Tag Archives: memories

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Circus Weekend Part 2: The Circus

Last November PBS began airing a documentary series called Circus. (Check it out!) I fell in love with it as soon as I watched the trailer.  After I finished the six hours, I immediately looked to see if the Big Apple Circus would be coming ANYwhere in the Southeast. I would love nothing more than to take the grandkids to see it. But no such luck. Apparently The Big Apple Circus doesn’t venture this far south.

So I began to search for another circus that would be coming our area and realized that I would have to settle for the next best thing, The Greatest Show on Earth.

Fortunately for Michael and me, Ringling Bros and Barnum and Bailey have several different shows traveling around the country simultaneously. This would allow us to go to the circus on two different weekends and see two different shows. First we took Ellie and Libby to the “Fundrum” circus in Nashville, and the following Saturday we took Fionn and Felicity to the “Fully Charged” show in Birmingham. Both were fabulous.

I’m going to share a few pictures with you and hopefully inspire you to take the time to do something really special with your kids, your grandkids, nieces or nephews, neighbor or any child you can think of. Childhood passes much too quickly and fun memories need to be a part it.

That’s Libby. She’s dancing with one of the performers during the pre-show. Make sure to go to the pre-show if you’re going to a Ringling Bros. circus.

The pre-show was so much fun. They brought out this big beautiful elephant …

… who painted a picture with it’s trunk. They had a drawing for the picture.

The show began with a grand parade led by the Ringmaster who, by the way, had an incredible singing voice.

I wasn’t expecting so many clowns, but the show had hot-and-cold-running clowns. They were hilarious.

There’s something about seeing these massive animals, all lined up, sitting on their behinds. You just gotta smile.

And the fact that they can all stand up on their hind legs and lean on each other like dominos was incredible.
How can something so huge look so graceful? I think the elephants are my favorite.

Notice this woman is in red heels!

The strength and control of the performers is absolutely mind-boggling.

Intermission was all about the hotdogs. (That’s Fionn)
I hadn’t had a hotdog in probably five years. I have to say, it was worth the wait. Delish! I’m good for another five years, though!

And, when you go to the circus you MUST get cotton candy.

It doesn’t matter how you feel about candy and sugar, or how much it costs ($12.00!), a circus is not complete without cotton candy.

Intermission’s over. Back to the circus and more laughs.

The tight-rope performers were captivating. I think Ellie held her breath through the entire act.

There are a lot of animals in a circus, but I think the Tigers are the most beautiful.

The trainer was wonderful with them. It was obvious that he had a special bond and love for these magnificent cats.

We were sad to see the circus come to a close. The final parade was a fitting end to it all.

So there you have it. I’m so grateful to add another childhood memory to my collection. I’ve decided that I’m not ready to grow up yet. Not quite yet.

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Circus Weekend Part 1: Pre-Circus

Well, Michael and I have joined the circus. Well, almost. For the past two weekends, we’ve been at the circus. The Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus to be exact. Here’s the story:

And yes, that’s me.

Ever since I bought a copy of Toby Tyler and showed it to the grandkids, I knew I wanted to take them to a Circus.

Each year when the Circus came to town, I toyed with buying the tickets. But I waited. I waited until they got to THE perfect age.

I wanted them to be old enough to appreciate the talent and skill demonstrated by the performers. And I wanted their experience of the Circus to be one that they would never forget and hold forever dear in their treasure box of memories. This was the year.

Our four oldest grandchildren are now ages 5-9. Perfect! Here they are: Fionn 9, Libby 5, Felicity 7, and Ellie 7.

It helps that they’re so cute because you’d better not
take your eyes off of them for a second.

So I began planning. After some discussion, Mike and I decided that it would be best to go to two separate circuses and take two children at a time.

We really wanted to give them special, undivided attention. Plus, let’s be honest, WE wanted special, undivided attention from THEM—no competition!

Scheduling issues also came into play so we settled on Nashville and Birmingham on the last two Satrudays of January.

(Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey have several different shows that play simultaneously around the country.)

Once we settled on the “when” we had to work out the “how.” We decided that we would give the kids the gift of the Circus for their Christmas presents.

I found a circus-related toy for each of them, and hid a handmade card inside each of the toys. On the outside of the card it said, “Guess What?”

When the card  was opened it said, in big red letters, “WE’RE GOING TO THE CIRCUS!”

And inside there was a big, yellow ticket which read, “ADMIT ONE!”

Christmas morning. The kids were thrilled!

This moment alone was worth the whole idea!

Fast forward …

Now, let’s fast forward to January and the start of the Circus Weekends. For the purpose of this post, I’m going to combine the weekends into one. The second weekend was pretty much a repeat performance of the first.

Like I said above, I wanted the kid’s Circus Weekend to be memorable. So I began planning. Here are some of the things I decided to do:

1. We would have the kids come over Friday night to spend the night. But this would be no ordinary spend-the-night.

2. I would greet them at the door, on Friday—Circus theme playing over the speakers. (Listen here.)—in a full clown costume complete w/ giant shoes, balloons and a classic classic clown horn, all the while jumping up and down and chanting:

“We’re going to the Circus! We’re going to the Circus!”

