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     I was raised in a cowboy town.  Clovis, CA was a great place to grow up. The schools were (and as far as I know still are), some of the best in the state.  It had a tradition of conservative, good values, agriculture and yes, cowboys! Every year in April we celebrated Rodeo Days.  That Friday at school, we could dress up in western garb.  On Saturday, there was the Rodeo Day parades.  The high school band and the bands from neighboring Fresno marched in it.  There were floats and Shriner clowns and lots and lots of horses.  Then, Saturday through Sunday was the Clovis Rodeo.  I grew up there in the 1960s-1970s, but the traditions carry on today. The Rodeo in 2018 was the 104th Clovis Rodeo!  I lived out in the country, but I was never a part of the cowboy culture.  I've only ridden a horse a handful of times and as a child, my one claim to fame was being bucked from a donkey as my brother and I rode it down our driveway. But, I sure loved the cowboy traditions that surrounded me and I was proud to be a part of a town that was rich in tradition. 

     My husband has better cowboy roots than I do.  His great uncle was Billy Bonnell, a fairly famous rodeo cowboy! 

    I am giving you all of this information because today is actually National Cowboy Day! Having been raised with the traditions and stories and movies that romanticized the American Cowboy, we thought we would join in the celebration today.  For Friday Faves, we are sharing some of our favorite cowboy themed things! 

Movies

     My husband isn't a cowboy, but he loves westerns! I have to admit, I am pretty fond of old westerns movies myself.  Here are some of our faves:

• Run, Appaloosa, Run- I include this Disney movie because it actually has scenes filmed at the Clovis Rodeo! 
• True Grit- The original John Wayne version is my husband's favorite. 
• The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance- Lindsey picked this movie starring Jimmy Stewart and John Wayne. 
• The Magnificent Seven- I love the lessons you can find in this movie.  It is a great one.
• Another favorite of my husband, The Outlaw Josey Wales- I couldn't leave Clint Eastwood off of the list. 
• Other John Wayne faves are McLintock, Big Jake, and Rio Bravo.  Actually, there are so many good John Wayne Westerns, I can't begin to name them all.  Which one is your favorite?

Music

     I actually have a couple of sons who grew up loving hard rock music who have converted to Country Western.  

• One of my sons was converted by Brad Paisley! I think the song, "I'm Gonna Miss Her" did it.
• Another of my sons loves to play and sing some of the really old country music by Hank Williams and George Jones, to name a couple of artists. My husbands family has a tradition with that kind of music. 
• I am a rock and roll girl, but I do love to hear Clint Black sing "Something That We Do."

Other Cowboy Finds

And Maddy points out that we can't forget this favorite cowboy, Woody from Toy Story! 

     So, that is our nod to our cowboy heritage!  Do we have any cowboy or girl readers out there?  Or, were any of your ancestors cowboys?  That family history is fascinating to learn about! We would love to hear from you.
     Enjoy your weekend! 

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      The month of June has some really interesting obscure holidays.  Yesterday was Go Skate Day as well as International Yoga Day. Tomorrow is Swim a Lap Day! Since yesterday was also the true beginning of summer, which means nothing in Phoenix because we have been in the middle of ridiculously high temperatures for quite some time now, I know which of those 3 activities is my favorite way to exercise, and that is swimming! I think that even when the temperatures aren't so high, I prefer swimming to any other form of exercise, except it would have to be in a heated pool.  For Friday Faves today my question is,
​                                                   What is your favorite form of exercise?

      If I am being completely honest, one other exercise that I enjoy is taking walks with my husband. We used to go walking a couple of miles together each morning.  We would go to a park and walk briskly and talk about everything under the sun.  When it was hot out, we would walk inside a mall.  But, his work schedule changed and our walks now come few and far between.  We are hoping to get back to them soon.  Swimming and walking are such good cardio and all muscle type exercises that are low impact on your joints.  I think the best exercise would be to take a walk, get hot and sweaty and then jump into the pool for a swim! Ideal! 

