Stock Show!

Last weekend we went to the National Western Stock Show, it was a perfect adventure for Lauren. I was having serious tooth/ mouth troubles so it was hard for me to go, but she LOVED it.  These photos are of the petting zoo- I tell you the girl was fearless. She is so shy and afraid of crowds and people she doesn't know, but will run up and stick her face up on a goat or sheep or calf like its no big deal.  Many of the animals were bigger than her and kind of aggressive looking for food, but it did not scare her a bit, she just loved on each and every one of them.  I think she should be a veterinarian. 
Notice her pink cowgirl hat- this was a must! She proudly fit in with the crowds and had a horsey on her blue-jeans too.  She is a bit more "country" than I would expect from my child, but I respect her style. 
We went into an area (this place is huge and there is just building after building...) with cows getting groomed. There were fluffy, pretty cows getting their hair washed, clipped, brushed, and blow-dried.  It was crazy. The funniest part was that they were not in pens- just tied to something or loose. People were walking them around on ropes like dogs. I FREAKED ME OUT. I am not one to hang amongst large livestock that could kick or trample me. Jeff and Lauren thought it was totally cool and liked to look at the big ones, little ones, mooing ones, etc. Apparently I was the odd man out, one group had their toddlers laying in the hay amongst their (huge) cattle. I had to leave that area as the panic rose up, this is not my schtick.
It was fun none-the-less. And I learned something. As we walked amongst the beer toting, whiskey drinking crowd at 10am on a Sunday. Cowboys like to drink. Jeff said that he never knew anyone who could drink like a cowboy until he moved to Wisconsin and met the people there. Maybe I could learn to like these people.... (just not sure why you live in Colorado/ Wyoming and pick up a southern accent just because you wear a certain style of shoes/ hat.... ahhh ranchers, thank goodness you like beer and I can learn to understand you....)

PS- can you totally notice the camera quality from these pics to my snow day pic? I am having my camera class in 2 weeks, until then I am mostly using the point-and-shoot. The Nikon just isn't working right for me.