Our trip to the Iowa State Fair

We were at the State Fair bright and early on opening day because we could get in free with a donation of two canned goods per person. Can't pass up a deal like that, right? Van and Bonnie from WHO were broadcasting live from the grandstand, and their guest was Iowa's Golden Girl, Shawn Johnson. We were pretty high up, so Glen sent Britta down with the camera to take some pictures.

We headed to the animal barns next. Glen wanted to see the Big Boar and Big Bull, but since it was very early on opening day, they hadn't done the judging yet. Sammy and Tate got close to some sheep in the Sheep Barn.
The girls will no longer pose very willingly for pictures like this anymore, so here are the boys in the Swine Barn. I thought it was funny watching the exhibitors who were moving their pigs from place to place--some of the pigs were running down the aisles, and the kids would be running after them. :)
Britta and I went back to the truck to get her costume and then over to the stage area for her to change. Glen, Sammy, and the boys went to the law building where the boys got to sit in a fire truck. It was quite the task getting Britta's costume on backstage. It was a HOT day, and just getting hose on her without ripping it was an accomplishment. Plus, I was trying to keep the curtain over the doorway from blowing open. But, she was ready to check in at 11, and Bill Riley told all the kids they were already winners and explained how things would work. I waited backstage with her for a while until she started talking to some of the other kids. I asked if she would be OK if I left, and she told me, "I've been waiting for you to go." OK then! Glen had saved a place right in front of the stage, and it seemed like it took forever for the show to start, but finally, it did. Britta had drawn the number 13 for the show order, but two kids didn't show up so she was 11th. I thought all of the kids did a great job. There were a lot of dancers.

No, she did not mean to wear her crocs onstage--they were so she didn't get a run in her hose since she didn't plan to wear shoes at all. She said she realized about halfway through the song that she had them on, and she hit the high note at the end to make up for it. We were amazed; she'd never even practiced singing that note that I know of. Her voice teacher was shocked as well. We were so proud of her performance, but she did not move on to the semifinals. She may have been at a disadvantage beause of the four judges, two were dance judges, and two were instrumental music teachers--who may not have been able to fully appreciate her performance. But God knows--she had a good attitude and is already thinking of what she wants to work on for next year, hoping she makes it back to the State Fair again.
We ate lunch (nothing on a stick this time) and then went through the Variable Arts building because it was air-conditioned before heading anywhere else. We did get to see the Big Boar, Big Bull, and the butter cow. Here are my kids and my niece Chelsea in front of the Ag Building.
Near the end of the day, the boys played in the fountain while we watched from a bench. They thought it was really cool to play in the rainbow. Every time I tried to take a picture of them, they were wiping their eyes. :)We ate a picnic lunch back at the truck around 8:00. We were all wiped out after the long day, so it was a quiet drive home.