Sum Sum Summerfest

Orem Summerfest is the official start of the Morningstar summer. We await it impatiently. We save our pennies to purchase overpriced corn on the cob and Rotary Club pancakes. We hoard decorations for the parade. We spend our hard-earned money on spinning rides that threaten to liberate the aforementioned corn on the cob and pancakes. And we love every minute of it!

This year we had an unseasonably cool and rainy Summerfest weekend, but it couldn't dampen our spirits! The rain did, however, create some confusion around the Children's Parade. Usually the Children's Parade starts at 7 and precedes the  regular parade - basically it's a chance for kids to put streamers on their bikes and race down Center Street.

Well, this year we got to the regular meeting place at the regular time - but no Children's Parade! We weren't the only confused paraders, so when 7:00 rolled around we and about 20 others just made our own Tiny Parade. After all, Ben had practiced long and hard to show off on his 3-wheeled unicycle. What's more, he and Steve transformed it into a "red, white, and blunicycle" - so there was no way we were letting a little rain stop that much fun!

And, yes, Ben is holding a bag of candy and throwing it to the eagerly waiting crowd. I think it's fair to say that he was the hit of the parade.

No, he didn't actually hit anyone.

They needed some kids to dry off the Fun Slide after a shower and my littles were happy to oblige!

These two crazies do all the pukey rides together! I sure am glad they have each other and Grammy to ride with, because Ben, Steve, and I have too much sense to ride those terrible contraptions and WanYing's too short.

The Ferris Wheel has the best view in town! And it's about as wild a ride as my tummy can handle.

The kids enjoy the puke-a-whirl with neighborhood friends

Of course WanYing couldn't resist the face painting! And it must have been good luck facepaint because it lasted three days and she finally lost the pesky front tooth that's been trying to come out for days!

An unexpected new addition to Summerfest was the "Swagen"...

So of course we had to support the Swagen! It's is a VW Microbus that its owner converted into a mobile photobooth. Add funny hats and a photo printer and, voila! instant summer income and built-in road trip!

We came, we ate, and nobody threw up. Another great year of Summerfest.