Our Family Life: Dad's a carnie

I tease Donavon he's a carnie {see this link for a description of a carnie if you have no idea, or need a laugh}. In the recruiting world you work events, and in the summer there are motherloads of carnivals, fairs, parades and rodeos. Well; at least in West Jordan, Utah. And it seems to be that everyone thinks it would be a swell idea to have some soldiers at their events. Works out to their advantage, sometimes anyways and they get a few leads, which may or may not turn into actual contracts.

However, I kid you not - every time we go see Daddy 'at work' its at a carnival or fair. I'm sure Issac is beginning to wonder if Daddy is some kind of special 'soldier' preformer in the circus.

The proof that your husband spends to much time at such events. He comes home and says "Honey! I figured out what WE are going to do after retirement {only 14 years mind you}." I immediately said "Weeeee..eeee??" and he says "Yeah, WE are going to travel around to all the carnivals and fairs and sell funnel cakes and stuff"

He's become BFF's with some of the carnie folk and has been chatting up business opportunities. A former service member who owns a funnel cake stand was telling him that he makes funnel cakes for 40 something cents each, and sells them for $5. He said that in a weekend after paying employees and such he can gross $12-15,000. Thats just one fair, travel to a few others around the state, maybe a few others out of state and the guy is set for the rest of the year and does who knows what.

So there we have it, Donavon's a carnie wannabe.

Having said all that, I'm sure Issac hasnt minded that Daddy's "work" has been at such events; a little more exciting than eating lunch in a drab corporate looking office.

Hopefully he's worked his last one of the season and they make another station step up to the plate and work the State Fair. This last fair, he worked a 80 hour work week - fun? Lets just say I was wiped out completely by the end of the week and was hanging by a thread.

Here are some pictures from all the times we have gone to see Daddy 'at work'. {now when I say 'at work' I by all means do not want you to assume that he's not working, he is indeed hounding individuals or working their attraction they have, he's not running around eating funnel cakes and riding rides all day -- we think}

The West Jordan 'Western Stampede' - We met Dad to give him an extension cord for the rockwall, and brought lunch. He was gaurding the rockwall before the fair started to assure no one used it, or stole it.

{It was a REALLY hot day, and its lemonade for all those wondering}

{ Cheesing it up for Mom }

{The had the fair in a very large park, Issac enjoyed playing around}

The Salt Lake County Fair in West Jordan - We met Donavon one evening at this fair and after being there for awhile, he was told to just go home since it was dead - we ended up sticking around and letting Issac explore, and eating overly priced fair food, then for the demolition derby. Donavon's old primary teacher was working a booth as well and had 2 extra tickets

{ They had a petting zoo, for free! Issac LOVED it }

{Donavon is checking out that camel - undoubtingly having flashbacks of the Middle East}

{They had lots of goats, Issac thought it was so cool to touch all of them & hear their funny noises}

{$3.50 for a pony ride, totally worth it. Issac loved it until his pony did the ol shimy-shake, and wanted off, but once off he wanted back on]

{munching on some dried fruit Dad's old primary teacher gave us, and checking out those chickens! Every time we walked by he freaked out and wanted to go see them, apparently amused by them}

{Dont forget the cows, they were pretty funny too. And the pig. We heard a pig freaking out across the barn, it was upset because its buddy was away being shown - I didnt get a good picture of it sorry.}