Yuma Pig Show 2/28/09

The kids were involved in yet another pig show that was in Yuma. We left on Friday around noon, stopped in Gila Bend at the McDonalds (I am not a McDonalds fan, but it is slim pickins in Gila Bend!) then it was off to Yuma. We got there & sat around & visited with all the other pig enthusiasts as we will call them! Todd was waiting for the sun to move before unloading the pigs because well...they get sunburned! So we waited around for awhile, then finally they weighed the pigs & got them settled in for the night. We left & checked in at our hotel, Holiday Inn Express which was very nice. We decided to hit Outback for dinner with our friends the Harts, the kids all decided to stay with Mamo Hart and swim, so we went from a party of 13 to just 6, that was nice! We ate our food, Todd was in heaven because he LOVES Outback. Then back to hotel to check on the kids. Brennen & his buddy Cutter were hanging out in the lobby drinking hot chocolate sitting on the couch watching tv, for some reason we found this so funny, they looked so silly just the 2 of them, so of course we had to give them a hard time about it! Anyway then it was time for bed which didn't go so well. Russ woke up around 1 & decided he didn't like the hotel crib, but he also doesn't like sleeping with anyone, he needs his space. He whined, cried, tossed & turned until about 3. Then Todd was up at 530 ironing his clothes to perfection...why, I don't know...it was a pig show where he wasn't showing & he was just going to end up covered in pig poop anyway. So of course Russ was back up again, Brennen & Todd finally leave & I get Russ back to sleep around 6. I get up & hurry to get ready for the day so I can get everyone else ready before Todd comes back to get us. It was a huge rush & was amazing how quickly 2 hours flew by when you are trying to wake cranky kids up and bathe them & curl hair to look pretty for the show ring. Anyway we survived the morning and made it to the fairgrounds.

Makenna was in the 2nd class for showmanship, she used Priscilla for show, she did so well, we were so proud of her since now it was her 2nd time to show. Priscilla is typically calm & easy going, however we found a new side to Priscilla while in Yuma! She was causing fights left & right. It was bad enough that we had to load her back in the pig trailer and take her to the hotel with us because she wouldn't quit fighting with the pigs in the pen next to her. So during the show we were a little worried about how she was going to be, she did cause a few smaller fights, but she didn't get completely out of control. Back to Makenna...she actually had improved quite a bit since the Casa Grande show & I think it helped that she was less nervous and she knew what to expect. She didn't place, but she still did a great job & looked so cute out there in the ring, and her pig cooperated quite well considering what a nightmare she had been the night before.

Brennen was in the 7th class for showmanship, he used Fat Mama. He did really good, he seemed a little more calm & not so ADD. We all crack up at him because he keeps his tongue out while he shows, apparently it helps him concentrate or it is a nervous thing, either way he is unaware he is doing it! Brennen didn't place, but the judge did give him kuddos for his handling when he first came out of the gate, so Brennen was excited that he was mentioned.

So it was on to the market show. Mak & Priscilla were first, she did great again, she ended up placing 5th with Priscilla! She was so excited, the smile on her face when they handed her an envelope was priceless, it didn't matter to her that it was only $5, she was just thrilled to have placed. Next was Brennen with Lawnmower, he did great and the pig placed 4th. So Brennen was given an envelope with $10.00, another excited kid! Next was Brennen with Fat Mama, I feel bad but for some reason I can't remember what he placed with her, maybe it was 6th. I don't think the judge liked Durocs! Then it was on to Mak & Wanda, she again placed 5th and was given that much sought after white envelope with another $5 in it! We were just excited that they placed, it wasn't much money, but the confidence that it gives them for the next show is really what we are looking for. It was a great time for all of us and again we were proud of them for doing such a great job. They also ended up with a few other prizes for participating.

So it was time to load up the pigs & head back to Buckeye, of course this wouldn't go without an incident involving police you know! We made it to Gila Bend, stopped for ice cream at the DQ, (funny thing, they had a list of everything they were out of...basically everything but ice cream, thank goodness, what good is a DQ with no ice cream?!) So we eat up our ice cream and get in the truck to head back to Buckeye, we traveled for awhile then notice the lovely red & blue lights and the siren, Todd is like oh crap I am gonna get pulled over. So he pulls over, the guy comes up to the window asks for all the info tells him he was going around 70. Well we can't find an insurance card (I will take fault for that one, it just renewed in Feb & I never gave him a new one, oddly he couldn't even find an old one though!) So in the mean time we are rumaging through everything, Todd happens to pull a box of 9mm shells out of the console, the cop immediately asks if he has a weapon in the vehicle, Todd says yeah I have a 9mm in the door, the cop says don't reach for it, (like he would!) the cop opens up the door to check the situation, within 2 seconds there are 2 more cops, one at my door, and one at Russ's door. I was starting to panic a little cuz I don't know the laws for carrying guns, so the main cop goes back to his car, I am freaking out a little bit (if you ask Todd I was freaking out a lot, I really wasn't though) then he informs me that he has never had the trailer registered in his name. So there were are, no insurance, no reg on trailer, gun in door, and Garret has no seat belt on. I am thinking we are so toasted on every level here. The cop comes back & says I am going to give you a break, just slow down...I was like are you kidding me?! Only Todd...he gets out of speeding tickets all the time not to mention this could have resulted in more than a speeding ticket. Geez, I guess I should just be thankful he was nice, but I just wish Todd's good luck with the cops would rub off on me some time! So we finally made it home, is always good to be back home. It was a fun weekend & I am so glad that we are able to spend time as a family hanging out & enjoying each other doing things that the kids really enjoy & being around good people.