Well here I go! Finally writing my first blog after having this for three months now :) I told myself when I got time I'd write. Well I have time now, probably to much time, for me that is :) I'm so used to being consumed with a hectic life that being laid back for a while is really boring me! Anywho let me get started with why I'm writing this blog. I'm writing because my husband and I so often travel the country and see many different aspects of the great nation we live in and so often we take for granted. I truly want to share my experiences to make others better. Not to mention people are intrigued by the lifestyle we live and cannot grasp how we do it. So I figured I'd share :) here goes nothing!
A little about me... Hmmm... Where to start... First off I have a pretty broad array of task I get myself into ;) lets see like wanna be susie homemaker (cannot cook to save my life, but sure can keep the house clean), party planner (love that one), cupcake decorator (I CAN bake), organic product maker (yes go ahead and laugh but my homemade deodorant works quite well), lover of clothing (cruel girl of course :) and express because I can totally cheat the system with those coupons... I'll teach you), rock cultivator (LOL... Lately I've collected rocks to decorate just about everything), interior designer (of my own house that is... Ripped everything out and started from new), traveler (of course), business owner (this ones brand new... Let's see how it goes), and many more kooky things you'll learn by reading this blog! I am a graduate of Oklahoma State University. Gooooo Pokes! I also work in promotional marketing and modeling, I am public relations chairman of ProRodeo Team Oklahoma, and I volunteer with the Alzheimer's association. But I'm really just a simple person with simple dreams that loves being simple. I don't need what people refer to as "the finer things in life" to make me happy. I'm happy having the people I love around me and enjoying every moment of this wonderful life God has blessed me with! I am the daughter of two wonderful, loving, perfect parents (except for their occasional bickering ;) and I could not have ask for an any better childhood. They gave me all I needed plus much more buttttt they taught me to work for what I have and I thank them so much for that because it has made me who I am today :) I'm also the Sissy (sister in non country terms) to a wonderful brother that I literally probably could not live without. He annoys the living crap out of me sometimes but believe me don't mess with him ;) And last but certainly not least I am the wife of my adoring, amazing, charming husband Tate Stratton! He's the whole reason I am even writing this blog (thanks honey ;)
Here's the scoop on Tate! He's a professional bull rider in the PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association) and the CBR (Championship Bull Riding). Not the PBR... and YES he is still a professional! Actually the PRCA has been around much, much longer than the PBR. Anyway just wanted to get that out there. Many people think since he's not in the PBR he isn't professional but they are WRONG. He is and so are all the other cowboys that work their butts off to be apart of the PRCA and CBR. So Tate started riding bulls at age 8 and has excelled ever since. He grew up in New Mexico but was born an Okie :) now he's back to his roots! Then went on to college in Texas. He graduated from Texas A&M in 2007. While in college he was crowned the College World Champion. For some reason he forgets he won this and I so often have to remind him of his accomplishments! Tate then made the NFR in 2009 and 2011. He's a wonderful athlete that has tons of talent but most of all he's humble. He has no idea the talent he has but I love him for that because only one of us can be big headed in this family ;) just kidding!
I must tell you a little about Tate and I... For starters we met in a very weird, but let's say, high tech way ;) He just happened to pick up someone's phone I was texting (wink wink) he swears he had no intentions of scoring a date (uh huh I'm sure... Lol) Anywho we ended up talking literally all night until sunrise over text. The next day he called and I ignored him because I was so nervous to actually talk to him. A few days later we met (thank God he was who he said he was and wasn't a mass murder... Haha) and the rest is seriously history! He made me more giddy than I ever thought was possible. The butterflies were insane... I loved him! Then about a year and a half later he made the NFR for the first time. For anyone who doesn't know the National Finals Rodeo is the biggest rodeo of the year. It's what cowboys try their entire lives to make it to. The top 15 riders in the world from each event make it... It's an elite competition that is the highest goal for a cowboy! And Tate was finally there! After being 16th, 18th, and 21st in previous years this was amazing. The finals happen in December so I, of course, had finals at college. I had to fly in after Tate had already arrived. He had it all planned out perfect! As soon as I landed at the airport a limo picked me up. Tate had told me he was sending a car because he couldn't come get me due to grand entry practice. To my complete surprise (literally completely surprised) Tate was waiting in the limo for me. With a ring and ask me to marry him. We were both on cloud nine! Him because he finally made finals (oh and because I said yes ;) and me because I was finally going to spend to rest of my life with a wonderful man who I loved with all my heart! We married May 14, 2010 and I have to say it was the most fun I've ever had at a wedding, I guess I could be partial though :) And now almost two years later, Tate's hand surgery, a college degree, and many other ups and downs we are still going strong and enjoying where the road takes us!
