I've been sick pretty much all weekend. I was able to struggle out Saturday morning to do the soccer mom thing, however once home I went to bed for the rest of the day. I'm feeling better now, but totally uninspired.
Thus I have here a cute chicken from the county fair as today's post.
Showing posts with label fair. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fair. Show all posts
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
2012 County Fair
It's County Fair time which heralds the end of summer.
This year only the dynamic duo wanted to go. Nate was only interested if he could bring a friend and all Jacob wanted was funnel cake. It was a little sad, but honestly it was a lot simpler to keep track of two children as opposed to four, admittedly the older two could go off on their own, but still...
Anyhoodle, It was a beautiful night on Sunday and since Larry wasn't interested in going either I ended up giving Meryl a call.She was game to check out the fair and eat bad fair food. She headed on over to our place to pick us up and go to the fair.
Apart from Max getting a bit queasy after going on a few too many rides in quick succession, we all had a great time. I got wristbands for both Max and Rebecca and they got to go on all the rides they wanted and as many times they wanted (hence the queasiness). We were able to get Max off of the ride in time and in typical little kid fashion was immediately over it as we headed out to pick up some funnel cakes before going back to our house. We stuffed ourselves with fried dough goodness and Meryl even got a deep fried Milky Way on a stick. The deep fried candy bar was a disgustingly delicious treat. It was very rich and decadent, all melty inside a batter crust. It made the funnel cake seem almost healthy.
And speaking of funnel cake, I got a second one to bring back home. The boys were very appreciative of the treat and quickly descended on the plate.
This year only the dynamic duo wanted to go. Nate was only interested if he could bring a friend and all Jacob wanted was funnel cake. It was a little sad, but honestly it was a lot simpler to keep track of two children as opposed to four, admittedly the older two could go off on their own, but still...
Anyhoodle, It was a beautiful night on Sunday and since Larry wasn't interested in going either I ended up giving Meryl a call.She was game to check out the fair and eat bad fair food. She headed on over to our place to pick us up and go to the fair.
Apart from Max getting a bit queasy after going on a few too many rides in quick succession, we all had a great time. I got wristbands for both Max and Rebecca and they got to go on all the rides they wanted and as many times they wanted (hence the queasiness). We were able to get Max off of the ride in time and in typical little kid fashion was immediately over it as we headed out to pick up some funnel cakes before going back to our house. We stuffed ourselves with fried dough goodness and Meryl even got a deep fried Milky Way on a stick. The deep fried candy bar was a disgustingly delicious treat. It was very rich and decadent, all melty inside a batter crust. It made the funnel cake seem almost healthy.
And speaking of funnel cake, I got a second one to bring back home. The boys were very appreciative of the treat and quickly descended on the plate.
Wednesday, September 07, 2011
Artist of the week: Decorated
This week's artist is my very own bumper car baby, Rebecca
The last hurrah for summer around here is the county fair. Held the last week of summer vacation before school starts, nothing and I mean nothing is going to cancel it. This year we had an earthquake before it opened and a hurricane during the first weekend. The fair did close down for a day and a half, but in the end the show must go on.
We ended up going last Friday and met up with Meryl and her niece. Meryl's niece, S, is a delightful young woman who is a few years older than Jake. The two of them hit it off with their mutual love of all things geeky and a similar sense of humor. As for Rebecca, she loved had another girl around. The two girls had fun on rides like the scrambler and bumper cars (Max had fun with S as well, but this isn't about him).
Anyhoo we met up with Meryl and her niece at the arts and crafts building. Rebecca had decided to put in and entry this year in decorated cakes. Last spring she had taken a short cake decorating class after school and she was hot to try her luck at the county fair. And it turned out her cake had garnered third place.
The only criticism has they use of plastic decorations. Rebecca would have in all likelihood placed higher if frosting had been used to make the fish and ducks. The kind lady manning the table when we picked up our entries and winnings told us that the cake was gorgeous and hoped that Rebecca would try again next year.
And I think it's pretty sake to say Rebecca will try her hand at decorating a cake next year. She did a great job this year and was able to do the whole thing herself. My only contribution was to mix up the frosting with food coloring and find the styrofoam cake form.
The last hurrah for summer around here is the county fair. Held the last week of summer vacation before school starts, nothing and I mean nothing is going to cancel it. This year we had an earthquake before it opened and a hurricane during the first weekend. The fair did close down for a day and a half, but in the end the show must go on.
