The National Western Stock Show

My Dad really wanted to take Ellie to the Stock Show this year thinking that she would really like to see the animals. So during my last week of maternity leave Poppa, Ellie, Mackenzie and myself all ventured down to the Stock Show. Ellie really enjoyed seeing the animals, I on the other hand could go another 25 years of my life without returning to the stock show.

The trip was really great timing, because Ellie was learning about farms and the animals on farms at school that week. They had just learned that milk comes from dairy cows, and that pigs roll in mud because they don't sweat. So when we arrived at the stock show, and we saw 100's of cows (literally 100's) Ellie wanted to know if those were dairy cows. I explained that No, those were not dairy cows. She asked if we don't get milk from those cows, what do we get? As delicately as I could put it I said, "Mickey Burgers". (Ellie eats hamburgers in the shape of Mickey Mouse). That explaination was enough, and she seemed ok with that. After awhile I got to thinking about our conversation and what she was learning at school. She had learned that the milk from dairy cows comes out of the udders on a cow. It kind of made me wonder what conclusion she had drawn as to where the Mickey Burgers were going to come from.

One of Ellie's favorite parts to the stock show was the sheep sheering. She could have stood there all day watching those sheep get "hair cuts" "because they are real dirty".

All in all, the stock show was a success, and Ellie had a great time. She even took a nap in the car on the way home.