"Our State Fair...."

...."is a great state fair. Don't miss it, don't even be late!" I don't know if those are still the beginning words to the Wisconsin State Fair song, but those are the only words I remember. Maybe they are the only words !?!

When I was in high school my parents and I made attending the state fair a yearly event. I think our main motivation was to taste all the wonderful foods that are available.

The first summer we were back in the area, my dad took us to the fair one evening. Although the time was short, and Gavin was only five months old, we still had a nice time. We were the classic first time parents - believing our five month old was fully aware of all the animals he was seeing. I'm not denying he was looking, but well, he didn't gain much from the experience, I'm sure. Two years ago we went again, enjoying a fun-filled day with Gavin, then 17 months, and myself a week or two pregnant (meaning I really wasn't pregnant since you get two "free" weeks!).

This summer we really wanted to go once again, for several reasons. 1.) Peyton has never been to a fair (since we didn't go last year). 2.) A family day together. 3.) Possibly our last chance ever or certainly one of our last. :(

We had something going every night last week, including four nights of obligations at church for Jason, so we just had to pick a day and spend all the time we could. We ended up with about 8 hrs., which was probably just right for two little ones. I'm sure we could have seen more since we didn't cover half of it, but I'm confident the flower arrangements and craft displays didn't notice.

The weather was absolutely glorious - sunny and the perfect temperature, the high 70's. That is definitely my type of weather. We went to the circus, which kept both kids enraptured for nearly an hour. We visited the cow, horse, pig, sheep & goat, and rabbit & poultry barns. Gavin saw the vending machines filled with food and wanted to feed the goats. The only problem was, he was too nervous to do more than hold the food in his fist. Jason finally taught him how to do it and he became brave enough to try. His laugh seemed a little nervous though. :) We began talking to a lady who had two batches of baby goats, or kids. She pulled out animal crackers and peanuts and let Gavin feed both of the mothers because we had run out of food. She then went into the cage and brought out a black, two-day old kid. She let Gavin "hold" it and I asked for a turn too. The animal lover in me could not resist the chance to hold a baby farm animal! It cuddled up like a little kitten. Later we visited the birthing barn and got to watch three little pigs being born. We had to watch it on a t.v. screen because people were blocking the view. They held the little wet pigs up with their umbilical cords still attached. That was something I had never seen before. It made me very thankful my ob/gyne was not a pig farmer. I don't want anyone's arm anywhere. We went into the Pettit Center where Jason tried his hand at curling. He did pretty well for a first try at it, but unfortunately he did not win a free cream puff. Our family consumed 3 chocolate milks, an apple dumpling, an elk burger, a strawberry sundae, 2 corn on the cobs, 2 cream puffs, and a cheese and chili covered baked potato. Yummy! Gavin enjoyed a corn on the cob, which Jason ordered for him before it got buttered. Peyton's highlight was tasting his first WI state fair cream puff. He certainly liked it and made sure I knew when he was ready for more! He would open his mouth like a little bird.

I'm glad we got to enjoy such a nice day together as a family. I'm also looking forward to making a couple scrapbook pages for Peyton - his first fair. It's neat to share something I enjoyed as a young person with my children.