So I'm sitting in my office, working away, and I get this text:
OMG! IT'S ZAC BROWN!!!!
So I'm texting them, telling them I WANT A COOKBOOK!! And my phone rings. Daddy Taylor. Hello? Hi, this is Zac Brown. My response, the genius that I am? SHUT UP!! Yup, that's what I said. Shut up.
I got to talk to him for a minute. He said he was "just hanging out, fishing" with Daddy and Dawn. I said, I want you to send me a cookbook! And I want you to sign it, With all my love to my favorite cook, Stephanie. He said, Can do.
YAY! Daddy and Dawn always run in to the coolest people. Kyle, too. I'm just a bump on a log with these people!! But now I've been on the phone with George Strait, Clay Walker, and Zac Brown because of Daddy. Umm...can we shoot for Chris Young next? Please!?
Saturday morning after the baseball party, we were up early headed see Pops and Dawn at their Ruidoso retreat. I've said it before, and I'll say it again and again and again, when I come around this corner,
the peace sets in. Every time.
When we got there, I was surprised to see my cousin, Jason. He had come for his own little escape. Not that I'm surprised, but he just fit right in, and my family took to him, too.
Daddy and McKenzie were at a roping, so we went to see them in their element.
That girl...and man...love them some horses, ropings, and cowboys. I'm pretty sure McKenzie was running the place. Evidently, Pops was helping her.
He won 2nd place.
While we were at the arena,
we met Jayce. He's the kid in the pink shirt standing next to Blaine. He's Jerry Rush's 13-year-old grandson. Before we got there, McKenzie was telling him about Kylee, and how she was coming, and how pretty she was. It was then it clicked with Daddy that he may not be so comfortable with this. He asked Jayce how old he was, then pulled out his knife and told him if he even looked at his granddaughter, he would do awful things to him with the knife. Poor kid took him very literally. So did McKenzie. She told him that he couldn't go to the races with us because "Pops doesn't joke." Dawn quickly smoothed it over and told her Jayce could go to the races with us.
Before we went, though, we all had to put on jeans because we were going to Jayce's Poppy's table upstairs where no shorts are allowed. I packed jeans for Blaine, and told Kylee to pack her some. The girl has grown FIVE inches this year, though, and none of her jeans fit. So before we went, I took her to Jeans And Boots to get her some jeans. While we were there, she decided she wanted some boots, too. This "country girl", as Kylee regularly calls me, was not going to tell her "city girl", what Kylee always says she is, no.
Aww...bless her little heart. Warms her country girl Mama's heart. Jeans AND boots!
And then we were off to the races!
Although Jayce was at the races and safe without Daddy around, who was still roping, he still wasn't quite comfortable around Kylee. When I told him to get in the above picture of all of them, he said, "Ah, really? Man, I could be killed." Then when we went to sit down, everybody plopped down except Kylee. The only seat left was right next to Jayce, and I told her to sit there. Jayce said, "Man, this really isn't cool. Your dad is going to hurt me." It was then I told him my dad was all bark (in his old age, anyway), and if he bit, I would take the bite. He seemed to settle in then.
Y'all these kids are A-D-D-I-C-T-E-D to this gambling stuff. You can't believe the discussions and program perusing going on with these 5, 8, and two 13-year olds! It was serious stuff! I'm pretty sure Jayce is the only one that was betting with knowledge, but the other kids had no less passion, and they all won a little money. McKenzie always bets on horse 3 and 10...except the first race when there wasn't a 10, and she didn't like 3's name, so she bet on 8.
About halfway through the afternoon races, the skies opened up and it poured!
From my limited knowledge of horse racing, I understand the wet, muddy track changes the game completely. Like, all bets are off, literally. So Dawn, Jayce, and Joey did their re-strategizing, and the kids found their favorite horses (by name), and McKenzie placed her reliable $2 bet to show on 3. The odds were in her favor with the rain, and she won $39!
So Kylee took her to the gift shop and helped her spend it, along with the few dollars Kylee had won, too. McKenzie came out with a backpack with beanie baby horses attached and a wooden flute. Kylee came away with some new horse earrings. Again, warms her Mama's heart! (She hasn't been wearing them. Now she's obsessed.)
The boys just got their boots shined.