We ended up going last Friday and met up with Meryl and her niece. Meryl's niece, S, is a delightful young woman who is a few years older than Jake. The two of them hit it off with their mutual love of all things geeky and a similar sense of humor. As for Rebecca, she loved had another girl around. The two girls had fun on rides like the scrambler and bumper cars (Max had fun with S as well, but this isn't about him).
Anyhoo we met up with Meryl and her niece at the arts and crafts building. Rebecca had decided to put in and entry this year in decorated cakes. Last spring she had taken a short cake decorating class after school and she was hot to try her luck at the county fair. And it turned out her cake had garnered third place.
The only criticism has they use of plastic decorations. Rebecca would have in all likelihood placed higher if frosting had been used to make the fish and ducks. The kind lady manning the table when we picked up our entries and winnings told us that the cake was gorgeous and hoped that Rebecca would try again next year.
And I think it's pretty sake to say Rebecca will try her hand at decorating a cake next year. She did a great job this year and was able to do the whole thing herself. My only contribution was to mix up the frosting with food coloring and find the styrofoam cake form.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Artist of the Week: Summer Project Update
This week's artist Nate in an update from a post way back in August. This picture of him is also from back then. Well actually it was a couple of weeks later, but it was still August. I had taken this photo at the county fair when I took Nate and his best friend. One of the rides, or rather attraction, involved a big slide at the end. I watch the two of them wade through the ball pit and cross back and forth on the walkways that led up to the slide. Both of the boys had huge smiles on their faces as they zipped down.
As for the project, Nate did indeed finish it just in time. He did cut it very close in the end, but he was able to write a decent paper and create a bibliography. He handed the completed project on time and he was fairly pleased with the end product. The hardest part was finding brads or a suitable folder with the brads built in. The project was due during the second week of school and there were no brads to be found on the shelves after the big push to get back-to-school supplies. So in the end we settled on a folder.
Part of the requirement for the project was an illustrated cover for the report and Nate did a lovely job. He created the text using our computer, printed it our, decorated all around the edges with a leaf and vine motif. Then scattered around the words Nate drew pictures of various Blackfoot artifacts.
I thought the whole project turned out very well as did the teacher who granted Nate a 100%.
As for the project, Nate did indeed finish it just in time. He did cut it very close in the end, but he was able to write a decent paper and create a bibliography. He handed the completed project on time and he was fairly pleased with the end product. The hardest part was finding brads or a suitable folder with the brads built in. The project was due during the second week of school and there were no brads to be found on the shelves after the big push to get back-to-school supplies. So in the end we settled on a folder.
Part of the requirement for the project was an illustrated cover for the report and Nate did a lovely job. He created the text using our computer, printed it our, decorated all around the edges with a leaf and vine motif. Then scattered around the words Nate drew pictures of various Blackfoot artifacts.
I thought the whole project turned out very well as did the teacher who granted Nate a 100%.
Friday, September 03, 2010
Bumper Cars
One more shot from Nate and his friend's visit to the county fair.
It's not as sharp as I would like, but I love the quality of light in the picture. In real life it looked nothing like that.
The shafts of light are from two bright lights above the rules. I was very pleased how the picture came out. It is never a waste of time to just give it a shot. Sometimes you might be pleasantly surprised by the results.
It's not as sharp as I would like, but I love the quality of light in the picture. In real life it looked nothing like that.
The shafts of light are from two bright lights above the rules. I was very pleased how the picture came out. It is never a waste of time to just give it a shot. Sometimes you might be pleasantly surprised by the results.
Thursday, September 02, 2010
Tricked Out Chicken
Of the many fine and wondrous things you can see at the County Fair is the chicken tent. Every year we go and see all the different varieties of chickens that are being raised in the area.
Most are fairly normal looking, a few have bizarre dandelion poufs of white feathers on their heads, and then there was the "tricked out chicken."
He is a handsome little rooster with a classic cock's comb and tail feathers. What made him all tricked out to my kids was the extravagant cascade of feathers on his feet. They begged me to take his picture and so I did.
It's not the greatest picture from my cell phone, but it came out fairly well considering the twin challenges of a moving target and low light levels.
Most are fairly normal looking, a few have bizarre dandelion poufs of white feathers on their heads, and then there was the "tricked out chicken."
