9 years!

It's a little strange to think back to my wedding day and realize that it happened 9 years ago. 9 years! That sounds like such a long time! It doesn't seem like that long ago, but if I stop and really think about all that's happened since then, I realize that it has been quite a while. Anyway, just like last year, Aaron and I spent our anniversary doing fun family activities.

A gal from church had mentioned to me a couple of weeks ago that the town of Emmett was going to be having their annual Cherry Festival from Wednesday to Saturday of this week. Cherries are my FAVORITE, and who doesn't like a festival? I looked it up online and it sounded like it could be fun. Aaron got off work really early and we started making our way out of Caldwell. First we ran a couple of errands, picked up lunch for me and him at the best little burger joint in town, then took the kids to the park for the free lunch that's provided there every week day during the summer. We sat and ate and watched the sun clear away the last of the clouds and drizzle that had been hanging around all morning.

It took us probably an hour to get to downtown Emmett because I didn't bother looking up how to get there. We made it, though. Even though it was the first day of the festival and in the middle of the week, there were lots of people there. We only had to park a block away from the park where the festival was being held, and as soon as the kids were out of the car they saw one of the big rides swing above the tops of the trees. Pyper yelled, "Whoa! What the heck was THAT?!!" I hadn't realized that this would be their first experience at a carnival. They were giddy as all get out as we walked towards the park.

They had way more rides and games than I was expecting. It was pretty impressive, though not so much in this picture.

We walked around the rides and midway once so the kids could see what there was and could decide what they wanted to do. The midway was hilarious- exactly like all the other carnivals I'd ever been to with the cheap, cheesy prizes, the creepy carnies who never seem to have all their teeth, the kids walking around with stuffed animals twice as big as they are and people everywhere. We'd brought a small amount of cash, and unfortunately the rides required more tickets than they were worth, so we made sure to explain to Pyper that she needed to choose the one she reeeally wanted to go on. Just like her Mama would have done, she had her sights set on the mini-roller coaster.
You gotta click on this picture. Pyper's hair is ridiculous.

I wish I could've gotten a picture of her face when the ride first started. She looked pretty terrified. But by the time she'd gone around once she was enjoying herself plenty.

Hakan wasn't at all keen on trying out the roller coaster, so he chose this carousel-type ride with different kinds of cars you could "drive".

I was so glad he got to ride in the car he'd wanted.

Next we walked over to the vendors and strolled up and down the rows of tents, seeing what there was to see with Pyper and Hakan pointing and saying, "Oh, I want that!" every five feet or so. We decided to let them both get their faces painted.



I was hoping Pyper would choose something pretty, like a butterfly or stars. Who was I kidding? What she really wanted was a snake, which I managed to talk her out of. She settled for a spider like Hakan's instead.



Finnley was an angel and spent the day all cozy in his new green wrap.

On the way to the food vendor area, the kids were each given a balloon. They were having fun with them at first...

...then Hakan decided he didn't want it around his wrist anymore. This obviously concerned Pyper. "Don't let go if it," I warned. "If you take it off you have to hold on tight."

He didn't listen.

Then he was sad.

We spent our last few dollars on a cup full of cherries for us all to share. That helped Hakan forget his lost balloon. Before we left we had the kids take our picture. Pyper's not a bad photographer, huh?

Hakan, on the other hand, couldn't seem to push the button hard enough to make it take the picture. He probably pushed it 15 times, and this is the only one that actually took.
We asked for directions for a shorter way home, which cut the drive in half. Good thing, too, because we were all pretty beat. Pyper's balloon popped for no apparent reason in the car, which caused her to have a pretty pathetic meltdown. That did in her face paint, too. (Seems like meltdowns on the way home are becoming an anniversary tradition.) Later, after everyone had rested, we finished our day by going out to eat (thanks Mom!) at our favorite Mexican place.

Even though Aaron and I didn't get to spend the day alone, it was still a fantastic way to spend our anniversary. I just really enjoyed being with my darling husband and the little people we love more than anything. And other than a couple of moments of drama, we all had a great time. Pyper is already asking when we can go to the next festival!