Yesterday we spent the
entire (We got there just before 11:00 and didn't make it home until past 9:00!) day at the fair. And I'm fairly certain that these two little Girls had
the time of their young 5-year old lives!! These two were tall enough to be allowed on
all of the kiddie rides this year and were just tall enough to ride on some of the bigger attractions in the main midway as well. And to celebrate such a
milestone, us Mommas bought them wristbands that gave them unlimited ride privileges. At $23 per wristband we got
way beyond our money's worth as each ride was a minimum of 3 tickets and individual tickets were $1 a piece. The Girls rode every single ride that they could - multiple times. Some rides as many as half a dozen times!! Being that it was Monday, the fair didn't get busy until late afternoon/early evening
and so the Girls could cycle through the rides quickly usually with no lines to wait in. We did break away from the rides to visit the horse stables and the petting zoo but did not spend nearly as much time admiring the animals as in years past. This year it was all about the rides for the Girls and they had one-track minds, constantly planning and plotting as to what their next ride was going to be. We had our work cut
out for us just trying to keep up with them as they bounded off one ride and whizzed away for the next. There was no ride that they
weren't willing to try and many of the bigger ones that they were disappointed they weren't tall enough to ride - rides that they weren't tall
enough to ride even with adult accompaniment. Which I was immensely thankful for because neither I nor Miss A's Mom would be caught dead riding
some of the rides they were pointing out. The swings, these ones in particular seemed to be at the top of their list. They probably
rode these seven or eight times. The first few times they rode us Mommas were nervous nellies, they looked so small up there,
unable to bend their legs at the knees because the seats were so big. We feared that they'd just slip right out. Other favorites included
the carousel and of course the big slide. Sadly, there was one
little Girl who wasn't have nearly as much fun as the big Girls. Here
she is. Sitting forlornly at the base of the slide. Unfortunately, carnival rides are not a very fun spectator sport and up until this point,
Little Sister had done so well. But the slides were her breaking point and it broke my heart to see her sitting here obviously wishing that she
could be participating and not understanding why she couldn't. The only thing she was tall enough to ride, even with an adult, was the kiddie carousel. So after the slides, I whisked her away to the bunny barn and petting zoo. She perked right up and was really into petting all of the animals, especially the baby goats. That enjoyment came to a screeching halt though when this little piglet ran up to her squealing.
After that she wanted nothing to do with any of the animals so we went and watched the dog show in the adjacent arena before
meeting back up with the others. Fortunately, Baby Sister wasn't subjected to too much more ride-watching before she got her
chance to have some real fun. I picked out what I thought appeared to be the absolute most tame ride in the entire kiddie section and
approached the ride operator asking if he might allow Little Sister to go on a spin with the Girl and Miss A. He whole-heartedly and without hesitation
obliged my request. And for that, I will be forever grateful to him as you can see from the grin on her face, that Little Sister was
sooooooo
happy to be boarding a ride with the Girls. There was no line and it seemed to me as though the ride operator let them go around for an awfully
long time. Little Sister clearly enjoyed every single moment. There was only one problem. Inevitably, the ride had to come to an
end and we all knew it. All of us that is,
except for Little Sister. Needless to say, she was none too happy about it. And once again she
found herself relegated to the confines of her stroller. Not exactly the kind of riding that she wanted to be doing. As for me, more than
once during the day, it entered my mind that somebody should pinch me. Pinch me to wake me from the dream that is my life. The life where I
get
to spend a beautiful summer day at the fair with my precious Girls and our friends. Friends who might as well be family. The life where I
get to experience life daily with my children and on days like today, witness firsthand the sheer joy and excitement on their sweet
faces. Granted not every day is a 'day at the fair.' But it is on days like these that I am reminded of how lucky I am and am filled with gratitude for the freedom I have as a 'homemaker.' That term has always made me cringe and truthfully, it still does. I never thought that I would be one. My plan had always been to go back to work six months after the Girl was born but as you can see, that was not to be and I wouldn't have it any
other way. I have no regrets. Never have. For me, the benefits far outweigh the sacrifices or the things that we've done without. In
fact, I'm fairly certain that I am
blessed. Blessed beyond measure.
