2016 NRG Stadium with Tami, Kim and Michelle

Boots, Bulls, and Birthday Bliss: Rodeo Shenanigans at NRG with Tami, Kim, and Michelle

Let me paint you a picture: NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas. The smell of funnel cakes and livestock in the air. Cowboy hats as far as the eye can see. And me—celebrating my birthday weekend with three of my high school besties: Tami, Kim, and Michelle. We weren’t there for football. Oh no. We were there for the rodeo. And things got hilariously out of hand in the best possible way.

🎉 Birthday + Rodeo = Yeehaw Chaos

We arrived dressed like city slickers trying to cosplay country chic. Tami had fringe on everything—boots, jacket, purse, possibly her soul. Kim wore a belt buckle so big it had its own gravitational pull. Michelle showed up with a cowboy hat that screamed “I’ve never ridden a horse, but I will judge you if you have.”

Me? I was rocking birthday energy and a shirt that said “It’s My Party and I’ll Yeehaw If I Want To.”

🐂 The Rodeo Begins: Hold My Beer

We found our seats just in time for the bull riding to start. Let me tell you—those bulls were angry. Like “I just got cut off in traffic” angry. One guy got launched so high I swear he saw his childhood. Tami screamed every time a cowboy flew off. Kim kept trying to name the bulls. Michelle was Googling “how to adopt a miniature horse.”

Meanwhile, I was just trying to eat a corn dog in peace while dodging airborne nacho cheese from the row behind us.

🍻 Birthday Toasts and Cowboy Roasts

At intermission, we hit the beer garden. Tami made friends with a guy named Dusty who claimed he once wrestled a steer for charity. Kim tried to line dance with a group of strangers and somehow ended up leading the entire formation. Michelle got into a deep conversation with a rodeo clown about the meaning of life.

I got a birthday shoutout from the DJ and a free drink called “The Buckin’ Bronco” that tasted like regret and Red Bull.

🐴 Livestock and Life Lessons

We wandered through the livestock exhibit like we were on a field trip from chaos school. Tami tried to pet a goat that clearly had beef with humanity. Kim posed with a llama and captioned it “My spirit animal.” Michelle asked a rancher if cows could be emotional support animals. I just kept yelling “It’s my birthday!” until someone gave me a funnel cake.

We saw barrel racing, mutton busting, and one guy who rode a mechanical bull like he owed it money. It was glorious.

📸 The Aftermath: Glitter, Giggles, and Giddy-Ups

We left NRG Stadium with sore feet, full hearts, and enough inside jokes to last another 25 years. My birthday weekend wasn’t just a celebration—it was a full-blown rodeo of ridiculousness with the best backup dancers a person could ask for.

We may not have roped any cattle, but we definitely wrangled some memories. And next year? We’re coming back—with more fringe, more funnel cakes, and maybe a mechanical bull named Kevin.

---