Winning isn't everything, but the will to win is

It seems like everything now days are a competition. Everyone is fighting to get that trophy, the plaque, that money, or whatever else it may be. But winning isn't everything (I just went there). However; the passion, the drive, and the motivation to want to win is.

This past week my Chi Omega sisters and I participated in University Sing with the men of Alpha Tau Omega. Let me enlighten you about what University Sing is. Often called "Sing" for short, this is when sororities and fraternities pair up with each other and put together a Broadway like musical production, then perform in front of the student body.

Our production was called "A Night On the Town". Below is the video of our final performance. 

For me, learning these dances was a HUGE challenge. I mean, for a girl who has always wanted to be a cheerleader, Sing changed my mind, real fast. However, for the past 4 weeks I worked my tail off learning these dances, getting the choreography right, and making it look effortless. In that span of time, I made so many great memories, met new people, shared multiple laughs, and overall enjoyed myself.

Every Chi Omega and ATO worked so hard to make our performance look good. Our drive to win first place was beyond anything I have ever experienced before. The multiple hours and long nights that were taken to perfect our performance was proof of our dedication to each other, and or drive to reach that final goal; that first place trophy. 

After our performance it was awards time. As everyone waited anxiously for that announcement between first and third place, our hard work just wasn't enough. We heard those words fall. 

Right in that moment I realized that I didn't need a trophy, all I needed was the great memories, laughs, and good friends I was left with. No trophy could replace those things. Trophy's fade, but those memories I made with my sisters and the men of ATO is something that will never be replaced. 

So here’s to my Chi Omega Sisters, the ATO men, and all of our fans who made the audience so loud we couldn't here our music...thank you. Thank you for the great laugh, the sisterhood, the memories, the cheers, the screams, and the support. You all hold a very specie place in my heart that a trophy cannot.

Remember winning isn't everything,

The Dirt Road Daughter

Riding off into the sunset

Two years ago, although it seems like more than that, the young, up and coming cowboys that I grew up with rode off into the sunset. 

As Mike and Jesse set off for the pro rodeo in Cave Creek, Arizona, they had no idea what awaited them.

It was Mike's first pro rodeo saddle bronc win, and Jesse's first taste of what life would be like as a pro rodeo cowboy, both living out their dreams.

They planned on leaving Arizona early Sunday morning so they could make it back to school on Monday...but they never returned. 

The day is one that stands out in my mind like a sore thumb. The memories never fade. The questions never seize. The fact that the boys were never going to walk through the front doors of Goddard High School ever again, was a feeling that can't be explained.

The amount of people that showed up at their house's the day the news hit astonished me. These boys touched so many lives. The memorial for the boys was one Roswell had never seen.

Close to a two thousand people showed up to show their respect. The stories that were told, the memories that were made, was all proof that these boys were great, inspirational individuals, whom people looked up too.

I remember Jesse's voice singing “I was sitting on the chutes talking to my mom. She teared up and I asked what was wrong. She said, ‘It’s about your friend and you’ll never see him again.’ I hit my knees and I began to cry, and asked the Lord, ‘Why, oh why, did he have to go, did he have to die?’ He didn’t get the chance to live his life,” over the loud speaker, and listening to the sobs of everyone in the room.

Mike and Jesse are heroes. But they are home now, in the sky, watching over everyone.

There's no doubt about it that I miss those boys every single day, but I know the good die and young, and the boys were definitely good ones.

Prayers for the family,

Dirt Road Daughter 

Mondays

Monday...
Defined as: "The day of the week before Tuesday and following Sunday"


Mondays are the busiest day of the week for me.


