State Fair

It's that time of the year again. State Fair time that is. (I just looked back at last year's post and noticed that I started it out the same way! Here's to predictability over originality!) We like to try and go one time each year. Let's be honest, we go mainly to see the butter sculpture and to eat fair food that is TERRIBLE for us! Well, and an added bonus is to go so Jesstine can have fun too! This year when we told her we were going, she just kept talking about what rides she would ride. She gets that from her amusement park junkie parents! Needless to say, she was NOT disappointed! She also kept talking about getting popcorn at the fair. This is a new thing. We have not ever purchased popcorn for her at the fair. She just LOVES popcorn! That was about all she ate most of the day. Well, that and Cheetos. Of course I FINALLY remembered to bring the camera only to discover that the camera card was not in it. A camera with no built in memory is not really useful without a camera card. So, once again, you are stuck with grainy cellphone pictures!

 Here Jesstine is on her way to the fair. Yes, she is wearing a sweat suit. It was unseasonably cool this year at the fair! It was actually perfect weather comfort wise!

If you look back to last year's fair post HERE, you will notice that Jesstine had her first pony ride. In sticking with tradition (and because it is super close to the entrance) we chose to begin our fair experience with a pony ride. (This time we had to promise her she could have popcorn as soon as she was done.) This year's pony was named Chippewah.

I handed the camera to Stephen and he was able to get all three of us (Emmitt included) in this one!

 A little while later, we were walking around trying to decide what fair food to partake in. We stumbled upon this interesting smoker. Yes, you read right. This is a smoker shaped like a revolver.

 Here is the photographic proof of the Cheetos reference. When we first came in, there was a Frito Lay truck with a table set up next to it. You could spin the wheel and what ever kind of chips it stopped on, you got to pick up a bag of off of the table. Jesstine had her heart set on Cheetos the moment she laid eyes on the table. So, although I spun and it landed on Classic Lays, she was delighted when the man said she could choose some Cheetos! (We are in no way affiliated with Frito Lay company! We just really enjoy their chips!)

 After the Cheetos mess was cleaned up, Jesstine spotted the big yellow slide. She saw it last year, but we weren't sure that she could handle it. So, we took a chance this year. Daddy was gracious enough to go with her (although looking back, I am sure he would tell you it was his favorite part of the trip this year). So, here they are standing in line for the tickets.

 Here they are walking up the many steps to the top (one of the many reasons we thought Jesstine needed some help on this ride).

THIS is the part that will stick in our memories for a LONG time! At this point Jesstine was screaming. Not just any scream, but a guttural scream like she was scared out of her mind! It turns out it was a scream of sheer joy and excitement. It reminded me a lot of when my mom goes on water park slides!

At this point it was apparent that she was okay by the huge smile on her face!

She immediately jumped up and started asking to go again! This pleased us both to no end! She got to ride one more time and was just as animated then! I got that on video. I will preview it and see if it is worth posting.

 Stephen and I decided that this must have been the stuffed toy that the people in charge of the carnival games managed to get the best bargain on. They were EVERYWHERE. Surprisingly (or not surprisingly depending upon how you look at it), we didn't see any people carrying one around. Anyone for a Rastafarian banana?

 Another tradition is the pig races. Yes, it is just what it says it is. Pigs racing. They make it pretty entertaining though! I looked over and was just so thrilled to see this, I couldn't resist a picture! Much cuter than racing pigs!

 So we decided to let Jesstine ride ONE midway ride. This was the one that she chose. She was adimant that she wanted a PINK car (her favorite color if you didn't already know). When we walked over there, there were other kids already riding in the pink cars and she started to cry! They were riding in HER car! I told her that they were everyone's cars and that she would get a turn as soon as they were done. She quickly claimed the pink car for herself. Afterward I told her the car was actually pink and red. She tried to convince me she needed a do-over in a pink ONLY car.

And the last part of our photographic fair journey is the Texas travel exhibit. It was kind of neat and we wore the appropriate clothing for the occasion (unknowingly of course), our Dallas Cowboys sweatshirts. You wouldn't know by THIS picture though! I had a great laugh later because A) for a few moments I was back to my pre-pregnancy (by pre-pregnancy, I mean all THREE) shape! B) Here Stephen and I are on the beach in our bathing suits (and I have apparently dyed my hair brown) and Jesstine is in her sweatsuit! LOL! It was free though! It beats a fair photo button any day! 

Check back soon. I will preview the "Slide scream" video and if it is worthy, I will post it sometime soon.)

In Him,

The Hutchins