The GREAT Iowa State Fair

The state fair in Iowa this year was really late.. it was August 13th-23rd. It is always held the second Thursday in August, and this year it just happened to be late, and quite a few area schools started during the fair. I do believe attendance was down this year, but that didn't stop us from attending.. I think in total I was there 4 different days. Not 4 full days, but pretty darn close! I could just sit and people watch at the fair and call it a day. I've been attending the fair for as long as I can remember, so you could say its a 'Family Tradition' that we go every year. When I was younger, my family showed Duroc pigs, so we got to spend quite a few hours in the swine barn bonding with the piggies!! And to tell you the truth, if i had to choose which barn I'd want to spend my time in, it would be the Swine barn so I guess it all worked out! My photos are quite random, but posted none the less!! Next year I'm gonna take photos of everything we eat.... jr donuts, carmel sticky roll, cheese curds, tenderloin, super nachos,deep fried snickers bar, strawberry daiquiri, fried mac n cheese (will never have those again.. they were terrible), sweet and sour chicken, nitro ice cream, chocolate chip cookies, steak sandwich, onion strings, french fries, cheese curds, pizza, corn dog, grater tators, tom thumb donuts, crab ragoons, taffy, LOTS of tea and soda,pork chop on a stick, gizmo, and cheese curds!! Ok, so that list is super long, and I really don't want to think about how much money me and my extended family left at the fairgrounds. That is clogging my arteries just to read it. BUT rest assured, I didn't eat all that stuff by myself.. we like to call it a smorgasbord.. we take our traveling picnic in a sack (paper plates, napkins,silverware) and we each get a different thing come meal time and then we split it amongst us.. there was anywhere from 6 to 10 of us at any given meal.. so once you split all the things we did buy amongst us, we really don't come away eating too much. Watch for next year's fair blog post where I'll post photos of what we eat!! Makes me crave a

This is what little Mallory looked like last year for her 1st Iowa State Fair!! She sure is a changin...

The petting zoo is always a hit. Mallory wasn't quite sure what to think

For those of you that were at the fair and saw the petting zoo, you will know all too well about this following camel. He was very friendly and acted like he hadn't had a meal in weeks!!

This was right after the camel swooped down and tried to get Mallory.

A new feature in the DNR building was this stream area where there was sand and water. Mason loves to play in the sand and had a great time 'daming' the water

State Fair cont...

Last year the kids and I went to the Clay County fair in northern Iowa, and got to see these hilarious geese!! I have a hard enough time dressing my kids, not quite sure how he gets these guys dressed everyday

Little Hands on the Farm is always a big hit. It is a place that the kids get to plant seeds, harvest their vegetable,

gather an egg, and some grain....

trade in the corn as fuel to pedal the tractor...

And pedaling the tractor at the 2008 Iowa State fair.. he hasn't changed a lot.. just getting quite a bit taller!! (notice how short his legs are here)

Milk a cow...

turn all their produce in at the end for a 'dollar' and then go to the store to 'buy' something with it. Mason is getting the concept a little more and more every year. His 'prize' was a box of OJ!! It was a hot day and he was mighty thirsty...

Here is Mason from the 2008 Iowa State Fair enjoying his purchase at the Little Hands on the Farm Market!!

We took a break on the hill and rested.. this 'pose' didn't last long.. no time to rest for the little ones :)

They have a new playground area at the top of the hill, that has this really cool climbing thing on it. Mason really enjoyed it, and I'm sure next year, Mallory will think she is big enough to do it too

One of the many tractors/machines he had to sit in...

The Susan Knapp learning center has a lot of baby animals.. chicks hatching, a baby ostrich and one still in the egg getting ready to hatch..baby pigs..ducks..goats...calves..lambs... a really cool air conditioned building that has something for all ages...

Mallory didn't quite know what to think of Aunt 'Kissy'... it takes her awhile to warm up to her, but once she does, she loves her aunt 'kissy'

I love how they are trying to look at each other, but they can't quite see each other...

more ISF...

These plywood face things were a hit with the kids...

Uncle Pete took Mason on the skyglide, and then came back and joined Aunt Krissy and I for the Crazy Mouse rollercoaster. Mason really wanted to ride it, and I told him he wouldn't like it. And of course when it was over, he said it wasn't fun!! But what does a mom know!! :)

Some more plywood face fun with cousin Amy

Cousin Amy, Aunt Mary, Aunt Krissy, Mallory and Mason.. with their pig ears on.. Mallory is not one bit happy here.. but the rest of the gang looks great

Who me? I didn't have a chocolate chip cookie

We went in the butterfly house and got to get up and really close to butterflies. They were so tame they would land on you. Amazing!!

more ISF....

We all actually got to go to the fair together, and actually got a photo that turned out decent! I'm usually taking the photos, so there aren't many photos of me (which is TOTALLY fine as i really hate my picture taken..) and I'm sure many mothers can relate to this!

Brother had to sit on machines, so of course sister had to also

They were all about posing for me.. i wasn't going to complain, as they don't usually like their photos taken either.. not sure where they get that from ;)

Hard telling what she thought was so funny....

Here is a photo of the 'cousins' on the Randall side. The four of us were my Grandma Randalls only grandchildren.. and we were all girls!!! We are all pretty close in age and get along well.. had many a summer where Amy would come up from South Carolina and stay for a month. We don't get to see Amy much, but when we do, we always have a ball. The kids love her

More misc ISF..

Mallory was having a ball with Aunt Kissy's sunglasses!!!

He loved this trampoline.. too bad it was only like a 2 minute jump!! None the less, I would much rather have him jumping on this with the wires than without them!

Summer Misc

Where the heck has 2009 gone? I was sure it was just January, but now its September and we will soon be writing 2010!!! I'm sure you all can relate...

We had a busy, fun summer! Didn't leave the state, but who needs to leave when we have so much here to keep us all happy!!! Mason loves to go to the race track and watch the race cars, so we decided to take Mallory along for Bike night. Bike night is where the kids get to ride their bikes on the track. And since Mason can now ride his bike without training wheels, he was all for riding on the track and doing 'stunts'.

Without these things on her ears, she was SCREAMING.. but put them on her, and she quieted up and was all smiles!!

Thanks to Uncle Troy, Mason had an awesome sign on the front of his bike.. which he has left on there! So I call him '5 Cent' when he's riding it around.. he doesn't quite get it.. just give it time!!

I guess Pa thought Mason needed some more things on the farm to keep him busy.. so one weekend we showed up at the farm to THIS!!!!

I still think it goes too fast, but he and daddy seem to digress. SO i'll just have to grin and bear it and hope he doesn't get too hurt on it. He feels tough with this helmet on

Course it won't be long and someone else will be wanting to ride it.. as you can see, she is really good at giving orders :)

Love the pink lips

The infamous 'Mallory' look. So cute, yet so devilish :) Gotta love her

Not sure who was having more fun this day

This was Mason's birthday gift.. but i think she thinks its hers and that she is big enough to ride it!!! She totally is a 'Monkey see Monkey do' as if Mason tries something, she is right behind him trying it too!!

We had a big ice cream social play date in the park towards the end of summer.. We had a great turnout and the kids had a ball! Was a great day for ice cream!!!