2008 State Fair with the Stephenses

We LOVE the State Fair! At the end of the summer when we are a little sad cause its over, we cheer ourselves up with the thought that the fair is right around the corner. We did miss going with our fair buddies this year (Nick, Meredith and Reese Floyd) our schedules didn't line up. So we flew solo - it was not the same. We missed you Floyds!


Off with a bang. Jarrett couldnt have been more excited to be there. He dragged Riley around in her monkey backpack/kid leash. The best invention ever when bringing toddlers to the fair.


It's hard to tell in this pic. But Riley is watching Big Tex speak. Big Tex is a big deal in our house. Last year after the fair, Riley's sillyness started coming thru when she would repeat anything she heard him say and imitate his voice for all other sentences for days at a time. She loved Big Tex. But this year, we learned lots of things she liked last year, not so much this year. Jarrett is talking to a friend of ours who happens to be a police officer patrolling the fair. You can see the markings of his uniform behind Jarrett's back. Didn't want you to think we were in trouble with the law!



Here is our family fair pic (Riley refused to stand at the base of Big Tex for a picture). Jarrett is getting really good at the one arm picture taker for our family. We are awaiting Riley's favorite event - the dog show. She goes nuts for this show. This is the one thing she liked last year and this year. We took her thru the petting zoo before this picture thinking it would be super fun and we would take lots of fun pictures. Think again. I have never seen someone run so fast thru the petting zoo. No pictures were taken. Not even with the mama pig and her babies - Riley, were you really afraid of the mama pig or just acting like a 3 year old? The latter.


Riley and daddy watching the dogs run off the deck into the water - her favorite event!



This was Riley's favorite "ride" at the fair. She had the best view.


This was Mommy's view for the majority of the day.


Here is something sad I noticed about the Midway. No, not the attire of the younger generations hanging out there. If you grew up in Dallas and have gone to the fair almost every year of your existance, like myself, you will remember this. There is one ride called the "Magnum" named after Magnum P.I.. I don't know what the ride is, but I know where it is because it is near where the fried oreos are sold. Picture the Magnum ride. Remember the spray painted mural as the backdrop, where a young Tom Selleck has a big blue (Dodgers or Detroit tigers - I can't tell the difference) baseball hat sitting atop his very, very puffy hair....jog your memory. Can you see it now? IT'S GONE!!! They kept the name, but repainted the backdrop to some terrible, terrible "lady pictures". I was so upset. You know that picture has been the backdrop for at least 30 years. Not to show my age. I was soooo upset. Jarrett just thought it was the sugar high wearing off, but I am truly sad Tom is gone. Is this something we can write to someone about. Who will start the petition to bring Tom back?


Riley was tall enough to go on the kids rides, but she wasn't interested in any of them except "The Monkey Maze". So she and Daddy went together. Here they are walking thru the "glass maze". I couldn't hear a thing, but every once in a while Jarrett would have to stop and dry her tears because she would literally run full speed ahead into a glass panel. It was hard not to giggle at - in love of course. Thank goodness she had her monkey hat on to protect her snout!


Waving from the top deck!


We made it! And when we couldnt go thru again because mommy and daddy wouldnt go buy 12 more tickets, the meltdown started. It was 1:15ish and we knew she was wearing down from our 2+ hours of walking and eating. But it was crying and some kicking (specifically when we did not purchase the Dora balloon that we walked by). So no cotton candy for the road.




Not even 10 minutes after we buckled her in. She was out, snoring, drooling and all. Now that's the sign of a good day at the fair.