming by 10:30 :-)
• Kyle and Chip got some much needed rest after getting the horses put in their stalls.
• Rodeo went well that night
• Kyle was 4.1 in the steer wrestling & won the round
• Didn't place on his bronc, but made a nice ride
• 10.5 on his calf

Friday

• Kyle took girls swimming first thing
• Loaded up and went to Churchill Downs to watch some races.
• Found out races didn't start for an hour so took the girls to the Museum
• Watched several races, didn't pick any winning horses
• Went back to hotel to get ready for the rodeo
• Kyle, Chip & Aubree were announced at the opening for being 3 generations that rodeo
• Jenae got to carry the American Flag in the area
• Rodeo did NOT go well
• Missed steer
• Bucked off and  got leg/knee stepped on in the bronc riding
• Roped calf in 12.5
• Iced leg

 

Saturday

• Iced leg
• packed up and checked out of the hotel
• Kyle & Chip went to a meeting/Me and the girls shopped the trade show
• Iced leg
• Rodeo went much better
• Kyle was 3.3 seconds in the steer wrestling won the round again and got 4th in the average
• 78 in the bronc riding -- 4th in the round
• missed calf
• Won 10th All Around title
• Loaded up and headed home.  Left Louisville at 11:30pm (Eastern Time)

Sunday

• Celebrated our 12th year wedding anniversary
• Drove most of the day
• Stopped at Mom's to get Whitney
• Got home at 4:00 pm (Central Time)
• Unpacked Trailer
• Did Laundry
• Went to be at 9:00

That pretty much sums up the trip!  



Chip & Aubree at Churchill Downs.

Aubree, Jenae & Kyle in front of Pat Day Statue

                                           Kyle, Me, Jenae & Aubree at Churchill Downs

Chip and the girls going through the gates to the Churchill Downs Museum. 

 

Kyle and the girls trying to out run the horses! 

Jenae & Aubree racing.

Chip helping Jenae weighing in to see if she could be a jockey.

Kyle seeing how much Aubree weighs

Aubree trying out how it feels to be a jockey.

Jockey Jenae

 

Looking on at the horses, pre race, hoping to pick a winner!

The girls watching the race.

Aubree enjoying an ice cream cone!

Kyle and the girls before Friday Night Performance.

Jenae with the American Flag.

Aubree seeing how it feels to hold the flag.

Chip, Aubree & Kyle being introduced as 3 generations in rodeo.

Jenae carrying the American Flag.  It is hard to put into words the feeling of carrying the American Flag in front of thousands of people in dark arena with the spotlight.  Of all things I did when I was Miss Rodeo Nebraska, it was carrying the American Flag that takes the was the most special.

Jenae standing by the rodeo announcer.

She was pretty proud to be holding the flag.

 

                                                                 Aubree at the Rodeo Friday Night

                                                     Aubree at the rodeo Friday night.

 The Girls at the Friday Night Rodeo.

The girls watching the rodeo.

 

My friend Shelli that I went to school with from kindergarten to 12th grade lives just an hour from Louisville.  She and her kids came down for the Saturday Night Rodeo.

Kyle won his 10th All-Around Title for the Great Lakes Rodeo.  Aubree walked out with him when they presented him with the saddle.  She was waving to the crowd the whole time she was under the spotlight. 

 



Early Thanksgiving

With Halloween over it was time to start Celebrating the next Holiday, Thanksgiving.  My Grandma like to celebrate early to avoid so many celebrations at one time. 

Grandma wanted to see what all the kids were for Halloween so they all dressed up as this wild bunch.

It was a nice day and so nice to see everyone and visit.  The kids all had so much fun together.  It had been awhile since they had all been together.  I am looking forward to lots of family time this Holiday Season! 

All the kids in their Halloween Costumes

 

The kids playing games with Grandma :-)

Happy Halloween

 Happy Halloween from the Whitakers!!

Jenae (9)---Puppy

Aubree(6)---Kitty

Whitney(2)----Steer

Cattle Sale / Birthday Party/ Halloween Party

The theme of the past few weeks is really busy Saturdays!  It held true for this past one as well.  We sold cattle on Saturday.  Marilyn fixed breakfast for everyone before the round up crew headed out to gather and ship out.  I didn't make out to take pictures this year of the round up and loading of the steers.  Whitney had a cough and it was plenty cool out so we stayed in where it was nice and warm!  Maybe next year I will do better!

Saturday evening Marilyn fixed supper for everyone to celebrate how the cattle sold and celebrate Trey's birthday.  After we ate, I left the birthday party to go to my cousin, Heather's Halloween party.  She really out does herself every year and host a nice party.  My Mom, Sister and all my Dad's sister were there and I had a nice visit with them all.

Sunday was nice & relaxing.  We needed that after a busy day on Saturday!

Aubree & Trey at the cattle sale.

Whitney watching the calves sell

                                     Whitney with Chip & Marilyn

Jenae didn't want her picture taken...but I did anyway :-)

What a good looking bunch of steers, if I do say so myself!  The cattle sold well ;-)

Aubree helping Trey open his birthday gifts.

My Crazy family dress up as the Wizard of Oz for the Halloween Party.  Leave it up to my Aunt Connie to get this bunch dress like this ;-)

I found these two cute cowboys at the party!  They are my sister, Lacey's little boys.  Riley & Colin

Barrel Racing and a Wedding

We had a really busy weekend  Saturday our good friends son got married. It was a beautiful day and a beautiful wedding.  There were lots of Chambers people there, so it was fun to catch up and visit with many of them. 

 

Aubree was entered in a barrel racing in Broken Bow with Hope for the weekend.  Chip and Marilyn took her out on Saturday afternoon and she stayed at Kyle's Aunt Amy's house with Hope on Saturday night.  She told Hope "This is a really nice place to vacation!"  Guess life without her parents and sisters is a real treat!!

 

Sunday Kyle, Jenae, Whitney, Trey & me made a the trip to Broken Bow to watch Aubree & Hope.  It was cute to watch Aubree run.  She was pretty excited to be a part of it. 

Kyle and Jenae at the Walnofer Wedding

Me and Whitney at the wedding. Jenae thought we would look good as cartoons :-)

Me and Whitney not as cartoons :-)

Jenae and Bobbi at the wedding.

Jenae & Whitney did not want to leave the dance!

 

 

 

 

 

Trey and Jenae as we were leaving for the barrel racing

 

Whitney said "take one of me too"
 

 

 

 

I little wide on the 3rd barrel :-)  I am bummed that my pictures I took of her running did not turn out.

Aubree and her bucket of loot she got for entering the barrel racing.  She was so excited to get her stuff!!

All of the Pee Wee barrel racers.  Aren't they cute :-)