Weekend Activities

We've had some fun, once-a-year activities the past two weekends, which the boys have very much enjoyed! Last weekend was Northern Neighbors Day at the Air Force Base. Basically all this means is that one can drive on the base without having to go through 4 levels of security checks. They also had an airshow for those in attendance.

It was a hot day (at least hot for North Dakota) and it was bright out on the tarmac. Ezra and Asher wore their cool shades and perused the airplanes. Asher is still talking about how the "52-bomber" is his favorite plane.

A picture of B-52 Bombers (the airplane housed at the Air Force Base in Minot) flying in formation... apparently this is unusual, although I wouldn't know.
Ezra and Asher outside Asher's favorite plane.

The boys inside a Black Hawk Helicopter.
This weekend was the annual State Fair Parade. The State Fair Parade is a highlight for the boys. They have been talking about it since, well, last year's State Fair Parade.

When I think of parades, I think of floats and marching bands. This parade is what some might call unique in that the defining characteristics of this parade are large Air Force Machinery, such as nuclear missile transporters, fire trucks, tractors and combines, a freakish amount of candy and anyone else who wants to pay an entrance fee.

This is the stash of candy the boys collected in less than 2 hours at the parade. This stash does not include the 4 mini-soccer balls, 6 Frisbees, 7 toothbrushes, 5 pencils, 20 tattoos, as well about 10 Popsicles all handed out at the parade.
Asher was in his glory with all the trucks.
There were also many, many horses...
And the **best** parade job... the pooper scooper lady.
Obed with his buddy Addy.
Asher doing his "look at me, I'm Gumby" trick in order to get more candy.
A personal favorite "float" of mine is the delusional woman. Every year this woman enters the parade. One can hire her for parties if desired. Her logo says that she looks like her and sounds like her. Who is this her? Well, that would be Shania Twain and she goes by Shania Too. Yup. I'm glad Shania Too and I are not BFF's because I would feel a certain sense of obligation to tell her that she neither looks nor sounds like Shania and maybe she should pursue other endeavors. But we're not BFF's... so I'm off the hook.
Do you see her? It's Shania Too. She looks JUST like her.
My other favorite entry this year was the "Back Woods Hick Opossum Queen." You can see the queen on the back of the truck, next to her outhouse, complete with satellite dish on top. I wonder what sort of qualifications one must have (or not have) in order to obtain this title?
A highlight for Ezra today was when Applebee's came by and passed out apples, which they do every year. Ezra was eating his apple when all of a sudden...
He lost his first tooth. He was a bit concerned at first, not knowing that this is a normal rite of passage in life. But after we explained that he would have a bigger and better tooth grow back, the bloody taste would leave his mouth, and this was actually supposed to happen, he found it rather cool.