"Our State Fair is a great State Fair"

"Don't miss it, don't even be late!"

Does anyone know that song AND what amazing, classic movie it's from? State Fair, of course! I love that movie!

We went to the Texas State Fair yesterday! A first time for all of us! We had a blast and I took so many pictures, so be prepared for a long one ;)

Emma all ready to go!

 Clinton had to try out the pitching contest!

Made the leader board!

Em was our navigator!

All excited for her first ride!

 

Then we had to try out the fried food!

He tried this year's winner, fried jambalaya. He was disappointed.

I tried the chicken fried bacon. It was pretty darn good!

Me and my girl!

We wondered around and found a cute little puppet show, farm animals, and lots of exhibits. Emma's favorite was the Little Hands Farm, where she had do farm chores. I thought it was super cute, so I took a lot of pictures!

Picking peaches.

Feeding the chickens and gathering eggs.

Planting vegetable seeds.

She got to choose one vegetable.

She chose a carrot.

Driving her tractor.

Feeding the pigs.

Taking her items to the market!

They "paid" her with a "dollar", which she got to spend in the store for a snack. She passed all the healthy stuff and picked Cheetos. Of course.

Then we headed back to the Midway for more fun!

World's Largest Grill- look at all those turkey legs! Yum!

She had that perma-grin!

Love her facial expressions on this ride!

Games!

Hugging her Minnie Mouse prize! She won the ball, too!

A little break for playing! (and funnel cake! Ha!)

This was our cue to go...

 But first, Clinton had to check the leader board...

He's still on there, but he had to try to better!

Men! Ha!

Paula, behavior charts, Baby Bella, and a change of plans!

So I left y'all hanging all week about seeing Paula Deen! Sorry about that!

Clinton took me to the Dallas Metro Cooking Expo for my birthday, and it was really great. We sampled so much food and were so ful by the time to see Paula!

Me with Martie Duncan from Next Food Network Star... I'm cheesing like an idiot!

At this point, I am mentally killing myself because I left my camera in the car! The lighting killed my phone camera!

Clinton snuck to the front and got a picture for me! 

I cried with Paula came out, y'all. I know. I know. Silly. I don't know what came over me!! Paula cooked chicken and dumplins and was so funny! Michael, too! Seriously, I cried AGAIN from laughing! You could tell she was just up there talking and being herself, nothing scripted. It was great! I definitely want to go again!

But let me tell you, my great day was RUINED when I picked up Emma from my mom's that night. She threw the craziest, awful, brattiest fit I've ever seen. Clinton and I thought she might be possessed. It is way past time to get her behavior under control. Lately, we've been threatening her birthday party. And I knew it was going to lose its punch if I had to say it 500 times a day. I decided on using a behavior chart. I looked at printable ones, but those didn't really work for what I wanted. So I made one myself using Excel (the accountant in me LOVES Excel!), and a lot of Pinterest inspiration! I had Em pick out the colors and pictures, and she got really excited about using it!

The color codes (I put it on blue to demonstrate!)

The chart

I have got to come up with a better display! Ignore my hodgepodge magnets! Ha!

How it works- Emma's clothespin starts on pink in the morning. Depending on Em's behavior, the clothespin moves colors. Purple is really good and black is really bad (fit throwing!)! If she gets 10 purple days, she will get to pick a treat. If she gets 10 black days, her birthday party will be cancelled!  Note- her behavior will still be punished (and praised!) throughout the day, this is merely a method of reinforcing that actions have consequences (and rewards)!

And its working so far! No picture, but we have three purples in a row, people! Big deal around here!

 My friend, Regan, had her baby last night! I am so excited and happy for them! She was not happy about me blinding her with my flash! Cute little thing!

Isabella Margaret Anders

Emma is mad that she can't go see her yet, but said "Oh, I love Baby Bella!" when I showed her this picture! 

Our plans were to leave tonight and head to Baton Rouge to take Emma to her first LSU game on Saturday! I, even, had the cutest shoes made for her to wear!

 But the weather had other plans... (don't worry, I'm sure Clinton will figure out a different game to take her to, ha!)

So we are going to go to the Texas State Fair tomorrow instead! We are super excited! AND my camera is charging as we speak! Can't wait!

Red River County Fair

Even though it was 95 degrees today, the county fair always makes it feel like Fall to me! We took Emma to the fair last night! She was super excited!

Waiting in line

I'm not sure the correct name for this ride... u-boat? Anyway, she liked shooting the gun!

Go-Gator roller coaster! Fearless little thing!

Look at that happy face!

Big slide!

 When she got of the slide, she said "that made me nervous!" But did she like it, "YES!"

We took a break to eat some yummy food! I don't know about other county fairs, but ours has local schools and churches set up their own concession stands as fundraisers. Let me tell you this results in some ah-mazing food! 

Look at this massive turkey leg! It was SO good!

Then Emma was fired up to get back to the rides and games! 

Just FYI- Clinton took the fishing game pics, because I was stuffing my face with funnel cake. Just thought you should know that.

Love how happy she looks here!

I did it!

She kept telling us, "I won TWO games!" I didn't take any pictures of the Angry Birds game that she won, but she told me later that "it freaked me out". Wonder where she learned that? ;)

Super excited about riding the ferris wheel! Said she was nervous about this one, too. But still wanted to ride!

Can you see the terror in my face? No? Well, its there... hidden.

You just can't beat a small county fair.! Well, I say that as I've never been to a state fair and have only went to one other county fair. Ha! We did have a blast, though!