Rodeo 2026

Thursday night, we took the three youngest to the rodeo.

It was SO hot.

Like, ridiculously HOT.

Like, don't stand up because moisture from your body will exit through pores on your bottom!

Anywho, it was still fun.

Ryker brought Trypp again.

Cooper's girlfriend was still in Costa Rica, so his bestie Nathan came.

Porter brought his girlfriend, Brooklyn.

Of course, Burke brought me and I brought him.

Before we left for the rodeo, I noticed the newest beautiful roses Burke got for me.

He tries to make sure there are fresh flowers in the home for me.

They make me happy.

And then on Friday, we went and got our pedicures and got my finger nails fixed up.

It's football season and the boys always expect that my nails will be supportive of them!

"Nailed" it!

 

RiRi is 29!

Miss Rian is 29!

Rian loves being a mother, and she is such an involved, happy, joyful mama.

She is creative and loves to bake cakes and cake pops - and the family loves eating them!

Rian is beautiful inside and out.

Being the only girl with eight brothers cannot be easy.

We love her endlessly!

 

Coopy!

I spy with my little eye Coopy's name under "Defensive Line!!"

I am hoping that he has the best football season ever... since it's his senior year.

 

Latest Backyard Update

The backyard is still coming together.

The latest add is the pergola.

Burke, Porter, and Cooper put it together.

Then, they put it together.

It's so much putting together.

Like, put it together... move it to its final resting spot and put it together???

They almost had it done when Braxton and Jackson showed up for family dinner.

Height is helpful with this stuff!

They finished it up after five hours in the heat.

Mind you, I was "taking care of the pool."
By, "taking care of the pool," I mean FLOATING in the pool...

You know, in preparation of the grandbabies arriving.

It's fabulous.

I love it!

Now the umbrella can shade the sandbox and/or wading pool for the babies!!

We just need to finish moving dirt from the two left-over dirt piles, move the rest of the gravel, hang the string lights, and settle in!

 

July Family Dinner

We missed Kaydon & Lenny, Rian & Tyler, and Bubba & Suzanne.

Gigi swam in the pool with the four grandbabies.

They are getting so good in the pool.

We got Kehlani some goggles and she just goes on her way, "swimming like a mermaid!"

Hudson is getting way more comfortable.

Delilah just does what she wants!

Melanie is a fish.

The parents, and parents-to-be, played a game and we FaceTimed Kaydon & Lenny.

The babies found Papa... wherever he was.

Hudson did some cleaning.

Kehlani made Papa a bracelet.

Gigi went to bed and Papa came to lay with me.

So did the babies and it was the best!

 

Kaydon’s Wedding

Kaydon and Lenny were married on Friday.

He FaceTimed me just before the ceremony and I added Jackson & Isis.

I watched my son be married on FaceTime.

This is what Kaydon has wanted, and so we are happy for him.

He loves Lenny and her son, Gael.

They'll need to get married again if they ever do come back to the States.

Obviously, this marriage is only recognized in the Dominican Republic.

We hope that they are able to start their lives as a family and that he will be happy!

 

Boys Trip

Cooper & Ryker went to San Diego for a few days with their mom and family!
I was excited for them to go and spend some time with her.

I hoped it would bring more closeness and bonding...

I always miss them, though!

They got to go to a San Diego Padres game and loved it!

They sent me random pictures, which I loved!

Coop is currently obsessed with corvettes.

He saw lots and took pictures of all of them!

They got to walk by the USS Midway.

I was super sad that they didn't get to tour it.

The big boys and I got to tour it years ago and it was one of the coolest things I've ever done!

I loved that Coop sent me a picture of an ice cream dessert he had.

On one of their last days there, they got to go to Sea World.

I've never been to Sea World.

It looked like the best time!

I asked them what their favorite parts of the trip were:

Coop: The Food 

Ryker: Sea World or the Ocean