Wake up at 6:30 A.M
Math at 8:00 A.M (EVERYDAY!!!!)
Speech at 9:00 A.M
Ag Comm at 10:30 A.M (this is where I get to draw picture...alot of them)
Lunch till 12 P.M
Nap till 2 P.M
Basic Video Production at 2:30 P.M 
(I loathe this class. I'm not a cactus of anything, but I know and prick when I see one and Ryan Hazelwood is one. Just saying) 
Work at 4:15 P.M (I babysit. Its fun)
                <<<<<-------somewhere between here and there is dinner
Get off work at 6:30 P.M
                <<<<<-------somewhere between here and there ^ is dinner
Meeting at 6:45 P.M (Hoot Hoot I love Chi Omega)
Meeting end at 8:30-9ish
Homework starting at 9 P.M
Bedtime is when everything has been accomplished.


But today!
Today is an abnormal Monday...TWO of my FOUR classes have been canceled. I have so much time on my hands I don't even know what to do. With it being Monday I don't have any homework (yet. Ryan Hazelwood will probably change that real quick.).

I do have a horticulture project that is due on the 24th but that's like a week and a half away, plus what kind of college student would I be if I didn't wait till the last minute to do it? 


I digress...Back to MONDAY!


While I am having a good Monday (I probably just jinxed it) I hope everyone else has a good on too! Don't forget...MONDAY is the day of the week before Tuesday and following Sunday!


Have a blessed Monday,
The Dirt Road Daughter

Don't cry over ruined cupcakes...

11:45 this morning this was the goal:

By 4:40 this afternoon this was the outcome:

Yep I know, I nailed it....

As you can see these cupcakes didn't turn out (obviously). After multiple hours working on them, I was to a point where I was almost in tears over...over cupcakes! Something that wasn't worth my tears, but had seemed to get the best of me. After snapping back into reality that these were just CUPCAKES, and they do not need to control my emotions. I realized there are way more things I should be worried about instead of these dumb cupcakes. And they are not that good for you anyways.

So next time you let the little things get to you, re think what you are letting control your emotions. Because let me tell ya, cupcakes DO NOT deserve your tears. 

I am going to enjoy these awful looking, but oh so yummy cupcakes.

The Dirt Road Daughter

Dirt Road Lessons

Life in the country is anything but boring.

By growing up in the country I have learned multiple things. Of those the most important is...(drumroll please)


1.) Hard work = happy life. End of story. 
The harder you work, the most satisfying it is when that hard work pays off. I remember spending my summers, need i remind you that 112 degree weather, walking pigs, working sheep, and training cattle. But when you get that purple banner at the show, you know the time you put in payed off. I would never, ever, ever trade that time in for anything.


2.) How to go from dirt to diamonds in less than 30 minutes. This really pays off when you wake up late for classes...just FYI
     The weekends are always spent out at the barn. Usually from sun up to sun down. That means you have a long period of time to get dirty. Which is not that hard anyways. But that also means, if you ever wanted to go out, you had to bust your bum to get things done. Usually that means there not much time to get cleaned up. I have mastered the art of getting completely dressed and ready in 30 minutes or less.


3.) If you have time to boss your sister around, you have time to do it yourself....its usually easier too.
     The fights me and my sister get into usually have something to do with one bossing the other around..usually. By the time you give her an order, argue about her doing it, and her finally doing, is much more time than if you were just to do it yourself. Soo, save time and just do it yourself.

4.) You can work more muscles by clipping pigs, unloading feed, and working animals, than any amount of time you spend at the gym. 
     Clipping pigs is more than just 'clipping pigs'. Whitley: Catches Pig, Snares Pig, Clips Pig, Unsnares pig, Pick up pig, Unleash pig into its pen. Its pretty much a one person show (a;though my sister thinks she helps). But these pigs weigh anywhere from 20-40 pounds. So 40 pounds times 15 pigs..well you do the math.

5.) Family is most important...always.
    My family has ALWAYS been there. From my 4-H days, my FFA days, my sports, shows, fairs, conventions, conferences..ect. I can do anything with them right by my side. END OF STORY. 


I couldn't imagine my life any different!


Stay Precious,

The Dirt Road Daughter