Oregon State Fair

Grandpa and Grandma decided to treat their grand kids to a fun day at the Oregon State Fair. But, of course, they cannot manage the four grandkids by themselves, so the respective parents got to go along!

This is Ana's first fair and she was very excited. Plus, she got to see her cousins - she always loves that.

Ana is too little to go on rides, so, D took our 7-yr old niece to the rides, my brother-in-law took my nephew (his son) with him for other boyish activities, so that my sis-in-law with her littlest K, and me with Ana could take the two little girls around and let them win some games and prizes and such. The girls are about six months apart and seem to like each other:-)

They got their face painted. They held hands and walked together like they were best friends or something! Briefly, of course... which was still nice, as we don't get to do this often.

The face-painters weren't sure how Ana would take it as this is her first time, so, they tried it on her arm first, which seemed to make all the difference - she was curious and excited.

The little girls played a few of the games where "everybody wins a prize" - but Ana was too short to even look over the edge and see the toys she was supposed to grab, so, D had to help her a bit. No harm.

There was the usual snapping frogs, floating ducks and such games where the prize is usually some stuffed toy. We didn't want a ton of stuffed toys again at home, so, we let her play maybe 3 or 4 such games and then headed over to the animal pavilion.

I know I should get into the spirit of the thing, but, am always too practical - and I start thinking, hm... for the amount you pay to play a turn, you can buy two stuffed toys at the store... you actually end up buying the darn prize... but, as I don't do this everyday, and am not sure when I will do it next, I set aside my bean-counting brain and let her have some fun.

Like they show in movies and such, I associated this first fair experience for Ana with D winning a monstrously huge stuffed toy which wouldn't fit in our car and we wouldn't know how to lug it home... So, I naturally asked D if he was going to win anything big for Ana, when in his characteristically logical way, he pointed out that he used to work at fairs minding the games and that the odds are stacked so that you have to play several times to win, by which time you have paid probably twice over for the large stuffed toy!

So much for Made For Each Other, and Romance!

There was jousting match which we had to skip as it wasn't fun for the little ones. The part I enjoyed most was the quilts/crochet/crafts exhibits hall. It was like candy land for me - amazing designs and creativity... I came back awed - many items that were displayed were award-winners in various competitions around the state.

Of course, Ana was too excited to think about naps, and we had to call it a day when I saw her walking dazed and listless - there is such a thing a too much fun - and the minute we strapped her in her car seat she was limp from exhaustion, and by the time we pulled out of the parking lot she was fast asleep after a grand day of fun.