We started off the festivities at a petting zoo in the corner of the grocery store parking lot. This year, Reina seemed to get the biggest kick out of the petting zoo. Reina loved all of the animals and would usually bends down to look them square in the face. Luckily for our sake, these were very tame, calm and patient animals. She loved the baby goats and the chickens but I think her favorite were the "bunnywabbits." Her least favorite was the grown-up goat who tried to eat the ribbon on her dress.
After a few minutes petting all of the animals available, Reina took a pony ride. She sure looks at home in that saddle, don't you think? As we watched her ride, Glenn came to the startling realization that this girl is going to want her own horse someday. I think he's right - she's a natural! 
While sister was busy practicing her equestrian prowess, Brother was enthusiastically petting any animal he could get his hands on. Baby pigs! Goats! Chickens! 
He also took a turn on horseback. Yep, the Horse Fund starts tomorrow. 
We took a few days off from the festivities so that Glenn and I could actually, you know, go to work and the kids went to preschool and then we had Wednesday afternoon off for Carnival! Cotton Candy! Giant Lemonade that costs $5.00!! The sky was threatening rain but it didn't dampen our fun. First up was the motorcycle ride. Glenn and I were laughing at how much fun the two kids were having and then it hit us, "WHY ARE WE ENCOURAGING REINA TO RIDE ON THE BACK OF A MOTORCYCLE?" Stop the ride right now! From the look on her face, we are in big BIG trouble.
We splurged on tickets for the whole family and rode the Ferris Wheel. It was much less enjoyable for the younger set than I thought it would be. I thought they would like to see everything from up high but it took so long to get it started that they got bored. And whiny. My enthusiasm started to fade about the time that started Will peered over the side to point out how far down everything was. I think we'll wait a few years before we try that one again.
Back on solid ground, Will and Glenn disappeared for a few minutes and came back with this giant inflatable sword. Because that's what our house needs, more weapons. Sadly but not surprisingly, the giant inflatable sword did not last long once it came back to our house. It was the first time I actually rewarded Trigger for chewing something, but shhhhhh, don't tell Will.
We continued the fun with a merry-go-round ride with a very patient Dad because Mom gets queasy just watching everybody go round and round and round and urp..... let's move on to the next picture.
The kids fell asleep before we even made it back to the car but it was a fun afternoon. The carnival gets more fun each year, for all of us. I do want to note that Reina was just barely tall enough for most of the rides that Will rode on. At the motorcycle ride, the carnival attendant pointed out that maybe Reina wasn't big enough (she'd briefly taken off her ball cap which gave her an extra inch) and he didn't think she could get on. I convinced him that she was close enough and besides none of us wanted to deal with the unleashing of Temper Tantrum 2000 if she was kept off the road. Luckily he bought it and we were all spared, for that afternoon anyway.
Thursday was parade day and everyone came to work with me to watch the parade go by my office. I'm always a little more excited about the parade than either kid, and this year was no exception.
"Why aren't there any swords? Seriously, why?" 
"I want my mommy." Sorry, Pop-pop. 
By the end of Frontier Days, we all felt like doing this. Can't wait until next year!
In non-CFD related news, Trigger is having a fantastic summer. 
He treats the couch as if it's his thrown. He's learning how to hunt birds and also rabbits, ceramic rabbits in the neighbor's yard and the occasional piece of trash blowing down the street. (To his credit, it was an awfully suspicious looking piece of trash.) The extra money we paid to have our name and phone number engraved on his collar has already paid for itself when he raced out the open gate and spent a few joyful minutes playing with our neighbor across the street.... while we were at work. I give him a hard time but Trigger loves the kids and is even ever so slightly starting to mellow out. Okay, that's not really accurate. He's not as exasperatingly, frantically energetic as he was a few months ago. Especially on days like this:
A big thunderstorm came through town while we were at work. Trigger ignored the warm, dry shelter he has in our shed but which requires a doggy door to enter and instead braved it out on the back deck. The wet dog smell still lingers in the house.
Finally, Will dressed himself as a super hero. Still not sure what the sheet of white paper signified but he knows. I'm saving this one for post-graduation slideshow.
Next post: Aunt Wicky's wedding!!!
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