Two Tents, One Big Effort
This marked the fifth year the kids teamed up with Ginger and their cousins to run the fireworks tent—but this year came with some big changes. For the first time, they operated not just one tent, but two! In the past, everything was based at the El Mezcal location, but this year they expanded to include a second tent at KFC.
With two tents and limited staff, everyone had to step up in a big way—and they did. Caleb took the lead at El Mezcal, while Bryce ran things at KFC. Abby worked alongside Caleb, and AJ joined Bryce’s team. Brook, Emmy, and Carly floated between the two locations depending on where help was needed, and when Bree arrived, she jumped in at the KFC tent.
The boys were proud to each have their own tent, and of course that sparked some “friendly” sibling competition to see who could rack up the most sales. But running two full-time tents was no small feat. Unlike previous years when shifts were more relaxed and kids could come home for meals or breaks, this time the workload was intense. Caleb and Bryce were basically stationed at their tents full-time. Caleb rarely left—he’d come home late at night to shower, then head back to sleep in the camper at El Mezcal. Bryce, Brook, and Aaron rotated staying overnight at the KFC tent.
To make things even more challenging, illness hit midweek. Bryce came down with strep throat and still tried to power through, but eventually needed a trip to urgent care for antibiotics. Around the same time, AJ developed hand, foot, and mouth virus and also ended up at urgent care. It was tough watching them try to manage responsibilities while not feeling 100%, but they did their best—and thankfully started to feel better before the week was over.
Of course, in any family venture—especially one involving siblings, high temperatures, and long hours—tensions can run high. Caleb and Bryce were the official tent supervisors, and that naturally created some hierarchy. Caleb, while extremely hard-working, can be intense and not always the most diplomatic when asking others to pitch in. Abby adjusted well and worked alongside him with minimal drama. Emmy, however, had a harder time. We received a few complaints that she wasn’t following directions or being helpful. Robb shadowed her a few times and found she was mostly doing what she was asked—but, in classic Emmy fashion, the attitude often came along for the ride.
It was a tricky dynamic to navigate as parents, but Ginger stepped in and helped balance things out by splitting Emmy’s time between both tents. That seemed to help spread the sass more evenly and reduce some of the friction.
Despite the long days, the heat, and the challenges—including illness and sibling spats—we were incredibly proud of how hard the kids worked. For 12 days, they showed up, took ownership, and kept the operation running. The experience gave them more than just a paycheck (which was definitely a nice reward)—it taught them responsibility, teamwork, and a little bit of grit. We couldn’t be more impressed with what they accomplished.
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