Fun at the Armada Fair

Last Sunday we took ER to the Armada Fair for the second year; it's really done very well. It's not as overwhelming as the State Fair so it's just the right size for a small child. While it's not huge it does still have plenty of animals to see, the requisite 4H projects to look at, some vendors, lots of rides, and treat stands too.

We think ER got the world's longest pony ride. Around and around and around and around they went for a really really long time. It was drizzling and overcast when we got there so not very many people were there yet. The line for the pony ride was short and they let her go, for what seemed like forever. I think my Dad was plenty tired of walking around by the time she got off, but ER loved it.

Fall time will be here soon and every time we drive by the local farm stand she points to ponies, waves to them, and tells them she'll be by soon to ride them. I think they've started on the weekends already, but I make it a point to not drive by then. Once she sees them hitched up it'll all be over and we'll be there all the time.

As if she didn't get to go around in a circle enough, right after the pony ride we had to get on another one on the carousel. This time Grammy got roped into taking her, after all that's what grandparents are for, right?The animals that make noise like the squawking birds and lot pig grunts still make ER nervous but she really liked the bunnies and horses. The big kid's feeding tent she liked, not to feed the goats because they are way too pushy for her but because of the kid's farm they have set up. She loves doing the chores they have set up: picking wooden apples from the tree, digging up potatoes, gathering eggs, and "milking" the wooden cow. Well you knew there couldn't only be ONE picture with the horses! We watched one getting hitched up, the ponies exercising, and one trotting around pulling a cart. Horsies are still the biggest hit around here. After that ER watched the tractor pulls a little bit, which despite the loud noises she seemed to like. I was surprised, I still don't get the attraction. I guess it's a boys and their toys kind of thing.

All week ER had been saying that all she wanted to do at the fair was eat cotton candy. Which was a surprise because she's never had it before and I'm not even sure where she'd heard of it. But she was bound and determined, she'd even bring it up before the pony rides. Papa made sure she got her biggest wish for the day. She might not look thrilled in the picture, but it went over pretty well. She was just hesitant to actually try it once she really had some in front of her. In her typical fashion, she ate one little bit of fluff at a time. She ate so slowly that it was melting from the warmth of her hands.