Summer Fun at Busch...

Gardens that is...
After finding out on Thursday that Tom will be deploying again, we decided to drown our sorrows in some good old fashioned fun!  Nothing like crummy news to make you appreciate current circumstances.  So until September (when Tom leaves for FL and possibly on to the desert), you better hold on to your hats and chewing gum because we Paganos are going to be turning up the FUN!

This is the first year that Mia is big enough to ride the rides.  It could have gone either way, but turns out she LOVES the rides.

Even the merry-go-round was, you guessed it, MERRY.  Very.

Dueling curly pony tails.

I am pretty sure those girls are rock stars.

Emma totally talked Daddy into riding "Escape from Pompeii"...they barely survived. 

Note the screaming, scared look on Daddy's face.

Planning our attack. 

Don't let their size fool you, Emma and Mia are ruthless Amusement Park Commandos. 

"Mommy happy"

Mi Mi had a blast on the choo choo train.

Bring it!  Mia ain't scurred. (As Mia would say) 

The gals took a break from the really wild rides to recline in their hot air balloon built for 2.

Mia and Emma fought for the controls.  

No comments on the facial expression...I was really enjoying the lemonade.

Yes, please touch the lens.

Flying dragons are cool, but...

...Mia was more impressed with the Loch Ness Monster ride (yellow track in background)

After several more rides, we finished up with another round on the horses.  The kids begged us to stay longer, but we had already been there for 5 hours!  

Thanks to some quick thinking and a couple of giant rice crispy squares with sprinkles, we were able to keep them from screaming too loudly as we exited the amusement park.

Happy 4th of July!