High 5, Friday!

I've thought it was Friday every day since Wednesday, so I'm clearly excited today is finally here! It's been a super fun week though, so let's hand out some high fives :)

1. Marley Lilly had a flash sale! I already talked about how in love I am with the #Merica bow I ordered. Well, my order is processing, which means it should be headed my way soon!

One of the best emails to receive!

2. Thabo visited the dog park! We went Wednesday after work, and Thabo made friends this time :)

He also enjoyed the water and was a little duck swimming (and walking) around like a pro. He's the dot in the middle of the video. 

3. All together now...."Awe!!"

My brother's pup, Max. He now likes treats. #oops

4. Last night I got to feed the cattle with daddy. He had me stop the truck in the middle of the field as we were herding our donkey (formerly known as Johnny Appleseed - now called Bugs) so that he could pick me a weed. :)

5. The last high five goes to Pinterest...just for being awesome. 

Now it's time for the weekend (well, after a day of work)! It better include a snow cone...and lots of Vine videos, of course. :)

Dear past, meet present. I didn't pick it, but it's kinda nice. Love, Shae

I started showing livestock when I was about 5 years old, but my family's tradition of practically living half our lives in a show barn started long before then. I wanted to show sheep because Katie and Christie showed sheep, and if Katie and Christie did it, it had to be cool. My Uncle Shawn showed cattle, and I very distinctly remember a steer named Midnight going to market. Not cool, Uncle Shawn, not cool at all. Even before those that I remember, my Momma showed pigs and cattle and Daddy showed sheep and cattle. So livestock showing was just kind of in the family genes...speaking of jeans, I wish I could find the picture of little me helping Katie at the County Sale - I'm decked out in pink, jeans included. On second thought, leaving that picture out might not be such a bad idea.

While I won't pretend to wish I was still out in the barn at 5am working lambs every day, I treasure memories of the sound of a newborn lamb and receiving the sweet snuggles of our oldest ewe & my second show lamb, Pazarra. The late nights Daddy and I spent working in the barn might not have always brought out the best in either of us, but I knew the barn was a safe place for my dreams to grow, and that mom and dad would always encourage and support those dreams-turned-passions. I loved every single minute of showing sheep, even those that at the time I might not have liked very much. I learned the value of hard work, that money and success don't grow on trees and that you only get out of something what you put into it. As for my dad? He learned not to make a bet with me if there was a chance he might lose. :)

Kale holding a newborn lamb

I don't always show sheep when my brother needs help, but when I do, I wear white shorts.

My brothers made the switch to steer showing while I was in college, which meant all our sheep were sold to make way for a new adventure: raising cattle, with some horses to play with too. Initially I wasn't overjoyed - they were changing my tradition! I was scared of cattle, because they are big. But I realized Kaden and Kale weren't going to live out my dream - it was time for them to live their own. No matter if it is in the show barn, on the basketball court, on a baseball diamond or in a karate room, I want to see my brothers succeeding and reaching the goals they've set, chasing their dreams. My dream was to win grand lamb at county. I did it. It was time for new dreams to be made, new goals to be set, and new animals to be brought in. Showtime Club Lambs was no more - it was time for the Kennedy fam to raise some cattle.

a newborn calf...okay, I could get used to this adorableness.

 

I think I've adjusted pretty well to life as a cattle rancher's daughter ;) I've petted newborn calves and given kisses to show steers (not many times on either, but hey, I've done it). I've even fed the cows without getting trampled and walked my brothers' steers without being drug all over the place! The sound of weaning calves might be more annoying than the "baa" of a little lamb, but it's just as sweet. In the end, being involved in agriculture, watching my brothers succeed, seeing the leadership developed through FFA and 4-H, the responsibility developed by raising, caring for and showing an animal - that's what I love. As the FFA creed says, "...I believe that to live and work on a good farm, or to be engaged in other agricultural pursuits, is pleasant as well as challenging; for I know the joys and discomforts of agricultural life and hold an inborn fondness for those associations which, even in hours of discouragement, I cannot deny..." It applies regardless of it is with sheep, cattle or baby giraffes (speaking of: Daddy, I want this. Please.).

