"Second Chances" (Rodeo clown song) Original song by Dustin Craig

The Rodeo Wife

RIP Travis Darling

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Travis Darling's family!
Please keep this family in your prayers~
PRCA saddle bronc rider Travis Darling died Oct. 29 when the pickup truck he was driving ran off FM 487 near Rockdale, Texas, skidded sideways and overturned. He was 23.

Darling, who won his hometown Steamboat Springs (Colo.) ProRodeo Series in 2009, had recently moved from Morrison, Okla., to Tex...

as, to take a job training cutting horses.

He bought his PRCA card in 2010 and finished ninth in the rookie saddle bronc riding standings that year, winning the Will Rogers Stampede in Claremore, Okla., and the Cold Lake (Alberta) Stampede.

Over five seasons as a permit and card holder, Darling won at least a share of 10 PRCA saddle bronc riding titles.

Darling was the Colorado high school champion in cutting horse competition in 2007 and qualified for the National High School Finals Rodeo as a saddle bronc rider, earning a rodeo scholarship to Casper (Wyo.) College.

Darling is survived by his parents, Mark and Barb, and his brother, Jeremy.

 

 

Just for Fun......

Well as you know from my post a few days ago, Chris has TWO weeks off! I can not tell you how exciting this is for me...however I made a decision I never thought I would ha ha.

This weekend I planned a fun filled vacation to Mississippi. Our agenda?.......A two day BULLFIGHT!!!!! Oh jeez! This is what now makes me happy :)

Its going to be a freestyle bullfight and I can not wait to watch my honey jump a few cross bred Mexican fighting bulls!!!!!

NMRA Director!!!!

 

Well my husband got appointed NMRA Bullriding Director this weekend! I couldnt be prouder of him!!!!!! He works so hard on his career and deserves to do amazing things in this sport! Chris has so much to offer to the NMRA and I am so proud to see what he is going to do with it!


I want to send a special thanks out to everyone who supports him and believes in him! Without all of you guys he would not  have this great oppurtunity!

 

 

www.csmprobullfighter.webs.com

 

 

What is time off????

In 6 days the love of my life will be home for 2 WHOLE weeks!!!! What ever will I do???? We have NEVER in 13 years had that much time together without a rodeo! I am not even sure how to act.

We were discussing things we are going to do with our time and neither of us could fill up two weeks worth of projects, trips, and date nights. Thats the thing about having a husband who works year round on the road. He not only has a summer run like alot of cowboys he has a winter run as well.

These two weeks are a blessing to us because it was by choice of the stock contractor that we get this time together! So what do normal families do? I need some help here planning our time together!

Tentions flare

It never seems to fail that the miles and days bring out the worst in both of us :( Last night was one of those nights. Nothing I could say seemed to be right and it just opened up the flood gates for so many other issues that I didn't even know were there.

It always seems to get this way after about two weeks and this trip is no different. Cowboys on the road are subjected to sex, drugs, and who knows what else and being out there and having to remember that there is a family at home and they need you puts a lot of pressure on a cowboy. Being the one that has to be in four different places at once for the kids and still run all the errands he is calling home with also takes its toll. Unfortunately, we don't always handle that stress well and take it out on each other.  :(

Hoping for a better day today! I sure miss my husband and the last thing I want to do it fight with him the whole time he is gone!

Missing him....

I HATE watching bull riding's over and over and OVER again but I found myself watching tons of them this morning. I am thinking I must really be missing my husband!

In my many of many videos I came across this one and thought I would share BUT it will not upload :( Its a great video of him saving a kid and getting thrown in the air! I love watching the good ones ;)

We get to visit with great friends!

waiting around

Photos for fans :)

Chris works the Texas Jr. High State finals ever year and I have some pretty good pics of him upside down on top of a bull going in circles! Now most women would find this type of career a bit on the wild side but I honestly would not have it any other way :)

Love being on the road with him :)

The Loss of Rex Dunn

Today the rodeo world lost a great man. Mr. Rex Dunn passed away this morning after a long and strong fight with cancer. This man was great at what he did. He had a passion that was somehow contagious. He taught his craft to manyof bullfighter looking to "fill the shoes". He was a great bullfighter, cowboy, hand, husband, father and person!

He will forever be missed and never forgotton. RIP Rex! No more pain and no more hook 'ens.

Forever in hearts <3

To homeschool or not.......

The girls

So we have been struggling with the decision to homeschool our children or leave them in public schools. This is not because we dont like homeschool or because we are overly protective, this is because we miss daddy so much we want to be on the road with him. I wonder how much my kids will miss in life not going to school and how much about life they will  learn on the road. I want them to learn the basic understanding of life but I also want them to see the world and be able to do it without worring about money and college. So torn between what our hearts want and what feels right.



The boys

When he is away.....

Well its times like now that make this life style challenging. My husband is gone for a three week stretch and I am missing him like crazy. It is one week and counting and I can not wait for him to return. Sadly our life does not stop just because he is gone. Our son started baseball and our daughter cheer leading this past week and dad missed it. They know that dad has got to work though and they are supportive. I try to remain busy while he is gone because it seems to make the time go by faster.

I think that I have decided to return to work but I am afriad that I wont have time to be both parents when he is away. I wish I could say that it gets easier but it really doesnt. I miss my husband, best friend, and partner in life.

Where to start....

The life of a rodeo wife is demanding and challenging and very rarely rewarding. My husband is on the road 300 days a year. We are lucky if we get 5 days a month with him. We have seen the world at this point, 13 years in. My husband is a professional bullfighter(the clown). He is in charge of protecting the cowboys once they have dismounted the bull. While this career seems dangerous I seem to find comfort in it. We have seen our fair share of injuries and surgeries, but somehow it is worth it all. The look on my husbands face the moment he puts his make up on and steps into the areana is like none other. For us it is no different than the Dr. husband, attorney, oil field worker, etc. This is the life we have choosen and we love it even in the hardest times.

Trinidad CO 2010
 

I decided to start blogging because I need an outlet for when my best friend is on the road and I am home with the kids. We have four. Two 8 yr old girls and two 7 yr old boys. While I wouldnt change a thing in our life, soemtimes it is hard to say goodbye and do it on my own for weeks at a time. The kids are all involved in some kind of activities and I am a full time student.