       Swimming was a favorite of almost all of us.  Another favorite was hiking. I guess that the difference between hiking and walking may be that in hiking the terrain might be more rugged and there may be more sight seeing involved.  I don't mind hiking, as long as there isn't too much climbing!  Hiking is a great thing to do as a family because kids have so much fun out in nature and it is an inexpensive way to spend time as a family while doing something really healthy! 

     
​Bicycling was another popular choice! And, it is another great thing to do together as a family! 

      Of course, there are times when exercising outdoors just won't work.  Maddy likes going to the gym and using the elliptical machine.  Stationary bikes and treadmills are also viable options. To me, driving to the gym is just a little more time out of my day.  I like doing things that I can do at home.  If you have a place for a home gym, then an elliptical machine could have a place there. Do you belong to a gym? Do you feel like it is worth the price? Are you good about going often? 

​       Because of social media, there are opportunities to have trainers to help and encourage us in our exercise and health endeavors! We happen to know someone who does just that! Her name is Ashton, (or Coach Lyddy), and she is a Fitness Coach!  She is so motivational and has so much perseverance that you can't help be impressed with her.   If you struggle, she is empathetic to your story because she has gone through her own struggles.  If you click this link, you can find out more about what she offers and how she can help you! Coach Lyddy will typically answer your messages within a day.  She is on Instagram all of the time giving pep talks and tips about loving ourselves and not being too hard on ourselves when we fail, but encouraging us to get up and go again! You should follow her!  (Sometimes her language can be a little rough, but I love her anyway,) Trainers like Ashton are out there to help us be able to get control of exercise regimens right in the comfort of our own homes and to educate us in nutrition and good health habits. This is one of the benefits of social media that we can take advantage of to help ourselves be fit.  

     Believe it or not, I have had some success using our Wii to help me exercise! If you have the original version of the Wii, the Wii Fit program is a good way to get moving.  There are yoga, cardio and strengthening exercises included, and the way they are presented makes exercising more fun.  Plus it keeps track of your weight and improvement. I lost the game disc to mine and had to buy a used one to replace it.  It was only a few dollars.  It is much less expensive to go to a place like GameStop for it than to order it on Amazon.  You will also need the Balance Board. There is also a program like it for the Wii U, which you can probably also get at GameStop.  But, here they are on Amazon in case you can't find them there. 

     Another way we get moving with the Wii, is to play Just Dance!  That game really gets your heart pumping and it is fun to get the entire family involved in it! One year at Christmas, Alicia and her husband, Adrian, gave our family Just Dance for Christmas.  We had so much fun all together that year dancing like maniacs! I don't feel guilty about having kids on an electronic game when it gets them up and moving!  I hear a new version is coming out soon! It is available for Xbox and for the New Nintendo Switch. 

     
      Since Summer is here and school is out, how do you fit in your exercise and get your kids involved in it? One thing I have learned is it is good to get them started young! Lindsey already has her 5 month old in swimming lessons, and she loves it! That is so important since Lindsey has a pool. She has found a place where she can take her to lessons all year round so that Emily won't forget what she learns.  I love that LIndsey is taking these steps to keep her daughter safe and to help her be active.  What are your tips and ideas?  Is anyone out there a runner? 

      
        On a final note, have you heard about our newest endeavor? We have started a podcast called Cover to Reel! Don't miss our first episode about Jurassic Park.  The new movie opens today! 

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     You may be thinking that the 5 day trip to Disneyland that Maddy and I took was just for fun and frivolity.  Well, maybe it was, but we also did research! We found ways to save money, ways to get the most out of the Disney experience and to get to go on the most attractions without killing yourself doing it! You may have read all kinds of Disney tips out there, but here we are going to present some ideas you may not have heard before.  
     This was not our first Disneyland trip by any means.  I was born and raised in California and thanks to my big sisters, I was able to go to Disneyland quite often as a kid.  I remember the "E" ticket days and the no California Adventure days.  That big building next to Autopia that houses Star Wars Characters and activities, used to be The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow attraction.  I also remember when The Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean and A Small World were brand new.  I have loved going to Disneyland over the years and it was important to me to get to share it with my kids, even though for many years we couldn't afford to go very often.  Now, I am looking forward to going with my grandchildren.  We are planning a family reunion to Disneyland in 2 years from now, when my youngest son returns home from his mission. The tips that Maddy and I are giving you today are definitely ones that we will be incorporating into our plans for that event! 
      

