Once Upon a County Fair. .

W-O-W. .

It has been beyond crazy at our house for the last 2 weeks. .

Everyone runs different directions. .

Tristan started working a REAL job with our carpenter friend. .

Jeremy and Grant are booked out in the shop for weeks to come. .

My work weeks have been off schedule on days. .which discombobulates me!!

We've had fundraisers for youth group. .

and preparation for the fair. .

Trips out of town for funerals and driver's licensing. .

There's been chicken-killins. .

and coon hunts. .

The inside of our house looks like a cyclone has hit. .

and the outside of our house finds garden beds full of things that are sick of the prolonged and excessive heat!

And we are READY. .

for a break!!

Here's a mishmash of photos from the last week at the fair!

Tristan started a gun cabinet for his grandparents in wood class. He was able to finish it up the week before the fair! He has been pretty scarce around the last few weeks. .so I don't have any pictures since his birthday. .he actually took my camera in and photographed his cabinet himself! He received a red ribbon on this  piece. He entered some sticky buns, which earned rave reviews and a chance to take them to the state fair in September. He also entered several photos, one of which also gets a trip to the state fair!

Grant and I had to spend some time in our hot and weedy garden getting some of the crops harvested. We dug all the potatoes out. .Norland reds and Yukon golds. For the second year running, the reds have totally outproduced the golds. We also pulled all the carrots. .

which we are still enjoying!!

He got Reserve Champion on his plate of 5 Cosmic Purple carrots.They are really cool looking carrots!

Grant also will take a photo to the State Fair and will remake his Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze to be judged at the State level too. I loved how the tiny loaves turned out in this pan that my MIL gave me for Christmas!

Devin got a blue ribbon on his little rocket that I posted about last week. .He gets to take a photo to the State fair. .

in addition to his GRAND Champion Mocha Walnut Brownies!! That earned him an opportunity to sell them at the livestock premium auction Saturday  night!! He was all smiles as his brownies netted him about $200!!

Cami took her first attempt at the Farm Bureau Tractor Pull. .

Our tough little boys almost always took home a prize. .

Cami has girl muscles. .and barely got the tractor to move 10 feet!!

She also took some flowers to be judged. .and got a blue ribbon on a Denver Daisy, a blue on a pink Cosmo, a blue on a small mixed floral arrangement that she helped fix, and a red on some tiny spider zinnias that she insisted on taking! Overall, she was ONE excited little girl with all those ribbons!

The youth group took on 4 activities at our small fair-based carnival. .

Cotton candy. .

Which was a hit. .I wondered how long it took Lona to get it all out of her hair and off her body!

A dunk tank. .

which, I must admit. .felt pretty good with the heat. .

at least for the first 20 minutes, right before my fingers lost all feeling.

My mister ALSO took his turn. .

and seemingly, enjoyed the experience!

They also ran a jumbo inflated slide. .and an inflated bouncy house! Which is where Cami spent the majority of the evening! One of the perks of being a youth group sponsor is that, when my daughter runs out of money. .they just let her play for free!!

She has the end of a cotton candy cone in one hand and a root beer float in her other hand. .that, on top of a hot dog, a previously eaten cotton candy, and an icee slush!

She has an Iron Gut!!

Tristan won $100 at the carnival from a drawing that his mother lovingly signed him up for. .

But, instead of going halves with her. .

 he bought her a concession stand hot dog. .

Fair deal?? I think NOT!!

I was surprised by the "surprise" lilies I found blooming this weekend!! They are a little early!

After all that. .

we were glad to have the fair and all it's excitement and stress under our belt for 2012!!

Hard to believe that school starts THREE weeks from today. .

Where has the summer gone?

Hope you enjoy your week. .and thanks for stopping by!