Friday, July 29, 2016

Five Things Friday (County Fair Edition)

Happy Friday!  It's County Fair Week, here, so I have a special Edition of Five Things to Be Happy About for you!

I love the fair!  It's been a crazy busy week, with a lot of running around and rescheduling of regular activities, but it is the best week of the summer for me.  I absolutely adore watching my girls talk to the judges about their projects and take on the responsibilities of volunteering in the food stand and action and promotion booth.  I love the music and the vendors and the food, the exhibits of flowers and quilts and decorated cakes.  I love running into people we know. Even the vendors building where you could spend all day entering drawings for free stuff (and spend the next month dodging phone calls from sales representatives) provides a nice break from the sun and humidity. I remember all of these things from the county fairs of my childhood, and I am so glad that my girls are getting to experience them too.

And, even though my parents told me (and I tell my girls) that it's not about the ribbons, it's pretty cool to see my girls earn blue ribbons, and even better, merit awards and state fair entries!  They outdid themselves this year!  And the best part was that their projects were really and truly theirs.  I did a bit of prodding here and there to make sure they remembered the deadlines, and I helped solve a few problems along the way, but I was pretty hands- off on the actual construction and completion of the projects.

Emily had help from her dad in building her state-fair bound checker board, but, the judge was very impressed with how well she explained the process, used the correct terms for hte tools they used and described the problems and solutions they encountered.  He told her that working with her dad was one of the best things she'd ever do in  4-H, and they they should be very proud of themselves for BOTH surviving!  (He also asked her who needed more patience, her or dad...which leads me to beleive that the man has daughters!  LOL!) Before this week, she wasn't sure she wanted to continue in the woodworking project, but the positive outcome just might have changed her mind.

We are heading back to the fairgrounds in a bit so the girls can enjoy midway rides with their friends.  We have not ventured down there yet, so I don't have pictures.  It I get a good one, I'll come back tonight and edit my happy pictures.

But for now, here are 5 Fair Things That Make Me Happy:



SNEARY picture in picture action.  So proud of them, both!


Not my quilt, but I just love it.  It's Moda Building Blocks. Made me smile every time I saw it this week.



Stop by Gypsy Moon Quilt Co. to see what everyone else is happy about this week! 

4 comments:

  1. What's more fun that a fair??? Seeing your own kids work hard at winning ribbons!! Our county fair was this past week, too, but we've been out of town so we didn't get to visit. Did you enter any projects, Tami? Maybe that quilt will hang around in your head long enough that you'll start one just like it! It is a beauty...wonder if it'll win a ribbon. Mmmm, that strawberry float looks fantastic!

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  2. Wow, all of those things to be happy are wonderful. I love the Moda Building Blocks quilt and some Fair snacks never disappoint. Happy weekend!

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  3. I love our fair too.
    Ours doesn't start until mid-august - I have to organize my entries for next Saturday to drop off for judging. My kids enjoyed every minute being involved. Our 'hobby/textile' entries decline every year because less and less people get involved. Of course, this means I come home with lits of blue ribbons. Lol.

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  4. Our fair is next week. The quilts are my favorite part of the whole thing. Julia didn't enter anything this year but she has in the past. It is a good time to see friends, eat junk food and ogle the quilts! Looks like you had a great time and kudos to the girls for their blue ribbons!

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