His First Rodeo:Fort Myers Pro Rodeo

by Alisha Diaz

I'm so excited! I could scream! The Fort Myers Pro Rodeo usually happens every February. Knowing it was coming up I was constantly checking online and on Facebook to see when it was coming. I kept coming up with nothing. I couldn't find anything on Facebook, and the website hadn't been changed since last year. I was sooooo bummed. I figured that the place was too damaged by the hurricane that they couldn't have the rodeo. BUT YESTERDAY IT HAPPENED! They posted that the rodeo is going to be in March, and it has been announced on Facebook. I was so stoked. I sent a bunch of my friends the advertisement, and I can't wait to go.

LINK: https://www.fortmyersprorodeo.com/

Last year was Moises' first ever rodeo. We went all out! I "made him" put on his cowboy jeans, his country styled t-shirt, his cowboy hat, and last but not least, his boots! He looked great, and I dressed accordingly as well. For those who know me well in person... I talked this thing up as I always do! I told him all about the horses, the cowboys, the bulls, the sheep, the food! Everything! It's one of my favorite events all year, and I was so excited to share this experience with my love, especially since it was his first time. I wanted to write about our experience before, but I was not about to post about an event that wasn't going to happen anymore. Since that changed, I would love to share our experience with you and give you an idea of what to expect when you go to a rodeo. Let me give you a few tips first.

My main suggestion is to ARRIVE EARLY. I can not emphasize this enough. You will get first dibs on parking, be able to get your tickets smoothly, and be able to pick the best spot for your group. The bleachers will fill up before you know it, and you do not want to have to split up your group. That is a big mood killer. It should be a fun night out with your friends and family, and it shouldn't be a time to stress. Also, keep in mind, there are two sides where you can sit. In the picture above you can see how the other side is getting packed, but our side is fairly empty at the time. The bleachers are not the most comfortable seats, so if you bring a bleacher pad or something to sit on, it will help.

Bring cash! There will be gifts, games, and food available. Many vendors do not accept cards, so be prepared. I like to come prepared, because you can get the best-fried Oreos you've ever tasted! Seriously, the Oreos are amazing. You also might want to buy a hot chocolate if it happens to be freezing out, as it has for past rodeos. (Maybe not since it is in March)




Come expecting a good time. We always do! The entertainment is amazing. It's generally very clean fun and family approved. There is a rodeo clown and he's a hoot. There is a possibility of a dirty joke or two. Everyone is very respectful, and we start the night off with the national anthem and a prayer.

If you have never been to a rodeo before, you might be in for a shock! Most of the animals are huge! We start the night off with the cutest event. Mutten bustin! Little kids will be timed on how long they can ride a sheep. It may sound a little dangerous, because it is! All the kids are required to wear helmets. It's not actually worse than riding a bike. During the night there will be thrilling competition such as barrel racing, bull riding, steer wrestling, team roping, bareback, and saddle bronc. These athletes and trained professionals, and they are in a real stiff competition for a money prize. They risk their safety to compete, but they love doing it.

The animals are not being hurt during the process. The bulls buck due to a belt on their belly. It is pulled tight, and they hate that. I think we would too! It does not hurt them though. You may also think, these poor animals... they have to live in fenced in yards without being free. It is way better than being butchered into a hamburger. All jokes aside these animals are loved and well taken care of.

DO NOT let your kids hang on the fence or stand directly behind the fences. This goes for adults too. You will probably hear the announcer mention it a few time when he sees people doing it. This is for your own safety. Sometimes the bulls like to use the fences to knock the cowboys off. Though it might be a better view, the possibility of getting hurt is not worth it.

Moises had so much fun at the rodeo, and I'm glad it lived up to the expectations I put in his head. We were talking about it for weeks! This year we are hoping to get a large group to go and having a good time. You should go too! Check out the website for ticket information. It's $20 per adult and $10 per kid. You'll have a great time, and you'll see how impressive these competitors' skills are!

Who Would Have Known: Koreshan State Park

by Alisha Diaz

Do you know the local history of your town? Estero, Florida has a state park set up to preserve some of their town's history. The park has a nice river, trails, and a camping area, but they also have history displays and buildings. Koreshan State Park not the biggest park, but it is a fun place to get out and enjoy the outdoors.

