Here are the things I learned from the Hope Watermelon Festival this year:
1. Rain will not stop people.
Really it wasn’t too bad even with the rain. It didn’t get too hot and the sun did finally come out. Seriously though, the rain did not stop people from coming out. I really thought there would hardly be anyone that morning. To my surprise, it was pretty busy. Maybe the rain dampened some plans however, things were still full in swing.
2. My SUV will get stuck in the mud.
Found this one little gem out the hard way. By this point, I was ready to go. Glitter Bug came back to where all the family was(she was with other family so it was all good.) and I was ready to go spend time with her since she stayed with Great-Grandparents for two nights in a row. Boy did she look like a drowned rat with tangles all in her hair. I didn’t get a picture of how she looked but trust me it was not pretty. So we get ready to leave and next thing I know, the car is not moving anymore. Thank goodness, family was there. After a couple of pushes, we were on our way again.
Poor bumper looks a lot worse now. The paint is peeling.
3. Punishment doesn’t always work.
Back to my child who looked like she had played in the rain. She had long hair. Maybe to the middle of her back. (She is now about 4’4 inches tall. Pretty tall for a 7 year old) If her hair is left down it looks like it hasn’t been brushed ever. We have tried everything to get her to put it up with no chance. So off to the salon to get it cut. Don’t get me wrong, I know it’s her hair and she wants long hair. However, it needed to been trimmed too. We told her it was time to get it cut. Usually she has a fit over this but makes her think about why it is important to take care of your hair. Little did I know, she LOVES her “short” hair. 
What she calls her “short’ hair. It is just below her shoulders when straight.
4. Family is always a good thing to have.
I am glad to have my husband’s family. Really they are my family too. It is nice to sit down and enjoy a meal together with them. It is so awesome to have this yearly tradition of having supper together at the festival. Maybe the festival is really just one giant family gathering for us.
