It's a great State Fair

Well, the summer is gone.  Ammon started school this last week and Addie starts tomorrow.  I am actually quite ready for this change.  Schedules are nice and I am so happy that it has finally cooled off so we can spend some time outside.  We decided to have one last jaunt before Addie started school so last week we drove to Des Moine IA to go to the State Fair and it was WONDERFUL!  We had such a great time and enjoyed the sights and SMELLS....all those yummy food stands. Yummm.  We forgot our phone but luckily, Ammon had his new i-touch that he got as part of his pharmacy program the day before.  The pictures aren't the greatest of quality but they are pictures and I am so sad we didn't take more but I guess we were too busy having fun. 
They had an area full of brand new baby animals.....like, if you time it right, you can watch them being born.  We missed some by a couple of hours but we did get to watch the video playback.  Boy, I'm glad human babies are not born with hooves.

the kids LOVED being able to pet the animals

These piglets were a few hours old and SOW SOW cute

This calf was born while we were driving to the fair but we got to see the leftovers ;-/

 

 

 

We of course had to see the Butter Sculptures.  Yes, this sculpture is made entirely out of butter.  I have always wanted to see Dopey and Doc and the rest of the gang made out of butter and now I can check that off my list of lifelong goals.
 

We let the kids choose 2 rides to go on.  Kimball choose this little caterpillar roller coaster and Addie went on it too....but I don't know why she didn't sit with him.  Kimball was all smiles when it started....

Addie was too.  During the ride, she had her arms in the air and had a grand ol' time.

 

Kimball,  not so much.  He came off not smiling at all and just came over and hugged me.  I asked him if he had fun and he just was trying not to cry and said "that was scary" :-( 
We were about to put Avonlea on that same ride with them but I'm glad we didn't.  She chose these little cars that go around and around and she didn't smile at all even on that.  hmmmm

Addie is our little dare-devil.  She rode this ride where it takes you into the air and then drops you and then repeats this several times.  She had this giant grin on her face and one of the times after she had just been dropped, we noticed she suddenly looked down at her lap.  My first thought was that she had peed her pants but then I notice her pick something up and put it in her mouth.  Her gum had fallen out of her mouth while she was screaming and she put it back in her mouth!  YUCK! We were laughing so hard.

 

 

For Kimballs 2nd ride, he chose something a little more low-key and did these little bumper boats.  As you can see, he was the only one.  The great thing about being the only one is the carnies don't really care how long you ride.
 
They also don't really pay much attention to the order of when people come.  Other kids came, rode, and left and Kimball was still driving his little boat around.  Finally after about 5 minutes I had to ask for him to be done.  That was the best buck paid for a carnival ride I've ever had.

OK, now lets talk about Fair Food. Growing up, we would go to the Iron County Fair every year because it was about a block away from our house for many many years.  The only Fair food I ever remember buying was cotton candy....with good reason, because everything is SO EXPENSIVE! However, this year, we couldn't really run home and grab dinner so we did dinner there and it was SO SO SO good.  My first time tasting Gyros and I am a big fan.  We also had some German chocolate funnel cake and right before we left, we grabbed a turkey leg.  HOLY COW. 
Meet, the turkey leg

Now meet my carnivorous children.  I didn't really think they would be that big of fans but I felt like I had little lion cubs on my hands.  They were begging for more more more.  As we were getting near to the bone, Addie asked, and I quote "mom, when we are done, can I chaw on the bone?"  Yes, my daughter asked to CHAW  on a bone.  Why not.  Ammon and I could not stop laughing as we watched Addie and Kimball go after that bone like it was there last meal and they had been starving on a deserted island.

Below is a low quality video of the turkey leg "chawing."  WARNING: Content may be inappropriate for other children, vegetarians of all ages and anyone with weak stomachs.  Viewer discretion is advised.

Avonlea decided she was being left out and wanted in on the goods.
Oh, the bone chawing was a hoot!  I'm sure the booth next to us where we got the leg wanted us to leave the premises since we were probably causing customers to hurl and become devout vegans.

We had "Last of the Mohican's" walking around with us at the fair, or should I say "Last of the 80's Rock Bands!"  Addie (bless her heart!) was determined to blow her birthday money on a toy at the fair.  She couldn't decide between one set of a cheap over priced "MADE IN CHINA" or another plastic "MADE IN CHINA."  Hard choice!  So instead, the cunning sales lady slapped this Mohawk on her head and slipped the $10 out of Addie's fingers before she could decide.  I wanted to slap the lady but we could not convince Addie that she would regret her purchase.  Well, long story short...within the hour she didn't even want to wear it.  Expensive entertainment I say...for Addie of course.  The rest of us got free entertainment for that hour, and even the rest of the night when Mommy and Daddy put it on and walked around with Addie red faced and wishing she didn't know us.  Oh, good times, she will agree with us...someday.  We hope this was a good lesson learned for Addie:  If you want to blow your money, there is always someone who would be glad to lighten your wallet.

Here is some of the free entertainment I was talking about.  Even Avonlea was trying to protect her identity and reputation. j/k.  Addie wasn't too excited to dance with mommy, but Kimball and Avonlea actually were begging for a go around with mommy.  They were too young to care.  They will grow out of that and we will miss it tons.