Fair Day

The Clay County Fair comes to our area each Spring.  I don't think I have been since I was a Senior in High School.  We won't talk about how long ago that was.

I will admit that I am an Amusement Park Snob.  I am not afraid to say it.  I am not ashamed of the fact.  Disney has made me that way.  Everything about Disney is top-notch.  It's clean, it's safe - it's the "Happiest Place on Earth" and as far as I am concerned nothing - I mean NOTHING compares. So why bother with anything less - I'm always disappointed.

So each year when the Fair comes around, I turn my nose up and refuse to go and spend the money on rickety rides, greasy food and tons of crazy games where you win cheap, tacky prizes (like Goldfish).  See - I told you that I'm a snob.

Hickory Grove is very involved with the Fair each year.  Many of the church members work there and they even arranged to do a Sunrise Service on Easter morning for all the Fair Workers.  How cool is that?  Talk about a great outreach opportunity!

So, obviously when we were given free tickets to get into the fair, we couldn't say no.  We decided to go this past Wednesday after the kids got out of school.

I now have to admit how much fun we had - how wrong I had been all these years and how we are planning to go every year from now on!

Here are some highlights - you tell me whether or not we had a great time!

 Where else in the world can you find a pig made from hay than your County Fair?  How cute is he?

The kids LOVED the swings - I think they rode them like 4 or 5 times!

I stayed away from the Farris Wheel - I don't like swinging from high places in slow motion - but the rest of the family enjoyed it.

This was the best!!!!  I didn't ride so I could get pictures.  I was laughing so hard I was crying!  Jarod's facial expressions are awesome!

Love this one of Anne!

Playing one of those wacky games - they won two fish!  More about that later.

Okay - so Cedar River Seafood was there.  LOVE their fried shrimp!!!!

 I had to get on the swings at least once!

This one was my absolute favorite!  Could have rode it all night!  I felt like Superman!  It was awesome!!!!

They had to ride this one again!  Anne is trying so hard not to lay on Jarod.

LOVE this!!!

Of course Russ has to try the Fried Oreos!  YUMMMM!!!!!!

Those two fish I told you about - well, they actually scooped up an extra one so we wound up with 3!

We had to make a late night run to Wal-Mart on the way home.  Turns out everyone else in Middleburg has been doing the same thing.  Everyone is winning fish!  The fish section was totally picked over and we had to spend a little more than anticipated on a home for them.

But we like the way it turned out!

So as you can see a GREAT time was had by all!  We will definitely be making this a yearly event for the Franklin family.  I was wrong and am happy to admit it. 

Thanks for the tickets Rick - you have helped to break my amusement park snobbery!

Tomorrow is our first Sunday at Hickory Grove.  Russ will preach a sunrise service for the fair workers in the morning.  Very excited for this opportunity.  

I'm off to color eggs with the kids - Easter pics next time......