Mutton Bustin'

Let's just say this was a first for me and the kids.

So kids 8 and under get the chance to ride sheep. Whoever stays on the longest wins, but really it's just a fun thing for the kids to try at the county fair. 

We had a few friends who were going to particpate and Nate was sure that the kids would just love this. I told him several times, they were not going to follow through. I would much rather be wrong but come on, my kid's don't even have a dog, livestock is a whole different territory. 

It didn't matter, we got to the fairgrounds and signd them up along with about 100 other little kids and they started with the youngest ones first. The first group included Arlo. Let's just say as soon as he saw the first 3 kids take massive hits to the face and fall off their sheep, he was done. I will give him credit, he didn't freak out until Nate put him on the sheep in the shute. I could hear him screaming all the way across the arena. Everyone was so excited to watch him ride but I think people forget that just because Arlo may look identical to his Dad, he does have some fear in him. I just laughed and quietly said, "He wont do it." 

Nate exited the arena and Arlo got a particpation ribbon and a $2.00 bill. He came over and kept telling me how he rode the sheep. Nate corrected him and said "No Arlo, you sat on a sheep." He didn't care, I didn't care. I was happy he tried something new.

Cece was in the 4th group of older kids and Nate got her all the way into the shute and sat her down and she refused to grab the sheep. She claimed she did not want to hold onto the wool. So Nate took her out and she decided she wanted to try after her group and finished. So he waited again and she tried again, she just couldn't get over the wool. 

Everyone was so surprised that our kids didn't follow through. I mean come on their Nate's kids, they are wild, Cece has little fear of anything, Arlo is one of the most aggressive toddlers ever and I can't keep them from doing things they aren't suppose to most days. 

After the excitment of watching 100 kids fall off sheep, we walked around the fair grounds, got some food and watched the Motorcross and BMX riders. On our way home, I asked Nate if he was a little disappointed that the kids got scared. Nate would ride a bull if I let him, so I was wondering if he was  a little sad his kids didn't see the joy in riding animals. 

He said he was just surprised but never disappointed. He just thought it was strange. I had to remind him that Cece has performed in front of thousands of people at college basketball games since she was 5, danced in 4 recitals and not once gotten stage fright, she has excelled at every sport she has attempted, she is one of the strongest swimmers in her age group and has an amazing ability to climb flat surfaces. 

As for Arlo if this was something that involved a ball or boxing, we probably wouldn't have been able to get him out of there. 

Nate just laughed and agreed. I told him if he wants the kids to be more comfortable around events like these, then he will have to make it part of their lives. Maybe they would always be scared to do something like this, maybe not, but honestly in the end they had a fantastic time watching their friends particpate and cheering them on. It was a really great night.