As Travis and I have for the past eight years, we attended the Clay County Fair on Friday evening. Going to the fair has taken on an all new meaning for us now that we have little ones. It was once about just getting away from the parents to hang out with friends (in my case), and for Travis well quite frankly it was his home away from home. Things have obviously changed because now we actually purchase tickets for rides, and cotton candy, candy apples, and dare we forget the funnel cakes?? Funny enough we actually walk through the barns to "see" the animals now not just look for friends that might be hanging out in the barn area.
Our first stop was the old pioneer area of the fair. This area is a bit on the special side to me since some of my kin folks old homes are in this exhibit. To walk through and see the actual homes that people lived in many, many years ago was very touching. Amazes me still that we have to have big luxurious homes with three and four bedrooms, sometimes five, but these homes were one room homes with a family of six to 10 people or more. We walked up on the porch, lined with rockers and there sat some distant relatives. I just smiled thinking back to how many conversations there had been on this old porch. How many times that the children ran up on the porch and through the door calling momma. Simplicity, sheer simplicity. Whatever happened to that? Walking through the old homes, and church made me wonder how did we become such a rushed society? Why did we lose those Sunday afternoon visits with family just sitting on the porch and the kids playing in the yard, not being entertained by technology or some other game. Things sure seemed more peaceful. The kitchen smaller then my smallest guest bedroom. The living area maybe the size of my master bath. I walked through the home that belonged to family and I watched my mom as we entered and she was smiling. Then she began to tell me of how she remembered coming to this home and playing as a young child. She talked about how she remembered where the furniture was placed and how back then this was just the norm.
It was time for some good 'ole fair food. Anyone on a diet better stay away and not even come within five hundred feet of a fair. The smell just sucks you right on in!! Don't laugh, you know what I'm talking about the smell of corn dogs, bar-b-que, sausage dogs, cotton candy, and popcorn. The list could go on and on. We settled for corn dogs and a coke
Carter loves everything about the fair. The slides are by far his favorite! He's not afraid to ride anything, and you can guarantee that after each ride he's going to say, "come on, let's do it again!" Luckily this year it was a full family event. My parents came along for the fun as did my brother and sister and their better halves. Jason and Megan were our babysitters for the evening although they didn't really sign up for the task, Carter just insisted that they ride with him. I wasn't sure my stomach was up for spin around rides just yet, and Travis has never gotten on a ride in the twelve years I've known him. So, that's how Jason & Megan came to be the designated riders.... THANKS GUYS!! :)
After making our way through the midway we decided to check out the shows. They always have a dog frisbee show, and this year there was a new show with alligators. We actually missed the alligator show, but caught the tail end of it when everyone was having their picture made. As we walked closer, Travis & I realized that the guy doing the show was the same guy from previous years at the Jacksonville fair. When we asked if he remembered us, he said he did. Travis' mom was a big part of the fair association a few years back and that is how we knew him. We requested a picture with the gator and as we walked up on the stage I was thinking I'd stand to the side of my two boys as they held the gator... nope, I got to hold his head. Lucky, lucky me!! :) It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be actually. :) I was good, until the crowd got a little too close and the little fella, a.k.a "Wally Gator", started to get a little squirmy. I very quickly passed him back to Jeff, his boss! :)
By this point we were all getting pretty worn out. Tucker, well he was sleeping as he had been doing most of the evening. We didn't leave the fair without that last snack, the funnel cake. It was quite scrumptious I might add!! There was one last thing little Carter wanted to do. He had his own money and wanted to spend it by riding the mechanical bull, so off he went with his Dad to get in line. When I caught up to them, he was already on the bull and his face was a little uncertain. It started to move and his eyes became big and round, I just laughed. He had that one hand in the air and death grip with the other. He insisted that Travis not get to far away because he wasn't going to fall off, but Dad needed to be there nonetheless.
After his ride, it was time to end the evening. As we walked out the gate he said, "Bye fair, see you next year!" I just love it when he says things like that. The kid has a heart that is just bubbling with excitement. We were all exhausted and it didn't take long for my two little fellas in the back seat to fall out. They slept peacefully until we got home and then we tucked them into bed.
Another year, another fair. Tons of great memories and we can't wait to do it all over again in the fall!!
Jen
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