Our Annual Fair Trip

August means one thing for us: Kentucky State Fair time! Sage has been asking about it for months. We LOVE the fair because it's something fun we get to do as a family with my mom. This was the first year that Sage has been in school though, so it tightened our schedule up a lot. Travis only wanted her to miss one day of school, so we left for Kentucky on Thursday evening after Sage's dance classes. We didn't get there until 12:30am our time and 1:30am their time. It was painful.

What was also painful was that poor Jaggar ran a fever all day and night. Isn't that a rule that when you plan a trip or vacation that one kid, if not more, runs a fever? He's cutting his molars, so he was/is in a lot of pain. We did it though. We drove. We slept (barely). We got up, got ready and went to the fair. Thank God the weather cooperated, and it was COOL that morning. I think that the high was only 80 something, which was a huge relief to the 100 something temps that I've been reading on my car. We had a wonderful time, and thanks again, mom, for treating us. The next few posts are those that I've dedicated to our fair trip.

Here are the kids, Mom and I in front of the ugly lamps for the contest for Lynn's Paradise Cafe. Their theme is, you guessed it, ugly lamps. I always get a kick out of these. Some were a bit too gruesome in my opinion, but here we are in front of happy ones. :)Sage has (for the past 2 years now) eaten ice cream for breakfast. I think she likes to recreate the same thing for herself. I do that too.
Just because he's cute.

He was so excited to be pushing the buttons on the coke machine. He almost chose a drink for someone that we didn't know after they put their money in.
The fair exhibits all kinds of things made by local people. If you can think of it, I've seen a category for it. Then these items are judged and ranked. This was the stained glass section, and I think this one won first place. I happened to like it as well.
People entered their aquariums too. This one was my favorite. If you know me, then you know that I LOVE Halloween. I don't know why exactly, but there's something about cute ghosts and pumpkins that make me smile.
Cake contest. AND WOW, there were some cakes. I was amazed. And hungry. Mom and I got a cupcake after we looked at these, but this one was one of my favorites. I have always loved Alice in Wonderland. May have to keep this one in mind for Sage's birthday.
Ok, this was just awesome. They have these "balloon masters," and they are truely that. This underwater scene is made up entirely of balloons. I just loved it.
Sage loved the mermaid....
and the lit up pearl.
Freddy the Farmer is famous. He is an icon of the Fair. I remember being a little girl and refusing to talk to him. I don't think I even tried this year with Sage because I have a hard time getting her to talk to real people, much less a 20 foot plastic man.


J Cruiz in front of the fountain. He had a rough day, but he was a trooper. He is at kind of a tough age for this type of event because he wants to walk everywhere, and he's not like Sage was. She was so clingy, but he would walk off and never look back. busy boy. I tell myself that next year will be easier, but I said that last year and proved to be incorrect. FYI to moms to be or new moms: infants/newborns are EASY.

I love this fountain. So pretty

The best part: FOOD

The fair has a certain smell the moment that you get out of your car. It's the smell of anything and everything that you can imagine being deep fried, and that's okay because it's once a year, right? Well, I personally can't stomach half that stuff, but my husband sure can. He actually (and I'm sorry I don't have a pic) ate their newest addition to the plethora of artery cloggers this year: a krispy kreme doughnut burger. That is a hamburger in between 2 krispy kreme doughnuts coming in at over 1000 calories.

Travis loves the fair so much that he has talked about it all year since last year (his first time going), and he's now planning next year. He loves the food, and what's not to love? Sage talks about funnel cakes all year too. Only when we got there, she asked, "Mommy, can I have a fungal cake?" Ha, I just couldn't correct that. One thing that we all agree on is this: the roasted corn. Yummm...and it's probably the healthiest choice that you can eat at the fair, not that anyone cares aside from me. Travis planned on eating it for breakfast. Mom was the only one that didn't eat it this year! Better try harder next year, Mom!

I can't help myself sometimes. :)

Fair Rides, Animals, and Fun Stuff

For Sage (and most children, I'd think), the best part about the Fair is the RIDES. It was armband day for kids, so she had all access to everything that she could want to ride. We made the mistake of going on a Friday, and towards the evening, it got really crowded REALLY fast. As it got later, Travis took over the rides with Sage while Mom, Jaggar and I walked back inside to the exhibits. Jaggar was one exhausted little boy. All in all, we were there for about 12 hours, but we had a great time. These are some pictures of some of the rides that Sage rode and the animals that we saw. Also included is whatever I cared to put in here. :)

Here are the boys in front of a tank.Sage did the "traffic school" tricycle ride sponsored by the police department. She did it last year too. She was really agile this year and, of course, chose the pink bike.
This year, a new addition inside was an adorable petting zoo. Here is Jaggar trying to pet a goat, who didn't seem too thrilled with it now that I see this picture.
An unamused pig
Donkey

Now that's more like it. This pig seems happier. Maybe because she's a new mommy?
Sage and a cow
This was my favorite part: these ducks climbed up that ramp and slid down....over and over again. It was hilarious. In actuality, they were trying to get the food at the top rather than entertain us, but they did both.
In case you weren't sure, this is, indeed, a puppy. I had to laugh at this.
This was actually a pig in another section of the building, but it was so funny. It was sleeping like this, and not only was its tongue hanging out, but it's legs were sticking straight out too. Yes, it appeared to be deceased, but occasionally it would move.
On the midway, Sage loves this fun house. I always did too growing up.

Ferris wheel
Little Bubs

Love her face in the next 3

Little Picasa

Welcome, Adalyn Faith

Today at 9:41 am, our friends, Nick and Emily, welcomed their sweet baby girl into the world: Adalyn Faith Mundy. She was 8lbs, 20 inches long, and she is beautiful! It was odd being in that hospital where just a few short months ago, I was in the labor and delivery room. Time really does fly. Poor Nick (daddy) has a stomach virus and was sent home shortly after Adalyn's birth. Prayers for a speedy recovery for him. Here are some pictures of her when she was less than one hour old. Genius me had my flash off on my camera, so pardon the blurred pictures.

Sweet baby girlBeautiful Emily RIGHT after giving birth. You can love her or hate her for that, I suppose.
And "BIG" brother, Grayson. He will be 2 on Sunday. :) We were JUST here for him. Remember this?

My Little Models

This morning, I asked Travis to take some pictures of the cutest kids ever before Sage had to go to school. I separated the pictures into 2 separate posts because there were so many that I loved of each kid. This also is more proof why Travis is the photographer in this family and why I don't take my kids to have their pictures "made" very often. He's just too good. I look at these and just beam with pride. I never thought my life could be so good to be able to call these beautiful babes mine.

Handsome Jaggar

This gorgeous boy will be 15 months in just 4 days. Where did the time go? The saying, "Time flies when you're having fun," is definitely true for both of my kids.

Those eyes...


He was so excited to be up there.








This needs to be a GAP ad, I think.