I’ve already started this post once and then WordPress decided to delete it just about the time I was halfway finished. Or maybe I pushed the wrong button. I’m not sure, but it feels better for me to blame WordPress.
So I never talked about what we did last weekend. And now it’s Wednesday which is almost the next weekend and it seems kind of pointless to write about something we did almost a week ago. But given that there is nothing new and exciting going on here, I’m going to go with it. Plus, what if a day comes when Caroline pulls up the blog because she is desperate to know how she spent the weekend of February 11, 2011 and is left with lingering questions regarding her whereabouts.
The San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo is in town right now. Otherwise known as one of my favorite times of the year. Normally the kids get out of school at some point during rodeo season, but that isn’t the case this year for reasons known only to some bigwig administrators who probably scoff at the thought of chicken-fried bacon and moon pies. Fortunately for Caroline, P and I believe strongly in the importance of teaching our child the merits a good ferris wheel ride, the proper way to eat a funnel cake, and a hands-on example of why you don’t want to grow up to be a carny.
(Carnies. Circus folk. Nomads, you know. Smell like cabbage. Small hands.)
We picked her up early from school on Friday under the guise of an appointment. Yes, she had an appointment. An appointment with fun.
Every Friday is dollar day which means admission and all rides only cost a dollar. This helps offset the sting of paying $50 for a couple of corndogs and a lemonade. I’d complain more about the rodeo food price gouging, because I may not be a smart man, Jenny, but I know the cost of making a corndog, but I have to admit that those corndogs are worth every penny.
After a quick stop for a nutritious lunch of corndogs dipped in diamonds and rolled in gold, Caroline wanted to check out the rides. She decided to start small.
The inclusion of the carny in this picture is just a bonus.
She quickly realized she was ready to move on to bigger and better things and pointed out the Gravitron, intrigued by the spinning and loud music coming from the inside. P and I were quick to regal her with horror stories involving the loss of recently eaten corndogs because there was no way either of us was going anywhere near that sucker. If I wanted to be spun around so fast that gravity becomes a non-issue, I’d have been an astronaut.
We all decided to ride the ferris wheel instead and I hung on for dear life as we moved around and around at two miles per hour while P kept telling me to look down at how high we were and I tried not to hyperventilate while I wondered why we were married. I’m not sure what’s happened to me since my childhood days riding the Texas Cyclone repeatedly at Astroworld, but I’ve become a bit of a ride coward. They mess with my equilibrium or inner ear or something. Caroline and I rode the Tower of Terror last year and I wasn’t right for about six days after the fact.
I decided to be a carnival spectator while she and P went on a series of rides that featured things like spinning around in circles at terrifying heights.
I feel sick.
I can hardly bear to watch.
After they rode several more variations of rides that go fast and defy gravity, including one called Crazy Mouse, we decided to move on to my area of rodeo expertise. Eating funnel cakes and walking around through the barns to look at the cows and the pigs and the baby chickens. Which is where Caroline totally scored a set of pig’s ears.
We finally headed back home after a big day of fun and all went to bed with stomachs that felt just a little bit off. I’m sure it had nothing to do with the corndogs or the funnel cakes or the rides that spun us upside down.
The next morning I went to HEB because we were having some friends over for dinner and we believe that food is an important element of any good dinner party. And then I came home and Caroline helped me clean the house before we left to attend Will’s birthday party. I’m sure it will come as no surprise that he had an Ugly Doll birthday cake.
After a big time at the party, we went straight to Caroline’s basketball game where she scored two goals. And then she smiled so big her face was probably sore the next day.
Our friends came over for dinner later that evening and we had a great time. And then I fell into bed where I could have stayed for the next three days.
But instead I got up for church the next morning. Ate Chinese food for lunch and spent the rest of the afternoon helping P work in the yard because our yard looks like a testing site for nuclear weapons. It would be nice to call a landscape company to come take care of it for us, but P owns a landscape company which meant we had to rake it all ourselves.
On the plus side, I believe we worked off a little funnel cake.
And that’s what we did last weekend.
**Don’t forget that tomorrow is Book Club day. Can’t wait to hear y’alls thoughts!***
That looks like a blast! I didn’t know about the Friday dollar day… now if only we could actually go this Friday. There is always next year I supposed.
This made me chuckle:
>>>our yard looks like a testing site for nuclear weapons.<<<
because Hubs came home from work this afternoon, looked out at the backyard which has suffered from way to much below freezing weather here in Houston and said "It looks like a neutron bomb went off back there!"
What a great weekend! We did not have rodeo time off where I grew up, but we had the LA County Fair at the Pomona Fairgrounds. And my dad made sure that we went every. single. year.
