Indiana State Fair 2013

It's state fair time ... one of our favorite family activities.
It's all about the fair food & the animal barns.

We enjoyed the fair today along with my sister & her husband,
 & another friend from church & her daughter.
The weather was nice & the fellowship & laughter -- & fair food -- was just what we needed.

Interesting thing {& the bonus for me} is that the sun & heat pretty much took my appetite!
The only thing I wanted was a  chocolate milkshake & a .50 cup of chocolate milk 
from the Dairy Barn.
It's hands-down, our favorite stop at the fair.
The other bonus is that my four guys like to eat & they are always offering bites to Momma.
It works out just fine.
I get a little sampler that way ;)
Today, I sampled a sirloin sandwich, deep fried veggies, funnel cake, lamb kabob, lemon shake-up,
honey lemonade made with Indiana honey, & steak tips with potatoes & mushrooms.
See, after a bite here & there from all their food, I didn't need a single other thing!
Course, I didn't sample the deep fried Oreos cause Riley someone didn't offer a bite of those ;)

I didn't take many pics today, but I did snap a few in one of my favorite barns.
It displays old pieces of farm equipment, a Conestoga wagon, various handmade items,
all from Indiana, of course ... but my favorite part in this barn is the rooms that are set-up to display
a typical kitchen in Indiana in the 1930s & 40s.
Today, & the first time I've ever seen this, around the kitchen tables sat hungry farmers eating a home-cooked meal.

 I zoomed in a bit to get a look at his bowl of beans & cornbread.
A popular dish way back then ... & a popular dish in MY kitchen today!

 This second kitchen was filled with various townsfolk & ladies eating the same meal ...
& what a spread it was.

 Here's what was on the menu:

The dessert table was filled with Texas Sheet Cake, ready & waiting.

 The fella at the head of the table was dining in his bare feet.

On the other side of the barn were two ladies working on the quilt they started last year at the fair.
Just look at the intricate detailing!
They said they couldn't begin to tally the amount of hours they've put into this quilt.

I loved this display of vintage aprons.
Gunnar mentioned how much Abigail would love these aprons ... & it got me to thinking ;)
Wouldn't it be a great way to decorate a household shower for someone who appreciates the charm
of vintage lovelies such as these?

I loved the trim on this one.
Looks like old hankies.

Rag balls for 50 cents.

 Later in the day, we watched a horse competition.

 Look at my boy, Gunnar, as tall as his daddy.

This was their last snack of the day.
Their bellies were finally full ... finally.
Growing boys ;)

Now, for a quick trip down memory lane ...
remember how I told you that we love the state fair?
Well, we've been coming almost every year for a long time now.
We've made many good memories.
Here are a couple of pictures that will always be some of my favorites, taken at the state fair.

I love this sweet boy eating his corn dog - He was watching the parade coming down the street.

my sweet Gunnar

Brothers ... & they just don't come any cuter than this.

Riley & Gunnar

 All boys have to wear their cowboy hats to the fair.

Mr. Garrett

Aren't they adorable?!
Seems like yesterday.
And honestly, in no time at all, we'll probably be making new memories with our sons ...
& our grandbabies.
Somebody please slow down the clock.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Monday         Make It Yourself Monday        The Better Mom       C.R.A.F.T     
Tuesday    Domestically Divine     A Bowl Full of Lemons    Titus Tuesday      A Stroll Through Life
Wednesday   Raising Homemakers        Savvy Southern Style         Adorned From Above
                   Women Living Well    Southern Lovely     The Thrifty Home
Thursday      The Shabby Creek Cottage     Serving Joyfully     Lamberts Lately
Friday    Happy-Go-Lucky     The Thrifty Groove      Farm Blog Hop
Sunday  Suburbsmama    Sew Many Ways