State Fair of Texas

Well yesterday was the big day we have been counting down to for some time now like the last five months. We had a great time for our first go at state fair we are very proud of the boys and all their hard work. Cole unfortunately was sifted out. He was so disappointed but at the same time I think he was more disappointed at the fact that his lamb was going on the packing trailer. Hayden made it through the first sift and made it down to the last four in the class. He showed his true showmanship abilities! I was just so pleased with the outcome. These boys have done such a wonderful job we hope we can do the same at San Antonio and county. Now we will be getting the steer in the next couple weeks. So here we go again to show season we just cant wait!

fathers day

Well today is fathers day to most people it is such a great day. For me it is always a day i try to stay busy, you see my daddy passed in a tragic accident 10 years ago. He was too young to pass, he was a very honorable man who really tried very hard to support his family. I have never met a father as dedicated and loving as my father was to me. There was never a moment that i was scared of him or scared of what he would think of me, because i knew that he understood that young people have to make mistakes to be bigger better people. He really gave me alot in my life and he completed me. The day he passed away I lost my very best friend. I love you daddy I know you are looking down on us and helping us and guiding us. Alot of people dont understand why i talk about animals all the time you see my father was a true cowboy!!! There just isnt another name for him except Father Son and Cowboy! my mom the same. Well i hope all you have had a great fathers day until later.
jessica

On the move

Well, its been a while but here's whats been going on. We have been on a hunt for state fair lambs and although we have that set its time to also start looking for san antonio lambs. Yes this is our first year and Cole is all about these major shows, and Hayden wants to go however i wonder if it is simply to be out of school and go to these kind of places or if it is because he truly want to show these thing. I learned last year that he loved big red his steer and really wanted to do this so much. Yesterday as we look Ella Bella and squirt these were our two county fair lambs back to the breeder he was there Cole was almost under Mr Jody's feet and Hayden was a little stand offish so to say. I don't want to put to much on Hayden i don't want him to burn out so i am really having trouble deciding what the right choice is as far as major project animals. On the other hand he is a great showman and just doesn't realize his potential. Cole is just so amazing he loves these animals that go BAAAAH, he really does. I don't question it he told me yesterday and mr jodys " mom when i grow up this is what i want to do, have a place with all these lambs raised them and sell them. " I asked him do you know how much money that is he said like a thousand something dollars and i replied YEAH RIGHT he laughed. The truth to this is i honestly believe that if he still thinks this when he graduates this will be his full intentions! So as for carsyn and blakeney man they are growing like weeds. Carsyn is fixing to graduate from kindergarten, I am just so amazed it is just so funny to me it seems as if it were just yesterday that he was born and was so sick for so long i didn't think he would ever get better. He has been battling quite a bit of strep throat though this year alone since school started he has had six cases for sure, so we are in the process of going back to tch and having the tonsils out. I really hate this but the truth of the matter is this poor baby is just keeping the strep dormant. I am just so proud of him he has come so far and i love him so much. Then there is Sissy girl, WOW , she is growing up so fast, she is amazing its like in a matter of days she went from toddler talk to adult talk. She come home last night and the way she was talking i was like oh my gosh i am in trouble. She is very picky, moody and lovable all at the same time. I think i am going to have trouble getting her to stay a girl and not a tomboy. But she loves to get dressed and she hates to brush her hair. Shes just growing like a weed. Well that's all for now. Hope all is well with everyone. all my love
Jess

WOW! What a year!