Then we headed back to the Retreat to meet up with the ropers and have a spaghetti dinner. The littles played outside in the mud while Kylee and Dawn made her famous dip
and everybody visited. Kylee took a BUNCH of pictures of Walter while McKenzie and Blaine were still playing in the mud mountains.
Sunday morning, we just relaxed and loved it. Again, the little kids went and played in the mud, which totally disgusted the teenage girl!
Jason and Daddy headed off to see Mom, and we made our traditional stops at the soap store, the candy store, and the pet store before we said goodbye to Kenzie and DD,
and came home.
It's always over WAY too soon, but still SO worth going! Thanks Daddy and Dawn for sharing your little piece of heaven with us!
Once again this year, we had our season-, or two-season-end, as it were, party at the Neria's house. The boys ate pizza,
swam, got awards,
and had cake.
This season we head into real baseball. No more coach pitch. We're MLB now, baby, and we're ready!
Just a little Blaine-ism since this post is all about him. The other night, Kylee was at dance, but Blaine was with us in the car. Kylee is on a commercial from her
flea market performance, and everybody in El Paso, it seems, has seen it. Except her parents. So we were talking about it, and I said, "Our kids are doing so well! Kylee is on TV, and Blaine has been in the newspaper. It's so cool!" Blaine piped up from the back and said, "AND I'm on the Socorro handbook --" (which is true)
"--AND I'm in the Socorro Administration building--"
Another thing the parents haven't seen, but we hear it's the same picture that is on the handbook, but it's life-sized.
"--AND I was on the news with those dogs when Didi danced--"
Rocket was gone for approximately 24 hours. As I went in to wake up Kylee yesterday morning, I saw him run across the floor. If I could have smashed him, I would have, and claimed I thought he was a rat. He is just a rodent, remember?! So I told Kylee where he went, that she better get him, and went back to my bathroom to do my make-up.
I once again heard the laughing and screaming and falling all over trying to grab the rocket rodent. This time, though, I knew what was happening and went about my business. Until the chaos traveled into my space. Yup, he came running into my bathroom, along with the three humans trying to catch him. Again, chaos. Laughing, screaming, falling, the works.
They caught him and put him back in his cage. Kylee and Joey got creative, I guess, and Saran Wrapped his cage to prevent escapes.
I indifferently told them he was going to either suffocate or eat through the Saran Wrap, which would choke and kill him. I may or may not have said that was fine with me, but I just thought they should know. They left him.
As of this morning, he has neither suffocated nor eaten through the Saran Wrap, committing suicide. He is alive and well. So I just decided to get y'all a picture.
Yup, he's in his tube in his cage. If you want a better picture, you're gonna have to come get it yourself. The rodent bites. Hard.
Remember Rocket? You may have to go back and read his post because I don't talk about him much {read: ever}. I love our pets. You all know I do. I don't love Rocket. I mean, really, y'all, he's a rodent. And he bites. Hard. Just because he's only bitten me doesn't negate the fact that the rodent bites. Hard.
I tolerate him, though, because Kylee loves him. Kinda. She's been willing a couple of times to get rid of him or give him away, but at a price. I'll get rid of him if... I'll give him away if... I haven't played in to her stipulations. Yet. So for now, she's still in love with him.
When we came back from Balmorhea, though, he was gone. I don't know how, but he wasn't in his cage. I didn't not publicize the fact that I didn't really care. He had just escaped, and I was okay with eventually finding his carcass somewhere.
Last night, Blaine was going down the stairs to get one last something before bed, and Joey was coming through the living room to head up the stairs. Blaine started screaming, "I found Rocket! Hurry! Come get him! I found Rocket!" I was laying in my bed reading, and I didn't move. I figured Joey could collect his carcass, help Kylee bury him, and console her. Only he wasn't dead. As I heard the commotion grow, I finally got up to see what was going on. Kylee was screaming, "NO!" And Blaine was laughing. Then I saw Joey running and falling on the floor. His cell phone and sunglasses went flying and crashing on the floor. Kylee had grabbed the dogs to keep them from gobbling him up, while Blaine was still cracking up. Chaos, y'all.
Joey caught him and put him back in his cage. Kylee hugged me, so happy he was 'home'. I went back to bed.
This morning, he's gone again. I have the same feelings. I have no idea how he is getting out, but he has, once again, performed The Great Escape. Good riddance, I say. Only I don't say it outloud.
