Under the Big Top...

Last Saturday was Circus Day!! What a beautiful day it was both in weather and in family fun. Claude and I met the Marx Family in Cincinnati at the US Bank Arena. Then we entered the arena and took the prerequisite potty breaks. The Sheriff's Department had a booth where they placed arm bands on little children with their seat number for easy return in case they got lost. We told Hayden and Bailey these were special circus bracelets. We thought this was a great move on the part of the Sheriff's Department. Our seats were row C or 3 rows back from the arena floor. We were right on top of all the action and there was LOTS of action. When we entered there was a clown entertaining with a piano in the center of the arena. So from moment one we were into the show. The grand parade at the beginning showed off all the cast of characters and a lot of the animals. There were 3 huge screens where they displayed pictures that coordinated with the action going on in the arena. The mini-Marx's were fascinated with those big screens. (Probably harks back to not having as much electricity at the Marx home for TV.) Hayden started out curled up on my lap. What joy for a Gramma to snuggle with her little grandmonster as they try to absorb all that light and action. Michael took lots of pictures, thank you Michael.

Claude and I spent more time watching the kids reaction than watching the circus. At one point Bailey was standing making sign language for "more".

One of the highlights was the huge steel ball with a door on the side. They fit 4 motorcycles & cyclists in there and then they drove at high speeds around the inside center of the wall of this steel ball. Then they added another and then 2 more for a total of 7 motorcylist driving at high speeds in this ball. With our motorcycle background, we were very impressed and awed at this sight. Hayden loves elephants and totally enjoyed the elephants parading around the arena in the beginning and then doing their portion of the show later on. I found myself empathizing with the elephants trying to get up and down and lay on their side and then have to kick a leg to stand. Way to go elephants!

The tigers were another hit. They were beautiful animals. The motorcycle driving on the high wire with a trapezee underneath went right up and down our side of the arena.

During the intermission we bought popcorn, cotton candy in a clown hat, 2 snowcones in clown cups, and wise Mommy Andie balanced it with hot dogs. Silly Ma & Pa Christensen didn't think of solid nutrition, just circus junk food. Miss Bailey was soooo happy to get that hot dog, she grabbed it and ate the whole thing with wide eyes watching tigers and aerial acts and more. When it was all over, we hurried to the toy booth to find a toy. We promised Hayden one toy but not until the circus was over. He was patient and immediately picked out a twirling lighted stick thing. Bailey picked out an elephant. When they got in the car to head to lunch, they both traded toys. We had spotted a Chipotle's for lunch so Claude and Michael headed there in our Jeep and Andie and I with grandmonsters headed there in the Marx Mobile. On the way we asked Master Hayden, "What was your favorite thing?" He put his little hand out and made the appropriate circle with it and said, "Zero!" Now, if you understand Haydeneze you know that just means he liked it all. We all enjoyed our Chipotle lunch. Hayden wanted to sit at the bar stools and look out the window. So Pa took him and Michael got the cutest picture of those two sitting there. Bailey and Ma sat at the table and played touching nose to nose across the table and laughing. Then we went out to the parking lot and did races on the grassy area until time to put the mini-Marx's and their parents in the Marx Mobile so they could head home. Claude and I put our weary bones in the yellow Jeep and headed home to Sadieville. It was a great day and such fun. I remember how much fun it was to take Katelyn and Paul years ago. It was great to experience that again.

Just a historical note about Chipotle. About 5 years ago (when we were still living in Maryland and so were Andie and Michael) we got a call from Andie and Michael saying they were at Chipotle's eating and it was soooooo noisy they wondered if they could bring their food to our home and eat there. We assured them that was fine. They came and finished their lunch. Then Michael said, "We brought some ice cream bars. Who wants one?" We all did so he headed to the freezer and brought back ice cream bars. He tossed one to Claude and said, "One for Claude." Then he tossed one to me and said, "One for Sandi." Then he tossed 2 to Andie and said, "And two for Andie since she is now eating for two!!" That is how we learned she was just pregnant with our little Hayden.