Oh Fair....How We Love You!

I have successfully created a family that loves and looks forward to the fair just as much as I do. 4 trips to the fair this year, and my kids were still heart broken when I told them it was gone until next year. I really can't tell you what it is exactly that I love about it so much. I do pretty much the exact same thing every time I go there, year after year, but it never seems to get old. Even when the food, animals, merchandise, rides all stay relatively the same. I still can't resist! I am a fair Junky and not afraid to admit it.

Trip 1

It seems to be the new thing for all the big food places to have something to stick your face through and pose. The kids embraced it!

Best Friends spending one last weekend together before Katie moved. These girls just melt my heart.

Con getting in on the action.

I LOVE this picture of Kellen. He wanted a picture with the goat and was so sweet about it. When I was done taking the picture he turned to the goat and said "Thank you goat. I love you." Silly boy.

Hands down this was Makenna and Kellen's favorite ride at the fair. I was proud of Kellen. He was just barely tall enough to ride it this year. It goes fast and I was afraid he was going to freak out, but he did awesome! They are way more brave than I was as a kid!

Conner was bummed to not get to join in on the big rides, but was pleased to be able to go on a few that were more his speed. 

T

The bummer about being prego is that you can't go on any of the rides yourself. But at least I always brought someone with me that was a good sport about taking the kids for me. Thanks Pa!

Trip 2

This picture may very well sum up exactly why I love the fair. Just look at all the fun and happiness captured in this picture! And knowing it all looks so big and amazing in the eyes of the kids! Love it!

Brookie and Aunty Rah Rah riding Brooke's first ever roller coaster together. She Loved it!

Sarah got pretty intense on this ride with the kids. She got that balloon spinning fast. At one point Conner's head almost spun off and then Sarah realized it would be wise to slow down a bit....Aunty is a Nut ;)

The kids first time on the ferris wheel! I was totally excited to take them on this. It was just the one over in the kiddie area, so I didn't think the height would bother me. I was Soooo wrong. Ferris Wheel's freak me out, and this one terrified me as well. I think I did a really good job not letting the kids realize how nervous I was (though I didn't let them move at all!), and I think I sort of enjoyed it. At least I gave them the experience. 

Trip 3

On our last trip of the year with the kids Kellen finally decided he would go on the pony ride with Sis and Con. On previous trips he was totally un-interested. I did not push him on it at all. If he didn't want to ride then that was totally fine...horses are not for everyone. But then on our last trip he all the sudden smiled and said he wanted to go too! And he did great and totally enjoyed himself. And I have to say this did make me smile....I do love horses!

Con enjoyed it as long as the horses behind him did not get too close to him.

And of course there is Makenna who is already trying to negotiate finding a way to fit a horse in our backyard.

So these pics have a story that go with them. The day we were finally going to be able to go to the fair as a family Daddy woke up not feeling very well. At first he thought it was just something that had upset his stomach. We got to the fair and as time went on I could tell Todd was feeling worse and was really starting to worry that he was truly sick, not just an upset tummy. But the kids were Soooo excited to be there with Daddy and were anxious to go on their favorite ride with him. He agreed to go with them and climbed aboard with a smile on his face. As the ride started and kept on I started to truly worry that he was going to pass out. He looked like he felt Terrible. You could tell the kids were just enjoying and soaking up their moment and I was just so blown away by Todd. It was such a simple but huge gesture of love towards his kids. He didn't want to let them down. He wanted the memory and wanted the kids to enjoy their time, even if it meant him Totally suffering for it. He loves those kids to pieces! They have an amazing Daddy.

Schools Out For The Summer!

It's crazy how fast a school year goes by, when you're a mother at least. Seems like we just got started and then all the sudden the end of the year is here! I think we were all ready for it though. Ready to relax, to play, to sleep in, to have fun.

The last week of school for Kellen was full of all sorts of silly, fun days. He got most excited about crazy hair day, so we made sure to do it up right. Of course he chose red and green. I don't even know if he realized he was wearing Christmas colors or if Christmas is so much in his blood that he was just drawn to them naturally. Either way he looked totally cute! (By the way Kellen, you are never allowed to do this as a teenager on a day to day basis...sorry :) ) 

 Kellen and Mrs Jurish on the last day of school. He is going to miss her. I am going to miss her. She was such a perfect fit for him, especially for his very first year of school. It has been amazing to see how much he has grown and changed and matured this year. He was just a little toddler with teary eyes, holding tight to his b's and staying next to his teachers side all day when he first started. And now here he is, a little boy running around with his friends and barely looking over his shoulder when I walk away. It's nice to see them grow, but it is hard watching your baby slip away!

 On the last day of Kindergarten all of the classes put on a really cute program where they sang a number of cute songs all together. I was proud of Makenna- She stood up there with a huge smile singing her little heart out! After that the kids went back to their classes. Makenna's teacher handed out a little "award" to each child in the class predicting what they were going to be when they grew up. When it was Makenna's turn she stood there beaming as her teacher gave her prediction that Makenna would grow up to be an academy award winning actress. I was cracking up! I guess she has gotten to know Makenna pretty well this year. 

 We will miss Mrs. Folks. She has been an incredible teacher this year and has been exactly what Makenna needed in every way possible. I am so proud of Makenna and how well she has done in school. Her finally report card was amazing...all good and outstanding in citizenship and advanced in all her grades! She is a smart girl and a hard worker and so much fun to be around. We are glad to have had a teacher that set such a great foundation for her!

 Makenna is going to miss her best buddy Kara just as much! (Though I know we will be seeing her often!) They have become such good little friends and they have lots of fun years in store.

 Well, naturally there is not better way to break summer in than by swimming every day you can. I think we will be living in the pool this summer. All the kids are at great ages for swimming and all of them are swimming amazingly!

 This girl would live in the water if she could! Seriously. If you ask her what she wants to be when she grows up she most often says a mermaid!

 He is crazy on the land and just as crazy in the water. This little boy is so funny. He is swimming like a champ with his floaties on and loves to climb out and jump right in the pool. 

 Kellen has come an incredible way since last summer. At the beginning of the summer last year he was hardly able to let go of someone and swim with a floatie on his own. By the end of last summer he was swimming good with his floaties and when he was in the mood was jumping in the pool. This summer began with him already willing to banzai off the wall and being brave as can be in the pool. He sure is growing up!

 Perfecting the back float. She is actually pretty darn good. Learning to dive this year too!

 The kiddos with Peter and Carter after swimming lessons! Such cutie pies!