Many of you know that "we" have taken Nicholas to the Cumming Country Fair every year since he was two. Well, except for last year, because we made our annual trip in August (instead of October) in order to make it to Peter's wedding!
That makes 11 times in his 13 years! Yup. He's a teenager and still wants to go to the fair...maybe now more than ever.
And this time we roped Uncle Mark into going with us...like a couple of times before.
We went on a Friday night after school, just before supper, while it was still light.
And since we started out "tame," we did the bumper cars first...all of us.
G'ma becomes maniacal on that ride. Watch out everybody!
Actually, Astrid had already made a stab at her prerequisite sharp-shooting skills.
Don't ever double-cross a woman like her with a gun in hand! HA!
That's one serious sharp-shooter.
She and Nicholas also had their first twirl on the twirl-a-whirl, but more on that later....
It was time to eat our turkey-leg supper...one of our favorite memories.
This year Nicholas ate an entire leg all by himself! Yup. He's a teenager!
Then one of our favorite rides...a calming one for after supper...the skylift.
This was my first day/event to use my new Canon PowerShot camera.
I was like the proverbial kid in the candy store.
Besides, it's the longest ride of the fair at almost 15 minutes.
It gives you a slow, lazy overview of the fair, to see if there's anything new this year!
Also, at the end of the skylift ride, you're a hop, skip and a jump away from the Indian Village.
It's the calm, cool and collected thing you want to do after you eat.
Which we did.
The shows are the same each year, so we didn't stay...
just long enough for the photo-op of this Cherokee cleaning out his gun before his next shoot-out.
(Don't mess with Astrid!!!)
(Don't mess with Astrid!!!)
Walking back to the fair from the Indian Village, we saw the one ride that was new for us.
Astrid and Nicholas had already tried it earlier but wanted to have another go at it.
But while Mark and I watched (and A & N stood in line waiting!), someone else didn't "make" it,
and the cleaning crew had to come out.
Since that took forever...A & N stopped waiting....
...and decided to go back on the twirl-a-whirl.
Let's just say Astrid really knows how to "manipulate" it!
Then we ate their homemade strawberry ice cream like we do every year...and that was it!
Nicholas has already decided that NEXT year he'll take his friend with him.
There's always next year to look forward to...when maybe he'll dare take some other rides.
He's nearing that fearless age.....
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Since this is the last post on our time with the kids, here are a few more images of in-between times in Atlanta (in-between time in Savannah with Bob and Peggy and our time at the cabin in the North Georgia mountains, last post):
Astrid wanted you to see how much of the 2000-pc. puzzle we finished while at the cabin
Amy rolled it up to finish at home.
One of the first things I did after arriving was look at the photobook I had made of Nicholas.
Once he turned 13 in July, I got the idea to make a book for Amy of his pre-teen years.
All 110 pages, 1,000 images...Shutterfly's limit (which you can puruse on my left sidebar).
And did I mention I also bought an iPad4, waiting for me?
Amy helped me get with the program.
You really CAN teach an old dog new tricks...and I LOVE it.
(BTW, selling my heavy bazooka lens was enough to pay for the new camera AND the iPad4...
a win-win situation, I hope, for my sciatic problems!)
Surely I've told you before that Amy is a gourmet cook and we're the lucky guinea pigs.
Since Astrid took these images, I threw in her delightful manhole cover...
with no possibble connection whatsoever!
Here's Oscar, a real lover-boy (while CC hides who-knows-where).
And speaking of lover-boys, here are Bob and Marc meeting us the day we flew back home.
It's always good to catch up on friends....
Speaking of which, next up will be our time with Bob and Peggy in Savannah!
Till then, BOO, in honor of All Hallow's Eve tomorrow.
This is the full moon from the cabin on October 18th...hand-held with my new camera,
and tweaked with some PicMonkey art. :)
These photos are all so great! Just like being there! What wonderful memories...love that for you two!
ReplyDeleteMemories, indeed, Robin. Thank you.
DeleteLooks like such a fun time! That boy has grown, I wonder what friend he'll want to take to the fair next year!
