Illinois State Fair

We ventured to the State Fair today.  It was a fun day!  And I'm pretty sure this might become an annual thing.  We decided that we live close enough to make this a fun summer memory for our kids each year.  We started off with the giant potato sack slide!  Since I'm quite pregnant with #3, I couldn't do any of the fun stuff :(.  Jared was the lucky one who got to go twice :)!

Check out that slide!

Ethan was the first to go.  He loved it!

Favorite picture of Jared!!

Next up...Nora.  In case you were curious, she wasn't at all scared.

Skidding to a stop :)!

After sliding, we moved on to look at some animals.  

We found some bees first.  They loved watching the bees move all over the honeycomb! And finding the queen honey bee.

Cow stalls. 

Next, we stood in line to milk a cow :).  I've never done it before and it was pretty cool.  The kids even did it (with a little help).  After milking the cow, everyone got a ticket for a free carton of milk.  Both kids chose chocolate...no surprise there!

Nora, Ethan and I getting ready

Very intense ;).

Enjoying some ice cold milk on the curb.

Now to the sheep.

I think the liked the goats the best.

Ethan having a conversation with a goat.

After the main animal barns, we headed to get some homemade ice cream!  And pictures with a cardboard cow ;).

Chocolate...as always!

And pink for the pink girl!

While making our way back towards the main gate to head home, we found a few other places to stop.

Piglets in the FFA barn.

Petting the bunny

IL State Police tent.  Ethan liked the police motorcycle.

Pig-eared kids and a 12-row combine!

1 last ride before we left.  The "Berry-Go-Round"!

As we were leaving, Ethan said "I can't wait until we can come again!!"  We will be back...next year.  I don't know if I have it in me to go again this year ;).