Frontier Dreams: Fairly

Kevin's job required him to work at the Oregon State Fair for a day and the little ones and I tagged along. I had been wanting to go to the local fair since we first moved here but it never seemed to work out until now.

I have such great memories of going to the Great New York State Fair every year as a child and I couldn't wait to have my girls experience the same.

A few days before the fair, the girls asked me what a fair was. I tried to keep it simple and I told them it was just like the fair Almonzo went to in the County Fair book by Laura Ingalls-Wilder, but bigger.

I thought my little explanation worked but then the day of the fair K said otherwise. She told me that out of excitement the night before, she and C tried to play 'going to the fair' but they didn't really know how to play because they were uncertain of what a fair was. Does that sound familiar to anyone besides me? Yep, I think K stole lines from the chapter 'Going to town' in Little House in the Big Woods. Ha,ha, my silly girl.

Remembering just how huge and packed the New York fair was that I went to growing up made me a bit anxious about having all three children by myself for the day. I had nightmares the entire night before about losing one or all of them in the crowd. So what would any paranoid Mama do in that situation? Why, make homemade paper ID anklets, of course! Yeah, that was probably a bit much but it made me feel better (kind of like how keeping a hammer in the car makes me feel better about crossing bridges- yes, I am nuts). I also talked to them a bit about how many people I thought would be there and the need for staying close to me (I don't believe in putting fear into them with 'stranger danger', that's just me, though).

If the girls didn't already think I was crazy to begin with, they definitely did after arriving at the fair. It was smaller than I imagined it would be, maybe about 30% of the size of the New York one. So really, there was no need for the ID anklets or the talk but oh well, better safe than sorry, right?

We had such a great time there. We pretty much stayed in the agriculture area of the fair the whole time ohhhing and ahhhing over the prize winning animals, produce, jams, pickles and cakes. Oh and the wooly goodness, I was in love. Too bad I could only window shop :(

I enjoyed sitting in the arena and watching a bit of the horse show going on, Baby L appreciated it, too, as it was a nice place to relax and nurse. It brought back warm memories (some of the best of my life) of when I used to show horses. I had to giggle at the music playing, though. They started out with Garth Brooks, then went into New Kids on the Block (who I haven't heard since I was about 11 years old) and then had some big band music going. What a variety!
I think the show was more interesting for me than it was for the girls, though. The carriage driving competitions were going on and the girls kept asking me when they would start. I told them they already did and the judges were out there now. K remarked ' But they are just riding around in circles'. I think they may have enjoyed jumping or dressage a bit more. Maybe next year we'll try to be there on one of those days, if possible.

Is it just me or does C look like a teenager here?!

We avoided the midway with the games, rides and junk food. (although the girls did get a special ice cream treat. I also caved and got fried dough which was not worth it at all- it tasted nothing like I remembered it tasting, and it had soy and/or dairy in it causing a reaction in poor Baby L - Bad Mama!)

K just couldn't leave the fair without trying out the 'jiggle foot'. At 25 cents a turn, I couldn't refuse, and I am so glad I didn't - look at how happy it made her!