Rascal Flatts and Jonas Brother

Jake survived both Rodeo events............and he had a blast!!! For Rascal Flatts - it was his first - and it was during the week - so we just went for the rodeo and the concert - not the carnival with the rides etc.......he loved it. He was so intense during the rodeo - he had to watch every horse rider, every bull rider, everything.....then when Rascal Flatts came out - he was in AWE that he was really seeing them in person....too cute. It was a tough night because we rode the park-n-ride........and, with it being the first night of the rodeo - it was CRAZY......I think we got home around 12:30 AM......and, of course, Jake had school the next day - HOWEVER, being the "planner" that I am, I had taken his pj's and so, when we got to the car - I changed his clothes before we left......worked like a charm......all I had to do was carry him in the house and plop him down in his bed........getting him up the nex morning - well, that was a whole 'nother ball game!!! LOL

Side bar - Jake's ears are doing great. we are finished with our antibiotics and it seems like his hearing is restoring itself.....time will tell.

Sunday -we had a blast at the rodeo. We went early enough for Jake to ride the rides and for us to walk around the livestock show. I say every year that I'm going to go by myself without any of the "boys" because I never get to walk around all the stores when i'm with them!!!!! I wonder why that is......LOL. Jake had alot of fun doing the rides - of course, he wanted Mom and Dad to ride with him (pictures below).......it was fun though. We wore him out! By the end of the night - he was exhausted. Once again - he loved the rodeo - although - this time - he knew what to expect - so he was ready when they bull riders came out and the calf scramble....he thought that was hysterical. I thought when the Jonas Brothers came out he would be screaming and playing the air drums - but he was SOOOO serious. I think he thought they could see him from the stage and he wanted to be "cool". I kept drumming and he kept saying "mom - stop drumming!....it was so funny!!! Once we cleared the stadium - he was all about air drumming........one of the things that saved the day - I took ear plugs!!!!! Mostly for the adults (Mark, myself and Paulette) but once the "screaming (ok - wait - it's not screaming - it's a high piercing shrill) from all the girls - Jake and Hayden both were looking for those ear plugs!!!!! I have NEVER heard such noise in my life....it was crazy!!!!! Fun, but crazy.

One thing that was making me mad was this lady that was sitting in front of us. She had her son with her and he was obviously a special needs child (I'm good at noticing these kids now that I have Jake and have been involved with special needs children for 6 years now).....he was more than likely autistic and he was very scared of the fireworks. They have fireworks at the beginning of the rodeo and right before the band comes out.....well - he kept thinking that everytime a light flashed (like from the arena or the stage) that it was fireworks......instead of being patient with him (granted - she had to repeat herself over and over) she was getting agitated with him and yelling!!! Ok - I was getting ready to RIP her head off!!!!!! Ok - I have a child who has some needs - I plan ahead - I think about what is going to be happening at the venue that we are going and what will Jake need to enjoy it the most......I knew that he would more than likely need headphones, so I took them with me.......why is that so hard for people who have children with special needs...(this is my soapbox - so bare with me!).......this little boy was in TEARS - he was so scared that fireworks were going to go off at anytime.....I finally leaned up and ask the lady if she would like some of my ear plugs for her little boy......she looked at me kind of funny - but she took them. He was like night and day - he endured the concert without hardly flinching. why is it so hard to go the extra mile sometimes? I know it's hard and tiring to have children with special needs and I, myself, get tired of the extra mile that I have to go through just to get one simple thing accomplished - but, I try to always make it the most comfortable for jake and it was making me mad that she was more upset because he was ruining her good time than she was about making it comfortable for him............

ok - I'm done......you can tell this is a sore subject for me.......I know that God has blessed me with Jake so that I can help people who have children with special needs - and it was very hard for me not to rip her head off and smile while I was doing it LOL LOL LOL - but, instead - I politely gave her ear plugs........

My 40th birthday is tomorrow.....I can not believe that I have lived long enough to say the following:

Wow - I'm 40
Wow - I have been out of school for 25 years!!!!!
Wow - I have known some fo you for 20 years
Wow - my mom has been gone for 26 years
wow - my little brother is 38
wow - I have two sisters in their 50's (ok - they are going to kill me!) LOL
wow - that means - if I'm 40 - some of you are pretty old.....(and I mean that in the most loving, caring way!!!!) ROFL


love to all