carnival comes to town

Ava has been wishing to go to a carnival for months... after watching her animated friends on favorite cartoons like Little Einsteins and Dora the Explorer take in the scenic adventures of rides and fill on sweets like cotton candy, she'd say in one deep sigh, "I wish I could go to a carnival." Mimicking what cartoons do is not something I condone. In fact, the only reason why we DVR her cartoons and keep the tube on PBS is to avoid the very pitfall of having the kids see something on TV they suddenly realize they want. Later she brought up some of the memories we made last year and announced, "Remember when we went on the train? And there was a ferris wheel?" - and on those notes, I set out on a mission to find her a carnival to experience all over again.

I didn't have to search very far - my sister discovered a carnival in town this weekend, and emailed me the details. Aaron and I dropped everything and packed the kids for a ride over to Grapevine - to relive one of her favorite memories of summer...













My favorite moment was watching Ava count out 12 of her coupons to purchase 2 bags of cotton candy and then stopping to watch their cousin Humzah brave the carousel riding Dumbo, while stuffing their faces with clouds of pink and blue...



As parents, we strive every moment of their childhood to be as fun and whimsical - but in reality, and they are beginning to understand this, is that there is a time for everything - even time-outs... which is why moments like these are too precious to let go off.... just like the cotton candy melting in her mouth...