He is a handsome little rooster with a classic cock's comb and tail feathers. What made him all tricked out to my kids was the extravagant cascade of feathers on his feet. They begged me to take his picture and so I did.
It's not the greatest picture from my cell phone, but it came out fairly well considering the twin challenges of a moving target and low light levels.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Up and Away
At the County Fair.
I went one more time to the county fair with Nate and his best friend Josh. Nate had decided not to do any rides on last Friday because quite honestly they are boring unless you have someone to go on them with you, Max and Rebecca are too young for the extreme rides and Jake is completely uninterested.
I completely understood how Nate felt and we decided to allow Nate to invite his best friend over and I would take the boys to go on rides to their hearts content. My only request was that it would during one of the discount wristband nights.
So Monday night I headed over to the fair and got to watch two boys have a fabulous time.
I went one more time to the county fair with Nate and his best friend Josh. Nate had decided not to do any rides on last Friday because quite honestly they are boring unless you have someone to go on them with you, Max and Rebecca are too young for the extreme rides and Jake is completely uninterested.
I completely understood how Nate felt and we decided to allow Nate to invite his best friend over and I would take the boys to go on rides to their hearts content. My only request was that it would during one of the discount wristband nights.
So Monday night I headed over to the fair and got to watch two boys have a fabulous time.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Dusk at the Fair
This year we did the fair thing a little different. We went opening night because the weather was absolutely perfect (and not because I wanted to the know the results of the judging-really).
Other years it was been unbelievably hot. We would put off going, hoping for a break in the weather. But not this year.
Jake was eager to go the first night as were his siblings when they realized all the activity near the school was not just band camp. So we met up with Meryl and descended upon the fair.
It was the low eighties when we arrived with just enough breeze. Rebecca was besides herself with excitement and we barely able to get her to get dinner. Then we were off to see the animals, ride the barrel train, see how Mommy's brownies did and then go on the rides.
Night was just starting to fall when we finally hit the midway. I didn't have my real camera with me, but I think my phone did a fairly decent job of capturing the mood. With the sun sinking below the horizon and the lights shining from the rides, there was an almost magical quality. The kids all had a great time and we look forward to next year.
Other years it was been unbelievably hot. We would put off going, hoping for a break in the weather. But not this year.
Jake was eager to go the first night as were his siblings when they realized all the activity near the school was not just band camp. So we met up with Meryl and descended upon the fair.
It was the low eighties when we arrived with just enough breeze. Rebecca was besides herself with excitement and we barely able to get her to get dinner. Then we were off to see the animals, ride the barrel train, see how Mommy's brownies did and then go on the rides.
Night was just starting to fall when we finally hit the midway. I didn't have my real camera with me, but I think my phone did a fairly decent job of capturing the mood. With the sun sinking below the horizon and the lights shining from the rides, there was an almost magical quality. The kids all had a great time and we look forward to next year.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Woo Hoo! I Did It!
I won first place in the Brownie division of the county fair!
I won't be able to pick up my ribbon until next week, my entry has to remain on exhibit for the entire fair.
So now I can say I make prize winning chocolate chip cookies and brownies!
Woo Hoo!
I won't be able to pick up my ribbon until next week, my entry has to remain on exhibit for the entire fair.
So now I can say I make prize winning chocolate chip cookies and brownies!
Woo Hoo!
Monday, September 14, 2009
Six Cars and a Mud Pit
So as I mentioned yesterday, there was a little old thing called a demolition derby at the fair. We had never been to one before and we thought to would be fun to actually see one in person. As an added bonus it was part of the fair so we wouldn't have to shell out any more money.
We went with high hopes and we were not disappointed.
At first I was surprised at how small the area for the cars was. Somehow I envisioned something far larger, but after the first heat I understood that the small size resulted in far more intensive action. It was fun watching the big cars slew about in the mud, shooting up rooster tails of red clay. The crowd cheered with every impact. And in the end it all came down to two smoking wrecks.
We went with high hopes and we were not disappointed.
At first I was surprised at how small the area for the cars was. Somehow I envisioned something far larger, but after the first heat I understood that the small size resulted in far more intensive action. It was fun watching the big cars slew about in the mud, shooting up rooster tails of red clay. The crowd cheered with every impact. And in the end it all came down to two smoking wrecks.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Best County Fair Ever!
Saturday we were all over the map, literally.
