The Great Minnesota Get Together!

I can't believe it but it is that time of year again ... the Minnesota State Fair. Bill and I have a mutual love of the fair. In fact for me other than maybe when I was very very very young, I only know of two years in which I missed the fair and that was only because I was living out in Boston and was not home for a visit during fair time. I love the sights, the smells and the sounds. O.K. -- well maybe not the smells in the barns -- but all the different foods are literally a well orchestrated musical to my nose. I simply wouldn't miss the fair and it seems that love is already shared by Ryan and Anna. We had planned to head to the fair early this past Sunday morning but because Friday and Saturday were spent moving Bill's mom and brother into their new home, we were all quite tired. We got a late start but arrived at the fair in time to enjoy our first fair food for lunch.

Ryan, Bill and Anna settled on foot long corn dogs while I enjoyed a fry bread taco. The photos here show the three of them with their delicacies on a stick -- pardon the funky red color - we were sitting underneath a red awning that reflected off of us when we took photos.

After filling our tummys we toured the various barns and then headed towards the big slide. Unfortunately when I went to take a photo of the three "kids" coming down the slide someone stepped in front of my camera so I have no photo. :-( I swear I must be getting old --I went down once and that was all I could stomach! Light weight!!

Next stop was the Butterfly House. The kids have enjoyed sitting in here each year while thousands of butterflies hang out on the walls, trees and best of all on the humans. This year was no different however as a family we didn't have much luck with many sitting on us. Here are a couple shots of Anna with her "friends."

Next stop was the kiddy midway. Anna enjoyed her bumper boats while Ryan worked his way through the house of mirrors. Then together they ventured onto a rope climb and suspended ladder thing that ended with a very long slide back to the bottom. The ended their midway time with a ride on the bumble bees - they go around and up and down.

We ventured up to the pet center as well but not before Anna got herself a new hairdo. She got MANY compliments after she was done. This style was made with lots of back combing, TONS of hairspray, sprayed on color and glitter. You don't even want to know what it took to get her hair back to normal that night!

We decided to take the ski lift style air glider rides back up to the grand stand area. I am so very glad I had the camera because Bill would have otherwise captured the fear on my face as we rode through the sky. Poor Anna -- I think I squeezed her hand so tight it nearly fell off. She, fortunately, was oblivious to my fear. Like I said earlier, I must be getting old -- these things that never used to scare me sure do now.

For the last ride, Bill and the kids rode through "Ye Olde Log Mill" while I stood in line to get a bucket of hot Sweet Martha's cookies. Then after touring the DNR building we headed to the milk truck for the famous "all you can drink milk" for only $1.

It was getting late and we were tired so home we headed. But first we had to stop in the fire station we always park at and capture our annual photo of the kids on the fire truck.

Food total for the day (for the family): 3 foot long corn dogs, 1 fry bread taco, 1 chips and cheese, 2 orders of cheese curds, 1 order of onion rings, several glasses of assorted sodas, 2 malts, 1 bag of cotton candy, 2 glasses of lemonade, turkey jerkey and beef sticks, 2 bags of mini doughnuts, 1 bucket of Sweet Martha's cookies, 4 glasses of milk and 1 container of salt water taffy. Hmmmm ... no wonder I haven't felt good!!!