Pailynn helped me hold Kaden's steer at the County Sale last night.

County Sheep Show 2010 - the last year my brothers showed sheep.

And now, for some humooooooor:

I kind of lost my brother

A lot has happened in the last two weeks since I abandon my blog. #whoops. My reason excuse for not sharing anything was the blackberry I was using for two weeks while waiting on my iPhone to finally come in! After getting feedback on which case to get, I finally settled on Orange Lightning from Marley Lilly!




To quickly bring you all up to speed on the life of Shae, here are a few pictures.

Laine & I went to EYB at Tulsa last Sunday. I'm not sure if we enjoyed the concert or the people around us more! We were near some very interesting people for sure. Before we left the fair, Laine finally became a real cowboy rode the mechanical bull. Most were impressed with this LeDoux-like skills, and I was just impressed my city friend stayed on the bull, real or not, long enough to hit the eight second mark!






I took off work on Thursday to watch my little brothers show their steers. The Kennedy boys are carrying on the tradition of good livestock showmanship and I am so proud of them. They both got third in their class and Kale was second alternate for the sale.

My favorite and least favorite part of steer shows is when an exhibitor lets his or her animal loose. Or sometimes, when an exhibitor's parent lets the animal loose (side eye, TK). IMy dad let this happen, and of course I was on hand to document the rodeo that followed with Kaden's steer.






Friday evening, my cousin was playing in Edmond in the Class A State Baseball tournament (at small schools, like AmPo and Latta, football doesn't exist, so they play fall baseball.). Bryce and the Latta Panthers easily defeated Sterling, though I'm not sure my aunt quit bouncing up and down nervously the entire time (Ps - I love the iPhone panoramic camera!).




Since they won, they played for the state title at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark on Saturday!




After the game, Kale, Meg and I decided we needed cupcakes to warm us up (all the hot chocolate we drank during the game, along with blankets and layers, we're not helping a bit). We ran over to Pinkitzel, and Meg and I decided my next birthday party would be held there, and glittery heels would be required. I had the lemon chiffon cupcake and it was amazing.




And now, for the dramatic part of the story.

Kale needed new tennis shoes, so being the nice sister I am, I agreed to take him to buy some. While we are browsing the Nike store, he looks at me with a panicked expression.
"Sisigottagotothebathroomkbye." (Translation: sis, I have to go to the bathroom)
And he ran off.

I assumed he went to the bathroom in the store...until a few minutes later when I discover the store doesn't have a bathroom! Now it's my turn for the panicked expression. I asked the guy helping us where the nearest bathroom was, and he directed me across the hall. I go check - there are two family bathrooms, both with open doors and no sign of my brother. Remaining calm freaking out, I go to the next closest ones, in the food court, and call my dad to let him know I potentially have lost his 12-year-old. There's a guy about my age walking out of the men's room as I walk up, so I ask if he would go inside and see if there is a boy named Kale in there. He does, and there is, so I stop panicking. Unfortunately, there must have been a different boy named Kale, because it was not my Kale.

Feeling as though I am about to be disowned by my mother for losing her youngest child, I go to the information desk and ask if they will help me find my brother. At this exact time, I get an iMessage from my mom asking where I'm at.

Clearly, I was not about to tell her I lost Kale (I forgot to mention - she had surgery Friday).

Then she sends me another message. Kale is in the Nike store looking for you.

I tell the information desk people I found him and make a mad dash back to the Nike store to find my charming little brother standing at the front waiting on me. Not panicked at all. Ready to look for shoes. Completely unaware that his bathroom trip took several years off my life that a truck had already tried to shorten.

Needless to say, I bought him the shoes and did not let him out of my sight for a second until I had delivered him back to his tiny human keepers (parents) and vowed never to mix my brother and shoe shopping again. Ever.

I took this picture of Kale at lunch and I was pretty sure it was going to be on milk cartons before I found him.




Ps - keepers of tiny humans who I frequently spoil - don't worry, this won't happen again.