International Linemans Rodeo!!!!!

I swear our life is going 100 miles an hour CONSTANTLY!! We were supposed to leave Thursday to head to Kansas for the International Lineman Rodeo.  I didn't know WHEN we would leave Thursday but I knew it would be Thursday.  Wednesday afternoon I drove an hour and a half to Brighton to go to a Just Between Friends sale because my little baby is just TOO little to wear any of the cold weather clothes I bought her.  She only had about 4 outfits that were long sleeve and pants so we headed off to the sale to get her some more newborn size cold weather clothes.  The sale was a madhouse and crazy so I didn't get home until after 8. At this point I hadn't had time to pack or get anything ready for our trip so I did a little before going to bed but just figured I could do everything in the morning.  We woke up Thursday morning to no water again….we think there is something wrong with the park cause our foreman is freezing up too and he's plugged in as well.  I had a load of laundry to do and put it in (with soap) before realizing we didn't have any water.  I turned on the bathroom faucet so I could hear if the water started coming, I told myself if we didn't have water by 7:30 I would go to the laundry facility and put it in there.  7:30 came around and no water so Bash and I loaded up our soapy clothes and took off.  I thought the washing machines were $1.75 and I scrounged around to find that many quarters and of course it was $2.  Luckily I found a quarter under my seat in my car.  We get back to Piper not even 5 minutes from when we left and guess what, full on water running!!! Grrrr I was so frustrated but relieved at the same time!  

Brandon got off work, we packed up and hit the road to drive through Kansas.  It was about 9 hours.  Kansas is a big state but nothing compares to the time we drove through the entire state of Texas! The drive was great.  We decided I do much better at the driving part than Brandon and he does much much better at the navigation so it was a very happy drive.  Bashlyn did great, she slept most of the time, but did start to get fussy when we were about an hour away.  We stopped several times to let her stand up and stretch out those legs! We made it to our hotel about 8:30 and relaxed for the evening. 

The second day of the Expo started at 9 so we slept in, had some breakfast and went to the convention center. The one thing I will say about the International is there is LINES everywhere!! we got there about 8:30 and stood in line before getting in.  Once we were in it was a madhouse.  I had never seen anything like it and certainly didn't know what to expect.  There were hundreds of booths and they were all giving out t shirts, koozies, flashlights you name it! Brandon got a lot of garb and even little Bashlyn got a shirt (that she can wear in 3 years, hahaha) a book and a mini grunt sack.  We were able to see all the vendors and Brandon was able to check out some of the new tools going on the market.  We were able to meet the guys behind Bashlin Industries and talk with them for a good while and it was such a great time! Of course we also hung out with the wonderful NSUJL ladies and chatted with them :) It was such a fun time at the expo but next year we definitely have to be there Thursday because I can only imagine what it was like on the first day! 

Standing in line at the Expo

Look who we ran into!! Lineman Barn :)

Tammy and Jimmy Kent

Rod and Rob Paul with Bashlin Industires

We went and had some wings at Buffalo Wild Wings and then made our way back to the convention center to get ready for the Storm Soldiers showing.  The movie was awesome and of course we pre ordered it! You can pre order yours here : http://stormsoldiersmovie.com  All of the profits from sales of the movie are being split between 3 charitable organizations…one of them is NSUJL :) After the movie there was what is called "trade night" we had no idea what this was but its so cool! So every local that goes to the rodeo creates a shirt for the rodeo that year.  Trade night is where you can go and trade your shirts so you get a bunch of other locals shirts too! We obviously didn't have any shirts so we just made our way to the BBQ.  After the BBQ we made our way back to the hotel about 8 so Brandon could get to bed early.  

Saturday morning we were up bright and early at 5 am.  Apprentice testing started at 7 and we were about a half hour from the rodeo grounds.  We got to the grounds about 6:30 and it was FREEZING cold, I'm taking 34 degrees cold!! We walked through the grounds trying to find where the apprentice testing was.  There were tents set up everywhere for different locals, they all had hot food and coffee and everyone was eating and hanging out.  I really wished we were with our local at that point, we were so cold!!  We walked around the corner and saw the biggest line ever for apprentice testing!! Brandon ended up standing in that line for an hour and a half freezing cold before he was able to test.  The test was 50 questions in 15 minutes.  They don't tell you your time until you are done, If you go over 15 minutes its a 2 point deduction and over 20 is another 2 point deduction.  Brandon finished in 14 minutes. He said he was so cold though he couldn't even write his name when he first got in there. We sat in the car for a half hour with heat on full blast trying to get him warm again. 

 

It started to warm up a bit around 9 and we made our way to hurt man.  Brandon did great on hurt man, everything went smooth and he was happy with his time and no deductions! After hurt man was the pole climb.  They have to climb the pole, put a RAW egg in their mouth at the top and then climb down.  If you break or crack your egg you get a deduction.  Brandon did the speed climb in 30.15 seconds with no deductions!! He was happy but was hoping to get under 30 seconds.  After speed climb was the mystery event.  Brandon stood in line for about an hour and a half, maybe two hours waiting to start the event.  Thank goodness for Cayla, Amanda and Brandi or I would have been all alone all day!  It was so much fun getting to have Cayla by my side throughout the day.  She has been my go to girl throughout this apprenticeship and has sure been my shoulder to cry on.  It was fun getting to experience a fun day for this trade with her <3 

I was walking around and every time I saw him he hadn't moved…well wouldn't you know I was walking around, saying bye to Cayla and I went back to check on him.  I couldn't find him in line anywhere, I kept looking and looking and then I saw him on the pole!! Dang it I had missed the first half of his mystery. I got to see the second half but I was still pretty bummed.  After mystery he went and did his first aid/cpr, then picked up his test score for the written test and then he was done!! By this time it was almost 3.  We went to Local 53s tent for a bit, hung out and ate some food (THANK YOU!!).  

Brandon with the egg in his mouth

We went back to the hotel and got ready for the banquet and award dinner that evening.  It was supposed to start about 6:30 and we got there about 6 just in time to stand in line again :) The dinner was delicious, prime rib, salads, rice and beans! We ate and chatted until the award ceremony started about 8.  They played a couple videos they had put together and a couple different guys spoke.  We were watching the awards but not paying super close attention because we were all chatting at the same time.  All of a sudden I hear Tammy go "Brandon they just announced your name!!!" as she pointing at the big screen.  We both looked up and were shocked, Brandon goes "What do I do" I said "GO UP THERE!!" hahaha. Him and Tammy started heading up there, I pretty much threw Bashlyn to Amanda (THANK YOU!!) and then got my phone to take pictures.  Brandon got second place overall apprentice contractors division.  It was just so crazy because it literally came out of nowhere.  We didn't think he would even come close to placing! It was by far one of the coolest moments and I am so happy we were able to be surrounded by so many of our friends at the table!

As Brandon was standing in line all day he talked to a lot of guys.  He was the only guy not wearing a local or company shirt.  One guy asked him why he was wearing a Bashlin shirt and not his company or local and Brandon was like well I paid my own way here.  The guy pretty much just stared at him blankly, not able to comprehend that.  Everyone else there was either forced to go by their company or local or was paid for by their company or local.  We decided we wanted Brandon to be able to go and get this experience of competing at the international as an apprentice.  When we had all the unexpected expenses come up earlier this month we still decided this was a priority because this is the only year he can do this.  Next year he will be a  Journeyman and he will have to put a team together to compete so we wanted to make this work.  I am so glad we did, all we were going for was the experience and we left there with so much more.  We left with many new friends and priceless memories!!