Artificial Spring

Spring is coming slowly to poor old Manitoba, and it's starting to wear on the ladies in the Yost house. The girls are going crazy and driving me bananas. For two weeks straight it was too cold and windy to be outside for too long and inside is just not cutting it anymore, we needed spring and we needed it fast. Since mother nature wasn't cooperating it was off to our local conservatory. It was the best decision I had made all week. We ran, smelled actual flowers and stalked turtles. Frances saw fish and I got to see my first peony in bloom. It rejuvenated us enough that the girls stopped driving me bonkers for a full afternoon.

The conservatory has really stepped it up a notch since we last visited

I tried to get a good picture of the girls together, they sang itsy bitsy spider instead

In our house, the itsy bitsy spider is the height of hilarity

Frances loved the turtles so much she tried to climb into the pond

Can you sense their terror?

Awwww.

Our refuge from the wind and snow.

Shrine Circus 2010

If you are not one of my siblings you will likely not understand the significance of circuses, much less THE Shrine Circus...  I have not been to the circus since Cara and I were dating, and while I seemed to believe it was in a bit of a slump in terms of attendance, I never was worried for what seemed to be an institution in Winnipeg...  This year though was the first time the circus moved away from the MTS Centre and actually moved closer to our house at the Red River Ex Grounds by the Assiniboia Downs, with the advance tickets being sold by a local insurance company and myself only finding out about it due to to internet searching...

We went with Ray & Myrna, not knowing what to expect.  It turns out that the circus was being held in a large building on the Ex Grounds, that could probably hold about 2000 - 4000 patrons if all the seats were full.  We waited in line to get the rush seats and as I walked in it was apparent this was not the Shrine Circus of my childhood.  The seats were portable bleachers, and the souvenirs were not like I recall having as a child.  There were no programs for kids to have signed by clowns, and no Shrine specific merchandise...  We got Teresa a clown head pen and I bought a raffle ticket along with the snacks we bought.  I should also add that a very generous Shriner gave us some food tickets so we got a free popcorn.  I am sure that Teresa did not think this a small circus, but it just felt smaller to me, without the elephants and lions of old...

Teresa's Pen

The circus itself had some major highlights with a great clown bit from a diving board and a really enjoyable balancing act...  I love the circus and I know that Teresa and Frances really seemed to enjoy it...

Waiting in line on the way in...

Keeping calm by picking dandelions...

Pony rides?  $8?  It's the circus, so of course! (I just wish it were still elephants...)

My favorite (and least PC part) of the Shriner procession, the oriental band.  Sadly they were down to 6 members.

The clowns!  If I were ever to be a Shriner, this is what I would be...  Of course it has nothing to do with Andrea being scared of them, just that they were awesome (ps for those wondering I did NOT see Popcorn there)

Teresa told Cara that Rowdy could do all the tricks because he was a very good dog.

Sitting on the bleachers with mommy

Grandma & Frances - the girls did well but were done after 2.5 hours, and the show went for 3.  Thanks also go out to Ray & Myrna for buying the tickets,

Did I mention I love the circus?  There are few times that I reminisce and think back to my childhood.  The circus is one of them, and I truly cherish the memories.  I miss those days where we visited the green house and then had treats and souvenirs then get autographs from the clowns...

The funny & enjoyable 'diving' act...

I thought for sure he was going to fall...

Perhaps I am getting overly sentimental and over-thinking such things but my dad tells me of the days when the Shriners parade was eons long and nowadays it was at most 100 people (my count was 65-70ish).  It worries me that service organizations are slowly disappearing...

ps: Congrats go out to Warren & Lindsay along with Kris & Susan who both had beautiful baby girls over the weekend (Ingrid & Anika respectively :).  Yay to friends having kids!  Next up: Ryan & Lisanne in June!!