County Fair

The biggest difference that has occurred since we first started taking the kids to the annual county fair 4 years ago (starting in 2007 and missing 2009) is the focus. For the first 3 years the focus was on looking at the farm animals, the miniature train, the garden and flower pavilion and letting the kids run around. Now while we still do all of those things, the focus is on rides, rides, rides!

It is for that reason that we took advantage of McDonald's Wednesdays where admission and a wristband for unlimited rides is only $20, not to mention a portion of the proceeds going to the Ronald McDonald House Charities. Win-Win.

However, we started our day off with the educational part of the fair and on top of getting to see and pet various farm animals and their babies, they have an interactive area where the kids got to really see where our food comes from. They planted "seeds", milked a "cow", gathered eggs from a hen coop, picked vegetables and fruit and were given "money" for their work, which they then got to use to go "shopping" at a grocery store where all of these products are available and made into the food we eat. They loved it!

Mama with her two baby goats:

Jake "milking" the cow. Jadyn said it was disgusting:

Picking fruit:

Grocery shopping with their "earnings":

Other educational exhibits included the Kids America Science building and Jurassic Planet with the mechanical dinosaurs:

But what they really loved were the rides. Jadyn is the little thrill seeker, not shying away from any of the fast, high or dizzy-inducing rides she was tall enough to ride. Jake did some of these rides as well but favored the fun house/obstacle course type rides.

I was very saddened to learn that after 45 years, the yellow no-lane giant slide that I remember going down as a child had been retired last year. At least the kids and I had been on it before as it was very nostalgic for me. They did however, have a new "Euro" style giant slide that was pretty fun. I think you can tell by our hair that we were going pretty fast:

Not a fan of the Ferris wheel but atlas, I had the extra wristband to accompany the kids on the rides requiring an adult be with them:

The day was not perfect. It was pretty hot. We got separated at one point when I mistakenly thought Jake said they were going to get a drink when what he actually said was that they were going to the trains (I blame old age). Jadyn and I were left without my phone, water or snacks as Joe and Jake had them in the backpack. All ended well when were finally reunited, albeit a little cranky from the misunderstanding.

We ended the day with dinner at Ruby's and the fond memories of another fun-filled family day. Not to mention this picture of Farmer Jake with his 1st prize winning cow Jadyn.