State Fair

The day started cool and crisp. The sun was shining brightly and promised to heat up the day along with the people who dared to face it head on. A couple of hours of school was a small price to pay for the spoils that await. The excitement for what to come was thick, you could almost taste it. Much like the smells that waft through the air. Simply tilt your head back, take a deep breath and you could get a preview of the cotton candy, sausage dogs, corn-on-the-cob and fried dough. This is one place where short legs will not serve you well. The longer the stride the faster you could cover ground. Make haste people, there is food to eat, games to play and rides to risk our lives upon.
Lala was only too happy to test the handy work of the three teeth carnies. As the lap bar slaps down and the dingy man smiles while telling the children, "don't get sick now" a mother can only watch and pray the bolts hold long enough for the children to garner the thrill they seek while we wait helplessly on the ground and beg God himself to hurry and let the ride conclude. With each twirl of the Ferris Wheel or rotation of the Gravitron I hope and pray we have run out of ride tickets or the children will lose interest. No such luck. Their feet hit the traction formed metal platform and they scream the name of yet another ride that will certainly bring them closer to the elusive thrill seeker's "high" they so desperately chase. Ashton seemed to have finally caught a glimpse of the angst I felt as he explained the "black ride" was a bad ride and he did not need to do anything other than games for the remainder of the evening.
As daylight reluctantly gave way to the twinkle of the evening lights the midway seemed to come alive all over again. A new life was breathed into it. A wilder, somehow more captivating spirit seemed to take over. The people seemed to have a renewed sense of energy, a lust for the games and rides that had been lagging during the past hour. Even the slumbering babies in their strollers seemed to raise their foggy heads and peer through bleary eyes to see what had changed. The music seemed to get louder and the rides seemed more fierce as the night progressed. I could only sigh relief as the last ticket was spent and the patter of feet trod off the final ride.
We made our way to the car but only after 2 or 3 stops, OK 4 or 5 stops at local food vendors. One last bag of cotton candy or gourmet candy apple before we find our car.
The ride home seemed a bit quieter than the one on the way to the fair. But, we could still smell the lingering smells of the food and fun as the children's heads bobbed in their seats. Try as they may it was just too difficult to fight sleep as it hammered them firmly into their seats.

The thrill was not enough to stop her.

A picture that Ashton snapped

Who knew Santa worked at the NC State Fair during his off season?

LaLa's favorite game: Angry Birds

Another year, a fist of dollars spent and a day full of memories with Olea, Adam, Lavendar and the 10,000 other people who considered themselves our best friends for one day. See you next year State Fair.