All Things Yee Haw.

Oh, note the panic on Bella's face. She'd heard that there were going to be fireworks at the rodeo. Yes, feel free to acknowledge the fact that there's plenty of daylight left. And don't forget to conclude that she is just like her Mama. Be prepared is our shared motto. Never too early to be prepared. Or to have a Plan B ready, just in case.

It was our third year attending the Reno Rodeo. I never thought I'd be a person who would actually enjoy an event like this - I mean seriously, people, there is first of all Dirt Everywhere. Then there are Farm Animals and their accompanying smell. But they do have salty snacks, hot dogs and umm, cold beer. Three things that are always handy on a summer night.

But the rodeo is fun, at times even, thrilling. Before you know it, you forget about the smell of manure and the fact that dust is all over you, your clothes and falling into every exposed pore of your skin and you just sit back and enjoy the show.

See more evidence of enjoyment??



Alex is no doubt a rodeo kid in the making. Please note that this year, after growing out of his black hat, he choose the white one. Hmmm. What he's leaving the Dark Side at age ten?? I simply can't have that!! Just for my Star Wars friends - "Always two there are - a master and an apprentice." Gotta lure him back slowly.

Not to be outdone, the reigning Rodeo Queen of our family was well equipped with her own pinkalicious head gear.


Another year, another fabulous evening at the rodeo. All in all, a well spent summer night.

Wishing you a just that - a cool summer evening enjoying something unexpected. Go on, look for it.

All Things Graduate.

It was an incredible day. At last, Kata was going to be a Kindergarten graduate.

Everyone was well rehearsed and the audience was hushed waiting for the show to start. Most of you know the story of The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. Well, the Kindergartners presented a puppet show based on that story.

There were even Special Guest Stars - like daddies who showed up just to see that one performance.

But the true stars were the little graduates, except now they didn't look so very little.

And a wonderful teacher, named Mrs. Kirch, whose praises I could sing pretty much all day. She is everything a Kindergarten teacher should be - colorful, happy, giddy with excitement, firm when she has to be and most of all, she's magical. Shhh, don't tell her we've noted that last ability.

The time came for the graduates to receive their confirmation that yes, indeed they were moving on to First Grade. Okay, they were Report Cards not diplomas but work with me for a second, please.

And then, Mrs. Kirch made that announcement. I had forgotten it from Alex's Graduation. She said, "Welcome to the Class of 2021". Yeah. That one got me. Misty eyed. Wow. Once again, time took on its own trajectory and it was a little too dizzying and rapid for me to digest at that moment. But, I could see her as a High School Graduate. Ready to face the world at large. And it moved me incredibly.

Fortunately for our lucky Mrs. Kirch , we're happy to remind her that she's not done with the Riggsbys. Here is her Past, Present and Future Student reminder.


And the obligatory "round 'em all up photo". Notice the painfully posed expressions.

One more photo, just for me. To remind me just how far my first daughter and I have come in these six and a half years. The little baby born on New Year's Eve 2002 was now a Kindergarten Graduate.

Wishing you a graduation moment. Go ahead remember those milestones and the feelings they brought forth in you. See? I know what you're thinking - wow.

All Things Happy Daddy's Day.

What can I say about a Daddy, a Dad, a Father who -

takes the time to teach you how to ride a scooter and a skateboard.

watches you blow bubbles for hours.

pitches a tent in the backyard just to practice for the real campout coming up in a week and then spends the night with you in it .

makes you your favorite lunch - hot dogs, chips and lemonade.

reads your favorite book to you in the shelter of the tent.

ties you up to a rock and tells you to be a "good boy".

And to think, he did all that in one day - today, as a matter of fact. He did all that so I could have a Day of Peace and Quiet. And he did it, for the most part, without a word of complaining. Only when he couldn't hear the Giant's game did things get a little grumbly but who could blame him by then??

To my husband and the daddy to our kids - Baby, I've never loved you more. Like we always say but never really fully grasp - it IS the little things that keep us going. And you're my Biggest Little Thing.

I need to mention one other Very Important Father in our lives - my dad, our beloved Djedo. He is the rock that we anchor ourselves to and in the stormy sea of life, he is the one that holds our collective family together. He would tell you, very humbly, that he cherishes this role in our lives. But as a grandfather and a father, he does oh, so much more for us and for that and all the big, little things we thank him today and always.

Go hug or call your fathers, uncles, men in your lives who have made an impact on the person you are today. Happy Fathers Day!

(PS - Ken and Djedo, this is your Fathers Day card, with love !)

All Things Aceball.

In our Biggest Little City in the world, one of the biggest little pieces of news is our new Triple-A baseball team, The Reno Aces. They have a wonderful new ballpark right in the middle of downtown Reno and for Father's Day, someone pretty darn wonderful (hint: it was none other than me, gentle reader) purchased two tickets for Ken and Alex to go and see a game.

Apparently, there's not a bad seat in the place but their seats were right next to the Ace's dugout.

The Ace's manager is none other than Brett Butler. I will pause because this means something to some of you. I, on the other hand, was born in a foreign country where football means soccer. The Great American Past Time sails right above my head. But, I do appreciate the fact that a person who played 17 years in the Major Leagues and earned a number of key accolades will take the time to pose with a 10 year old fan.



Look at how close their seats were?


Alex managed to get four autographs and then the best prize of all - a ball! Ken captured his feelings in a text to me: tickets to Aces-$23, nachos and a hot dog-$10, four autographs and a ball-priceless.

After the game, the kids in the audience got a chance to run the bases. All in all, a very, very cool experience for father and son on a warm summer afternoon.

So go on, get tickets to a MLB game or better yet support your minor league or college teams by going to one of their games. Grab a hot dog, a cold beverage and then just sit back and enjoy the game. Play ball!