Becky won a free family pack to the rodeo this year from one of the local TV station web sites. We received four wristbands for the carnival, four tickets to the rodeo, and the sweetest VIP parking pass ever. We decided to go to the carnival on Friday morning, and then come back Saturday for the rodeo and concert.
Friday we arrive at around 10:30am. The wind is gusting and there is a slight chill in the air. Our plan is to let the kids ride as many rides as they want until they get tired.
We start with the little kid rides. I go on the bear version of the teacup ride with Andrew and Tracy. Becky sits this one out and watches from the side with Loren in a stroller. We are sitting in the belly of a big lovable bear orbiting the engine. Our bear is also spinning. In fact, I have the bear spinning quite fast. The kids are giggling. I am loving the day off playing with the kids.
Later in the day we have expanded our ride search pattern. Sometimes we pass a "big boy" ride. Andrew asks, "Can I ride that one??" more times that I can count. I remember back to when I was a kids and the upside-down "L" that was always painted yellow or red. I wanted so bad to be tall enough to ride the big kid rides. I knew exactly what Andrew was going through. Becky and I took turns waiting with Loren while the other rode with the kids. Each of us had a chance to ride quite a few of the rides in the park.
Then they turned on "Freak Out" and I knew I had to ride it. This was going to be a solo venture because there was no way the kids were going to ride this bad boy. The Freak Out is one of those pendulum-swinging throwup-inducing kind of rides. I asked Becky to take the kids to the little fun house walk through ride close to the Freak out while I went for a quick ride. The line was empty so the timing was perfect. I get up to the front of the line and ask the operator if there is room.
He says, "Yea, I got one more spot. But how tall are you?"
"6 foot 5."
"Oh sorry man, you are too tall. 6 foot 4 is the limit they will let us put on this ride."
First I race to get to 32/36/42/48 inches so I can ride all the big boy rides. And now I get turned away because I am too tall?!? I thought my memory of the desire for height above the inverted "L" was allowing me to fully appreciate how Andrew was feeling. I was wrong. After getting turned down for being over 76 inches I really understood.
Missing the ride on the sick-maker was not that big of a deal. That day was perfect. We had a great family day out and the kids had a wonderful time. Becky and I both expected the kids would run out of juice at 3:30 or so. We were dead wrong. At 8:45 we had to enter negotiations with the kids. We left the table with a deal. Two more rides and then we were going to head home.
They rode three more rides (they are good at re-negotiations as well) and then we piled into the car.
After Becky and I realized the 3:30 plan was shot, we were expecting that when we finally did leave, the kids would fall asleep during the 25 minute drive home. Well, mom and dad almost fell asleep on the way home, but all of the kids were up and talking about the fun at the park the entire ride home.
Friday at the carnival was one of the best days out as a family ever.
We arrive Saturday for the 1pm show at the Rodeo. Within about 5 minutes of walking on the fairgrounds Becky and I realize we made an error. Should have done carnival second and Rodeo first. The kids were not all that impressed with the Rodeo after a full day at the carnival. They did seem to enjoy the concert. Afterward we ate some funnel cake. Then escaped right before a huge rain storm arrived at the rodeo. But not before Becky agreed to bring them back later in the week for the carnival again. 
