The Lafleur Men took some time off from their ladies to vacate to Denali. Ron was allowed a permit to spend 14 days inside of the park in his own vehicle roaming where ever his desire took him. This is amazing, because typically one has to pay $30 a bus ride (think grade school bus with bench seats and smelly tourists). Once your in, you can wander at will but it will be with your own two feet. He and Pam had already made two trips down there, and Ron asked JR to go on the last one. Secretly, I think Pam sighed in relief!
The trip coincided with fair week. JR and I haven't been to the fair in years, probably because it involves people. I really had a hankering to go this year, because I had a sneaky suspicion that the pixie would be giddy attending.
Being rid of the cranky dead weights (yes, Ron and JR) that would normally accompany us, Gramma, Amelia, and I headed out. Except, it was raining. The local joke is that if it is raining it must be the beginning of the fair (really, though, it is not a joke but a cruel reality). We were not about to be cold so we dressed very, very warmly. Which was okay for the first hour until the sun came out and it got up to 70 degrees. Cruel, cruel world.
We puttered through the wares, but did not seem to be tempted by much. So, we headed to the animal exhibits. Mila still can't stop talking about the polka-dot cows!
There were signs everywhere to please, please not pet the animals.
But those rules did not seem to apply to princess pixie!
She even had the opportunity to feed a calf; the other kids used grain but the calf tried to take her whole hand. Amelia relished every moment!
Then we were off to the rides. I thought we would just look around for a bit to see what rides Amelia could go on. Amelia thought she'd just go on the rides, and would quickly disappear to the front of the lines. When I tried to explain that she needed a ticket, she became downright inconsolable. The entire process was just too much for her to perceive, and she burst into instantaneous tears.
So, I bought tickets (freakin' ridiculous, by the way!!). She then proceeded to go on almost every ride she could. She began with this one, making an insta-friend for the time being.
Then off to the carousels (she's been wanting to do this for quite a while, actually)
But just before the ride began, she insisted on another horse (so many decisions!!)
Then this dinky little ride. Not the best. Every time she 'drove' by, I could see she was staring at the other rides she wanted to go on.
Then the crescendo; a roller-coaster! This may have been more for me, but I've wanted Mila to do this!
It did not disappoint. I even convinced her to put her arms up in the air, which is huge for a being so concerned for her own safety.
Of course we then had to have an elephant ear.
Then we were off to use up the last of her ticket bundle. This little train fit the bill.
Unfortunately, we did not 'plan ahead' that she would want to go on the big slide and she was UPSET about being denied.
The day was topped off with Mommy yelling at Gramma. Gramma was convinced that Amelia had to got potty (I didn't think so), to which I said that should motivate us to get to a restaurant faster. Gramma then declared that when you gotta go, you gotta go. So here is Amelia peeing in the middle of the parking lot between doors. The scowls that I kept shooting her way were totally lost on Gramma.
But it turns out that all's well that ends well. The sky turned ominous just as we were leaving, so we timed it perfectly. It was a great day to spend with just the ladies.
It was a good day.
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