So now onto what this blog is really about... Life as a rodeo wife and my life discoveries in general :) Well, first you must get acquainted with weeks without seeing your husband, living out of the bed of your truck (literally), a bunch of random dudes all up in your space, pulling many all nighters driving from rodeo to rodeo then not even being able to sleep because you're so delirious from LACK of sleep, countless fishing trips at random stops along the road, random people stopping to take pictures because they see a "cowboy", and much more craziness! But with all this craziness comes a bond between all the competitors and their family's. Its probably the only sport that cheers for their competitors. Rodeo family is truly a family, we lean on each other in times of need and we rejoice with each other in times of happiness. We truly are one big happy family! Its an amazing experience and I'm very blessed to have been brought into the rodeo family.
Now comes the 2012 update so far (I promise I'll try to keep this up at least once a month). Well, we started the year off on a high! Tate making finals again in 2011 and me finally graduating from college was pretty darn awesome! We kicked the year off at a bull futurity. You must understand we don't get to celebrate many holidays in our lifestyle. Thanksgiving and Christmas are pretty much the only ones we are home for or together for that is. So not getting to do anything on New Years Eve isn't anything new to us. Then we went to Odessa, TX for the rodeo and to visit family. Which was great! And then right back home we went. I worked in LA, yes Los Angeles, this country girl visited the big city ;) wasn't to impressed either! I was in Orange County one weekend and Beverly Hills the next. What to say about those two areas... I saw a lot of botox, blondes, and bad face lifts (hahaha I kid I kid) but seriously A LOT of botox. It sure amazes me how people can be so shallow at times. I mean there's starving people out there and all they can think of is how big their house is and how new their cars must be. There's just so much more to life then THINGS!!! Don't get me wrong I LOVE my clothes but I make sure not to go overboard. Honestly I'm kinda tight! So long story short I had some good sushi in Beverly Hills, must have not been that good though because I don't remember the name of the restaurant, and stayed at a very out of my element hotel that probably cost 300 bucks a night and I couldn't even see to put my makeup on because the lighting was so terrible.... Lol! And for Orange County, I drank a little too much wine and ate an awful funnel cake... FYI LA you can't do southern food ;) But the people I worked with are all awesome, so that's a plus! In between the two weekends I was in LA we went to Ft Worth for the Xtreme Bulls. Next stop was Phoenix, AZ for work. We stayed at an amazing resort, the Montelucia. I highly recommend this to everyone! It was awesome. I literally didn't leave all weekend :) it's right next to Camelback mountain and they have great hiking and scenery. The weather was perfect! 75 in January, I'll take that any day :) Ate some amazing pizza! Try it... It had pesto, mozzarella, tomatoes, broccoli, artichokes, and mushrooms. Hey, I'm not much of a vegetarian eater but give this a chance! Yummy!!! In the meantime while I was off working on the weekends Tate was gone as well. He rode in Denver, Ft Worth, and a few other places I can't remember, in January. So as you can tell we aren't normally even in the same state. Most people would think this could create problems but honestly it doesn't, it makes our time together even more special. I'd love to say we've learned not to take one another for granted but hey we're only humans and I know it happens sometimes but we truly try not to. Now I'm not saying its easy knowing my husband is going to climb on a 1000lb animal with me not being there... NO it isn't! But I've learned to detail. The most common question I'm ask is "doesn't that make you nervous" and I can honestly answer no. I have faith in the Lord that Tate will be protected and so does he. My faith is definitely what keeps me sane sometimes! Now if you ask if my brother fighting bulls makes me a nervous wreck I can answer YES! Not saying my faith isn't as strong over the protection of him, its just the fact he's my BABY brother! But it's time to get over that because he's going to be gone a month fighting bulls in Cody, WY this summer. Which is amazing and great for his career but I might need a nerve pill before its over ;) I guess I've always been super protective over him and I just feel like he's my child. Can't image how I'll be when we have our own. I'm sure Tate is truly terrified of the crazy lady I'll become! Which leads me into, no we are not having children soon, and everyone can stop asking... Lol! I guess getting married people assumed you have to spit out a kid within the year and that ain't (well didn't) happen for us. We have way to much traveling to do before we bring babies into the world :) Don't get me wrong we want them just not NOW! I mean people already ask "why did you get married so young" and I really, really, really want to reply "why are you sooo old and NOT married" but I don't ;) So to answer that question I got married because I felt as though it was the right time in MY life to do so and I love the man I married even more every day, so why not!
Alright so that covers why I'm writing, a little (just a little) about me, how I fell in love with my handsome husband, and just ONE month out of this year so far! I won't bore you with the rest as of now but don't worry I'll be back... SOON! Hope you enjoy :)