(Link: https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Koreshan)

   

If I explain this correctly, it was actually the property of a self-sustaining cult. A cult!? That sounds scary! It wasn't so bad, at least from what was recorded. They believed the earth is contained on the inside of a sphere, instead of believing the earth is a sphere in the universe. They did not communicate with the outside world. They built, sew, and grew everything they needed. They did not use money either. Everyone worked for the common goal, and someone was in charge of distributing the good according to each family's needs. They had a leader, and he prophesied that he would resurrect when he died. They kept his body in a tomb hoping it was true. A Florida hurricane swept it away, and their leader never did return. (This is my personal opinion/summary, and I tried to explain as well as possible.)

Throughout the park there are old preserved buildings on display. You can enter some of them and see how they lived and worked in them. They are actually quite beautiful and many people visit the park for photography purposes. One of the buildings has a television set up with a documentary of the cult. Another one of them is actually used a lot for performances or concerts.

My favorite part of the park is the trails. They are mainly walked by the locals. It runs along the river and is a beautiful sight. There is a section of bamboo that many people have carved their names or initials into. It's nice to see how many people have been at this same spot. Remember to bring your bugs pray when you head out on these paths. Watch your step as well. You could come across a snake or a tortoise.

Though I have never done it, paddle boarding, kayaking, and canoeing is available. The prices are very reasonable, and I know many that have tried it. This park also doubles as a camping site. There are bathrooms, open areas, playgrounds, and everything you'd need to have a camp out. You would need to provide your own tent or camper, of course.

The cost to enter the park is $5.00 per vehicle. That is pretty standard for a Florida park. I think that is a reasonable price to be able to explore the outdoors and view some beautiful scenery. Moises and I love to go there every once in a while to stretch our legs and go for a walk. Some great friends of ours are wanting to check it out, and hopefully we can plan a day there soon. If you are looking for more specific information, I suggest checking out their website. We hope you give the park a shot.

Date Night with the Best Cheesecake: The Cheesecake Factory

by Alisha Diaz

Today's blog is going to be a little different. It's going to be more like a mini blog. Though the Cheesecake Factory is pretty well known, I've noticed quite a lot of our friends have never been there. We only have one in our area, I believe. It is located in Naples at the Coastland Center Mall. It's a little fancy, has great food, and is perfect for a date night. Here's what we think you would need to know before going to the Cheesecake Factory for the first time.

(Link: https://www.thecheesecakefactory.com)

When you walk into the Cheesecake Factory, the atmosphere is amazing. The restaurants are generally very large and full of customers. Every part of the restaurant is highly decorated with beautiful details. Though you do not have to dress up, many people do to match the fancy atmosphere. I would not bring a group of more than 6 people. The Cheesecake Factory is quite a popular restaurant, so they like to have many smaller tables to keep the flow of people going. This does not mean they run you out or try to push you out of the door. This concept helps them to seat all their guest without having to have a crowd of people waiting at the door.


They do not only serve cheesecake. They have a full menu. It's actually huge! They have tons of options, and they have a wide assortment as well. One friend of mine likes to order the Grilled Cheese, and another one of my friends always orders the Thai Lettuce Wraps. Though I do really enjoy the Thai Lettuce Wraps, I also get the Chicken Bellagio pretty often. Appetisers are an option, but you will get a bread basket and butter for the table. The food portions are VERY large, so we usually skip the appetizers, unless we are "starving."

You can't have your meal without a drink. My favorite is the Strawberry Lemonade. It has been my favorite from the beginning. It is real lemonade, and it is made with real strawberries. They even step it up with decorating the rim of the glass. Thankfully these drinks still have free refills or I would spend way too much.

The Cheesecake Factory lives up to its name when it comes to cheesecake. It should be illegal to leave this restaurant without having a slice. They have a menu just for their desserts. They have so many choices, and it's hard to pick just one. I would say each slice is about $8, but it is so worth it. They are so rich in flavor. The slices are quite large. I recommend asking for it to go ahead of time since you will probably eat half of it like we do. I usually get a cheesecake that has caramel and chocolate incorporated in it, but Moises' favorite is plain. It's his favorite thing to have with a nice cup of coffee.

When planning your night out at the Cheesecake Factory, keep in mind the prices are a little more expensive than usual. We tend to only go there for a special occasion since it is a little more pricey than we would like to spend on a regular basis. It is a little far from our home as well. This is not a dump on them at all though. Their prices are completely worth it! They have huge portions, and I usually use my leftovers for 2 additional meals. The cheesecake is so full of ingredients, and that cost adds up. I highly recommend the Cheesecake Factory, especially for a date night. It's perfect for Valentines Day coming up!