I have vivid memories of the food (any and every- fried, oh my word!!!), the rides (we rode the exact same rides I saw in your pictures, and then some) and the tops. Every single year I came home with the “Invisible Dog (the leash made to look like an invisible dog was on the end of it, walking along with you) and the “Clackers” (Two ceramic balls on the end of two cords that you “clacked” together to drive your parents absolutely crazy).
I know you and P have made those memories for Caroline, and she will cherish them forever.
Oh MY … I got sick just lookikng at how high they were in the air! Yikes!
Love some carny food and time off work and out of school. Just perfect in Texas!
Fond memories from my own childhood.
AAAhhh! Tomorrow is book club day?? Dangit. I have been trying to get through another book before starting that one. Shoot shoot shoot. I know I can always come back and read the comments AFTER I actually read the book. But, since I am IGG (Instant Gratification Girl), I am sure I will go ahead and read everything tomorrow, therefore ruining my reading experience.
WHY? Why don’t I write down important dates? This kind of stuff happens to me all the time.
Seriously, though–I am really looking forward to your book club. I’ll be the lame-o girl in the back who hasn’t read the book yet… I do hope there will be some good appetizers.
Oh, and love love love today’s post. Especially the part about the carnies. Is that a quote from somewhere, or do you just observe the smell of cabbage? That makes me giggle–even to write it here! You sure is funny.
I must be the only one to think that quote is a bit mean. Even if it’s from a movie.
I am SO with you on the ride thing. I used to be all about scary rollercoasters and spinning around and upside down. Now it all just makes me nauseous. Glad you had fun!
Gravitron bad. Very, very bad.
Big time at the rodeo. Our family has avoided the fairgrounds since Wil was about 5 years old and I caught him comparing his fake tattoos with those of a rather large carny. Wordlessly, with just a nudge of the heads as they moved from the right arm to the left. I am happy to say I was able to pull him out of line before the bellies were shown. Because who really wants to see the belly of a rather large carny? ( What with the small hands a cabbage odor) I still have not figured out why Wil had quite so many fake tattoos. Also love the shirt Caroline is wearing…with the pig ears and the red checks I was craving some bbq.
How fun! Sorry you had to rake- ugh. That cake is so funny to me- “have an ugly birthday!” Would love to hear what he says in 20 years!
I was fearless as a child. Then a few years back the hubby and I decided to go to our local fair – mostly for the funnel cakes and demolition derby – and we thought the ferris wheel would be a worthy cause to throw our $10 away on. WRONG-O!! Like you, I don’t know what happened since childhood, but I held on for dear life, sweaty palms (in fact, they are starting to get moist while I’m sitting in the comfort of my home writing this!), wondering how I got talked into sitting in a car where my feet dangle and there are no seatbelts and I’m high in the air. The hubby laughed and pointed out our car in a parking lot miles away and wondered why I looked like I was about to faint. When the ride stopped, I swore I wouldn’t go again. Ever. Hubby laughed and we moved on. Let’s fast-forward, shall we? A couple of years ago we had a friend in town with her kids. She was preggo and didn’t want to ride, but my hubby offered to take her three boys up on the ferris wheel. When he came by the first time I noticed he was doing a white knuckle job. When the ride stopped he swore – never again – and said all he could think about was how he could grab three small boys with only two hands if they started slipping under the bar! Payback is fun.
Girlll, lovin the Farm Bureau ears.
What’s not to love about fried things on a stick?
I gotta say, the Austin Powers reference made me love your blog even more!
Your carnival actually looks like fun. The one that comes to my town is a little sketchy, but the state fair is supposed to be pretty good.
“Have an Ugly Birthday, Will.” That’s hilarious!!!
The older I get the scarier (and more stomach disaster producing) those rides get.
Melanie, I always love your weekend recaps. Loved C’s outfit for the rodeo…she looks like a sweet little country girl in her red gingham top! Which is a good thing since her mama talks like a cowgirl ; )
We just had Friday off from school for the Florida State Fair. It blows my mind that the kids get Fair Day off from school, but whatever. My husband and I took the day off work so we could take the girls to the fair. I had a delicious lunch of a chicken eggo, which I’d never heard of before, but is a fried chicken sandwich stuffed between 2 sugar-coated waffles. DELICIOUS!!! I’m glad we did all the rides I cared to do before lunch so that my chicken eggo stayed in my tummy.
We took our girls out of school 6 or 7 times for appointments with giraffes during our Zoo Year. 2nd grade is overrated.
BOOK CLUB!!! Woohoo!!!
