2012 Washington County Fair

It's the most wonderful time of the year......No, not Christmas.  No, not the Staples back-to-school sale.

The local county fair.

Ahhhh.  I just love it.  LOVE IT.

This year, Maddie entered a few things into the Crafts & Baking contests.

FIRST PLACE for her muffins!

Go Maddie!

She got 3rd place for both her knitted and crocheted scarves!!

$9 prize money--not bad at all!

Here's Patience enjoying a snow cone...

while we watched the Colin Raye concert!

Colin Raye is one of those singers that the name sounds a bit familiar (I do actually know who he is, and was really looking forward to the concert), but then when he starts singing, you realize that you know every song, and they were all monster hits.

It was a great set.

Me & my girl.  I tend to have super-squinty eyes when I smile, so I'm trying to keep my eyes open in this picture.  Patience said I look a little crazy.  Just a little.

After the concert, it was off to the agricultural exhibits.

Fluffy chicks!  So cute.

The baby pigs.  The pigs had a new pen this year. 

A tired mama pig.  I'd be exhausted, too, keeping up with that pile of piggies.

Next was the chicken & rabbit building.  Is this not the fluffiest bunny you've ever seen?

Pure adorableness. 

This chicken was cracking me up.  Did he think his whole body would fit through the slot?

The kids with my mom.

Mini tractor racing.  We've never seen this at the fair before (we rarely go on Sunday)--what a hoot!

The purple driver was a GIRL, and she kicked butt.

One of the highlights of a fair trip is seeing friends.  From L-R, Maddie, Bethany, Patience & Katie.

Eli with my mom & dad.

My mom & Eli

We got some pizza (delish) and sat down to watch the events in the main ring.  First up was the egg toss.  I took a bunch of pictures of folks I don't know.  It was hilarious.

This kid actually made the catch and won!

Patience-pie.

Eli, Patience & my dad

Maddie, Eli, me, my dad & Patience

I *love* this picture.  It might be frame-able. 

My mom

After the always-exciting dung-throwing contest, it was time to prep the field for the "close down the fair" tug-o-war.

Yes, it took heavy machinery to prepare for this event.

There was a backhoe-y type of truck digging a hole, and this truck was pumping water into it.

Then another truck (a front-loader? I'm so bad with my heavy machinery) came and dumped manure into the mud pit.  At least we're pretty sure that's what it was.  You couldn't pay me to enter this contest.

Here is the giant rope that the local fisherman donated.

The completed mud pit, just waiting for victims.

It was INSANE the amount of teams that enter this contest.  There were different divisions: Men's lightweight, Men's heavyweight, Women's lightweight, Women's heavyweight (WHAT woman in her right mind signs up for that?).

PULL!!!!!!!

PULL!!!!!

I don't think the tug-o-war ended until midnight.  They were still going strong when we left at 10pm. Crazy.  But so much fun to watch!

Ahhh, another year at the fair.  I'm already looking forward to next year!