Welcome to Four Chickadees and Me blog! It is here that I share my often pointless thoughts...my over stressed feelings and stories that are just to crazy to keep to myself! And yes...most include my girls I like to think of as my little chickadees...they indeed follow me everywhere!
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Once a year it rolls around...the Longton Free Fair. Something was different this year...something everyone noticed...the HEAT!!! It was still muggy...sweat still rolled down my back...but with the cloudy overcast...things just seemed a bit more tolerable!
Other than that...you can always count of the familiar moments of the fair.
The hotdog eating contest.....
The parade...
The firetrucks...
Friends with candy bags...
Cool treats for sale...
Fun games...
Prize money...
Hula-Hoop contest...
Water balloon toss...
Something new this year...FREE ICECREAM!
After a few hours of play...we headed home...along with about 12 kids...the pool was a perfect way to end the afternoon at the fair!
Lots more pics of the fair posted on my facebook....take a look..you might see someone you know!
This year we wanted to do a little something different for the kids Sunday School classes. We have had weekly after-school studies in the past....fall gatherings...and various other fun times full of Godly lessons. With the looonnnngggg and intense heatwave we have been having this summer...it just seemed like a Beach Theme would be perfect. So, the Beach Blast was put in full swing!
The kids got to invite friends from the community to join us and there ended up being about 20 kids in all...a great turnout!
Our class focus was "Walking with Jesus"...miracles, parables and examples that Jesus set for us to live by!
Our mornings were full of puppet shows, storytelling, games, crafts, songs and snacks!
On the last day, we did something a little special. After our morning of learning and praising...we had a sack lunch!
Then we headed outdoors to "catch a wave"...
...and enjoyed some summer fun!
The kids got along great with each other! I never heard a mean word or any fighting...not a tattletales in our bunch! Little kids played with the big kids...
Big kids played with the little ones...
Brothers spent time together...
Sisters shared some laughs...
Some found new courage...
Others became fearless...
The line between "girls and boys" melted away...and friendships grew!
The laughter..smiles...and giggles were constant!
I hope the kids had a great time, but most importantly, I hope they continue to "Walk with Jesus" throughout their lives! Thanks to all the helpers for all you did and contributed to such an important time!
Mark and I wanted to have a little getaway weekend with the kids before school started...so we headed to KC! My favorite city people (Polly and Adam) asked us to stay with them...we packed our bags..grabbed a friend...and off we went!
Friday night Polly and I did a little shopping and I got to see first hand how in-store prices are much better than online ones! It's not a good thing when you just got an order from Old Navy in the mail..only to discover everything you bought was at least 1/2 price at the storefront! So...we went to Texas Roadhouse to wash away my unfortunate money woes!
Saturday was slotted for WORLDS OF FUN!
The girls have never been there and they were greeted with overwhelming screaming...friendly looking critters and short lines (thank goodness for that!)
We grabbed our map and off we went to tackle the craziness!
I had only been in the park for about 10 minutes...then it happened. The stomach aches...the spinning head...the urge to run to the nearest corner and start sucking my thumb...WHY???..you may be asking yourself?!? Because of this.....
My BABIES are on that ride...my little darlings that I have basically raised in a bubble for most of their lives...are on THIS!!! I have never felt so helpless...I vowed that if they made it off in one piece...I was going to trick them into heading back toward the exit and try to appease them with never-ending promises and icecream...but then I seen this.....
...and I realized that I had to swallow my fears and let them enjoy the moment...as insane as it seemed to me!
I learned many things throughout the day.
One being that I have fearless children...and they have a pansy mother! I also learned that my little 6 year old just isn't satisfied with little baby rides...but obviously my husband is!
The girls weren't leaving the park until they earned the "badge of honor" from this ride!
So in the seats they went...full of smiles...anticipation.
I was talking to them one minute...and the next they were gone! That would be a great feature for humans...kinda like an "instant-bam-your-gone" button...seeeee yaaaa!!!!
The water rides...I could handle!
Ok...to be totally honest...I got a little freaked out on this one! My "personal guide" was as cool as a cucumber! I didn't dig that mini-drop....lets just say thank goodness it was a water ride!!!
About half way through they park, we decided to take a little rest..cool down and enjoy some groovy TV tunes! Great show!
Life was good...my heart was beating at a regular pace...and then this appeared and my babies were once again swept away from my arms of protection!
I grabbed the nearest paper bag...took some deep breathes...and remembered the look on their faces!
After being tossed up, down and all around...we hit the arcades for a bit...its safer in there.
The kids started to wind down...our wallet was starting to look bare...and the rides begin to bid us a final farewell.
And then it happened...the horrors of all horrors.
I should have seen it coming....the sly looks...the glances...the unspoken words between Madi and her BFF Sarah. It all come down to this one moment... RIPCORD!!!
How just saying the words puts bile in a mothers mouth...it is a horrible trap that warped amusement park owners must delight in...the tug-of-war feeling between a distraught mom....and a beyond thrilled child. Those of you not familiar with the RIPCORD...consider yourself lucky!
Basically ....200 ft. tower....Free fall....65 miles per hour swinging ride.
The girls really wanted to do this...I admired them. As much as I hated to admit it..it was a great lesson in overcoming fears and encouraging each other.
So...we signed them up....2 hours and $50 later...they got ready to rock the RIPCORD!
Since it was very dark by time the girls got hooked up...I didn't get very good footage of their ride. Here is one that I snagged off of Youtube...just so you get the full picture of what I had to endure!
What a day! Who knew that 11 hours of family fun could go by so quickly! We had a blast and will remember such a small...yet mighty weekend!
