Return of the Fair

I finally got a new phone. Now I have to learn how to use it. Or in other words, sorry the pictures are weird.

The fair rolled around and Grace was desperate to enter...something. There was no fair last year, and she was still sad, as we always enter things in the fair. This year I felt overwhelmed with the idea of dealing with one more thing. It seemed like a needless complication. It also felt like a "normal" thing to do. We also need a little bit more normal. So I consented to helping children get fair entries ready. 

The kids went through the fair entry form to see what categories they wanted to enter items in. Ethan decided not to enter anything this year, Sam decided to enter five items, Libby decided to enter three, and Grace decided to enter everything.

After a lot of prep, digging through the house to find their entries, and completely destroying the kitchen, the kids got all their entries ready and I dropped them off at the fair (the kids were already back in school). 

We were able to attend the fair a few days later to see how they placed.

Sam's "Sad Fish" won a blue ribbon!

His "King of Wolves" got third place.

His poem got fourth.

Alas, his painting and cut flowers didn't place.

Grace got a blue ribbon for her decorated cookies. They looked better before they sat out at the fair for two weeks.

Her sculpy sunflower placed first.

Only one of her photos(the bottom one) placed. It came in 3rd. Photography is a hotly contested category. 

She also entered all the baked goods:

Bar Cookies - 1st

Sugar Cookies - 1st

Gluten Free Cookies - 1st

Banana Bread - 2nd

Peanut Butter Cookies - No ribbon

She also entered some cut flowers that she helped grow. She got first for zinnia's and 2nd for marigolds.

Libby only entered three items. They did not place as well as she wanted them to, but they all placed.

Her sculpy turtle got 3rd place. I love his little smile.

Her gluten free cookies took 2nd and her brownies took 3rd.

Despite not entering anything himself, Ethan pressured me into entering the cross stitch I did this year. I won a blue ribbon in the beginner category! Woo-hoo! I'm choosing to ignore it appeared mine was the only entry in the beginner category.

I also got a blue ribbon for gluten free bar cookies, despite evidence to the contrary. I was listed as first place in the winner's book and I got the prize money. A ribbon was never placed on the cookies at the fair though, so I couldn't bask in the glory. I also got third place for the blackberries I grew.

After we checked on our entries, we went off to explore the fair. The kids were looking forward to rides and I was trying to hide that I was pretty tearful. I wanted them to enjoy themselves but I was pretty sad. Heidi always was heavily involved in the children's fair entries. She helped me mount photos and art work and was always so excited to find out how the kids did. I was so sad not to be able to call her and tell her how everyone placed. After a few tears, though, we got on with enjoying the fair. 

This mostly involved the kids all running one direction while Michael and I went a different direction. The kids wanted to go on fair rides, but they make me very motion sick, so Michael and I just wandered around.

 

We found ice cream, we found butterflies, and Grace and Sam found every wheel that could be spun for a free prize. There are worse ways to spend a day.