Small Town Fair

Ryan makes good things happen.  I love that about him.  He told me a couple of weeks ago about a small town fair that was happening about 45 minutes away.  I wasn't feeling particularly energetic enough to go that week, but I told him I did want to go.

The following week rolls around and I remind him what fun it would be to go.  So, he makes it happen. I like to think we make things happen for each other.  Those things that really matter, because that's what you do for someone you love, right?

We were down one girl who was spending quality time with her Gammy to give her Momma a bit of a break.  Turns out, we missed her terribly, but stomped and romped those small town fair grounds much more easily without that little whirlwind of a girl.

 So, the girlies 4 ran from ride to ride, those thrill seekers.

One of my favorite parts was all the hand holding.  Ryan didn't go because he had Mr. Drummer strapped to him, asleep and happy as could be.  So these sisters had each other's backs.  They were in this together.  That's the best sight for a momma to see.

This ride loving momma wanted to be there with her girls, but thought it best not to have her body whipped, whirled, and flipped, as much as those appealed to her.

 There was a haunted house that turned out to be spooky for other reasons than those intended.

The first two girls whipped in and out.  The second two whipped in, but not out.  We waited and joked about the sparks flying from the bottom of each cart and then had to stifle our laughs and raised our brows as the man working the ride came out, pushing our daughters.  It was a quintessential small town fair experience.

This was the kind of chicken I had when I was in high school. We called her the bedhead chicken, and she was an outcast among her fellow hens who would peck at her bouffant, so my dad would make a distasteful paste to apply on her head to discourage further pecking.  Poor girl.  She had a rough life.

 Azure was a bit short to go on some of the rides the older girls could, so I took her around to find some just for her, just us two.  Oh.  That smile.  To see such genuine happiness from this girl lifts my heart.  

She's a bit like the runt of the family.  You would think we fed Clover and her completely different diets.  They have 2 years separating their ages, but Clover has the weight advantage.  Azure sometimes overcompensates with her noise level which is akin to fingernails on chalkboards.  She also struggles a bit in school.  Being a lefty and the youngest in her class, we're working on her academic achievements more than most would have to.  I love her to bits, freckles and all.

 This fair is just what we needed.  All of us.

 Ryan and I agreed it was better than Disneyworld.

 No long lines.  Close parking.  No crowd facilitating lost children.  Animals just inches away.  Ryan wants a cow now.

 Everyone was cooperative, including this guy who slept the whole time, except for the last 1/2 hour.

 I found a shaded bench to nurse while the girls and Ryan hit a few last rides.

 Pearl and I confided in each other that we like the scariest rides best, although her face on this one clearly shows her trepidation.  Even Divine refused to get on, bribes and all coming from her dad.

 They dropped our little redhead (and Olive reluctantly joined her) from huge heights.  

 Ryan got sweaty palms just watching them make the slow ascent.  I smiled and wished I was up there with them to hold hands and scream and laugh as we stumbled off our seats.  Next time, girls.  Pearl's response as she exited, I didn't even have time to say "is"!

 I don't think the day could have gotten any better.  We saw a calf that was born a day after Drummer.

 There was a bit of size discrepancy.  

 We ended our visit by hearing the roosters crow as we walked toward the car.

 I answered them back.  Did you know I can do a mean crow imitation?  It's all about head tilt and open throat.

It's one of my gifts. 

   Highly ill utilized, but a gift nonetheless.