Friday and Saturday night we BBQ'ed lots and lots of Tri-Tip at the Nativity Carnival for the "Academic Trainers Tri-Tip BBQ Booth." My Dad and some of his friends started doing the BBQ booth 10+years ago and AT eventually wised up to 'sponsor' it but Big John and his BBQ crew (and Heff!) still do all the hard work! We set up Friday afternoon and had the grill going until 10pm and then again Saturday from 4pm until we ran out of meat. The girls were troopers, the look on Francie's face when we drove up was great- she loves the "carnibal"! We ate lots of fried food, traded too many beers for tri-tip at the bar and had a great time, as usual... I've been going to the carnival almost every year since I was little!

setting up our basecamp and sporting Academic Trainers stuff everywhere you look ;)

sometimes Maisie just needs a place to stretch out

she's happy anywhere! (unless her mom gets more than 10 feet away from her, this one is a momma's girl. I ran into Costco earlier today and left Heff in the car with both girls. Sleeping Maisie immediately starts wailing and Heff thought "REALLY Maisie?! She just got out of the car?!" but her looked back to find Francie's finger in her eye "touch Maisie's eye OK Dad??" NO NOT OK France! Maisie has a red little left eye and a broken blood vessel in the inside corner... poor second child!)

only half an outfit change from lunch.. dad put her jeans on but she insisted on wearing her "rose tank top"

the guys getting things going

Maisie peaking out from her blanket

and in the sling with mom watching Francie on the rides

she loves the kiddie rides... Jannie and grampa only took her on them about 12 times a day

ONLY JANNIE would win $250 on the first round of Cherry Bells she opened! Our neighbor Erin Glanville sold her the big winner!!

Cashing out... more money for games and rides Francie!

Our set up

Francie spotted Bob (our neighbor right next door) and went over to tell him all about her favorite rides at the carnibal

Michelle and Katsy helping out (thanks girls... for your help and the secret stash of Rambauer:)

Jannie and Francie won a fish (aka "shishy") and when we brought it back to show everyone Heff just said .... "Poor fish." (update from sansie Saturday morning: "shishys aren't swimming anymore daddy??")

"I can make a fish face too"

St Raymonds BBQ dads

Grampa took francie on the airplane (rockets?) ride... she wants "only the purple one"

Grampa helping the little Doo out of the ride

"She said AGAIN Grampa!"

back for more tickets

he's a pushover for Francie ;)

dancing queen (in awe of the big kids and showing off)

we found Lena and her big boys, Eli & Adam!

They invited Francie to go on a few more rides

Eli and Adam got to go on the gator rollercoaster! (Francie watched this time, Jannie put her on it earlier and made the guy stop the ride much to the disappointed cries of all the big kids because she thought it was whipping Francie around a little too much... i think the 30 inches to ride sign was ignored by Jannie and the ride operator :)

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back for more on Saturday! We tried to coordinate black shirts again...

Dave, Jackson and Marla here for the fun

already tired Francie!? You've got lots to talk Jannie into!

Francie found a big girl to play under the table with

Cooking with Daddy (love that Heff found the only pink apron ;)

strangling mom

working hard serving up meat

The Johnets and Katsy (thanks for all your hard work!)

the face of a toddler who has been eating meat off the ground at a carnival

winning more small stuffed animals Ollie will eat as soon as we bring them home making Francie scream at him and cry. fun!

The "Kamakaze" crazy ride sponsored by Jannie's needlepoint friend Grandma Marie who is in her 90's!! Jannie though this was funny and told her maybe she should sponsor something a little more tame next year ;)

The water-balloon race... Francie won!

and everybody's favorite impossible-to-win ball game. we didn't win

and back to the fishy... thank goodness her aim was bad this time!

fluffy marsh-maaallows

Carousel with Jannie! (who is brave. the carny guy said only one adult at a time on the entire ride or it would break... would you get on!?)

but they loved it

Maisie looking forlorn in the Bjorn

the heff girls with Uncle James

Francie "not yours uncle jam-bes" with Auntie Em too (we were all excited for the poker tables this year but they gave up the casino for BINGO. snooooze!!)