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Bower Power

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Fair Play

PERSONAL

 I love fairs.  Something about the airy odor of funnel cakes, massive numbers of people and meats on sticks gets me going like a puppy in a dirty underwear factory.     

This past weekend we decided to make it a family fun night, knock off something from our Fall Fun List and hit up the North Georgia State Fair.  It was really late in the day – we waited till the Puff Tinkler woke from a really long late nap – and then headed out the door.  It took us about an hour to get there…and then another thirty minutes of waiting to be let into the parking lot.  As we sat waiting in a mile of traffic, I took several photos of that sign.

Will was really excited.  Maybe it was just about being out the car or maybe he is like his Nana and is a carnie at heart.  That isn’t a joke…my mother was a dancer in a big tent and wore an animal print bikini complete with chains and a large feather headpiece.  The world needs to know that Mom…it explains a lot about me.

Things I want to remember about the fair…

  • Jeremy getting nervous dealing with the stroller and all the crowds (see that poker face?  yeah…I was over there doing seal-claps and he gets serious…opposites attract I guess).

  • the hugely diverse crowd.  I saw not one but two completely-matching-outfit couples…in full camo.  I wanted to ask them if they brought their own tree stand.  Jeremy said no.  I also saw a dead ringer for that famous guy who is married to JLO…and a Latino woman who was pushing an impressive six kids in a stroller.  It was like the mini-van of strollers.  It was awesome.   

  • Will’s nervous introduction to the petting zoo.  Let’s just say that cuddling furry creatures isn’t his forte.

  • Seeing Will actually willingly pet an animal.  I was inside the pen clapping and cheering and snapping photos.  I may have scared the other children away.  And when I say ‘may have’, I mean ‘totally did’. 

  • Seeing Will attempt to use a lamb as a stepping stool.  In his defense, he was a trapped animal at the time just being resourceful. 

  • Watching taffy (it was actually more amusing to Will than his bored expression implies).  I now am googling how to create one of these machines at home…you know, for all the taffy I will be making.

  • The food.  We consumed a corndog, onion rings, a cheese steak, and much much more.  Let’s just say that we discussed it prior to arriving and we didn’t want to ride anything…we just wanted to eat.  Is that so bad? 

  • Will eating a corndog like a starved Survivor contestant eats…well…anything.  The intensity in the eyes…the way his nose wrinkles just a little to make it all fit…the determination to cram….it brings a tear of pride to my eye.

  • Will’s Bigfoot ride.  It cost fifty cents and we just couldn’t pass it up.  He would still be in it right now if we let him.  He loves them big vehicles.

  • Turkey Legs!  My goodness, that big honk of meat made me weak in the knees.  (Dirty dirty Katie Bower)

  • Funnel cakes ! (that one got an exclamation point because it’s amazing – like pure joy on a plate sprinkled with tiny white powdering of pleasure.)

  • This dog had major ups.  Like in White Man Can’t Jump – only he was dunking from his knees.

  • Will being too timid to pet the cow

  • Will deciding that the perfect place to pet said cow would be the tongue

  • Will being excited about one animal in the entire barn – the deer (maybe he recognized it from his old nursery?)

  • Will in his sock monkey hat.  Give a kid a hat with ears and expect a Katie-puddle shortly.

  • This quite possibly is one of my favorite family photos yet.  On the move, having fun, taking names (not really the last one because I think that’s illegal.)

So that’s our family fun night at the fair.  Have you guys been yet?  Tis the season you know.  And yes, we ate a lot of food.  That’s sortof a given when it comes to us and meats on a stick.

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  2. I love every darn picture in this post. The state fair is always so much fun, especially at night… something about all of the lights and the smell of fried food! Ha!

  5. Love the pics! How fun! Our local fair is this weekend and I can.not.wait. They have the best food on the face of the planet…and I’m pregnant…so I get to eat two of everything. You think I am kidding? I am not. This has been planned out in great depth and I have literally been eating crazy healthy the whole pregnancy just for this weekend. Oh my gosh, you just got me so excited again.

  6. 2 things. The pictures in this post are incredible (as usual) but especially so in this one- I felt like I was there! Also, I looooooove Will’s sock monkey hat!!! Where did you get it? I am pretty certain my nephew needs one of those…

  7. ohh just reading that makes me wish it were August again and my family and I were on the way to the WV State fair!!!! I think its like the EXACT same fair. We go every year without fail, and consume unspeakable amounts of goodness… on a stick, on a bun, in a cone… lol Does your fair have a cinnamon bun stand?? I seriously LOVE the cinnamon bun.. we eat 2 and get a couple for the road. My little man was too young to really take it all in this year.but oohhh just wait till next year!

