farm fair
First of all, thank you to everyone for my overwhelmingly full inbox stuffed with birthday wishes. It was a wonderful treat. And if you're waiting to find out if you're the lucky winner of some fabric, I'm sorry but you'll have to wait just a bit longer. I'll draw the names tomorrow, and announce the winners on Monday. Things have been summertime-busy around here, and I just haven't taken a moment yet to write out all the names and do our official fabric drawing. But thank you again for your lovely birthday wishes and thoughts on my "30"....and I never thought that I might actually be shaving off my tan every time I shave my legs. hmmmm.....hairy and tan or smooth and pasty? something to think about.
This week was the county farm fair here in Maryland. Visiting the fair always brings back lots of wonderful memories for me. My time showing animals and home arts projects was so shaping to me as a child. I used to love being at the fair, feeling in charge of my animals, knowing my way around, being the one in the show ring while others watched, or wearing the crown of fair royalty. It gave me such confidence and courage. Sometimes I walk around and look at the new generation of 4-Hers and I wonder if they feel like I did...that excitement and energy...
Of course the day we went was uncomfortably hot and it zapped my children of all their energy and interest in all things fair-ish--which is quite obvious in this picture:
And I spent more time carrying around a crabby, sweaty two year old than really enjoying the fair, but we still managed to see a few sights of the fair. 
And the girls took full advantage of the wonderful freebies that can be found at different booths around the fair--they came home with a bookbag (also free) filled with cow and milk bottle-shaped erasers, a thermometer, a rubber disc for opening jar lids (for me, of course), pens, pencils, pamphlets, key chains, dog toys, and most importantly tatoos:
Oh, the girls look so hot!!! We usually go to one of the county fairs around, but we skipped the fair this year because of the heat. It's just miserable! Hopefully temperatures will be a bit more reasonable in a couple of weeks for the state fair.
Posted by: Laurie | July 29, 2006 at 09:15 AM
oh! your girls are so sweet in that picture! they truly look zapped of energy, poor babes :)
Posted by: amanda | July 29, 2006 at 10:12 AM
i love the fair too. happy birthday!! isn't lovely having your special day in the summer? :)
Posted by: Dacia Ray | July 29, 2006 at 04:56 PM
Oh they look like they need an icy pole - or do you call them popsicles - they are making me feel hot and it's winter here!
Posted by: Jill | July 29, 2006 at 07:58 PM
Ho ho look at the girls! Bet they never have sat that still before :)
How beautiful is it that there are still freebies at the fair? Here in Australia all the agricultural shows have become so commercialised you have to pay to get in and then pay again for everything. It certainly takes some of the fun out of it.
Posted by: Lily | July 29, 2006 at 08:15 PM
bravo you, two kids on a hot day with farm animals. very impressive. those girls of yours are pretty darn cute... how close in age are they? i cant wait for collette and arlo to start tagging along as a pair!
Posted by: hannah | July 29, 2006 at 08:48 PM
Oh, the heat... The girls look precious even if they were drained and crabby.
Posted by: autum | July 30, 2006 at 06:12 AM
The girls look so cute. I'm so jealous that you used to show animals at the fair, I would have loved that job!
Posted by: Blair | July 30, 2006 at 06:50 AM
you were brave to face the heat at the fair last week. we (or **I**) opted not to take the children. too hot. too many kids. too pregnant!!!
Posted by: lera | July 31, 2006 at 01:22 PM