Pioneer reunion - through the generations

This past weekend, we made our annual trip to the Clay County Pioneer Reunion and Rodeo. The trip itself was a far cry from a couple of years ago, when Will cried for a full 5 hours of the 6-hour trip. This year, armed with activities to take up every minute of the car ride (and 3-year-olds with a much better capacity to actually involve themselves in such activities), we had a practically tranquil trip. At least, we did after we made good on the old don't-make-me-pull-this-car-over threat a few miles into the trek.

The reunion always celebrates the "pioneers" that settled my home county in the 1800s. This year, the event also honored the "Greatest Generation." As was often said during the weekend by those from my hometown, "The pioneers got us here, and the Greatest Generation kept us here." It was a great tribute.

It is also nice to have the three generations of my family together. I'm pretty sure Gransan and Grandad like showing off their grandkids to everyone who gathers for the weekend. I love the chance to get home--which doesn't happen often enough--and am lucky to have a husband who is more than happy to hang out in my little hometown with me. And the littlest generation, well, let's just say that the rodeo is made for them. I've never seen anyone, young or old, enjoy a rodeo more than our four kids.

"Honoring Our Greatest Generation"

Even our little guys know how to honor the flag

All the boys in the arena for the calf scramble - it was the little ones first time to participate

Helen didn't care to stick with the boys. As soon as I explained the calf scramble concept to her, she confidently told me, "I know how to catch a calf." Then she was ready to hit the arena.

Here she is with John Greer, who is always great about hanging out with our kids during the calf scramble. But this is NOT because she wanted accompaniment into the arena. It's that if someone didn't go get her, she wouldn't have gotten out.

Me at the rodeo with Joe and Will

Helen really enjoying the rodeo

Joe always loves studying programs, even rodeo programs

Will watching the rodeo events intently

Gransan and Grandad with their grandkids

I also have to mention what the kids said the highlights were of their trip. Helen, not surprisingly, said that her favorite things was catching a calf ("but I didn't catch it," she added sadly). Joe's favorite thing was seeing Henrietta (my hometown) win the FFA calf scramble. Will's favorite thing was "saying hi to Woody and Buzz!" (The Toy Story characters were on a winning float that was featured before the rodeo Saturday night.) And Charlie's favorite thing was from the rodeo, too . . . eating nachos at the rodeo.