Before You Go:

• Download the Disneyland app to your phone! This thing is a treasure! It gives you line wait times, ride closures, nearby dining and restrooms in the park, it keeps track of reservations you have made, and it tells you where characters are doing meet and greets.  We used this app so much and it saved us so much leg work and waiting.  
• Try to book your time at Disneyland during an off season.  Madalynn chose the end of April because it is supposed to be one of the less crowded times.  It makes sense because Spring Breaks are over and people are usually thinking that they will wait until school is out for the Summer to bring their kids.  But, we did notice that there were quite a few school groups there for band activities and such that still added to the crowd. The first week of January through the middle of February is also supposed to be less crowded.  But, honestly, there are always going to be crowds of people there. 
• Buy or make souvenirs outside the park before you go.  This will save you a ton of money.  There are no clearance racks in Disneyland.    If you want to wear cute Disney shirts in the park, here is a tutorial we did for making some.  Or, look in stores like Ross or even the Disney Store which does have clearance.  I found a shirt with Belle on it that was on clearance for $5.99, plus 40% off! That was a smoking deal!  

     You can find Disney merchandise everywhere.  When kids ask you for the souvenirs that they see others with in the park, just pull out something from your stash for them.  One of the smart things that we saw parents do was to have little items to give kids while they were waiting in line.  For example, Dollar Tree has little plastic figures of Disney characters.  You could give them the ones that match the ride you are going on to get them excited instead of bored with waiting! If you look on the Dollar Tree website, there are 7 pages of Disney themed products to choose from! If you are going on a family reunion like we are with at least 10 grandchildren, buying in bulk is the way to go!  Trust me, none of the little toys and items like these in the park cost only $1.00!  If you really want a souvenir from within the park, make it something that you can't really find outside of the park.  A very inexpensive idea for everyone is to start a collection of the pressed coins you can get from machines all over the park.  You can even purchase a reasonable album to keep them in! Here is an example of the one you can find in the park on Amazon, but in this case, it is actually more reasonable to purchase it in the park! 

• While you are purchasing things outside the park, don't forget refillable water bottles for everyone. (Here are some Disney ones for kids from Dollar Tree!) Purchasing soda and other special drinks in the park is pricey, almost $4.00 and then upward.  But, there are filtered water stations throughout the park where you can refill your bottles and you can also get complimentary water in the restaurants.  Also, it is nice to pack and bring those little water flavoring packets for a change of pace, especially for kids who may want a special drink.  (Dollar Tree also has some special Disney cups you can serve their drinks in to make them more special without paying the price that is charged for souvenir cups). 
• Also, Disneyland is great about letting you bring in your own food and snacks! We like to eat at some of the restaurants and there are ways to do that more reasonably than you may think.  But you can spend a ton of money on snacks if you aren't careful.  Bring snacks in your backpack to munch on while you are in line or in a show when it is allowed.  It will save you time and money.  Later we will cover the treat splurges that are worth paying for.

When you are there:

