State Fair

Every year, the kids ask if we can go to the fair and every year, we think about it and then the time flies by and we never quite make it to the fair. This year, though, we finally did it. Dave and I are not really that big on the fair, but we actually had the best time this year of any of the times we have gone. Maybe it was more fun for us since Grant and Kate are older now and want to try so many things at the fair. It was fun watching them get so excited about everything.

We spent a lot of time looking at the animals and even watched 4H people show their goats. We thought the kids might get tired of it, but they were so intrigued with the whole thing. There is a building called, "The Miracle of Birth," where pregnant sheep or cows actually give birth right where you can watch, if you happen to be in there at the right time. We waited forever for a cow to give birth and finally pulled the kids away, but they did not want to go. They were just sitting there watching this cow walk around the pen. It would have been exciting to see the birth, but it could have been hours until that happened. We did get to see chicks hatching, which was exciting, too.

By evening we headed to the midway, where all the rides were lit up. The kids had ridden a few rides at the "kidway" earlier in the day, where the rides are more tame. This is the last time we will be able to do that, though, as Grant especially is ready for the real deal. Both Grant and Katie wanted to play some of the carnival games to try to win prizes, so we checked them all out and they chose the ones they wanted. Katie actually won a stuffed monkey at one game and a crown at another! She was thrilled. But, poor Grant. He played the same game over and over because he was sure he could win a guitar and burst into tears when it did not happen. For some reason, getting a free yardstick a little later soothed the wound of losing the guitar. (I do not quite understand how that works, but I think he just wanted something in his hands that he had "won!" :-) )

So, we had a good time and yes, we ate way too much, but isn't that part of the fair experience? :-)