    Looks like you guys did it right! Food, check, people watching, check, animals, check, rides, check, …… LOL

  8. Looks like you had a blast. That picture of Will eating the corndog is EPIC. His face is totally saying “NOM NOM GET IN MY BELLY NOM NOM!”

  9. Awesome photos……. you have the photography down pat!

    Where did you get the sock monkey hat?
    How do you carry your camera at things like this? I have a Cannon and it is so big…. Do you keep it out the whole time?

  10. I loveee funnel cakes. Every time we go to a boardwalk, I have to get one (or some… whatever).

    PS – the photos of Will with the animals are adorable/hysterical (how did he end up petting the cow’s tongue?!). So glad you all had a wonderful time!

  11. Yup – it stays out the entire time. Kinda a hassle but worth it to me in the end…especially since we were only there for like an hour and a half. And the sock monkey is from Walgreens. Isn’t it cute? They had the same one at the fair for $15!
    xo – kb

  13. It’s actually a Ladies Hat (per the label) at Walgreens. They actually have a bunch of different animals available for $7 a piece.
    xo – kb

  14. I’m a little ashamed to admit this to you, but I’ve never had a corndog! The look on Will’s face while he went after his makes me think I’m missing something…

    LOVE the photos, as usual!!

  15. Going to a state fair is definitely on my bucket list. And I know that doesn’t seem like it’s that hard to accomplish, but it’s a bit harder when you’re Canadian 🙂

  16. Love it! The FOOD is totally what the fair is all about.

    My hubs is on the Board of Directors for our state Fair so I go every night (umm 9 nights, but who’s counting??) and spread out the fatness. Ours is in two more weeks and this post totally has me worked up about FAIR FOOD.

    Also in the Spring, we have Mardi Gras, and during the two weeks leading up to Fat Tuesday all of the food vendors stay set up downtown all day everyday, and that is totally what I eat for lunch! HA!

  19. i like your coat. how does it stay clean? wearing white to the fair is a bold move. eating fair food while wearing it is incredibly daring. how do you do it?

  21. My boyfriend and I go to the fairs just for the food too! Soo good & greasy. Mm.

    Will’s sock monkey hat is absolutely adorable!

  22. Don’t feel bad because I only go to the fair to eat. Ten days until I go to the SC State Fair. A family tradition…I’m preggers with my first and can’t wait to take him or her next year! My fav are the Fisk fries with salt & vinegar…mouth is drooling…Thx Katie for making me hungry 🙂

  23. Katie,
    I love reading your blog! I subscribe to 20 or so home decorating/improvement/thrifty type blogs and yours is always the one I read first. The way you write is joyous and hysterical and inspiring and loving and always so full of energy. It inspires me to try to take that approach to everything I do.

    I am pregnant with my first child and the way you talk about Will and the experiences that you share make me more excited to be a mom. I love the way you write about him and it’s just so evident how much you adore him and your “boyfriend”.

    Another thing that I love about your blog is that you are local to me, so some of the pics you share are neat because I recognize the locations. I live in Snellville (I know…stalker!).

    Your love for life is evident in the way you express yourself and it’s really inspiring…in case your mom hasn’t told you that lately. 🙂

    Overall, thanks for sharing with those of us looking for inspiration in decorating with a side of real life.

    Shelly

  24. We went to the fair a few weeks ago and it was so fun! The food was amazing! Our fair has this corn-on-the-cob that’s shoved on a stick and then DUNKED into a vat of butter. It’s my favorite thing in the whole world. I had 3 ears of corn that day. Worth every buttery calorie.

    And Will tearing up that corn dog is so awesome!

  25. I was actually at the North GA State Fair last week to see The Band Perry play! It’s so much fun to read a good blog only to find that you’re from the same area. The fair definitely makes for some interesting people-watching, especially in North Georgia!

  26. ….I haven’t had lunch yet, today….I’m starving…and seeing all the pics of the fair is making me want some FAIR FOOD!! Y-U-M!!!! Great photos…so interesting to see how toddlers re-act to animals…Will petting the cows tongue: HILARIOUS!

  27. Gross analogy: “gets me going like a puppy in a dirty underwear factory”
    You crack me up & I love reading your blog…thanks Katie!

  28. AHAHAHA I seriously laughed out loud at Will petting the cow on the tongue. SO Cute and funny!!!

  30. ah! i love going to the fair! we usually end up at the one in Cumming (which just started today! cant wait to go!!). if you love fairs you should check out my “day after session” wedding pictures.. We went to a small fair in in Johns Creek! so much fun, but sooo hot!

    you can see them here if you scroll all the way to the bottom! 🙂 http://tinyurl.com/fairdayafterpics

  33. Only because they have this Pumpkin Spice Latte that I am dying to try. I’m not much of a coffee drinker but people say that it’s worth converting for 🙂
    xo – kb

  34. It’s a Monet…cute from far away but up close, it’s a big mess 🙂
    xo – kb
    p.s. I do dryclean it once a year so maybe that helps.