In the morning Jake had a soccer game three counties over, necessitating our getting up at the crack o' dawn. I had to take him and two seven years old at 7:30 in the freaking morning. To promote a more positive attitude and willing participation among the younger set I bribed them with McDonald's pancakes at the beginning of our nearly hour long drive. We got there on time and Jake had a good game. Then it was back home to met up with Larry and Nate once Nate's football game was over.
Then it was time for the serious fun to begin.
We missed out on our county fair last week. We were tired after seeing the Velvet Marias and our county's fair is not at it's best on its last day. We did, however, notice that Amelia county was having its fair Sept. 9th on through the 13th. This would work and as an added bonus there would be a demolition derby in the evening. I was totally sold on the idea.
After lunch and bit of noodling about the house we loaded up the van and headed on out to Amelia. Our plan was to meet Meryl in Amelia and take it from there.
There was a bit of grumbling at first, the kids wanted to just hang out at home, but we dragged them along anyway. We had pre-purchased wristbands for the rides and by gum we were gonna use them.
I am so glad we went. It was a smaller and much friendlier event than our own county's fair. I'm not knocking ours, but it's nice being able to let the boys wander about and not worry about where they are. It was far less crowded and the venue was easily a third of the size. You could easily survey the whole thing from the ferris wheel. The rides were pretty much the same and the kids had a good time.
The only thing we missed out on was the carousel. There was one available, but Rebecca had no interest in it until after we had dinner. By then it was too late, Our wristbands expired at 5:00 pm and it was well past that. I'm a little bit saddened that I don't have our annual picture of Rebecca on the carousel, but I'm not going to force her. As the expiration hour of the bands drew near I explained to her several times that if she wanted to go on any more rides, now was the time to do it. I wasn't going to buy additional tickets once the wristband time period was over. She was a bit disappointed, but she didrealize it was her own fault. I had mentioned it to her on several occasions.
And anyway we had a demolition derby to attend.
I'm not going to write much here about it. Suffice it to say we had a great time. It was just as good, if not better, than I expected. It'll be a subject for my next post.
I'll just leave you with the image of my two oldest battling it out with their midway light sabers. They provided some good entertainment between heats at the derby.
In the morning Jake had a soccer game three counties over, necessitating our getting up at the crack o' dawn. I had to take him and two seven years old at 7:30 in the freaking morning. To promote a more positive attitude and willing participation among the younger set I bribed them with McDonald's pancakes at the beginning of our nearly hour long drive. We got there on time and Jake had a good game. Then it was back home to met up with Larry and Nate once Nate's football game was over.
Then it was time for the serious fun to begin.
We missed out on our county fair last week. We were tired after seeing the Velvet Marias and our county's fair is not at it's best on its last day. We did, however, notice that Amelia county was having its fair Sept. 9th on through the 13th. This would work and as an added bonus there would be a demolition derby in the evening. I was totally sold on the idea.
After lunch and bit of noodling about the house we loaded up the van and headed on out to Amelia. Our plan was to meet Meryl in Amelia and take it from there.
There was a bit of grumbling at first, the kids wanted to just hang out at home, but we dragged them along anyway. We had pre-purchased wristbands for the rides and by gum we were gonna use them.
I am so glad we went. It was a smaller and much friendlier event than our own county's fair. I'm not knocking ours, but it's nice being able to let the boys wander about and not worry about where they are. It was far less crowded and the venue was easily a third of the size. You could easily survey the whole thing from the ferris wheel. The rides were pretty much the same and the kids had a good time.
The only thing we missed out on was the carousel. There was one available, but Rebecca had no interest in it until after we had dinner. By then it was too late, Our wristbands expired at 5:00 pm and it was well past that. I'm a little bit saddened that I don't have our annual picture of Rebecca on the carousel, but I'm not going to force her. As the expiration hour of the bands drew near I explained to her several times that if she wanted to go on any more rides, now was the time to do it. I wasn't going to buy additional tickets once the wristband time period was over. She was a bit disappointed, but she didrealize it was her own fault. I had mentioned it to her on several occasions.
And anyway we had a demolition derby to attend.
I'm not going to write much here about it. Suffice it to say we had a great time. It was just as good, if not better, than I expected. It'll be a subject for my next post.
I'll just leave you with the image of my two oldest battling it out with their midway light sabers. They provided some good entertainment between heats at the derby.
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