A Day at the Fair

After a late evening of Mafia and that blasted Apples to Apples game, I woke with the sun (9am) to venture to Valleyfair - with Ben and Joe.

I just need to note that as we were approaching the fair, we all agreed to this: "We are definitely not going on the stupid antique cars due to their lameness."

When we arrived we headed for the Enterprise. After the spinning and the screaming and the upside downness, I was feeling a little wobbly (Ben sat that one out knowing its effect). We proceeded onto Chaos and Steel Venom and then we went to, my personal favorite, the Monster.

Now at this point Ben and I could really no longer take it (Joe is still young)...we debated whether food was a GREAT idea, or the worst idea ever. I decided it was great, and we headed to panda express where I quickly out-ate the boys.


Afterwards we looked at the antique cars and decided it sounded like a really wonderful idea. Ben and I just wanted to sit and let Joe drive us around. Joe really wanted to drive. Perfect.

Here are pictures from that joyous ride:

As we were nearing this area, Ben proclaims "look, it's the antique car graveyard:"

There was something about these statues, something funny. I don't remember what it was:

I took a picture of this wonderful woman (that won't load for some reason) and she walked towards our car mouthing, "put your camera away, NO CAMERAS!!!"

I put it away, and then seconds later I defied her by take a picture of an antique-car-ride water fountain (not interesting enough to post).

This ride did the trick. I still felt disoriented and woobly, but we all felt better in the tummy. We went to the Excalibur and had the time of our lives! Then I requested we go to the white roller coaster...Ben and Joe anticipated a crappy ride. Boy were they surprised to find it is SO fun. Up and down, up and down. It's just fantastic.

On our way to the white roller coaster we overheard (from the waterpark) that song that goes "every time you go away, you take a piece of me with you." It was in my head, and I proclaimed that those lyrics made me sad. Ben and Joe argued with me - they were good. I said "no, no, the lyrics should be more like 'everytime you go away, I'm sad because I really enjoy you, but I'm still okay.'" This spawned much laughter and many more corrective lyrics. "It's like what you say to an old high school friend: 'I kind of like you, you're okay to be with, when you go away I miss you a little.'" I wish I could remember some of the more funny corrections. Joe, Ben: help me out will ya?

Later we went to the Wild Thing where I thought I was definitely going to die. I kept expecting the car to ride right off the rails where we would plummet to our deaths on the mini golf course. Horrible.

Then I requested the Tilt-a-whirl. I think Ben was less than enthusiastic. We took note of the people in front of us who had the most spins - it was the ones who were not trying. So our theory was to "relax." Once we got on the ride we realized that wasn't getting us anywhere...Ben yells out "relaxing isn't working!!!!!!!!!!" and we all shift to the left. I yell "COMMIT TO A SIDE!!!!!" and then someone yells "committing isn't working!!! SHIFT TO THE RIGHT!!!!"

Have you ever been so happy all you can think to do is laugh? This was the sort of joy we experienced as we spun and spun and spun:

Later we went home, and I watched Schindler's List with a room full of people who don't cry. From the time that the man with no arm was shot and onward I was a complete basketcase.

Valley Fair and Schindler's List - great combination, huh?

Happy Birthday everybody.