Carnival Rides!!!! What F-U-N!!!!!

Well, the Hendricks County Fair started this weekend and I'm excited to go.

I have so many great memories of my hometown fair, and I want G-Man to experience the same thing.

Lemon shake-ups, elephant ears, the taco stand (must be a Martinsville thing), the fire station ice cream, and all that other bad-food stuff.

YUM.

So for the 4th of July, our little town had a 4th of July carnival/fair/celebration thing and we took G-Man.

It was July 1st, and the opening night. The weather was fantastic and we dined on tenderloins, hot dogs and all that deliciousness. And because it was opening night, they had the $15 arm bracelet thingeys so you can ride the rides endlessly.

Now, G-Man last year wasn't TOO thrilled with the rides, but he did ride a few. I thought he would be PUMPED...and was pointing to the carousel and the cars and all that un-safe-ness that the Carnies provide.

So, we go up to the ticket window and I'm debating whether or not to get him an arm bracelet. Travis tells me not to, and in typical fashion I did it anyway. I'm too cheap and wanted the "bang for my buck" and basically ignored Travis's suggestion.

I am now hearing about this every damn day (practically).

So we're at the window and I pay for the bracelet. The chick wants me to pick him up, shove his arm through the hole, and let her apply the bracelet to his arm.

SHREIKING!...CRYING!...SCREAMING!...

I should have just demanded my $$ back right then and there but I did not. My hard head wouldn't let me.

So I grabbed it from her and put it on his arm myself. Why? Because I like to torture myself.

Travis all the while is giving me his evil-"I told you so"-eye.


So he's crying and acting like his right arm is broken and dangling down by his side. Like the paper wrist-band weighs 80 pounds and he cannot lift it.

We go to the Carousel. He WILL NOT RIDE IT. He is crying and clinging to my legs.

WE. ARE. HAVING. FUN. (!)


So we go to the little motorcycle ride. I somehow manage to get him on the motorcycle thingey. I hurry up to the other side of the fence and give the carney "the look" like HURRY UP AND TURN THE THING ON BEFORE HE KNOWS HE HATES IT!

But no....she waits FOREVER. Forever as in 2 seconds for it to occur to G-Man that HE HATES THE MOTORCYCLES LIKE THE CAROUSEL and HE WANTS OFF RIGHT THIS MINUTE!

CRYING. SCREAMING. SNOT FLYING OUT OF HIS NOSE. TURNING BEET RED. FREAKING OUT.


So Travis is still giving me "the look" and I run back in there to get him. Snot is all over the place and tears are EVERYWHERE. I am AWESOME PARENT OF THE YEAR!

His arm is still hanging loose by his side and he is acting pitiful.

No more rides. It ain't happening.

Goodbye $15 down the drain.

I paid all that $$ (because I'm cheap and wanted the "bang for my buck") and he didn't ride ONE DAMN RIDE!

Serves me right.

So then we proceed and find out that all G-Man wants to do is play those stupid carney games. You know...so you can win a cheap stuffed animal, a gold-framed poster of Pamela Anderson, or some stupid inflatable hammer.

Yeah. So I really should have taken the $15 and applied it to the games...but now I know.

So G-Man now wants to hit frogs into some moving lilly-pad game thing for a stupid 3-inch long stuffed fish. You know...because we don't have a 3-foot stuffed fish thing at home. Ugh.


So we agree to do the frog-thing...but his arm is still not working. I, believing he might cheer up later and STILL RIDE A RIDE have left the bracelet on his arm. And he's acting like it's broken.

He won't hit the pad, his arm is lifeless, and Travis is cursing me under his breath. See the non-working right arm?!?!?!


Although he won us a prize with the frogs.

I finally got pissed enough during the "fish for a SHARK!" game that I ripped the stupid thing off his arm and gave up. All was well after that and the weight was lifted and his arm miraculously worked again.

It was truly amazing.

After I gave up on the games and non-riding....we went next door to the park and played on the playground. That I know he loves.

So, now I know. This county fair season coming up...we're playing games and not even attempting a ride. I just can't take it.

During all of this struggle...I was struggling with my humongous camera...all to capture the lovely moments of G-Man riding his carnival rides.

So enjoy the non-riding-carnival-rides photos....