Fun at the Fair

Last weekend Andy and I took a break from settling-in craziness to attend the Great Minnesota Get-Together, in what has become a yearly tradition for us. We had a lovely time--it was the first non-rainy day in a week and the weather was just perfect. Of course, it was not only the first NICE day, but also the first Saturday of the fair, so we were joined by throngs of people. We were both surprised at how long we--and Jess in particular, being 6 months pregnant--lasted: about 8 hours. That's one fun-filled day at the fair! Here are a few (okay, maybe more than a few) highlights...

Here we are, ready to go!

...and here they are: the throngs


Andy's honey with the honey


Our "little potato" with the potatoes (thanks to the O-O's for introducing us to the song!)


Baaaa.

Need I say more?

Only in Minnesota would a highlight of the fair (for me at least) be looking at sculptures made entirely of butter. That's right, Princess Kay of the Milky Way (& runners-up) gets her head carved in a 90-lb block of butter...and after the fair they all get to take their butter-heads home. Now you tell me, what would you do with a nearly-90-lb butter-bust of yourself? (To learn more about this entertaining tradition, click here.)

We also love the eco-building...this is a cool hydrogen-powered utility truck.

Mmmmm...food on a stick.

Can you imagine that Jess had to actually ask for this hat at the Gedney pickle booth? You'd think they would know better and would just automatically hand them out to pregnant women like they do to little kids...


The Midway (as seen atop the ferris wheel).

See how nicely the pregnant one is obeying the "remain seated at all times" sign? That's right mothers, Pickle was safely inside the gondola the entire time.

...as was daddy-to-be.

One of Jess' favorite games is one where you use a rubber mallet to try and flip a rubber frog onto a moving lily pad...I have yet to win, but I can't resist trying every time we go to the fair.

Andy and the shooting game he always wins...except this year. This is generally where we get our random stuffed animals that Jess leaves the fair adorned with, but this year we managed to escape the Midway without any adornment, thanks in part to some kid on the end who beat Andy, and also to Jess's self-restraint in not playing any of the "everyone wins" games she usually plays to boost her win-ability-confidence (I have yet to win an actual prize, at a game where you aren't guaranteed a prize, at any fair I've attended in recent memory).