After the fatigue and fun on the first day, Sunday was much more relaxed. In the morning, we explored Andy’s grandmonther’s house and took pictures.
Leilani really wanted her picture with the flowers, and the extra photo of just the compound lilies:
The we went out shopping to Bed, Bath, & Beyond for a gift for the wedding the following Saturday. The frying pan was on the gift registry, so we got it. Having seen the movie Tangled, Leilani knew what it was for (watch out, Brian):
Then finally, we went to the Italian-American festival at the Stark county fairgrounds, just a few blocks from great-grandma’s house in Canton. Knowing Leilani likes the rides, I had been disappointed that we would miss the county fair, but this was probably even better: $5 all-you-can-ride admission and reasonable crowds. Plus, once she saw it driving by on the very first day, she wanted to go.
Leilani went straight to the big spinning swings and wanted to ride that first:
After a few rides, we walked around and found the food, entertainment, and shopping. We were still trying to limit the sugar and artificial colors in foods that we gave to Leilani at this time, but how can a Dad say no to his daughter who wants an ice cream at the fair?
The music on one stage was an Elvis impersonator, who was very good at it:
Indoors, there were craft vendors and some old time music from the Italian civic groups who organized the fair. This old man was watching:
Back outside, it was Leilani time again: bouncy castle, spinning “boats” where Andy almost got sick (not pictured), tame helicopters (kids only), and ferris wheel with Grandpa then Daddy:
The fair was pretty at dusk when all the lights came on. In this view from the ferris wheel, there are 2 other rides we took: the infamous “boats” at the bottom, and the spinning cage ferris wheel on the right (red star) that really scared (not scarred, I hope) Leilani.
With her love of horses, Leilani still loves merry-go-rounds, and this was the first of many this trip:
Finally, Jim joined us for the last “ride” of the day in the fun-house:
On the way out of the fair, we stopped in a grassy area to watch and gently catch fireflies (also called lightning bugs). I never lived anywhere that had them, and I remembered them from my summertime visits to Ohio, so I wanted Leilani to see them too. If you touch them while they are flying, they will land on your hand, and sometimes still keep flashing. I think I still enjoy seeing them just as much as Leilani does now.
