Barnum & Bailey Circus - 8/2/14

Every August, the Barnum & Bailey Circus comes to the metroplex.  We try to take our traveling circus to the actual circus each year.  ;)  The boys look forward to it all summer long!  It has become a last hurrah of the summer type of tradition.  This year, we had planned to slip in a very end of the summer vacation, so we had decided to forgo the circus in the interest of saving that money for our trip.  We were all a little sad to miss out on the circus, but knew that it was best.

At the end of July, Wade and Owen had run up to the grocery store.  One of the local radio stations was broadcasting from Kroger.  One of the employees asked if Owen wanted to play a game.  As luck would have it, Baby Brother won 4 circus tickets!  So, we all got to go for the price of 1 ticket.  Yay!

We got there early for the preshow and snagged front row seats to main act.  The boys were thrilled to see the performers and animals so close up.  :)

There was an audience participation portion of the preshow.  Clayton and Owen were all about it!  Drew hid behind my shoulder so that he wouldn't get picked.  Haha!  Two extroverts and one introvert.  ;)

 They loved watching the elephant paint a picture.

 The tigers are always a hit!

 As someone who is super clumsy and always tripping over my own two feet, the tightrope walkers amaze me.

 Clayton aspires to be the man shot out of the cannon one day.  Way to aim high, Buddy!  ;)

Thanks, Owen, for scoring the free tickets!  What an unexpected treat!

The Greatest Show on Earth 2013

Last year, we went to the circus as the last hoorah of the summer.  It was so much fun that we continued the tradition and took the Carpenter Brothers to see the Ringling Brothers on Wednesday, August 14th.  ;)  My Hubs found really great tickets smack dab in the middle on $10 night.  Score!

The boys had a ball and were so much fun to watch!  We planned to get to the arena super early for all of the pre-show festivities, like we did last year, but the traffic flow was not in our favor.  We missed out on seeing the animals, but got to see the performers. 

Posing on the stunt motorcycle was big fun for our crew.

 Love these clowns so much...  ;)

 They asked for kids to come out in the middle of the center ring to learn the choreographed dance for this year's theme.  My big Clay-boy went straight out there as brave as could be.  He makes me so proud!  I would have NEVER done that as a child.  I was sooooo shy!

 We got cotton candy (hence the blue lips) and waited for the show to begin.

 Owen was so stinkin' cute!  He sat there wide eyed, with his mouth open, pointing, and saying, "Wook!  Wook!" the entire time.  Shock & awe, for sure!

 This year the tiger show included 4 tigers, 4 female lions, and a male lion!  What in the world?!?!?  I whispered to Wade, "That dude is going to die.  Right here in front of our children.  Be prepared to cover eyes."  Ha!  Luckily, there was no bloodshed, and my children did not have to witness a horrific event.

 They also had the "Hair Hanging Wonders of the West."  These ladies hung by their ponytails and twirled around.  In the middle of their act, Clayton leaned over and said, "You and Mrs. Leah should totally do that!"  I have never laughed so hard...  Not gonna happen, Bud!

 

 The highlight of the show, for my little brood, was the Shaolin Warriors.  Drew called them "ninjas."  ;)  They had a wire frame that they stuck swords in.  Then they lit it on fire and a guy jumped through the middle blindfolded.  Blindfolded.  Wowsa.

 There were looks of amazement from all.

 At the intermission, I got to snuggle with my cotton candy eating, tan, bleached out blond-haired boy.  That boy...  Too cute for words.

 I loathe cotton candy.  So gross.  He taunted me with a bite until I submitted.  Ew - just as gross as I remembered.

 Me and my Littles

 Clowns.  Both of them.  Straight up clowns.  ;)

 The finale was the Dragon Riders - 8 motorcycles in a spherical, wire cage.  Apparently, that is a world record.  Clayton was seriously impressed.

Such a fun family night!  I love this little back to school tradition of ours.  :)