Wait a minute…..Tower of Terror??? You guys went to Disney World last year and didn’t blog about it?!?! Or did I somehow miss a whole week’s worth of posts at some point??
Wow,that picture makes my stomach drop twice and then once again. EEEgacckk!!
looks like yall had a riproarin’ good time. And good for you for indulging in the nutritious treat of funnel cakes…I always tell myself I am not one to “waste” food when confronted with the friend batter variety!!
hope you have a wonderfully UGLY day:)
lindsay
Another great post!
One of these days we will be book clubbing with your book.
Ahhh the ferris wheel. It seems like such a tame thing but it lulls you into a false sense of security so you say to yourself “I can do this; it doesn’t go fast.” And then it HAS YOU in it’s grips for the most frightening how many minutes the operator decides you will ride! I can do roller coasters that turn you upside down 2 or 3 times but the ferris wheel? I shudder at the thought.
Yeah, what happens to us after we grow up and have kids? Or forget growing up, but I think motherhood makes us yellow- the State Fair brought to light for me all the nausea and fear you went through. And I did ride the Crazy Mouse with my two boys. I screamed like a little girl.
I’m thinking that P should be in charge of yardwork. Or in charge of hiring his guys to come over and do it.
Eek! my girls LOVE the Gravitron! I have found a way to avoid all rides at the fair, I graciously offer to hold everyone’s “stuff”. Then i can people watch while they defy gravity.
I was thinking about you yesterday. Had lunch with Amy (Hajovsky) Heye and we talked about the randomness of how we know each other – small small world!
Sounds like you had big fun and the rodeo. Yay!
No kidding, my 4 yr old saw the picture of Caroline in the pig ears and asked if she was at Disney World. Ha! Poor kid. Or maybe yea for us, b/c if she thinks the stock show and rodeo is what DW is like, then we are totally off the hook. We’ll be saving about $5000 by not taking that trip!
We have several things we go to each year, I’m sure you remember some of them. Nederland Heritage Festivial, South Texas State Fair, and Rice Festival in Winnie. And all I can say is thank goodness they space them out several months apart and thank goodness for dollar days!
Please don’t forget the Pecan Festival–although it’s possible they have changed the name–Riverfest, maybe??
It’s a carnival year around in the Golden Triangle.
Can identify with you on the rides….
http://balmingilead.typepad.com/finding_balm_in_gilead/2011/01/redeemed-in-spite-of-the-mummy.html.html
Awesome Post!
You guys have chicken fried bacon? I’ve never heard of such a thing. Oh my word. I’m packing my bags and coming for a visit.
The bad thing about divorce is not having a significant other to talk into getting on the rides with the kids. And the fact that I have become afraid of heights falls on deaf pre-teen ears. I have done the Gravitron every year, followed by the drunk stumble around the Fairgrounds from it. I also got talked into going on something that drops from the sky. DROPS FROM THE SKY. I think my children hate me.
Ok I have a question. Was there an actual rodeo involved? You know like cowboys riding bullls and horses? Or was it actually like the county fair? I was a little confused at the name of the event.
I am so with you on the ride thing. Years ago when I was a youngster I had a dollar to spend at the fair. In those days (I am 58) you could get a ride for 10 cents. So ten rides for a dollar and I took them all on the ferris wheel. And since then I don’t care if I never see another ferris wheel in my entire life.
We still have snow (100 inches or so) and so there will be no yard raking or planting or anything till at least May. I am jealous!
Hugs from MN
Marie
“PERSONAL” – that is the best way to get my son out of school early without feeling bad about it or getting questioned. Not that you felt bad about your “appointment”.
Looks like the rodeo was a blast!
I think it’s called “scoring a basket” or “making a basket” not “scoring a goal” – But I may be wrong. I only claim to be an expert on baseball and constantly have to tell my husband, “it’s a RUN, not a point!” Ugh.
I like rollercoasters but I hate things that just plunge straight down at high speeds… like the Tower of Terror or a ferris wheel.
There is absolutely nothing better than funnel cake. I believe that everyone should get out of school early to eat it.
Sounds like a fun weekend, well other than the yard work which sounds like, well….work. I don’t enjoy that, at least not as much as funnel cake.
We can put this on the long list of things our mothers did not have to worry about:
<>
oops. this is what was supposed to be there.
….
Plus, what if a day comes when Caroline pulls up the blog because she is desperate to know how she spent the weekend of February 11, 2011 and is left with lingering questions regarding her whereabouts.
….
Love those pig ears Caroline is sportin’ there!
