The Fair!

It's fair time again! We almost didn't go this year, but on the second-to-last day of the fair we decided we just couldn't miss it, and headed out to the fairgrounds. We got great (free!) parking, it didn't rain on us, and no one had an accident or melt-down...so, a pretty successful fair!

Elena starts out the rides by picking out this car ride - which she loved. But do you notice a little someone in the background?

Yes, that would be saddest-girl-in-the-world-Clara, who waited too long to find a seat and ended up in the back seat of a ride with some other kids.

Classic third-wheel syndrome.

But never fear! She picked the next ride, and loved it.

Of course, on this one Elena was dissatisfied (the buzzer button didn't emit any buzz or honk - she was very distressed about this).

We moved from the rides on to our favorite exhibit hall - the 4H agricultural tent. Here, Elena gazes at a sleeping pig. Not pictured here is the moment that a freshly-bathed and freshly-loose-from-this-tether pig charged down the middle of this walkway, right in between the held hands of Clara and Christina. Clara was absolutely gobsmacked and totally upset for about five minutes, but she got over it and we went to tell that particular pig that we weren't mad, but that he shouldn't push us again.

Safer seemed to be the smaller-animal section. Here, the girls pet some sweet bunnies.

Clara wouldn't go near these sheep, but Elena loved to pet the woolly coat of this not-yet-shorn-sheep.

Clara liked looking at all the birds. We pet a rooster, and then looked at this hilarious specimen. He clucked indignantly at us.

In another sheep area, we spotted this zebra sheep! Clara and Christina went to talk to the 4H girl who had raised him. It turns out she painted him this way for the showing where the animals were auctioned off. He did get purchased, but she was pretty bummed that he only got purchased for $1.32 a pound. Clara loved that he nibbled the girls hair the entire time she talked to us.

There were two camels just penned outside -we were surprised to see them, and not at all sure they were as happy to be there as our other, more native, creatures.

The miniature horses were a big draw, and although Elena has long loved horses, we were happy to see that Clara loved these tiny horses, too.

She even asked to ride one! We were so proud of her for getting on the horse, and it turned out she loved riding him.

All smiles!

Elena could barely contain herself as she waited her turn to get on the tiny steed.

And she's off!

This made her day...much better than the rickety carnival rides we'd been on earlier.

Which is not to say that we didn't get right back on those rides - we'll still take a horse any day over this odd steering wheel (that's what Christina told the girls it was).

The last ride of the day were these colorful whales.

Then, we all decided we were due for some cotton candy - a perfect ending to a lovely fair day!

...and this is the parting shot - the exhaustion hits on the short walk back to the car, and we were glad we'd stayed for only a few hours. The fair is awesome, but definitely is best in moderate doses.