Yesterday we spent the entire (We got there just before 11:00 and didn't make it home until past 9:00!) day at the fair. And I'm fairly certain that these two little Girls had the time of their young 5-year old lives!! These two were tall enough to be allowed on all of the kiddie rides this year and were just tall enough to ride on some of the bigger attractions in the main midway as well. And to celebrate such a
milestone, us Mommas bought them wristbands that gave them unlimited ride privileges. At $23 per wristband we got way beyond our money's worth as each ride was a minimum of 3 tickets and individual tickets were $1 a piece. The Girls rode every single ride that they could - multiple times. Some rides as many as half a dozen times!! Being that it was Monday, the fair didn't get busy until late afternoon/early evening
and so the Girls could cycle through the rides quickly usually with no lines to wait in. We did break away from the rides to visit the horse stables and the petting zoo but did not spend nearly as much time admiring the animals as in years past. This year it was all about the rides for the Girls and they had one-track minds, constantly planning and plotting as to what their next ride was going to be. We had our work cut
out for us just trying to keep up with them as they bounded off one ride and whizzed away for the next. There was no ride that they
weren't willing to try and many of the bigger ones that they were disappointed they weren't tall enough to ride - rides that they weren't tall
enough to ride even with adult accompaniment. Which I was immensely thankful for because neither I nor Miss A's Mom would be caught dead riding
some of the rides they were pointing out. The swings, these ones in particular seemed to be at the top of their list. They probably
rode these seven or eight times. The first few times they rode us Mommas were nervous nellies, they looked so small up there,
unable to bend their legs at the knees because the seats were so big. We feared that they'd just slip right out. Other favorites included
the carousel and of course the big slide. Sadly, there was one little Girl who wasn't have nearly as much fun as the big Girls. Here
she is. Sitting forlornly at the base of the slide. Unfortunately, carnival rides are not a very fun spectator sport and up until this point,
Little Sister had done so well. But the slides were her breaking point and it broke my heart to see her sitting here obviously wishing that she
could be participating and not understanding why she couldn't. The only thing she was tall enough to ride, even with an adult, was the kiddie carousel. So after the slides, I whisked her away to the bunny barn and petting zoo. She perked right up and was really into petting all of the animals, especially the baby goats. That enjoyment came to a screeching halt though when this little piglet ran up to her squealing.
After that she wanted nothing to do with any of the animals so we went and watched the dog show in the adjacent arena before
meeting back up with the others. Fortunately, Baby Sister wasn't subjected to too much more ride-watching before she got her
chance to have some real fun. I picked out what I thought appeared to be the absolute most tame ride in the entire kiddie section and
approached the ride operator asking if he might allow Little Sister to go on a spin with the Girl and Miss A. He whole-heartedly and without hesitation
obliged my request. And for that, I will be forever grateful to him as you can see from the grin on her face, that Little Sister was sooooooo
happy to be boarding a ride with the Girls. There was no line and it seemed to me as though the ride operator let them go around for an awfully
long time. Little Sister clearly enjoyed every single moment. There was only one problem. Inevitably, the ride had to come to an
end and we all knew it. All of us that is, except for Little Sister. Needless to say, she was none too happy about it. And once again she
found herself relegated to the confines of her stroller. Not exactly the kind of riding that she wanted to be doing. As for me, more than
once during the day, it entered my mind that somebody should pinch me. Pinch me to wake me from the dream that is my life. The life where I get
to spend a beautiful summer day at the fair with my precious Girls and our friends. Friends who might as well be family. The life where I
get to experience life daily with my children and on days like today, witness firsthand the sheer joy and excitement on their sweet
faces. Granted not every day is a 'day at the fair.' But it is on days like these that I am reminded of how lucky I am and am filled with gratitude for the freedom I have as a 'homemaker.' That term has always made me cringe and truthfully, it still does. I never thought that I would be one. My plan had always been to go back to work six months after the Girl was born but as you can see, that was not to be and I wouldn't have it any
other way. I have no regrets. Never have. For me, the benefits far outweigh the sacrifices or the things that we've done without. In
fact, I'm fairly certain that I am blessed. Blessed beyond measure.
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