iowa state fair

I figured I better get around to blogging about the fair, since it's been over for a week now!  I am trying to stay caught up on updates because I know once school gets going and I head back to work, things will become crazier than they already are around here!  We are still adjusting to daddy going back to work and Andrew starting preschool.  One thing at a time!  Thanking God we didn't have to do everything at once.

Anyway, we went to the famous Iowa State Fair on the last day.  I am not a big "fair" person (neither is Craig) so I think we had decided not to go this year (and I was fine with that!)  But at the last minute our friends offered us a free ticket and parking pass, and tickets were half price!  So, for $5, off to the fair we went!  And we are glad we went.  We had a great time!

At the fair, you see a lot of this...

And funny stuff like this...  It is always interesting, and there is always something that makes you giggle!

We first visited the petting zoo.  It was quite funny because they sold these tiny dixie cups of food to feed the animals for $1.00.  Every kid had one, and the animals weren't the least bit interested!  I think they must have been full after two weeks of being stuffed with it!  Ha!

Andrew was fascinated with this porcupine.  He loved the movie Zookeeper and all he could think about was the part when the porcupine in the movie sticks his quill into the zookeepers neck.

His reinactment:

He was very concerned.  Ha!

He tried to feed the camel.  I told him opening his hand would have helped!  Ha!

He liked the camel so much he insisted on riding one!

He loved it.  I can't believe my little man is big enough to do this by himself!

They had a really neat exhibit about fire safety.  They taught the kids how to dial 911 in an emergency...

and they had this cool dalmation that actually talked to the kids in response to what they said!  Andrew thought it was the coolest thing ever.  He kept going back and talking to it!  He'd run over and say "hi!" and the dog would say "Hi Andrew!"  He just grinned from ear to ear.  I think he wanted to take it home!  Ha!

They had a role play of "stop drop and roll"...

And the kids got to dress up like a fireman!  So adorable!  I think the coat was a little heavy!  Ha!

Love this pic of Andrew driving a fire truck!  He looks so into it! 

The Iowa State Fair ribbons...(that's Landon and mom Emily and me and Andrew)

But that was nothing compared to when these REAL ribbons walked out!  Andrew just went nuts!  He loved them!

And he loved on his sister a little too!

Yes she came along, and she mostly did this the whole time (sleep!)  She is pretty good when we are out and about.  But when she's ready to eat... look out!  It was a really beautiful day too, not too hot, so it was fine for her to be out and I think she enjoyed being outside.

Clifford!

They had an Iowa Public TV exhibit where the kids met Clifford.  I got Kerigan out because she was smiling but she wouldn't look at the camera!  And these cookies??  Yeah, let's just say I'm sad that I bought the whole bucket full and they were gone in about a day!  The best cookies EVER.  And they stacked them so they overflowed!  You had to eat all the ones off the top just to get the lid on it!  So.stinkin.good.

The famous butter cow.  What can I say?  It's Iowa, people!

Andrew and Landon loved the bumper boats.  Andrew took to it like a natural, it was just like driving Ga Ga's boat only it was just his size!  He could have done this all day.

A few more rides...

A run through a tunnel (they did this about a hundred times!)

And played on a train!  How much more fun can it get?

This exhibit was so neat!  The kids got to pretend they were farmers and collect vegetables, milk a cow (not for real), drive a pedal tractor, and shear a sheep!  They got to trade in all their items at the end for a "dollar" to buy something at the general store.  Andrew bought Cheetos.  Nice.

Whenever we go to the fair I feel like we all need to shower in bleach when we get home!  I didn't even want Andrew stepping in the house as dirty as he was, so I let him run through the sprinklers!  He thought that was pretty fun (and he didn't even know it was my trick to get him rinsed off before his bath!)

Of course the little miss needed a bath too...

The fair for me always marks sort of an end to summer and beginning of the school year.  I always have mixed feelings because I am usually not ready for summer to end (let's face it, I'm NEVER ready!)  But this year, I admit I am actually looking forward to it!  Being home this fall with my girl, dressing up my kids for Halloween, baking pumpkin bread and decorating the house!  Oooh, I just can't wait!  My favorite time of the year!  I am savoring every single second of my time off.  It's going to go way too fast.

back to school

Andrew started preschool last week.  His last year.  I tried to document the day- because we made it special!  

These little cuddle bugs snuggled with me in our bed.  This is no different than any other morning.  Kerigan ends up in our bed after her 6am feeding, and Andrew usually wakes up around 7:30 and comes right in.  He loves putting his arms around her.  Sometimes we all fall back asleep.  It is just my absolute favorite thing about not working.  It makes me never want to go back!!  It just doesn't get any better than this!

When Andrew came downstairs he got a special surprise at breakfast!  He had seen this and begged for it.  He loves little figures like this to play with.  It is probably his favorite thing, besides trains and cars!  He plays with all his animals and dinosaurs with it.  He'll set them up along the track (or on the track!) and have the train crash into them!  Ha!  I think he thanked me a dozen times for this toy.  He kept saying "thanks mom for my lion king toy!"  Even several days later, he still thanks me when he plays with it.

I was going to make him a special breakfast but he wanted muffins (the usual) and Cars cereal!  Ha!

We've been reading some back to school favorites!  David Goes to School is such a funny book.  David is naughty and is always getting in trouble at school.  Andrew can read every page (because he's heard it a million times!) and he just giggles every time at the trouble David gets in!  Let's just hope he doesn't get any ideas!  Ha!

Of course we had to go out to the front step!  The sun was shining right in his eyes so he kept squinting!

So we moved over and turned a different direction!  That helped a little!

Couldn't forget a picture of the backpack!  I love how it takes up his whole back!  Ha!  Better not get it too full or he'll fall over!

In front of the school sign (can you tell I'm loving that he'll actually pose for pictures now and say "cheese!" Oh how I longed for that day!  Ha!)

All ready to go!

He looks like big stuff, walking proudly into his school.  I love it!

I made him stop and pose again!

He found his name on the wall!

And he found his best buddy Nicholas!  They were sooooo adorable when they saw each other!  Ran right to each other and grabbed hands.  I could cry it was so sweet!

They had to find their name and write it.  He is still working on this, but getting better!

I love his little hand writing so carefully...

It'll be neat to see what it looks like at the end of the year!

He got to have a school bus snack on the "special" plate when he got home!

(Graham crackers, cream cheese frosting with yellow food coloring, chex for the windows and mini oreos for the wheels.)

Normally when I'm working, the school  bus comes to his day care to pick him up and drop him off.  Since I'm home on maternity leave now, it actually comes right to our house (which Andrew just thought was the coolest thing ever).  I took him and picked him up the first few days, but he rode for the first time on Friday and he loved every second.  It is so nice for me because I don't have to load Kerigan up and drag her out twice in a two hour time period (one of which always seems to fall during her feeding time).  This is so much more convenient!

And here's a picture of him not looking like he has to go potty!  Ha!  I promise in the pic above I had him go before he left!  I just wanted to post the pic because it shows the whole bus and I didn't notice his hand position as I was taking it (mainly because I was in a hurry, still in my pj's and feeling frazzled because the driver was waiting for my photo shoot to end!  Ha!)

Here's to a great year my big boy!  You are growing so fast and learning so many new and exciting things every day!  Mommy and daddy are so proud of the little boy you are!  We love you!