ReplyDeleteHe has indeed grown, Susan, but is still quite small for his age, of which he is self-conscious. Most of the boys in 8th grade are a head taller than he is. But one day he'll just shoot up, I'm sure.
DeleteHe had planned to take his friend Michael this year but decided to take Uncle Mark instead. He says NEXT year he'll take Michael so that they can ride some of the BIG rides. Truth be known, I think he's looking forward to the year when he can take a young lady. He rides the skylift and notices all the boys and girls cuddled together as couples in their seats. :)
Wow has he grown since I last saw pictures of him! Looks like you all had a great time and I would have been definitely ill. Yikes!
ReplyDeleteAs I just told Susan, Ted, Nicholas has indeed grown, but is still quite small for his age, of which he is self-conscious. Most of the boys in 8th grade are a head taller than he is. But one day he'll just shoot up, I'm sure.
DeleteBy now I'm quite sensible about these fair rides. We didn't ride the ferris wheel this year but that's another calm ride these days. HA!
Oh, Nicholas is a doll - I hope Spencer is like him at that age (he's almost 6!!) I really like the ferris wheel pictures - I am one who cannot stand any rides - and a double ferris wheel is too scary for me... BUT if I were to consider the photographs I could get... hmmm.
ReplyDeleteFantastic Moon imagery!
Spencer is already a doll, Margaret, and will only get better with age. HA! He's already breaking hearts, I know. :)
DeleteI don't even try the "bad" rides anymore, having more fun just taking pictures. And the kids know that by now. But even Nicholas has always sensed what rides would not be good for him. He always amazes me in that regard. He and Astrid are on about the same "level" when it comes to dare-devil rides, so he has a good partner-in-crime with her. :)
Thanks for the moon comment. I've been very happy with my new camera.
Very cool pictures of the fair! The turkey leg eating Astrid reminds me a bit of Angela Merkel... Astrid the sharp shooter - is there anything she can NOT do?
ReplyDeleteI see that you love your Canon Powershot - it's a great little camera, isn't it? However, I still prefer my DSLR, I can't help myself...
I think Astrid would take your Angela Merkel comment as a compliment, Carola. Astrid says she probably does her hair herself and saves money, just like Astrid does. HA! But right, there's nothing Astrid cannot do...except the dying-swan ballet, sge says. :D
DeleteThis PowerShot is special only because of the 1200mm range, Carola, which I'll love for our travels. It does NOT replace my big-girl camera, of course!
I can’t believe that Nicholas is already a teen! Was it 2 or 3 years ago that I saw him and he was a little boy? I have not been to a fair in a very long time but my grandsons are not near. Your little white cat is a darling (I am a cat person!) Actually tomorrow we are driving all the way to Gwinnett to go and see the 75th year anniversary of the Cotton Club cat show. There should be many pretty cats there.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about Nicholas. He's still small for his age but I expect him to shoot up one of these years...especially when puberty hits. Oscar the cat is a real lover-boy. I can just imagine all the cats you'll see at the Cotton States Cat Club. I just Googled it and found this: http://www.cottonstatescatclub.org/
DeleteThe fair is a joy, each time. So much different than the fair I know. I love the Indian Valley, that Indian sure is doing a great job and he seems to like it. Meeting Bob and Mark was a great 'ending' of a fabulous vacation. Throw in the new iPad and the camera, which has a fabulous performance. I would say, it is almost hard to top this vacation. Thank you for the joy and fun :)
ReplyDeleteYou said it all! Exactly. We covered a lot in less than 3 weeks. Amazing. And now that the fair is here in Gorinchem, on a square dime, you can really see the huge difference between here and there. HA! But it's still fun, wherever!
DeleteIt is so great that you sustain these rituals as often as you can, every year! It speaks volumes. Once again, your pics from the new camera are terrific! I love to see how you and Astrid pay close attention to all that you live.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sister. I recall a good article from Thomas Moore awhile back about the importance of traditions in our lives. I think they're the pegs on which our years hang. All the details of them really ARE important, aren't they. You're finding this out with James already!
Delete