The Fair, revisited!

If you've been a blog follower here for long, you know that we have this fair tradition. It sounds silly to call it a tradition, I know, but to little boys, it's a major event that they look forward to every summer. That qualifies, if you ask me. :)

My problem now is that my youngest is starting to ride rides. You know what this means, don't you? My excuse for not riding rides is almost out the window. Need someone to stay back with the baby in the stroller? You bet, I'll sacrifice for the family. Heh. Something tells me some boy is going to want me to ride the Scrambler next year, and I'll have no way of getting out of it.

If that's the case, I'm going to have to pass on the corn dog too. Hmm, I'm going to have to work this somehow. I do, however, simply adore watching other family members scream their lungs out, laugh somewhat nervously, and almost get sick riding every ride on the block. On family night, of course, when all rides are a buck. The macho stories after the fact are priceless.

Don't you worry, though, you can always count on me for that green slide. Once I'm past the touch-and-go steep stair climb with the toddler (after seriously backing up the line), I let loose and giggle all the way down that thing. And since Tyler messed up his tailbone on it once, it's all mine. Sweet. Jack Tyler entered his first ever Mini 4-H project this year. He chose to do a rock collection, complete with a photo album of him working on his project, and a chart describing collections that family members have started. I think we have a little 4-H'er on our hands. Or minimally, a newly-turned-nine year old boy that finds extreme satisfaction in collecting junk of all kinds.

Oh yeah, I can handle the carousel too (if I look straight ahead the whole time... surely this head turn was only momentary). I'm versatile that way. I'm sure you would have needed to be there, but this picture completely cracks me up. This little bus was the most mellow, slowest, safest, preschool ride in the whole place. Chase was so pumped up all night about riding everything, that - even on the bus - he had his hands up in the air, screaming his little head off the entire ride. Even the other preschoolers on the ride were looking at him like, "Dude, this is definitely not that kind of ride," but he didn't care. I love his enthusiasm!

So next year, here we come. I'm a momma who likes to remain relevant and at least slightly hip, and I have a feeling that riding fair rides somehow ranks in the grand scheme of things. Alright boys, at least I have a few months to mentally prepare myself. :)