I loved that book so much, I went ahead and read her other book (memoir), The Glass Castle, too! Great choice!
I think it’s an age thing. Use to be fearless when it came to rides. I would ride everything at Busch Gardens and Kings Dominion. Haven’t been in years until last summer. I took my niece and nephew with me. After we finally got off of it my niece commented that I screamed like I was committing bloody murder. I was absolutely terrified. Only other rides (besides bumper cars) they got me on were the water rides and a 3D one. They looked safe with no dropping off the face of the earth and suspended in the air. Good gracious. I’ll be glad to be the designated babysitter, purse/bag watcher, whatever as long as it involves my feet staying planted on asphalt.
I think all the carnies just stopped following you.
I think the rodeo sounds like such fun. We stayed home and attempted to clean our house. This too is very much like your rodeo experience where I have two little boys who are like bulls running wild tearing up all of the cleaning we’ve just finished. We just didn’t have the good food. Oh, and the carnies.
You had me at funnel cake! Yum!
Your gift for crafting a clever story from mundane daily activities is superb. However, as a lifelong resident of Indiana, I feel it’s imperative to inform you that you don’t score “goals” in basketball…points or baskets, but no goals.
Just love the rodeo here, too. Am headed to TX tomorrow for the PURE Conference and was trying to figure a way to fit the rodeo into my week, but it doesn’t look like that will happen. Happy to go via your re-cap though ~ glad you guys had so much fun.
“He owns a landscape company” So funny!
I hate to admit that I never let my kids know there were rides at the Fort Worth Stock Show. We did the animals, the food, the rodeo, but never the rides. Then, my son went with another family and they headed straight for the rides. Boy was I in trouble! I too was a huge fan of fast, scary rides growing up–now, no way. And one of the best days of my life was when they were old enough ride all the rides at Six Flags and I could just watch. Other parents would point and say, “What mother would let that boy ride that?” I would just smile and say ” I have no idea”
Love Caroline’s shirt – so cute! I was totally anticipating the carney quote, and you did not disappoint!
Great post – well worth rewriting it
As a fellow proponent of “the school of life experience,” I say good for you for playing hookey to go to the fair. We’ve been known to do that kind of thing once in a while too, because really, when they’re all grown up, what are kids going to remember more fondly, learning how to diagram a sentence or eating corndogs and cotton candy and riding the Tilt-a-Whirl until they got sick?
Also, “I’m not a smart man, Jenny, but I know the cost of making a corndog” cracked me up for real. Hilarious!
I’m right there with you on the rides. I don’t know at what point they became Rides-O-Terror, maybe it was when I became a mother and looked at everything as a possible weapon for maiming my child, or me, and leaving the child motherless. Anyhoo, In the high school and college eutopia, I rode EVERYTHING AND LOVED IT. Now I qualify as one of those women on the sign who has heart trouble (it’s just the fear, not really heart trouble). I think it began at a carnival, with my 9 year old daughter, on one of those umbrella-chair things that went up and around in a circle and at the height of the circle sort of flung you out like you were going to go sailing over the roof of the Piggly Wiggly. I was crying by the time it stopped, much to my daughters total mortification. It’s sad to get old. Oh, and MY beloved husband likes to ROCK THE CAR on the ferris wheel when we stop at the top! He’s still alive, but just barely, because I could have killed him with the lasers shooting from my eyes on those times. Thanks for the great stories.
i too have braved the Crazy Mouse and i have never laughed so hard in ALL.MY.LIFE. hysterically scary!
The Texas Cyclone. Oh, yeah. That was a roller coaster….
Can I just say that your description of the fair is great! We LOVE going to the fair…but feel like we have to make a separate savings account to be able to go once a year!! And the carnie in the pic DEFINITELY made that picture better =)
My very first time here and you endeared me that you pulled your daughter out of school for an “appointment” at the rodeo (we’ve done that for fair) and that you love funnel cakes and lemonaide. And will pay to have them.
But I laughed right out loud because I KNOW THIS MOMENT when I read….”But instead I got up for church the next morning. Ate Chinese food for lunch and spent the rest of the afternoon helping P work in the yard because our yard looks like a testing site for nuclear weapons. It would be nice to call a landscape company to come take care of it for us, but P owns a landscape company which meant we had to rake it all ourselves.”
Oh, I’ll be back to hear more about your Texas life of yard work (our yard looks like a kids used car lot/kid junk yard.
I kid you not.
What a refreshing blog; my daughter just told me to take a gander. Your site is great, and let me tell you the best part…this is upfront and honest. So many blogs these days are fiction but try to come across as real…we know the difference; thanks for sharing with us!