• Get to the park early, when it opens.  The lines to get in the park may seem long, but when you get in, it will seem empty for the first couple of hours! Also, if you do not have the extra magic morning hour, go to the park, either Disney or California Adventures that does not offer it that day because it will be less crowded in the morning as well. On our first day, Monday, we got into the park when the gates were opened and waited at the Adventure land entrance until we were allowed all of the way in.  We walked onto Splash Mountain (where we were drenched!), then the Haunted Mansion and then had a super short wait on Thunder Mountain Railroad!  After that we went into Fantasy Land and had short waits on about 3 of those rides.  In about an hour and a half we had gone on 6 rides.  We tried to stay within one area and get on what we could there without running from place to place and getting worn out.  Since we were going to be there for 5 days, we knew we could be a little more leisurely and strategic about what we did.  But, even if we were only going to be there for a day, it would have been very successful.  On Monday, we rode 16 rides, met 5 characters and saw 2 shows, (The Tiki Room and The Golden Horseshoe Review).
• As the day goes on, the park will get more and more crowded.  Use the Disney App and use your Fast Passes wisely.  It doesn't make sense to go and get a Fast Pass for Space Mountain and then run back to Splash Mountain if your time is just an hour away. You will wear yourselves out. When we were in Adventure Land, we saw that the line for Indiana Jones was 40 minutes long and the Fast Pass time was about an hour from then. The Jungle Boat Cruise, right next door was only a 25 minute wait. So, we went on the Jungle Boat Cruise and then it was almost time to go on Indiana Jones.  It was the perfect time to eat a snack and then use our Fast Pass. We found that if the wait time was 30 minutes or less, we would get in line rather than get a Fast Pass because sometimes even a Fast Pass was nearly that long of a wait in some instances. 
• When you want to eat in a restaurant, time your meals to eat earlier or later than normal meal times when the crowds at the registers and in the seating will be greater.  One restaurant that we loved to dine in was the Red Rose Tavern.  They had delicious Bison Burgers, a Cauliflower Burger for Madalynn and a Beef Poutine which was so good that I am working on a copycat version to share with you now.  They also have a very nice breakfast menu.  Their Breakfast Platter was only $8.99 and had eggs, a generous portion of bacon, delicious crispy fried potatoes and a buttery  little croissant.  I could have easily shared it because the portions were generous. That is a trick my husband and I learned a long time ago at Disneyland.  Go to the restaurants where there are really good meals served and share! The portions sizes are usually large enough to do this. You can use the Disney app to check out the menus at the restaurants in advance and strategically plan where and what you will eat. 
• As the crowds get larger and the lines longer and your legs and feet are getting more and more tired, it is a great time to check out the shows.  That was one of the advantages of going for multiple days.  We were able to see the wonderful shows at the park. Usually we were in such a hurry to hit as many rides as possible and skipped the shows.  Now we see the folly of our old ways.  The quality of the shows is so good!  And, what a nice way to relax and take the load off of your feet! We were able to see the hour long stage version of Frozen in California Adventures.  It was so good!  Not only that, while we waited in our seats for the show to begin, we were able to doze off for the about 10 minute wait!  Ha Ha, I don't think I snored, but both Maddy and I decided that we felt so refreshed after that little power nap! We stayed for the parade that night without feeling exhausted! So, even if you are only going to the park for one day or two, eek out some time for a show break! They aren't all an hour long but they do give you a break.  We suggest the Royal Theater, by the outside of the castle on the way to Frontier Land, Mickey's Magical Map in the theater on the way to Toon Town, and of course I always love the Tiki Room.
• As we mentioned before, while you are waiting in line is a great time to eat.  If you bring your own snacks, break them out to keep everyone happy and energized.  When we have our reunion, I am already planning on making some special treats to take the place of some of the enticing and pricey ones in the park and I am on the lookout for those Disney themed snacks as well.  There are a few Disney treats that you may want to splurge on though.  Here are a couple that we loved:

• One last tip is that you will want to keep your cell phones charged all day.  Keep your eyes open for outlets in restaurants and the places you sit to rest.  Some are even in the planters! Make sure you have your charger in your backpack and plug in whenever you are sitting and resting or while you are eating! 

     We hope that these tips will help you on your next Disney vacation! Next week, Maddy will be giving that ear making tutorial and she also plans to give you a rundown on what we learned about plant based dining in the Disney parks.  I am going to share my copycat poutine recipe with you soon! You won't want to miss a thing! Some of you have been following our Instagram posts while we were away and said that you really wanted that Ear Tutorial, so it is high on our list! Thanks for the feedback!