Yesterday Was a BIG Day

We spent the morning at the lake--to hot for much else.

And the evening at the Mt. Carmel Carnival in Hammonton, where Rebecca rode her first "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Da" Ride: The Dragon. We're calling him "Puff."

Her head stayed ducked down for almost the entire (several looooong minutes) ride, but she loved it!! (Look for Cousin Jason's red shirt.) Matterhorn, here we come!! (We thought for sure this one was going to be the only ride on her $20 hand stamp.)

Then some tea cups . . .

And a ride that nearly did us in--she bumped her head on the center wheel and was a bit leery after that.

In fact, she started sobbing and calling out to me before the train even started, so I pulled her off.

But got her right on the boats, where this nice guy stayed with her to make sure she was okay.

And after a long snack (where Miss Rachael Santa'd herself in ice cream)

We were back for three more solo rides on the boats

and two on the train (Big Jay had to be up around four this morning to put on a bike race so they took off). But it was great seeing Rebecca play with her cousins.

And that's not even the BIG news. This is the face of a girl who, after staying awake the entire way home, talking about the rides, slept in her own bed from 11 pm to 6:30 this morning--all by herself!!! She snuggled in with us and slept until 8:30.

Now, if I could only get Rich to sleep through the night (carnival food and acid reflux don't mix, poor guy), I'd be one well-rested mama.