Celebrate a Texas-size Spring Break with us today on the Glo Girl Blog! Our Priority staff had a fabulous Spring Break with our families and friends last week, so we want to share it with you, and we’re going to start with my all-time favorite Texas-style event:
The Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo!
Yee-haw, yall! It’s three full weeks of the biggest, best rodeo on the planet. And this year, Shanda Stiles (Priority’s IT & Events Director) and her family were right in the big middle of it because her son, Levi was showing his pig, Garrison. Yes, I know that’s a pretty big name for a pig but as you can see, he’s one BIG PIG.
Even cowgirl wannabes like me wear boots and a cowboy hat to the Houston Rodeo. But when you’re the proud mama of a handsome young man participating in the rodeo, you might just put on a little something extra.
Like a pig snout! Now that’s one fun mama.
Shanda and her family spent most of their Spring Break at the rodeo, and she said it was one of the best experiences they’ve ever shared together. Pictured here (l-r) are Levi, Morgan (Shanda’s husband), Shanda, and Leah (Shanda’s daughter and our favorite Priority office volunteer).
All rodeos include events like bull riding, steer roping, and barrel racing. But the Houston Rodeo includes one of the most unique events ever: the calf scramble.
Picture this: 30 teens stand inside a huge arena. A single gate is opened, and 15 calves running full-speed are released into the arena. Then, using only their bare hands and a simple, rope halter, each kid tries to catch a calf. The calf scramble is high-energy fun and one of the most popular events at the rodeo. And guess who participated in this year’s calf scramble?
That’s right, Levi! And he was both a WINNER, and . . .
. . . a STAR! After catching his calf, the rodeo announcer interviewed Levi and all 75000+ people in attendance (including Priority Executive Director, Pam Henderson, her hubby, Joe, my husband, Bill, and me) got to watch his interview on the giant, jumbo-tron screen! So exciting!! Each calf scramble winner receives a check to purchase a calf to raise and show at next year’s rodeo, so it looks like Shanda and her family will be making a second Spring Break appearance at next year’s rodeo!
It’s time to ride off into the sunset to the second stop on our Texas-size Spring Break adventure, so let’s head West to:
San Antonio & Monahans, Texas!
On this leg of our journey, we’ll be tagging along with somebody near and dear to all of you Glo Girl bloggers: Emily Ryan, Priority’s Executive Editor and blogger extraordinaire! Meet her adorable kids:
That’s (l-r) Gideon, Adelle, and Canaan — and many assorted stuffed animals some of which I’m fairly certain were purchased at . . .
. . . Sea World of Texas! Pictured (l-r) are Emily, Canaan, (Shamu, of course), Gideon, Jason (Emily’s hubby), and Adelle.
There’s so much to do in San Antonio. It really is the perfect Texas-size Spring Break destination. But if you really want a great Texas-style experience, the best place to stay is the Hill Country Hyatt.
Not only will your kids enjoy a camp fire and s’mores every night, take a look at the carpet that beautiful boy is sitting on. Talk about Texas-style, the wildflowers of Texas are woven right in — and they even let small children eat s’mores on it! If that’s not proof enough that the Hill Country Hyatt is the most beautiful, hospitable, kid-friendly place to spend Spring Break, then take a closer look at those tennis shoes on the furniture! I rest my case.
What you are about to see is not a beach.
This is the sandhills at Monahans State Park way out in West Texas where Emily, Jason, and the kids enjoyed a few more days of their Texas-style Spring Break (and drawing from my own past experiences of trips that include sand and small children, I think I can accurately say that some of that sand now and forevermore is resting deep within the carpet and upholstery of Emily’s car).
Before we depart for the final leg of our Texas-size Spring Break, take a look at this beautiful Texas birthday girl, Emily and Jason’s daughter, Adelle.
Adelle’s Spring Break included her first birthday celebration. Happy birthday, sweet thing!
And speaking of birthday girls, Stephanie Cole (Priority’s Administrative Director) and her family celebrated Spring Break with another very special birthday girl, and that means we need to head home to:
Houston, Texas!
Meet Stephanie’s daughter (and my beautiful granddaughter), Juliette:
Fat as butter and happy, happy, happy, this is my favorite picture of Juliette. It was taken when she was a toddler. But as you’re about to see, she’s a big girl now.
This year, Juliette turned 4. So her mother, Stephanie, and I took her out for a Big Girl Day that started with her very first mani/pedi.
Next, we took the birthday girl for some birthday curls!
Then, we went: SHOPPING! Please excuse me for a moment while I pause for a brief word of prayer: Lord, thank you for letting this mother of sons have a granddaughter so I can finally shop in the girls department. Glory! Amen.
After a birthday dinner that evening, our family celebrated Juliette’s birthday with a yummy, pink Strawberry Shortcake birthday cake that Stephanie made and decorated. Pictured (l-r) are Juliette, Stephanie, my son David, and Ezra.
Well, as they say, all good things must come to an end (and by now, I’m sure you’ve seen that Spring Break in Texas is a very good thing). But this girl made sure that her Spring Break concluded in the very best way possible: with a sleepover with the grandkids!
Whether you still have snow on the ground (God bless you my precious sisters in Alaska), or whether you live in a state where they have no rodeos, Hyatt Hill Country, sandhills, or Sea World, I hope you’ve enjoyed this vicarious, Texas-style Spring Break. And from all of your Priority glo girl sisters, may God give you a glo-rious spring as you give Him priority.
Your sister,
