State Fair, 2010 edition

This week we went to the state fair. It is always such a fun time! Anna-Kate had so much fun last year that she has regularly been asking when we could go back again. She was beside herself with anticipation for the rides the whole day we went! We continued the tradition of going with our best friends, Jonathan and Leigh-Ann and their kids (sidenote, love family traditions and am so thankful for "kindred spirit" friends to share these child rearing years and memories with!).

The husbands rode in one car there and Leigh-Ann and I thought we would brilliantly beat the system by cramming all 6 kids, and us, in the van. We must have looked like a clown car as we pulled kid after kid out (hers were all in the back and had to be lifted over the seat to get in). Maybe not the brightest idea as it took us 30 minutes to get everyone in, but whatever. The parking attendant took pity on us and let me park for free and score a close spot!

We sprang for the unlimited ride passes for the 2 big kids and the moms and we let the kids choose what they wanted to ride. We fed the babies while the daddies took the big kids to see the animals and the elephant show, then it was more rides for us! Ryan's favorite was the "pirate ship" and we rode it twice. Anna-Kate loved the knock-off Dumbo elephant ride and the caterpillar roller coaster.

Family picture



Waiting to ride our first ride!



Lydia and Ryan on the fighter planes.



Sweet Jack...he is such a trooper. Poor 3rd kid. I would never have done this to my first two!! :) (Sidenote, see how laid back I'm getting in my old age?)



Ryan and Anna-Kate on the fish.





Family picture with Jack not in the stroller. :)



This is the caterpillar roller coaster that Anna-Kate had such a hard time with at age 2. And, they're off!



I told him if he got a little scared to hold Anna-Kate's hand. So sweet.



Finally loving it!



The husbands took the kids home at 9:15 and Leigh-Ann and I were like footloose and fancy free teenagers...we rode every ride and had a ball! Though, I will say it was weird being amidst so many highschoolers...we were certainly feeling old (and imagining how old and lame we looked to them).