That's Fair.

This past Saturday we took the hooligans to the fair. Contrary to what you might think, they weren't on display in the prize-winning animal section, even though they could pass for bear cubs. We have taken them the last several years, and the older they get the more fun we have taking them. The littlest Barron missed out on the fair fun, but next year she can be a prize-winning animal too.

We went with the unlimited ride bands this year...which was the first time we did that. Definitely the way to go. (Especially when you have three hooligans and a husband wanting to ride everything in the fair.) It was well worth it to watch them having a blast. I was impressed with how brave they were this year. Merrick in the past has been a little scared of rides, (he takes after his mother before him, who won't set a toenail on a roller coaster) but this year he rode several roller coasters and random machines designed to make you dizzy and sick, or make your mama have a little panic attack when you spin and rattle off into the sunset. He even held a good sized baby alligator at an alligator wrestling show. His only comment was, "that alligator was heavier than I thought it would be".

Tirzah is kind of the opposite of her mother...she spent a good few minutes sobbing hysterically when she was too short to ride The Fireball. I didn't even like looking at the fireball, much less want to cry if they told me I couldn't ride it. (It's one of those deals that goes up on side of a circular track only to come back down, over and over until you finally go completely upside down and come down the other side.) She also cried because she couldn't ride The Viper. (Sidenote: Who names these things? Certainly not a mother.)

Jericho was still a little scared of some of the rides, but he rode most of the same ones the older two did like a trooper. He loves the flying elephants and the merry go round. He also loved his new slingshot, which he seems to have misunderstood the operating instructions of, since he hurled the whole thing at his sister's head shortly after we bought it. We also were reminded of his cotton candy phobia. He didn't even want the bag sitting in the stroller with him, and punched Tirzah when she tried to give him some. (The fair brings out his violent side, obviously.)

All things considered (height problems and terrifying candy corn aside) we had an awesome day. It was good to spend some time with just the older three...since this has been the summer of Miss Fancy Pants. I've missed hanging out with these guys. Merrick wanted to know if we could go back to the fair next Saturday...which I think was a pretty good sign that it was a good day. :)