Balloons: Take Two

Yesterday evening a local children's service organization hosted an Alaska Flag Day Celebration. (FYI: The Alaska Flag was designed by schoolchild named Benny Benson.) Mark and I took the children to check out the event.

The celebration was just six blocks from our home, but we took the long way there. We drove across the street to the high school, we waited in line for the shuttle bus to arrive, we slowly loaded the bus (a full size tour bus), the bus turned around in the parking lot, more people got on board, we drove five blocks, the bus very slowly unloaded with our group being one of the very last off. The children enjoyed the novelty of a bus ride.

We paid the entrance fee. We hit the BBQ buffet line first. The boys said no to buns and burgers and finally agreed to a bag of Cheetos each. Viva, of course, wanted food. She chose a hot dog with catsup (she loves catsup). We ate while the boys raced up and down the hill.


Then we joined a line to have balloon swords made for the children by a balloon artist. (Are you able to guess where this is headed?) The balloon artist was very good and offered to make anything the children wanted. Our boys wanted sword. Oddly enough Viva did, too. I tried to talk her into some of his other awesome creations, but she was adamant. A sword it was.



The children were thrilled with their swords. I warned them not to drag the swords on the ground because grass can be sharp enough to pierce balloons. We played a ball tossing game next. The trio picked out a prize--bracelets or necklaces.



Next we went to find the ice cream. On the way we briefly stopped to regroup (let all the kids catch up) and disaster struck. Who do you think popped their balloon sword by playing in the tall grass with it? Miss Viva. She was quite upset about the loss. Jake was even more upset than Viva. It ruined the rest of the celebration for him.


We continued on to the ice cream line. The children refused to pick a flavor. We picked for them. They refused to eat it. It was very good ice cream--blueberry cheesecake.

Bentley played two more games: throw the football through the hoop and bounce the ping pong ball into the cup. He accrued new prizes including a small dinosaur. While we were waiting in line at the football throw game, Viva's sword belt popped. I have no idea how that happened. Bad luck?




The next time the children get an offer of a balloon, we are running the opposite direction. We have to break this new tradition.