Aspen Kay's Blog

Our 4th of July was a little different this year. It was our first year where we didn't spend it with either of our families. That was a little hard for me . Last minute we decided we would go to Utah. So we packed up the car at 5:00 in the evening on the 3rd and headed out. The girls were excited as they always are when we tell them we will be going to Utah. As we started heading up South Pass just after Lander our Blazer started to lose power. So we pulled over at a beautiful spot where cow paths wove through the trees. The girls and I went exploring while Jonny tried to figure out what was wrong with the car. He came back with the bad news that he wasn't sure what was wrong with the car but it just didn't sound right we would not be making trip after all. LaNea was very upset, she kept saying but I want to go play with Jaden , Kate and Wyatt. We told her we were sorry but the car wasn't working. The blow was softened a bit when we went on a short hike and promised banana splits when we returned home. On arriving home we unloaded the car , then Jonny and LaNea headed to Smiths to get stuff for banana splits and items for a picnic the next day, by this time LaNea was completely over her disappointment . On our way through Lander we had noticed there was a carnival getting set up so we decided that would be part of our activities for the next day

In the morning we headed to a Mountain Man randevous ( I know I spelled that wrong) so Jonny could find out about signing up for a Muzzle loader shoot. Then we headed to Lander to go to the Carnival ( this was in our other car a Toyota that thanks to my brother in law Rosse's parents we got for free) It is not dependable enough to drive to Utah but it could do a 20 min drive to Lander). We had no idea when it was going to start but we assumed it would start in the morning right after the parade. We were wrong the carnival wasn't going to start until 5:00 and it was only 12:00. So we decided to head back home and grill hot dog's and have a picnic in our yard while the girls played in the kiddy pool. Then head back to Lander at 5:00 for the carnival. Instead of heading back to Riverton , the way we came Jonny decided we would drive through the reservation ( which a co-worker said was just as fast) . Well 1 hour later we made it home, it should only take 20 minutes. It was 100 degrees that day and the Toyota AC doesn't work. Needless to say the girls and I were a bit cranky when we got home.

We quickly recovered from out hot car ride , and set out the picnic, which looked yummy, Hot dogs, potato salad, pasta salad, water melon, chips, lemonade and cookies. The girls ate and played in the pool while Jonny and I sat in the shade and relaxed . Jonny left for a while to go to the shooting range.

When 5:00 arrived we piled in the car again and once again headed for Lander ( we didn't go through the reservation again instead we stuck to the highway ) . We got there and were met by the wife of one of Jonny's co-workers. They live in Lander and have 4 kids 2 the same age as our girls they were the same people we camped with a few weeks before ( We didn't plan it that way but the husbands got to talking at work and realized they were both planning on camping at the same campground the same days so we decided that we would camp next to each other ) . They are from Idaho and are like us members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints, so we have a lot in common. We were excited to see them and had fun constantly bumping into them through out the carnival.

We decided to get each girl a wrist band , we also bought one for Jonny , so he could ride some of the rides Hannah was to small to ride on her own. Since the wrist bands were $15 each we decided that I would just be the spectator. But I think I had as much fun as the girls. I enjoyed watching their faces as the experienced the sensations of the rides. LaNea really liked the paratrooper and kept asking to ride it with Jonny.Since Hannah was too small for that ride, she did a lot of rides on the dragon roller coaster, which very much resembles the Puff the Magic Dragon ride at Lagoon.

I believe that one requirement to be a carnival worker is that you have to be friendly. That wasn't the case at this carnival. I would try to make small talk with them , or joke with them while watching the kids ride and most didn't even crack a smile. I asked one guy if he enjoyed traveling around from city to city and he just scowled. Oh well I guess I am too much like my dad that way, I expect everyone to gladly talk to me a complete stranger. All in all we had a great time. I am glad that we make it a rule to always carry around a case of water in our vehicles, we went threw 4 bottles of water that evening.

Poor Jonny who was not as young as he once was , started getting motion sickness. But he was a trooper and kept riding the rides with the girls, even the spinning teacup ride. I kept thinking of that you tube video of the screaming dad at the amusement park , who after screaming like a little girl , bravely tells his daughter he will ride again. Good dads are everywhere :)

Since even public fire work shows were band this year. We saw no fireworks except for 1 or 2 illegal ones we saw go off around town. All in all it was a great 4th , even though we weren't able to go spend it with our extended family we had a wonderful time with our little family .

Today is July 15th and I just finished blogging about the 4th . So probably in another 2 weeks I will blog about my birthday which was yesterday, but which was also a wonderful day.