Third Annual trip to the State Fair

We decided to go on a weekday evening (Tuesday the 18th) this year, so we were there for a little less time, but we got to go the day the cool front blew in.  Other than the wind, it was very pleasant.

Alexis napped on the way there...Andrew napped before we left.  We walked through the gates and were met with the strange scent mix wafting through the air of asphalt and confectionary sugar that accompany the Fair.  We didn't have much of an agenda this year except some artery clogging indulgence and a few kiddie shows and rides. 

So we bought a few tickets and headed toward the kids area.  Alexis and Daddy went through the Little Hands on the Farm that she has done each year.  We decided Andrew could start next year.  Then we found Grant's obligatory Fletcher's Corn Dog, Chicken on a stick for the kids and a Fried S'More for me.

After that was the backyard Circus, in which Alexis was a butterfly ballerina again and Andrew wanted to be pushed around in the stroller.

Then we watched the lowering of the flag to the National Anthem and rifle salute.

Andrew is very angry that we turned the stroller away from Big Tex

Onto a few rides...Alexis likes them fast and spinning.  She went on the Texas Tornado which she was barely tall enough for, so the lady let Grant go on it with her for free.  Lucky Grant!  All the little girls in their "pod" wanted him to keep it spinning faster.  Theirs definitely was spun the most and fastest.  I've never seen him lean over after a ride just to regain himself.  Alexis was already grabbing my hand and trying to bounce back into the line.  We made our way to the roller coaster where the cars spun around and I rode it with...no freebie for me this time, but it requires an additional 2 inches so Alexis couldn't have done this one by herself if she wanted to.  This one didn't have a way for me to make it spin faster, it was more roller coaster than spin ride, but she loved the speed.

so excited to be on the first ride!

After this we decided not to wait in line for face painting and made our way to the pig races.  Andrew was freed from the stroller and we went up and down and all around the side of the arena where Alexis and Grant were sitting, but Andrew was tired of being strapped down.  The only problem was, that his attention would turn toward the field when the pigs were running, he would clap and then start making a beeline down the stairs to run onto the field, so after battling him to turn around and go back into the stands after the first two races, he and I left.  That way we were out before the crowd, he got freshened up in a baby station and we then decided to skip the petting zoo and head back to the Mid-Way.  Grant and I split a funnel cake (for dessert?!) and I did the Texas Tornado with Alexis one more time. 

waiting for the pigs to race

She enjoyed seeing everything all lit up and we decided to call it a night.

We only had one person fall mostly on top of Andrew in the stroller from not watching where he (the middle school aged boy) was walking, minimal people watching chuckles on a weekday (at least considering it's a State Fair in the South), but plenty of fun and squeals of laughter.