Memories of "The Fair"

Picture: Nate's senior year, about 5 years ago. When Shanie used to let me make her hair blond! And Nick still looked like a baby!

Fair Memories:

So it is fair time again! I am remembering the good times at the fair....trying real hard to get Steve to go with us but could hardly ever...I mean NEVER!....but he would go to the rodeo! Today I tried to talk him into going with me 'to just walk around'......I love the fair! No go! Some things never change!

One year we didn't have enough money to go to the fair ( a long time ago) and Nick wanted to get an 'All-day-ride-pass'....so we went out doing their 'painting addresses on curbs' business. We must have walked all over in the hottest weather ever, getting rejection after rejection and about to give up, but we had a goal and a dream so big....a dream of the fair! and rides that may fall apart when you ride them....run by people who look like they never had a bath in their lives.....of elephant ears and beer-batter fries (someone promised me the alcohol was cooked off!).....can you see how wonderful this dream was? We finally struck a good spot and we were able to earn enough for the fair entry and for the kid's ride passes! Thank heavens! We were hot sweaty and gross by the time we got to the fair! But Nick proudly got his first ever all-day-ride-pass!.....and climbed happily into his first ride.....ohhhhh the anticipation!!!! And.......Nick wobbled off that ride, made a serpentine route to the garbage can and threw up! Sick! Sick for the rest of the fair! Unable to ride any more rides! And after all that work to get there! I still have to laugh over it.....sorry it is 'the bad mommy' in me! Such a dream.....such a disappointment! So much like life! Wondrous in a way.....life! You know what I mean?

Every year we made it to the 'Kid's Day' part of the fair......the momma wouldn't let this go by! Never! What kind of parent do you think I am? One year the games were in the track arena......so full of dirt! We were a mess (wonderfully)! Tying goat tail races, hay scramble, and other games! Ahhhh.....the hay scramble! They put money in it! We wanted to get money so we could go to the rodeo.....so I gave the kids strict instructions to pull hair, bite, and do whatever they could to get 'the money'! Nate, kind-hearted and good.....trying desperately to get money but too nice to take away from anyone else....or disturb them in any way! He didn't have much to show for all the hay and itchy! Shanie on the other hand! Wooooweee! She was relentless......staying in one spot and thoroughly going over it while other kids hopped around! She always got the most money.....much to the stress and disappointment of her brothers! Nick, he could never quite get that much either. He was one of the 'hopping around kids'.......barely looking in one place and then having to go to another! Boy, he drove his mom crazy! Poor boy!

The rodeo! If Dad came, we bought food.....if not.....water!..... one that Mom brought....and maybe share one carmel apple and a small kettle corn. We love to share! None of my kids are used to getting their own food....we usually share! (A whole-smallest size Dairy Queen blizzard for the kids and me....but Steve?......he couldn't do that!......he got a peanut buster parfait and was annoyed if we wanted 'to taste a little?' He would just tell us to go buy one ourselves. What? No! That isn't fun at all! We like to fight over the chunks in the blizzard and try to eat it soooo fast...so we can at least get some! We can make anything an adventure! Once we all got our own blizzard and it was a huge disappointment! We all agreed 'that was nooooo fun'....we didn't want to do that again!) We always wanted our friends the Stringhams to meet us at the rodeo! Most years they did! (Our family away from family) The best part of the rodeo? Being together!