Just clowning around!

This weekend, we went to the Melha Shriner's Circus. I thought that after the Walking with Dinosaurs disaster, that this would be a cheaper mistake. I also thought that Grandma and Grandpa would like to go with Tyler to something fun. So Sunday afternoon we set out. I made sure that Tyler had a great nap and was well rested. The plan was to take in the Circus and then go out to eat. After all, what kind of circus would the Shriner's put on? I fully expected to see a bunch of clowns dressed up, riding around in little cars like they do at the 4th of July parade. I am proud to say that there were no little cars and because the circus ended 3 hours after it began, we had to forget the dinner plans! We all had a great time and I would definitely go back next year!

When we got to the circus, Tyler was a little aprehensive and aloof. After awhile, he seemed to think the clowns were funny, but he would still not go near them. THEN I told him it was time to auctually go inside the building-- that was when he really got nervous (I of course had flashbacks of the dino show in Amherst!). But as soon as we got inside and he saw the elephants, the switch flipped and this was a great thing for him! Here are the boys posing together and Tyler's reaction to seeing that there are elephants there. Of course, one of them was doing his business and Tyler was very enthralled with that-- after all, he is a 3-year-old BOY!
Family hugs at the circus!
Before the circus began, in the 3 rings in the middle they had pony rides (Ty kept calling them lambs-- why, I am not sure, he even knows that a foal is a baby horse...), face painting, and elephant rides. We tried to persuade him to go on one before the circus began, but to no avail. Then, right as intermission began, Ty said "I want to go on the elephant!". Grandpa took off to buy the tickets and we waited patiently in line. Tyler was so good up there, I though for sure he was change hsi mind at the last minute, but he didn't. He even touched the elepphants rough skin and hair.
As we were riding the elephants, they started preparing for the second half and it included TIGERS (in the cages behind Ty's back)! Ty was so excited! The lion tamer was really cool and the tigers even jumped through the fire ring! Not a bad circus by the Shriners!