State Fair Recap!

The State Fair here is big. I mean, really big. Which is a freak-out opportunity if you don't like big crowds, crazy parking, or eating fried foods while you smell livestock and all that that entails (no pun intended, but awesome!).

We finally figured out how to make it work for us-- we take a day off work every year and head out there on the Monday of the fair! Easy parking, no crowds, the livestock are all bathed and clean for the upcoming shows, and the fried carts aren't completely disgusting at that point.

We're fortunate enough that CC's job gives us four free tickets each year, so we usually get to take two extra folks along. Going with other people is always a fun time!

Norah was not amused by the paparazzi

This year, our friend Melissa made a return appearance (she came last year) and our friend Krista and her new baby Norah came with us too! Having baby Norah along was a different experience (navigating the stroller and learning there's a diaper-changing trailer was pretty interesting), but she is so easy and fun and cute, that we enjoyed having her. She only cried as we were leaving because it was pouring rain. Krista is from Montana and had never been to our fair so it was fun to see the fair through new eyes!

The cutest little girl!

We had SO much fun! So much that I actually sort of wanted to go back later (we didn't because Hubby knew I'd lost my mind.)!

Of course we ate lots of good food... grilled corn, pig butt on a stick...

I'm glad I knew pig butt is actually pork shoulder!

...deep-fried cinnamon rolls with bacon...

Fried mini cinnamon rolls with icing and bacon

...tempura zucchini and pickles, corn dogs...

So GOOD!

...and on and on and on. The only thing I didn't eat that I typically do was a caramel apple (I made those at home later that night.).

We tried to look at the livestock, but all we saw were giant pretty cows freshly scrubbed for their show the next day. We looked at the quilts and the cakes and I tried to get my free annual peanut, but the peanut man wasn't there (so sad). We checked out all the booths and kiosks-- my very favorite new thing at the fair this year were the hand-washing stations! They were so cool; it felt like you were washing your hands in a giant bubble!

This OCD-lovin' girl was digging this!

Germ City was pretty rad too! (They put a lotion on your hands and pass you under black light to see all the 'germs' then have you wash your hands. You pass through black light again to see how well you wash-- I'm pretty OCD about handwashing, so I got an A+ of course!)

We had so much fun I am already looking forward to next year's fair! I leave you with another picture of our favorite cutie pie...