Another Pumpkin Festival

I think we always take the kids to the opening (Wednesday) night of the Morton Pumpkin Festival. There are always plenty of people, but this year was exceptional. There were more people than there usually are on Saturday after the parade. We waited in a huge food line and then waited close to 15 minutes for Logan to go on the kiddie car ride. (One of those rides I've never waited longer than the next ride.) My dad bought 20 tickets and we didn't know how we were going to use them without staying until close on a School Night!

We did manage to use all the tickets because my dad, Gene and I each went on two rides. Kaylin tricked Gene into going on The Wipeout. It was fairly tame for a carnival ride, but lurched up and down over and over. Gene's stomach can't handle HIKING downhill, it really can't handle an up and down ride :) He didn't puke, but he wasn't too happy. Logan REALLY wanted to go on the kiddie roller coaster so we waited for 20 minutes while a little girl who was also a single rider clutched his hand and "reassured" him they'd ride together. I think Logan was equally flattered and annoyed.

We didn't have time for our usual stroll along Main Street to check out the decorated shop windows or see the giant pumpkins in the bank window. We didn't play any carnival games or get cotton candy or even pumpkin ice cream. No real loss- all that stuff will be there next year. The kids did get to sit in the driver seat of a fire truck. A REAL FIREFIGHTER even let Logan wear a REAL HELMET. Logan could barely turn his head but he was thrilled.

Every year Gene is surprised I want to go back. He knows I hate crowds and we usually take the kids to the HOI Fair or the State Fair where they get ride armbands and go on zillions of rides with no waits. I dunno. I guess the nostalgia is too much for me :) Plus, where else would I get a magic folding CEFCU hairbrush or a (some candidate I've never heard of) tire pressure gauge keychain? How could I survive without my annual free crap????