  36. Wow- this was an awesome post. Those pictures are hilarious and I’m pretty sure that fairs in Georgia are way better than fairs in Michigan! It looks like you all had a blast 🙂

  38. Love your fair photos, Katie! Such a fun family time! I was there Thursday with my momma and sister (we saw The Band Perry). It is almost an annual trek for us. My momma is in her 80′s and still loves to go to the fair.

  39. Love this! Especially loving the pictures 🙂 And Will’s corn dog passion makes him a guy after my own heart. NC State Fair in 2 weeks & I am ready for the FOOTLONG corn dog. That’s right, we don’t play games.

  40. Love all th epics bu especially love the pic of Will looking into the chicken coop. Cool lighting.
    Now I want to go to a fair.

  41. I tried that latte (my first time at Starbucks!) and I didn’t like it. Too much spice and not any pumpkin. I did, however, love the pumpkin pie shake at Sonic!! You should try it, Katie!

  43. That’s the same fair we used to go to in high school (I grew up in Cobb County)! So fun to see a familiar sight! Hope yall had a blast…it looks like you did!

  45. Wow your hair is getting long! Are you planning on keeping it long, cutting it short, getting a different style? Mine is an inch or so shorter than yours. I have never had short hair but im planning on cutting it short and donating it to locks of love or somehting :0)

  46. Cute Cute pics. I love Will’s hat ~ so cute.

    LOVE your coat…..where’d you get it?

    I want a corn dog now!! 🙂

  47. I have it on my to do list for next week. I want to go to the fair to eat and take pictures. I love that Jeremy takes pictures of you and Will.

  48. haha – your mom and the carnival? Having a hard time picturing that one. Do you get in trouble for sharing that one? 🙂 Love the sock monkey hat! And my husband and I have concluded that we pretty much go to the festivals/fairs for the yummy junky food. Happy Fall!

  49. It’s from Victoria’s Secret – I ordered it two years ago and still love it. It even doubled as a maternity coat.
    xo – kb

  50. Yup – I do the same pretty much every other year. Grow it out, cut it off. Repeat. I think one day they will tell me no thanks when I have a head full of grays 🙂
    xo – kb

  52. Oh, love this post!
    And especially the picture of Will and this ADORBALE fluffy sheep! I grew up on this tiny island in Northern Germany where there are almost as many sheep as people. Oh I love sheep…..! It’s so fluffy, I’m gonna die!

  53. I was so excited when I read this post! I hopped onto Amazon as quickly as I could, entered my info in, pushed the “proceed to checkout” and was denied! This is not available to Canadian citizens. 🙁 Disappointment, pure disappointment.

  55. BOO! I can’t believe that Amazon would discriminate like that. I guess it’s cause you guys get to enjoy living in ‘Provinces’ – you guys are just so fancy 🙂
    xo – kb

  56. Katie, if you’re going to Starbucks, skip the pumpkin latte — it’s good, but it’s nothing like the salted caramel mocha. Get that instead. Trust me on this. 😉

  57. I love the family shadow picture. I have been taking shadow pictures for years. They are sorta my thing 🙂 Actually I just took one yesterday of my of my mom holding a gaint eggplant she got from her garden. Looks like the fair was a lot of fun.

  58. Such an entertaining post. Love Wills hat and your coat. I totally go to fairs just for the food. When I was young I would mix food with the rides. Never got sick, yeah not doing that now!

    Human Hamster Balls?! Where was this when I was a kid, who am I kidding I would totally be first in line if they had this in a fair by me.

    Anyway, I was wondering if you had general tips on shooting at night?

    P.S. I read all of your photography tutorials (a while back, so some may be updated), they’re wonderful. I constantly reference the Photoshop Eye boost one. Too stalker-ish? Oh well.

  59. I totally just googled “Monet coat”… and then I realized what you meant. HA! I busted out laughing at myself! Seriously?! Duh! But I really do love your coat!

  62. Hopefully you can use it for baby number two soon enough! Congratulations on a beautiful family and another wonderful anniversary with the boyfriend 🙂

  68. Here at the LA County Fair, the hubby and I just did the same. Ate, and ate, and ate some more. The reason why we are going, according to the hubby is “for the turkey leg, that he needs to have”.

  69. You’re making me really sad that we missed our fair! My favorite thing to do there is eat as well!

    I laughed out loud at Will petting the cow’s tongue. Thanks for the laugh this morning.

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