the call of the midway

According to the calendar, our night at the state fair was a mere six months ago.  

It feels a little more like a lifetime though.  And those baby faces back me up on that feeling...how do they change so much in six months?!?!?!?

and good grief, the boys have both worn through another pair of sneakers since this photo.
why are boys so hard on shoes?

Following the tradition of the past four years, our family was accompanied to the fair by our beloved "Cousin Jor-deen" (though somehow no pictures of Jordan with the kids exist...at least in my records).

one of many, many rides of the evening

Breaking tradition though, this year we went all in and bought preview night ride bracelets for everybody...adults included.  This meant that Jordan, Ian and I went on more than our share of rides that spun us around until we could hardly walk.  All in the name of fun!

We rode.  We ate everything from BBQ sundaes (not as gross as it sounds...just BBQ shredded pork, baked beans and cole slaw layered in a parfait glass) to cotton candy to deep fried snicker bars to funnel cakes.  And then we decided riding may not be best on a full stomach, so we paid homage to the agricultural side of the fair.

We said "Aaaawww" over the baby chicks and the foal, took in a 4-H sheep showing contest, and giggled as we watched some "city slickers" pay to milk a cow.

And then we admired the impressive produce.  Daniel was in his happy place dreaming of taking the blue ribbon winning 258 pound watermelon home.

And of course there was the yearly "prize pumpkin patch" shot.

(See here to go back all the way to 2007 when there was only ONE M kid in the picture)

crazy that they are getting so big that the pumpkin is no longer quite as visible behind them...

Once we felt sure that our stomachs had settled...and my suburb dwelling youngsters declared themselves done with the scent of the barns...we headed back out to enjoy a few more rides.  By a few more what I really mean is a whole lot more.

Preview night at the fair is the best.

Finally, some seven hours after we arrived, we decided we had sufficiently enjoyed ourselves.  Or the fair was closing...it closes at midnight and it was a school night, so I'll never divulge.

But if you want to know, meet us there this October.  We'll show you how to get your money's worth with a ride bracelet at the State Fair.