The 4 Webbs pulled Neill and Jenny willingly into our latest adventures including Easton and Layla's first trip to the circus. I can't remember the last time I saw the circus, but it's been many, many years.
I went to Circle K for the most delicious slurpees on the face of the planet. As I fished around in my pocket for 79 cents I noticed a display of tickets on the counter. The tickets were a free admission for a child to the circus. I grabbed 2 and pitched the idea to Kendra. The timing happened to coincide with Neill and Jenny staying with us and the day was open for activities.
All of us had an extraordinary time watching the acts and observing the twins as they experienced the magic of a circus. Neill and Jenny are such great sports. Easton and Layla are quickly growing attached to their Great Ouma and Great Oupa. Sharing meals and play time together is becoming an expectation so we are not looking forward to their departure on Tuesday. That'll be a sad day around the Casa de Webb. Anyway, here the four of them with the three ring circus in the background.
Easton and Layla both jumped out of their seats when the announcer said pony rides were available during intermission and after the performance. Neill and I stood in line with the twins during intermission, but were cut off at the last moment as the second half of the show kicked off. Afterwards we made a mad dash for the floor of the arena where we able to pop the kids right on the horses for a ride around in circles. Easton was brave and beamed with smiles the entire ride.
Layla waved to the bystanders including Kendra and Jenny. She acted like a princess in a parade. When asked what she liked most about the circus she said (with her yucky face), "I liked the pony ride, but that one horse pooped on the ground."
I love my Canon EOS T3. We were quite far up in the stands. The misters created a fog between us and circus acts. The bright sun outside made lighting difficult. However, all of those factors were no match for the awesomeness of the T3. The pictures turned out incredible given the circumstances. One elephant laid down while the other stepped over him. Never saw that trick before...
I can't juggle. I can't balance on a tube. I certainly can't do both at the same time. This circus crew made me realize my dreams of participating in a carnival are obsolete due to my lack of balance. Almost every act included some component of balance that I could never master in 100 years.
The flying trapeze act was outstanding. It's hard to see here but the dude in the air just jumped over the girl grabbing the bar as they switched in mid-flight.
These next two performers had no net under them! The one doing a hand stand spread his legs and the other jumped over him to the wire on the other side. talk about scary and fun... My feet were sweating and my heart raced while watching the daring duo.
Yeah, I caught the tiger jumping through the ring of fire... it was even more impressive in person.
We sat on the top, back row in the middle of the arena. Frequent potty breaks made the up and down efforts difficult on the stairs, but it was worth it for the great views and back support.
Layla decided to give Jenny's slippers a test run through the house. Her skills are matchless when it comes to walking in adult footwear. I'm convinced she could walk while wearing cement blocks in the shape of ocean diving fins.
The moderate temperatures continue to cooperate so I took the twins to the Dog Park for some sand castle fun. Sun glasses and sun screen are still required, but at least it's cool enough to play in the shade without shriveling up like a raisin in the sun.
We took a break under the ramada for snack time. The usual snacks include cheez-its, Welchs fruit chews, and capri-sun drinks.
No, this isn't a fire, it's a standard, gorgeous Arizona sunset from the top of South Mountain.
The twins and I took Neill and Jenny on the scenic drive to the top of South Mountain. Our timing was perfect. We caught the sunset and watched the city's night lights come to life.
The T3 camera proved its genius once again by capturing the moments with great clarity. Easton and Layla were amazed by the entire experience. I was impressed with their patience and ability to comprehend what we saw. They especially enjoyed the hiking up and down the lookout terrain.
Neill and Jenny have seen a lot of sunsets in their lifetimes. That's an understatement for two people who've travelled around the world 10 times. Even so they were still impressed by the view and colors in the sunset.
One last picture, which is my favorite of the whole day. Just moments after I fired off this shot the sun dropped below the horizon. I'm amazed at how quickly time goes by. There are noticeable changes almost daily in the twins as the learn and grow. At the same time the sun set behind the mountain in the blink of an eye. I'm ahead of the curve on several aspects of parenting. However, I'm always playing catch up with regards to how I should refer to the twins. First they were lint balls in Kendra's tummy. Then they graduated to potatoes, then newborns, then babies, then toddlers. Some time in the recent past they moved from toddlers to kids. For the next several years I'll refer to them as "the best kids in the world". That'll take some getting used to, but I love them just the same.
Only one day left to enjoy Neill and Jenny before we send them away with blessings to minister in Switzerland, France, India, etc. Sometimes visitors pass through our house and the trip ends with a feeling of not making the most of our time together. This is not one of those situations. We've done a great job of balancing making the most of their time with the desire to give them a chance to re-charge their batteries. No regrets and the great memories will be cherished forever. See you soon!
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