Photo By: SUSAN MACCARELLI of peckedtodeathbychickens.com
Yesterday I attended the Fauquier County Fair with my husband, two kids (2 and 4) and my parents. Having just moved back to the area after 20 years, we enjoyed the country atmosphere, field parking, and smell of funnel cakes in the air.
For my readers who are not familiar with Fauquier County, it is pronounced Faw-Kyeer and is NOT a curse word as long as it is pronounced correctly (although it teeters on the edge of appropriateness). You may think that being this close to the tech corridor of northern Virginia (about 30 miles away), we would have a very advanced and trendy county fair. If so, I missed that one and totally enjoyed the event I attended yesterday instead.
Short of running into Cooter from The Dukes of Hazard, or participating in anything along the lines of watermelon seed spitting, we immersed ourselves in all the things the fair had to offer, and I decided to share our fun with you in pictures.
1. Husband rides mechanical bull unprovoked and stays on for 22 seconds, barely missing the record that day (and a free t-shirt) by 1 second. After being physically rejected, my mother schools him on proper bull riding technique, and he strategizes on proper attire for next year, including pants with more friction.
Photo By: SUSAN MACCARELLI of peckedtodeathbychickens.com
2. My daughter rides her first ride, barely qualifying over the 36 inch mark at 4 years old. I personally avoid the height stick, due to hurtful comments of my own petite youth. Karma allows me to use my own height challenge to sneak in among the other parents for prime photo positioning at the creepy trains-with-faces ride. Unknown child in background also finds them creepy.
Photo By: SUSAN MACCARELLI of peckedtodeathbychickens.com
3. I purchase my first $5 Dixie cup full of cut carrots for animal food in a haze of confusion, brought on by the loud music blaring from the petting zoo tent, and the side eye of the unidentifiable goat/llama/sheep-hybrid with the perm. Yep, that’s a zebra in the background, because farm and zoo animals live together in harmony, contrary to what Melissa & Doug would have us believe with their playsets.
Photo By: SUSAN MACCARELLI of peckedtodeathbychickens.com
4. In related animal feeding news, a chiropractor is called in to evaluate the animal neck injuries caused by my kids holding handfuls of food just beyond the reach of the goat-llama and his sheep-horse friends.
Photo By: SUSAN MACCARELLI of peckedtodeathbychickens.com
5. We finally meet the source of Fred Flintstone’s hood ornament.
Photo By: SUSAN MACCARELLI of peckedtodeathbychickens.com
6. My daughter thinks nothing of riding the pony by herself but is not so sure about the pony man.
Photo By: SUSAN MACCARELLI of peckedtodeathbychickens.com
Photo By: SUSAN MACCARELLI of peckedtodeathbychickens.com
7. I have never been so proud of myself for bringing my own straws, as my kids have not mastered the art of drinking like a human from a water bottle yet. I make a note to myself to bring Clorox wipes next year, when I see them dig into their too big bottles for the straws that have dropped below the mouth opening, using hands fresh from feeding Licky the llama face.
Photo By: SUSAN MACCARELLI of peckedtodeathbychickens.com
8. I saw something that gave new meaning to the boy in the bubble. Apparently this is okay, but you’ll be arrested for leaving your kid in the car alone for 10 seconds on a cool day.
Photo By: SUSAN MACCARELLI of peckedtodeathbychickens.com
9. My son rides his first ride (barely passing the 32 inch height limit) and shows early signs of having inherited my motion sickness. I loudly say to the ride operator as we pass him (for the three thousandth time), “Don’t worry, it will be over soon. Don’t throw up!”. The ride stops immediately.
Photo By: SUSAN MACCARELLI of peckedtodeathbychickens.com
10. In a selfless effort not to pass on my own fear of heights and questionable traveling show rides to my brave and fearless four-year old who wanted to ride the ferris wheel, I did what any self-respecting parent would do. I sent Grampy up there with her.
Photo By: SUSAN MACCARELLI of peckedtodeathbychickens.com
11. We witness our first cattle show where we listen to explanations of side lengths and girths from the judge and awarded our own imaginary ribbons for the ‘spottiest’, ‘brownest’ and ‘best moo’.
Photo By: SUSAN MACCARELLI of peckedtodeathbychickens.com
12. My family creates their own kettle corn eating event, where each participant sucks down a bag the size of their own head in 3 minutes. And we have large heads.
Photo By: SUSAN MACCARELLI of peckedtodeathbychickens.com
13. My kids complete sand art projects at the sheriff’s tent. Apparently they both put on their half shirts just for this event.
Photo By: SUSAN MACCARELLI of peckedtodeathbychickens.com
14. After a long day at the carnival, I went to replenish my funds at the ATM and received this message:
Photo By: SUSAN MACCARELLI of peckedtodeathbychickens.com