The For Real Circus

My kids love going to the circus. Of course they've only been to the little rinky dinky ones around town.

I have the best memory ever of going to the Shriners circus one year when I was young. We were a large family so going to the circus was a really big treat for us. I was so young that I only have bits of memories here and there of going to that circus. I remember there being more than one ring though. Seems like there were 3. I remember walking in and just seeing everything so brightly lit. It was magical. The men walking up and down the bleachers selling popcorn, snowcones, cotton candy, and flashing swords. I don't remember if were begging or not, but I got pretty excited when Daddy would flag down the man selling popcorn and got us a few bags to share. Then a little later he would flag down the cotton candy man. We were in pure bliss. I have 2 crazy memories that are in my mind that I have to share. One is I remember my older sister Angela got a Mylar balloon that had a tiger on it. Now I don't remember why she got a balloon. Maybe she had her own money. For all I know I could have gotten something too like a coloring book or something, but all these years and I still remember her leaving the circus with the coolest, shiniest balloon ever. She may not even remember this, but I do. (Angela, comment if you remember getting a tiger balloon. Ha ha)

My other crazy memory is I remember riding in our big ole station wagon and I had to use the bathroom so bad. Mom and dad kept saying I had to wait until they could stop somewhere. I had to go bad. I mean I could feel my eye balls beginning to float. We stopped at White Castle and I was never so happy to see a bathroom in all my life. So there you go. Why is that a memory in my mind?  Why don't I remember the clowns or the acrobats?  I remember Angela's balloon and me peeing at White Castle. Ha ha. I'm not sure how old I was. I know Melissa and Jacob wasn't born yet. So I had to be 6 or 7 years old maybe. 

So I had all these awesome circus memories in my mind and wanted my kids to experience a big circus as well. I looked up Ringling Brother's website and tried to find when they would be near London. I was excited to see that they were coming to The Corbin arena. I went ahead and ordered tickets 2 months ahead because I didn't want them to sell out. I told the kids about it and they were super excited. Of course I didn't tell them the part about buying tickets because I was gonna use that to my advantage. You know. Like, "if you don't clean your room we aren't going to the circus. Or, if you be mean to your sister one more time we are NOT going to the circus."  So it worked out pretty well for all of us. Mainly me. Lol. 

Finally the day of the circus came. And my kids were really bad that day. Like had I not already bought circus tickets they would not have been going. Of course the kids didn't know that part and spent most of their day sulking and crying because once again, the circus was off. They cried and begged and pleaded for forgiveness and mercy. They would be good, but please do not let them not go to the circus???  They've been waiting their whole life to go to a real circus. Ha. I know, I know. I'm mean.  But I find a parent strategy that works and go with it. 

We had went to the store earlier, before they turned into monsters, and I let them each choose a bag of candy. Then I chose popcorn and found the cutest popcorn boxes to take along to the circus. I knew that once we got to the circus they would be begging and pleading for all the expensive treats. I just can't handle wasting money like that so I decided to come prepared with our own treats. I even went down the toy aisle and found 3 elephants that would make the perfect souvenirs for them. They knew about the candy and popcorn, but I kept the elephants hid. They were $1 each verses $10 or $12 from the circus. 

I got our treats ready and packed them in a really big purse. Lol

Maynard came home and we barely gave him enough time to get ready and get out the door. 

On the way to the circus we passed Circus protesters. They were holding signs up about the circus being cruel to animals. I can see their point somewhat, but I wanted to pull over and ask them if they ate meat or if they ever went to the zoo. 

Before the circus started there was a pre-show where the kids got to gather around the ring and watch them do some stunts. They even asked for volunteers a few times. Titus had his brakes on. He wasn't going to help them do anything, but Amelia and Josiah had their hands up to be chosen for everything. 

This was a picture of Josiah and Amelia learning how to be a ninja. I took a small video of it and it turned out really cute. Amelia is a professional ninja now. Of course she calls herself a princess ninja. She got chosen to be a dancer and to my dismay she was more than happy to be chosen. 

Oh well. At least she burned some calories out there. Ha ha

I was this close to an elephant. 

Speaking of elephants, they are probably my most favorite part of the circus. 

We went back to our seats and waited for the circus to begin. The lights went out and the treat bags were already being passed around. 

My kids were having a blast and was very thankful for their treats. Until intermission and they seen this:

Cotton Candy that came with a hat or clown face. Only $12 a bag. What????

Sorry, no. Not going to happen. Who wants more popcorn?!?!?

The circus ended up being pretty good. A little more dancing than I liked, but it was still good. For some reason it seemed like the circus I went to as a child was way more awesome and magical, but maybe, just maybe, my kids will have the same memories about the circus they went too when they grow up.