Circus & Fair & Everything In Between

Last Saturday, Chip and Hill's first real circus experience was fun, we had a good time.  We went with the Warrington's and the Pettit's and it was very entertaining.  
Just call me Debbie.  I hate to be a "Debbie Downer" but I have to admit that even though we all had a great time, it was not what I expected from Ringling Brothers.  It's been 20 years since I've been to a Ringling Brothers performance.  I remember the ring leader in the top hat with impressive lions and tigers.  Again, don't get me wrong we had a great time and their 'tricks' were phenomenal.  The ladies spinning and doing tricks connected by hooks in their hair was beyond entertaining.  The elephants were awesome, but the cats and dogs instead of lions and tigers left me feeling like I was at the Kosciusko circus sans the kangaroo.

The performers were talented and not bearded lady-ish in fact they were quite the opposite.  My only way to sum up the guys and girls was Telemundo/Univision game show girls meet Jersey Shore guidos,  I swear I saw a couple of fist pumps and cha cha moves.
It did not lack in entertainment, it just wasn't what I expected.  Fun was had bay all.

The Hawkins

The Pettit's

Harvey

The Warrington's

After the circus we came back to Koz for Baylie Rea's 2nd birthday party.  I'm patiently waiting for pictures of the party from one of the mommies (cough, Jennifer, cough.)  We were so glad we got to celebrate with Baylie.  She sure is sweet and her mommy and daddy are the sweetest too.  I'm pretty sure that Baylie and Hill will go off to college at Ole Miss together and grow up playing in the Grove.  Fun stuff, fun stuff.

 Since we had been in the car all day Friday to Nashville, then Saturday to Jackson and birthday party...we woke up Sunday morning to stretch our legs a bit and swim at the Country Club.

My guys

Monday was our second to last day of swim lessons.  One. More. Lesson. then Hill and Harvey 'graduate' to the next level.  Which I think we can personally build on from here without the weekly travel.  I will sure miss our Monday trips together.  The boys are always so funny and I love my girl time with JJ.

Thursday, book club was held at my house.  Please stop laughing.  Why is it every time I tell someone I'm in a book club they laugh?  You are right, I don't read.  I have started to though and really like it, when I have time.  Sometimes I can even add to our discussion.

One of my favorite customers and I were talking Thursday and he asked what I was doing.  "I am in the car running errands for a party at my house tonight," I said. He said, "Oh, party!  What time should I be there?"  I informed him that it's a book club and this month it is at my house.  The other end of the line got quiet.  Then he said to me in a tone like he was having to break bad news to me, "Rachel, you don't strike me as a book club kind of girl."  I don't really know what that means and I never put book club girls into a stereotype, but evidently there is one?  My defense was..."I read!  I mean, I can read.   Well, I like to drink wine and hang out with women I never get to see."  He digressed.  I was surprised that this surprised him though because we always talk about how big of a nerd I am with data & analytical stuff.  He once told me that my being a nerd wasn't really a secret once you get to know me.  He cracks me up.

Anyway, as I was saying, book club was at my house.  Chip and I entertain a lot, but for some reason we got in this craze where we just cleaned and organized the whole house.  It was a mission impossible, but I have to say that it hasn't looked this good since we moved in.  Seriously, we busted out touch up paint and everything.  It was a serious clean.  Not sure what possessed us but hey whatever.  How long it can stay that way is a different story.

The ladies came and we had a fabulous time and I can't wait to read our next book.  Again, why do you laugh? I read!

So, Friday - yesterday.  Whitney and I took Hill and Tanner to the Central MS Fair located in good ol' Kosciusko.  Since the bank is a corporate sponsor I had free admission passes, thanks to the boss man.  Whitney- who is with child due in  November, Tanner - who is a good sport, Hill -who is not tall enough to ride the rides, and me - who hates creepy carnies and drunkenly put together any rides.  Needless to say, us mommies were really not on our mommy 'A' game.

Ikes, again.  It's me, Debbie...Debbie Downer.  The stick in the mud.  It was hot.  Like hot as H-E double hockey stick.  I hate hot and I hate rides -- I also hate sand and glitter, but that's neither here nor there -- but I was going to do this for my first born.  I love him and that's what mothers do, they deal with carnies and are rewarded with funnel cakes.  There were 3 kiddie rides and we did them each once.  Which was still too much.

Oh, Yay Mommies!  Look how fun! Can we ride?

 Proof I rode all three rides

My holding back the vom so that my son could hold on for dear life.

Yay!  Isn't this fun?

Wheew, a roller coaster!

 Proof that Whitney rode all three rides

Fun?!?

Ready!

Weee!

 The Kids

Ok, so this is a lot more fun looking at than riding.

I think Hill said his first full sentence,
"Get me the hell off this thing!"

Mama has lost her mind!
Hill has lost his shoe!

Before: This is a what?

Afterwards: Oh, a roller coaster.  No thanks!

We will stick with picking up ducks in the water.
That's safe.

 This next pictures sums up everything...

I think I threw up a little in my mouth.

 So, here is how it really went down.  Whitney should not have ridden the mini roller coaster.  I thought the carnie and I were going to have to birth Emory Hart right there at the fair.  It wasn't a bad roller coaster, there was just one jerky turn that isn't good on any human, especially those in utero.  I lost a little skin on my elbow from making sure Hill didn't jolt out.  All Whit and I could do was laugh as tears ran down our faces trying to be strong for our boys.  Show no fear, right?  We are weenies.  Whitney was scared to ask the carnie to stop the ride worried that he may never let us off as part of his evil plan.

The carousel made me dizzy.  Be quiet.  I know it's harmless, I have no explanation. Even if I wanted the guy to stop the ride I don't think he would have understood me because all he knew was "Dew Dickets" (two tickets) and "Dank You" (thank you.)  I don't know the international sign for get me the hell off this ride.  So if any of you know it, please comment below.

Then the bee ride.  Or as I like to call it...The Killer Bee. I have to explain the engineering of the bee ride.  It's a bee and it lifts up and goes down.  Simple as that, right?  Wrong.  Hill and I get on the broken one...of course.  Ours only goes up - we never went down.  So the whole time I'm in panic mode watching Tanner and Whitney in front of us gracefully going up and down in their sweet little bee while Hill and I are just up...no down...ever.  Whitney is cracking up because Hill and I are just there - in the air.  I'm plotting how I am going to jump out of the bee once it stops and we are still stuck in the air.  I had decided I'd dangle Hill by his arms for a carnie to catch, since Whitney is pregnant.  Then I would jump out and probably sprain my ankle, but it's better than the alternative which was calling the fire department and causing a scene.  By the grace of God when the ride stopped our bee came down.

So, we called it a day.  An hour of our lives we totally could have done without.  I forgot to reward myself with a funnel cake I was so stressed.

We came back to our house and the husbands grilled us steaks, which I almost got to use a fire extinguisher for the first time, so that was exciting.  We had a little grease fire on the grill - no harm, no foul.  Steaks were still cooked perfectly.  

The only rides that the boys and mommies liked.
Hill on Foster and Tanner on Foxy Mama