Well, its official we showed all the animals and man did we have a great day what a experience. I have to say that this momma is so proud and honestly just want to brag a bit. Cole won Grand Champion Lamb and Reserve in Jr Showmanship, Hayden won Grand Champion Steer Grand Jr showman with steer, Reserve Champion Lamb and Grand Jr Showman! How do you ever top that we came away from this year show with three belt buckles and three trophies. The best part of this is that the boys actually learned so much, it was the first big show with Big Red and man that beast was nothing but a puppy dog, he and hayden flowed together like no other it was a great end to such a rough couple of months. I obviously could not have done it this year with out Jared Tusa this man stuck by me the whole year and i am sure he wanted nothing more than to press the silent button when i called him lol! Thanks Jared. So we sold the steer at auction for 8100 dollars and the lambs together almost 5000. I am just so proud of these kids accomplishments all there long days in that barn have completly paid off, and by the way they were the most handsome boys of the show. The sad thing is a week following the show one of the participant in the sweetheart contest Amber Gay was tragically killed in a car wreck I keep seeing that girl ride that horse and participate so proudly and trying so hard. Bless her momma heart she was such a great life and its just so tragic she has passed at such a young age. Her brother jr was with her and he is in the hospital but thankfully going to make it. So now its on to the state fair lambs we will be getting them soon, the show is like in five months already thats really not that long. Anyways gotta run, hope all is well . love jess

This week events

Well, this week has been packed full of good stuff so far! To start the week off i quit my day job and went back to working nights at the hospital. I worried that it would not be the right choice but I am sure now that it was the exact right choice, I have already worked three days and have made as much as i was making in two weeks nearly. So on Wednesday we got bob out to the arena to run the lambs, well lets say Aggie doesnt like Bob at all, she went running through the arena then run through the smallest opening in the gate took off across all 121 acreas of land then toward the highway, thank goodness for chad and david they caught her before she got to the road, but she was wore out and didnt require anymore runnin with Bob. It amazes me that these lambs when they see Bob they hardly will let us get away from them they hide behind us like he is some beast! Then we took the steer yesterday back us to the Tusa Ranch, we are always glad to take him up there to let them look and tell us what we need to do. Jared, is so nice and never holds back when telling us what to do and we always appreciate his kind words. we really look forward to continue the show cattle business and working with the Tusa family. Without them this year we would just simply been lost. Now all i can say is i am just ready for the rain to go away, the mud is just about to drive me nuts, it is everywhere, house car, barn everywhere, i swear it has been raining since july non stop. Well that is just about all i can think of for tonight, hope all is well, and if you by chance find my shoes that have disappeared please give me a shout, I have a feeling Cole or Carsyn have them hiding. Have a good weekend.

UPDATE TO TODAYS SHOW!

Well, what a AMAZING day, we started the day off with the steer show, Hayden recieved first in his class then Reserve Grand steer, Just amazing! I was so proud of him but also proud of Big Red, he didnt contest hayden really at all just a smigon of attitude when walking but the good old nose ring which we call it his steering wheel done the job. They were a great team. Next we had the lamb show and it was great also, I think Cole was determined to get a belt buckle hands down. He won his class and i think it was really by luck cause that kids lamb that got second was Great, and then he won Reserve with his lamb. Then he went back and won Grand Junior showman. Hayden did awesome too, however Squirt on the other hand was in a mood and just not cooperating well at all. He did the best he could, he even didnt want to go back into showmanship but he decided on his own that he would go back in and he still did good the lamb was a tad bit better, but still just not acting up to par and he managed to pull off fourth in showmanship as well as he got fourth in his class in the big show! So what a day, now all that is left to do is barn everyone and then CLEAN HOUSE! YUCKY!!!!

Goin Showin!

Well, here we are headed to Jasper jackpot show, of course as always we are running late, and have to make any detours, if we dont watch it we might miss the show completly. Anyway we are headed that way now. So the last two days things have been great around the barn, Hayden has done a Great job with his steer, the nose ring is just going great and he has control I just hope in this showring today that things are just as good as they have been at the house, If not we are just in trouble! No matter what i can say this he always gives it his best in the ring. So on to Cole, he has done a great job with his lambs, he is learning exactly how to set himself in relation to the lamb and how to look at the whole picture himself as well as the lamb and the judge. I hope he has great show today he gets himself so upset if he doesnt do well and it always breaks his heart. He has to learn and understand that you just cant win everywhere you go and sometimes it is good not to win that way you remember and dont get a hot head. Above all I just hope my kids go through their life showing animals but having a great time as well as being competive and never being rude to anyway and giving high fives to everyone in the showring. Well I will update this afternoon, sorry wont have pictures, that is the only thing we left at the house the camera! Hope all is well in your neck of the woods.