Monday, May 24, 2010

Carnies!

teacups

Over the weekend, a little carnival set up in a field about a mile from our house. It comes around every spring and fall, but it had been a good long time since the kids had gotten to go. Matt took them on Sunday afternoon for a couple of hours (while Mama caught up on her Bravo viewing) and THEN took them back at nightfall, 'cause they still had their wristbands. (Matt is my muffin.) I went along for the second outing.

hank in a teacup

Oh my Lord, did they love it. It had all the variations of the spin-you-around-too-fast attractions, plus the swinging pirate ship. The only thing out of all of that I could possibly ride was the ferris wheel, which we loved. It was Hank's first time ever for a lot of this stuff.

laura on ferris wheel profile

the sizzler

Matt nobly offered to ride this Barfatron with Hank, who spent the ride plastered to his side like a ragdoll. Laura was in her element. She even got to sit on a ride with some teenage girls. Oh the coolness! She was so cool that she couldn't wave to her mom.

laura at carnival


Hank, on the other hand, thought I was so cool that he dragged me into the funhouse mirrors with him.

hall of mirrors

Then I got too far behind him and smacked some glass. A lot. Doh.

Oh and the carnie people. Oh goodness. Help me remember: what made carnies look sad and unhealthy before crystal meth? Was it just good ol' booze? I was too young to notice back then. These kids, they didn't notice the rust or the toothless personnel. It could have been the fracking Epcot Center to them. That thing about how being with your kids makes you see things with new eyes? It is totally true.

hank in racecar

A few more pics are here. I hope y'all had a good weekend, with no motion sickness.

17 comments:

Lisa Lilienthal said...

those pics are insanely fabulous. what kind of camera?

Amy said...

Those pictures are adorable! Hank looks so happy. Matt is a muffin indeed to endure the Barfatron. That's kind of like the Chuckapalooza, right?

Carnies...yeah. It was only in my last year or so of carnival-going that I looked around and was like, whoa. Takes all kinds of people!

Amy said...

Barfatron... I'm STILL laughing. Oh, girl!!

And the photo of Hank in the car?? Beyond -- galactically so -- priceless.

Becky said...

Thanks! Lisa, that is a Canon Digital Rebel XS, not one of the new fancy Canons but a couple years old, with the kit 18-55 lens. I got lucky with some of these snaps of the kids.

delaine said...

Too cool to wave at Mom! In a few more years there will be a brief period when she will pretend to be an orphan. It passes.

Keely said...

Those are some awesome pics! I never get such coolness out of my Rebel, unless I put the Lensbaby on it (and then it's sheer luck). I'm sure the adorable subject matter helps.

Michele said...

I just don't think carnies have a good dental plan. Or they don't take advantage of it if they do.

Hank in the car is wonderful.

Laura: I wouldn't have wave at my mom either if I had had the good fortune to sit with cool teenagers.

Lawyer Mom said...

Matt is indeed a muffin -- a stud muffin. Enduring a carnival and the carnies . . . and I bet it was without earplugs. Very sweet.

Meg said...

Gawd, Hank really looks like Matt. Spitting image. Those pics are awesome. And I gotta support Laura in the not waving thing. You don't wave to your mom when there's teenagers around. That's just asking for a "kick me" sign.

Viki said...

You brought back a lot of fond memories especially about the toothless carnie workers LOL. I used to love those house of mirrors except for the bumping into part of it. Looks like your family had a great time. Great pictures.

Michele R said...

What a fun day and night. You guys are cool for taking the kids. Speaking of kids, didn't Laura just turn 9? Then why did she just turn 13? I love the profile picture of her-gorgeous.

Sjn said...

Fabulous photos!!! Great memories for the kids too.
I saw that carnival on my way up to play with Wes and Tess this past weekend, and thought of you all, wondering if you'd go.

Jenni said...

Great photos. That Laura is a real beauty. Gonna be trouble with the boys in a few more years.

Jenni said...

Sorry, just saw Amy (your sister)'s comment and laughed out love. Takes all kinds of people! Even the meth heads have a purpose and a place, haha!

gretchen said...

Damn, that's a really cool carnival. And it's so clean. The ones we get out here are nasty, filthy relics. But fun. Nasty, filthy, fun relics. And the carnies are the same everywhere - a lot of mustache, not a lotta teeth.

Sara said...

Yay for carnivals and county fairs.
That 1st picture reminds me of something out of a National Geographic slice-o-life.

Matt is The Man! Hank's joy is contagious and Laura is stunning.

(Mark likes to take Sad Carnie photos when we go to the fairs. :) )

Crystal Keilers, that's me. said...

Oh you crack me up. Catching up on your blog is sheer entertainment. And your daughter is beautiful =).