The Great New York State Fair -- 2008!

It's always a tradition each year, to go to the the Great New York State Fair.....since we only live 30 minutes from Syracuse where it is held.

The girls probably went 4 times, while I go once. Plus I'm not much of a ride & midway person with all the obnoxious game workers......I enjoy going through all the buildings, seeing the animals, shows & music, eating the "unhealthy" foods and even having a few wine slushies.

It runs the last 2 weeks in August, which pretty much means the summer is over and school is just around the corner. I thought I would share some of the things we saw and did..... My beautiful daughters squatting in front of some black eyed susans in the horticulture building courtyard....yes, they were really not happy about me ordering them over there to take a picture...."MOM! How embarssing! QUick take the picture!"..they whined!

In the Dairy building the Rainbow Milk Bar is a MUST! Large glasses of milk for only a quarter....and it's healthy!

And the Butter sculpture....this year's theme...the cow jumped over the moon

In the Bunny Rabbit building....these are the cutest bunnies we saw :)

There was a really cool haunted house this year....with a moveable alien monster and people all dressed up bloody and ugly ....FUN! This little scary man chased my daughter around the street....now THAT was funny :)

Inside the Art & Home building there were special displays just dedicated to the Circus but all made in miniature model ... that was really cool, you know me and circus theme!!

Inside the Center of Progress building, me and the girls found this really wonderful booth that was custom fitted toe rings....yes, all three of us got a toe ring and we love them, in fact, 1 daughter went back to get another! Here is the link to their website in case you want to get one.. http://www.toeringtime.com/. You can tell them that the Mom from the NYS fair that was taking all sorts of pictures of her daughters getting their first toe ring....sent you...haha she will know who we are! These gals were so darn nice and super friendly too! I met a customer who has had her toe ring on for 25 years...WOW! And, no they don't hurt and won't come off.

Had to see the awesome Sand Sculpture in the Horticulture Building. They work on it all during the fair...it was still not completed when we were there.The girls trying on cowboy hats....

A bird wildlife display....way cool ....love these barn owls and bald eagle! And they are REAL!

There was a monkey jockey-dog derby ...new this year... I wasn't too happy about this. The concept is fun but I felt kinda sick seeing the monkey's arms chained to the dog harness. The monkeys were screaming and pulling on the chains....NOT COOL...NOT FUNNY! But the crowds of people were loving it and thought the monkeys were "performing"....I saw something else :(

Can't forget about the Master of The Chainsaw guy! There was a sea lion show too....how adorable!
Sheep shearing.....
Saw an awesome show with Ted Nugent....my girls had no clue who he was ...ha! But thought he was pretty cool because at the end of his show he shot an arrow through his guitar....see the picture below....the white guitar hanging on the speaker...him pulling back on the bow...

The Midway and Rides.......

And of course, The Footsie Wootsie..... a must after a long day walking at the fair.....


More beautiful toes!
And there you have it....I tried to get the sign in the picture....The Great New York State Fair....

A Little Weekend Down Time

It was a weekend to spend time with my boys, my dad & mom, my daughter (the other was in Niagara Falls playing softball) and myself for some stawberry picking :) ----

Note: this has got to be my biggest post yet.....lots of photos...lots to share......so stay with me here ;)

Here are the boys.....Jack (aka. Jackster)....Garret (aka Gare-Bare)...Cody(aka Cody Boy)


What a weekend! The weather was perfect (a bit hot, but all sunshine on sunday).... thought I would share a bit of 'the boys' with you. Here they are having Sunday Breakfast on my backyard lawn......I don't have any green grass pasture for them to graze in so every chance I get, I'll just let them out to graze in the yard.

Here is Baby Jack

Here is Mr. Cody Boy

Actually caught Garret itching his face with his hoof! Too Funny! They sure do have flexibility but try to ask them when you are in the riding ring....argh....they are like, riiiiight you want me to do what?? :)

And finally Mr. Garret..... by the way, he is the king of the little herd. He was not happy when I chose to ride baby Jack for the trail ride today.....all that frantic pacing and very loud whinneys while me & my daughter left the barn .... but after he saw that he would have had to actually workout a bit....well, needless to say he calmed right down and I think he actually was laughing at the other boys...probably something like "na na na na na, I don't have to work today :) "

Love how these 2 pictures came out of Garret!

The 3 musketeers ...

Brought my camera along on the trail ride to see if I would be able to get some pictures...but because there were soooooo many deer flies attacking us and the horses ....they were totally frustrated and too jumpy to get much of any pictures. Perhaps next time when the flies are not so bad.

Here is my oldest daughter, Kaylee... she tried to run away when I was trying to take a picture of her while sitting on my horse... I'll get her next time ..hehe.. My view from the top of my horse, Jack.....he was not in the mood for my picture taking....but the trailride was nice anyhow....

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I even did a little stawberry picking at our local farm....YUMMY!

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Went to my Mom & Dad's house on Sunday.....you know, cuz it was Father's Day. I had to go and give my Daddy-O some fresh picked strawberries :) --- it was an enjoyable time just sitting around with them going through some old photographs and vintage jewelry........of course, they gave me gobs of information about each piece of jewerly and every photo......I tried to talk them into jotting down those little short stories and tidbits into a journal ...well, you can guess the look I got about that.....perhaps I will just show up someday with an old tape recorder and just revisit all those old photos and jewelry with them again.....and then I will have all those treasured stories to pass along to the next generation :) Happy Father's Day Dad!

Here is my baby dad and my grandfather

What a handsome little chap he was back in the day....

My Dad....a little James Deanish don't you think?

My Dad.....I think he looks alot like Conan O'Brien here....don't you? :)

And of course, my beautiful Mom......dig those sunglasses Mom :0

My Mom & Dad...ooooh la la....and the best is yet to come Mom & Dad! Love ya always...your brat, wendy

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And lastly......WAAAAA HOOOO... My daughter's team were CHAMPIONS at the tournament in Niagara Falls this weekend!!!!! OMG...they were undefeated....they had to play 7 games and in order to win and they took all of the games ......... walked away with this giant almost 5 foot tall trophy!!! Nice job girls....I'm soooo proud of you.

My daughter...is standing in the middle right behind the giant trophy :)

and here she is getting her trophy from the head coach :)