To the fair and beyond

That was the theme of this year's county fair.  

This year the 3 oldest kids contributed items for the still exhibits, their first time entering anything in the fair.   

Clare worked very hard on a bench/step stool.  She had made one with Matt last summer and this summer she put her skills to use building another almost all by herself (Matt did the table saw cutting using the measurements Clare gave him).  It turned out really nice and won a blue ribbon.

Clare also entered an acrylic painting she had done in school, a doll dress that she sewed for her American girl doll, and a fresh flower arrangement.  She won first place ribbons for all four of her entries.  Her doll dress won Best of Show.  

Karl brought in a Lego display and mixed media art (ink and watercolor).  He kept changing his mind on what Lego display to make.  He who can't leave a set built for longer than a few hours, so every "idea" he had ended up changing into something else.  He had fun experimenting with the ink and watercolor, which was new to him.  

Nora worked so hard on her collection of sewn felt vegetables and fruit.  I felt bad that she only got a 3rd place but at the same time, she didn't care whether her stitches got crossed or were uneven.  She really enjoyed painting her hummingbird with watercolor pencils.   

We went to the fair on Thursday for the afternoon/evening.  Karl had to leave for an hour for a soccer game; while he was gone Nora and Lena went on a couple of rides.  

We watched some African acrobats who were amazing, a sea lion show, a horse speed competition, and the motocross.  In between we visited the horse barn, the exhibit building, and the "bunny barn".  Nora loved the bunny barn and Clare and Lena (and I) loved the horse barn.   Just waiting for one of our girls to get "horse crazy' and give me an excuse to buy a horse.  Oh, yes, and win the lottery.  Because they're not cheap animals.