Tell us what your favorite cheesecake is below! Do you have a favorite meal? Let us know. Maybe we will try it next time!

A Great Addition to Bonita Springs: Rural King

by Alisha Diaz

Bonita Springs and Estero, Florida is constantly growing with new residents, stores, schools... you name it. As we got a new and large mall, Coconut Point Mall, our Bonita Springs Target location closed and moved there. We were all so curious as to what would fill that big, empty store. We got a Rural King! (Link: https://www.ruralking.com/) It instantly became very popular and a favorite in our community. They have great selections of farm equipment, food, clothing, tools, but I think the gun section is one of the locals' favorites! You can get almost everything at Rural King, and they have great prices compared to their competitors. Rural King has such a large selection of items for sale that I can't mention them all, but I will highlight some of our favorites

As soon as you walk in, you immediately smell the delicious popcorn. The best part is that it is FREE. If you would like a drink to go with it, you'd have to purchase one. It's a nice gesture, and the kids love it. If you are at the Bonita Springs location, it will be located on your left as soon as you walk in.

DISCLAIMER: During our picture day there was a rebate "sale." This was only for a limited time. 

The gun section! Almost everyone loves the gun selection. They do not have the biggest selection in the SWFL area, but they have the best prices! They have amazing sales on their guns during black Friday too. If you do not know much about a certain gun, the employees are trained and are very knowledgeable. Do keep in mind they have to run a background check before you buy a gun. This may take a little time, but it is worth it to make sure guns do not get into the wrong peoples' hands. In this section, you can also buy shooting targets, ammo, gun cases, crossbows, arrows, and quite a lot more.

You can not miss the clothes section when you walk in. It is huge! They have baby clothes all the way up to adults. The men's and women's sections are the largest. You will find brands such as Guy Harvey, Carharrt, Wrangler, Under Armour, Real Tree, Bimini Bay, Rural King Brand, etc. Due to the wide variety of brands, they have many price points for their clothes. That is a great strategy so everyone can find something for their lifestyle.

Now the boots and the accessory section is straight up impressive! They have tons of boots in different shapes and styles. They even have motorcycle boots and gear. You will find baby boots here too! Those ones are the cutest!

Another one of my favorites is the fishing section. Buying everything you may need for a fishing trip can be expensive, but Rural King makes it easier on your wallet.They have a great variety of line, poles, lures, hooks, and so much more. They have almost everything you could need. They do not sell live shrimp, but they do have worms! Our tackle box is full of Rural King supplies.

Rural King also sells animals! I've seen chicks, roosters, turkey chicks, bunnies, and pigs! They are so cute, and the kids get so excited to see them. I love being in the store then suddenly hear a rooster shouting across the whole place. Do keep in mind that these animals are meant for farms.

They also have a HUGE animal supply section. They have rows of pet food and pet supplies for your cats and dogs. Since this is a farm supply store, it does not stop there. They have tons of horse food and equipment. You can even buy cages, troughs, and chicken coops.

Though you would not expect it, Rural King has quite a lot of food and groceries. They do not have milk or anything like that, but they have dry goods, sodas, and snacks. I really enjoy their soda selection. They have some "old school" ones, and ones you can not get around here otherwise. They sell bottled water, coffee, spices, sauces, soaps, shower products, and the list keeps going and going. This does set Rural King apart from its competitors. They do have some home and farm-made products as well. We bought some honey from a Florida farm. I get my favorite natural ingredients soap here as well.  

 

Our family likes to do quite a bit of smoking and grilling meat. Rural King doesn't let us down in this department either. Not only do they sell impressive smokers and grills, but they have a lot of supplies as well. You like to cook over an open fire? No problem, they have a selection of fire pits as well. We personally like to buy our smoking chips, fat lighter, and charcoal here when we have our big cookouts. As I keep mentioning, their prices are amazing.

I do not spend much time in the tools, auto, and landscape section, but I know they have a huge section with lots of variety. They have walking mowers for small yards all the way up to commercial riding mowers. I will attach some photos that you may see what type of equipment I am talking about. You can always see the website for more information.

My husband and I love going to Rural King, and we simply can not show you all that they have to offer. I will post a photo collage below of other products available that I was not able to mention. I hope you have an opportunity to go to a Rural King some time. We are always so impressed when we go there. Comment below if you love going to Rural King too!