Small Town America

I love living in small town, mid-west, America! The kids and I attended the local community fair yesterday. Kids up to 11 get in free and adults are only two dollars but I had a free pass because our church is hosting a booth. Parking is free too! Earlier this summer, through our local library, I found out that the fair was hosting a summer reading program... for every 90 minutes kids read they would get a free carnival ride ticket up to five tickets. My 3 reading age kids did all the required reading and were looking forward to a free ride (usually most rides cost 3 or 4 tickets) but we were pleasantly surprised to find out the day the kids were to redeem their prizes was one ticket per ride day! The kids each got five free rides. Then I splurged on 4 more tickets so that my two year old could ride the merri-go-round with her siblings. $4 is not a bad price for an afternoon of family fun. I also convinced the kids to for-go fair food and we would stop at Mcdonald's and get ice cream so that we could bring something home to daddy who has been laid up with a bad back all week. Despite all the mud (it had rained the day before and in the morning) it was very fun. The kids even handled looking at the animals (my favorite thing to do.) Reagan (my two year old) thought this was pretty great as well. Her favorites were the bunnies. She stopped at every cage. I also took time to assure the children that mom did not want to get one of the really big cows that we walked past. I only wanted a little Dexter breed. The kids are still not anxious for a cow. I was really wishing we lived close to Mom Lewis when I saw how much Reagan liked the bunnies. I would get a really fluffy alpaca and then she could have the hair to spin. Well, maybe we will still get one and just mail the hair cross country.

Andi and the Orbiter

Rem, Andi, and Seven on the Tornado

Reagan on the Merry-Go-Round

Pastor Sam Hendrickson at Westside Baptist booth

Girl meets chicken