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!!