Back from the land of Buckle Bunnies and Twisters

OK. So maybe Texas is not the land of Buckle Bunnies. It's so much more! :)

We got back on Monday night from our trip to visit the Burden side of the family tree. And just in case you haven't spent time in Texas during the summer...let me assure you--it's still H-O-T. I guess that's why we felt we had to compensate with swimming, Blue Bell ice cream, and lots of yummy snow cones. The perfect summer remedies.

All in all, it was great fun (except for the driving there and back part--yuck). Our kids got to experience some firsts. Tessa rode her first horse (not to be confused with the afore-mentioned pony ride). She also rode her first tractor with her Papaw on the farm. Anthony and the kids got to experience their first Cleburne PRCA rodeo at the Sheriff's Posse arena. In fact, that was Jack and Tessa's first rodeo ever. The Burden blood in Tessa vaulted her into the arena for the 10 and under calf scramble. She traversed those waves of churned up dirt like she was born to be a cowgirl. That is until the scary looking clown tried to direct her into line. That's when the logical Todd blood kicked in. She turned her nose up at that clown and marched right out of the arena. (Hey, I don't trust clowns either. ) And Anthony got to enjoy his first true redneck moment while in Scurry. He got to drive a riding lawn mower down a highway. I'm so proud right now. *sniff*

All of the Texas excitement fueled Tessa like protein as she threw her little 3-year-old body through every activity there was to do. When we weren't throwing her in the deep end of a pool, or squirting her in the face with water guns, she was pretending that she was the princess in some over-dramatic fantasy land. When she did finally sit down for a moment one evening after dinner to watch a little golf on TV, she just passed out. That's what I do when I watch golf, too.

So anyway, by the time we got back to Colorado, Tessa had the legs of a true summer kiddo. They became casualties of mosquitoes and concrete. Look away if you are squeamish. Luckily she has band aids on her knees. Just be glad you weren't there when she discovered what happens to scabs in the water. EEEEEEWWWWWW!!!