They had NO idea what to say!! Never in all my born days …. Grandmommy?????

(By the way, part of determining the “perfect age” is knowing that they won’t completely roll their eyes and walk off because they’re “too cool.” Fionn, age 9, was on the borderline.)

3. We would read Circus books before bed.

Our very favorite is If I Ran the Circus, by Dr. Seuss. We’ve about got it memorized.

4. We would wake up Saturday morning and make famous Circus Waffles for breakfast!

I bought this waffle maker, years ago, from Williams Sonoma.
It’s made me a legend!! Find one.

5. And they would have to be the chefs.

Clown Iron Chefs!

A lot of concentration is needed. Priceless.

Taa Daa!

One final step and we’re ready!!

6. And we’d eat …

… every …

… last …

… bite …

… until there was nothing left to do but lick our fingers clean.

Needless to say, a fun time was had by all.

Next post, Circus Weekend, Part 2, At the Circus! Stay Tuned.

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Making Memories

Uncle Loren has come to visit. And one thing we can count on when he comes are fun times. He’s the best about taking time to see his nieces and nephews, and not just seeing them, but making memories with them. I try very hard to capture these memories with photos because they are too precious to forget.

Here are some of the things that Loren does to make sure that his simple visits will last for a lifetime.

1. Capture them in pictures.
(Sometimes you have to let your ego go. Loren won’t think this is a very flattering picture of himself. He’s a very good looking guy. But it does show the lengths he’ll go to to capture a moment.):

Come on Nelson, say "Cheese!"

2. Be on the lookout for opportunities:

"You know what that will mean if you throw that snowball? WAR!"

3. Be fully present. Play full out. Tap into the “kid” inside:

"Four, three, two, one ... BLAST OFF!!

4. Take advantage of the little things. Trips to Disney World are not necessary:

"Perfect. Now, you have to make sure to pack the snow real hard ..."

QUESTION: What are some of your fondest memories with your aunts, uncles, grandparents or even special family friends?

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Saying Goodbye … With Anticipation

I hate good-byes. And this week I’m having to say “Good-bye” to Christmas (January 7th, the day after Epiphany, is when I put away my decorations). Christmas is over. Waaaaaeh—I just tried spelling it this way for the first time. Does it sound more whiney than “Waaaaaa?”

Anyway, this week I’ll be be putting away all the Christmas decorations. Taking them down always makes me a little sad. It’s like stuffing a bobbing, jack-in-the-box clown back into its box and pressing on the lid. I feel rather cruel putting him back into his box, but I LOVE it when I start twisting the handle. I love the anticipation—knowing that he’s going to pop out any second and make me smile … again.

These make me smile:

Most of my ornaments are red and gold. Those, nestled in the fir’s greenery, are the perfect combination as far as I’m concerned. Radiant.

Unwrapping each ornament is like setting all the captives free, one by one, after twelve months of prison. Seeing really old friends in their new-found freedom is the best of all. This is a photo of one of my mom’s ornaments. I’ve liberated it for 55 years in a row (it’s ca.1922 or thereabouts). Think about that. How many things in your home have been with you your whole life … and before your life? Aren’t they amazingly special?

I love the images of Santa Clause. This little Santa light has been with me for as long as I can remember, at least since I was eight. I think I’ve only changed the bulb twice. Every year he finds a new place to perch. This year I had to put him in my kitchen window so I could look at him all the time. That’s where I’d see him the most.  I loved setting him next to the new card I got this year—one reproduced from Randy Elrod’s magnificent watercolor of Santa. What an amazing artist Randy is. How does he do it?

My favorite little Santa of all. The real star of Christmas this year. (Ben Spradlin, born October 01, 2010.) Nothing like a real baby at Christmastime.

The reason for the season. Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

Here are some hymns we sing at Christmas.
Think about the theology in these for a minute. It will blow your mind!

#1
Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, hath shone upon the world the light of knowledge; for thereby, they that worshipped the stars were taught by a star to worship Thee, the Sun of Righteousness, and to know Thee, the Dayspring from on high. O Lord, glory be to Thee!

 

#2
Today the Virgin giveth birth to Him who is above all being, and the earth offereth a cave to Him whom no man can approach. Angels with shepherds give glory, and magi journey with a star. For our sake is born a young Child, the Pre-eternal God!

 

#3
How is He contained in a womb, whom nothing can contain?
And how can He who is in the bosom of the Father
be held in the arms of His Mother?
This is according to His good pleasure,
as He knows and wishes.
For being without flesh,
of His own will has He been made flesh;
and He Who Is,
for our sakes has become that which He was not.
Without departing from His own nature
He has shared in our substance.
Desiring to fill the world on high with citizens,
Christ has undergone a twofold birth.

#4
Christ is born, glorify Him! Christ is come from heaven, go to meet Him! Christ is on earth, be ye lifted up! Sing to the Lord, all the earth; sing out with gladness, all ye people. For He is glorified.

“Goodbye, 2010″ … with anticipation … :-)

(link to text of Nativity hymns)