The Greatest Show on Earth

As if we hadn't spoiled our kids enough last week with my sister being here (which I promise to blog about after this), yesterday we decided to take the kids to the circus. And not just any circus, but the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Have you been to a circus recently? Well, let me tell you, they are a bit pricey nowadays. Thankfully Alex was free, because we might not have gone otherwise.

And then, as if the ticket prices weren't bad enough, Anton decided we needed to get some cotton candy.

See that bag there and the funky hat? They came together. You know how much they cost? $12!!!!! I think that's worse than any ballpark hotdog I've ever gotten. Don't get me wrong, it was really good cotton candy, but $12? Really?

Anyways, on to the fun circus stuff. The kids were entirely entranced by the whole thing. You would never have guessed it was after their bedtime with the way they were sitting so still and watching so intently.

Look at him. So totally enraptured. And you'll have to forgive me for the quality of photos. I didn't feel like lugging the SLR in there so I was using the point and shoot, in the dark.

Everyone had their favorite part of the show. Ella loved the ponies:

Alex loved the elephants.

I wish I had been able to get a picture of it, but 2 of the elephants has stars shaved onto their butts. Very cool. Elephant tattoos.

Ella liked the elephants too, just not as much as the ponies.

Anton's favorite was the tigers.

They were pretty cool. I loved the white ones. The trainer was giving them all kisses when they finished performing. It was cute.

My favorite was the Chinese Acrobats.

I secretly wish I could be one of them. I would kill to be able to wear a spandex outfit like that and look good in it. We learned all about them when we went to Disneyworld last year. They go to special schools to become acrobats and it's very serious and hard training.

We also got to see trapeze artists (though I think the PC term nowadays is aerial athletes) and tightrope walkers,

clowns, and even people getting shot out of a canon.

I got a picture of the canon a split second before the people came out. Oh well.

And we all took turns wearing the silly hat.

Look! A picture of me!! We also spent more money on popcorn and drinks and a circus coloring book. You know those fancy spinny lights you can get at the circus? $20. Yep. $20. What has this world come to?

But besides my children's fledgling college fund going out the window, we had an awesome time.