Four-tunate Mom: #1 Buch Co Fair ~ Building entries & Jr Fun Day goat show

Monday, July 6, 2015

It's fair week! And I had no idea what to expect, and was so. nervous. (me, not the kids ;)

Up until this point, I have chosen not to participate in the fair with the kids. We've went for one day, usually on Friday to make veggie people and flower arrangements with Grammy that the garden club sponsors, we've helped in the pork producers booth, I used to announce the sheep show when I was FFA advisor... but no junior fun day showing animals, no pie baking, kiddie pulls, etc, etc. So jumping in this year, not only participating, but camping there, was new, exciting and a little overwhelming :)

We were lucky enough to get a camping spot for the week, which I was ecstatic about 1. so we didn't have to make so many trips, and 2. b/c Chris was going to be working (and gone to Omaha) that week, and 3. that's what I remember doing and loving, so I wanted that experience for my kids as well. And as you will see from these next 4 entries, we had a great time, we were all sad when fair week was over, and we will most definitely be doing it again (fingers crossed with more animals!)

But here we are on Monday, which I also had no idea what to expect... these are comparable to 'blue building' entries from the Butler County fair :) They are now called 'static' entries. Lauren entered her ceramic painted turtle, she made with Grammy for her birthday...

Talking to the judge explaining why she did what she did...

Photographs... fun, but a little stressful. I think we'll concentrate on pictures year round this year instead of the 3-weeks prior to fair ;)

Lindsay entered as a clover kid, she had 3 pictures as well

Sweet Lu-Lu!

And they each made a bucket of flowers! Such a cool idea... it reminded me of when the Wayne Wranglers decorated our part of the barn with empty milk jugs, I think b/c the theme was 'recycle' that year :) I remember it being your idea, Mimi :)... and I loved it. I thought they were so pretty, and we hung them up with twine.... but, I digress ;)

We picked up the donated 5-gallon buckets up from the extension office, the girls picked out spray paint, the flowers to match their theme, Chris drilled the holes in the bottom, we filled them up with plastic bottles and dirt, and viola!

It was kind of mass chaos... but you can see all the cool entries :)

Lindsay's bucket of flowers

And then it was Tuesday! THE day... we were totally the newbies :) it said on the paper, weigh in from 5 - 7pm. So we were going to get there at 5 (I think Chris even tried to say we could get there later), Chris worked all day... we didn't take our tack in on Monday (which I was told is what people do), and we are on our way, and learn that weigh in STARTS at 5:00 (I got a phone call, "are you coming"??), and they start with the pig barn first, so you have to get there earlier... note for next year! And actually it worked out perfectly, b/c Chris got them off the trailer, and they immediately got weighed.

And then all of a sudden, this wave of emotion hit me, as I stared at the card above her pig pen that said, Lauren Beyer ~ Buffalo Bells 4H club... b/c she is old enough to be in 4H. I still, for the life of me, do not understand how it happens. I mean, I do of course... and it's awesome, and amazing, and fun. And every parent goes through this...just one more milestone :)

I adore this picture, for so many reasons. This is special, friend Keeley Kehrli (who's been in many pics on this blog) Birthday parties, soccer, softball, school and now 4H. They are a very special family, Keeley is their baby of 6 kids, and they have been at the fair for TWENTY years... and have always been very successful showing. And Keeley continued carrying on the tradition (as you will see in a few more posts). I'm just glad Lauren (and Lindsay) have a great friend in the same club who is also showing animals. And I'm glad to have her mom, Kathy, for me! I called and text almost every day with questions... Every mom that I contacted was super helpful, and thrilled that we are a new family starting to show at the fair. And maybe that was also part of my emotion... that this part of our journey is starting... we will now be at the fair for the next 16 years?? (or close to that) and I'm positive that LeaAnn is up for the challenge... she's the lucky one who gets to experience 16-years! ;))

So onto Wednesday... We did spend the night Tuesday night, without Chris (!). Kids were running, adults were having fun... I couldn't keep track of them all ;) It was great fun... we all laid down in the camper I think at 10:45pm?!? But we made it... the sheep & goat shows were on Wednesday, Jr Fun day for sheep & goats, and hog wrestling!

Since we did have our own goats this year (I'm not giving up for next year ;) Lindsay, Lydia & LeaAnn were lucky enough to be able to borrow some from the sweetest family, the Hanaway's, to show for Jr Fun Day. And of course to make things a little more interesting, hog wrestling was scheduled at the same time, and Lauren was signed up with Keeley, Noah Walhart & Sam Cook. Lindsay really wanted to have a team, I just didn't know if we were going to be able to fit it all in... little did I know, it would all work out perfectly :) b/c Jody and the kids made a surprise appearance!

But first, the Goat & Sheep Jr Fun Day pictures!

They were all over the moon getting to lead and show these goats...

With friend and day-care buddy Keira Wilgenbusch

The judge Donnie Mangrich giving instructions to all exhibitors before the show

Lindsay showing

Lindsay did awesome! I was so impressed for never even have watched a goat show before... she listened to Avery's instructions and did a great job!

Kris Wilgenbusch asked me to take some pics to give to her for the paper, b/c she was at the hog wrestling, and this one made the paper :)

Lydia & LeaAnn were both in heaven :) On one of these videos you hear me saying to Audrey Hanaway, Avery's mom, how thankful we were and how they made these girls' day. The rest of the week the girls would say, "can we go see my goats? Mom, we're going to the goat barn to check on our goats!" :)

McKenna Wilgenbusch (in Lindsay's class) won her class for the big kids sheep

And then the little girls went ...

Adorable :)

I think this is the video where Donnie says, "this is so hard... who in hear has a really big dad?" And LeaAnn raised her hand and said, "I do!" Donnie drives a truck for B&B where Chris used to work, but come to find out, he thought my girls were Tracy Curtis' girls, b/c not only do we look alike, our kids do too, and her husband is also named Chris and really big! :D

And LeaAnn walked away with Reserve Grand Champion :)

And not b/c Lydia didn't do a fabulous job too :) Donnie said, he really couldn't decide, but b/c LeaAnn did move her goat back in line when he moved out, he had to give it to LeaAnn :) You can see that in one of the videos above.