::Fair week 2011-best week of the summer::

Ready for some pictures?! Here goes!

Fair was definitely the best week of the summer so far. It's been less than a week, and we're already counting down until next year. It's so rewarding working with the animals and doing projects all summer, then being able to take them to the fair!

Sisters! I think this was the first day of fair (Sunday) after we brought the sheep in.

These pictures aren't in the right order, but this is Elaina showing her rabbit on Monday morning.

Abbi! Miss you, fair buddy! It's so much fun getting to spend the week with all these fantastic 4H kids! The only problem is, you really miss them a week later... ): This was Friday night (before bringing the animals in) while we waited for HOURS (literally) for the food judges.

The good news is...Elaina got a best of show on her U.S.A. cake! Isn't it pretty? Andrea and I decided to skip the stress of baking all day Friday to do foods. It felt great to be able to just hang out at the fair and spend the day Friday getting other things ready instead of rushing around making food!

5-8 year olds on Saturday night. Ian showed his rabbit and his glass painting. He was a lot more confident about talking to the judge this year!

Sheep buddies! Love these girls(:

Showing sheep on Monday

Elaina got 2nd place in sheep showmanship for her age division, so she got to be a part of Little International! For that, she had to learn to show all of the large animals (steer, dairy feeder, pigs, goats, horses and sheep). Go little sis! (:

Practicing a few days before

Little I on Friday night. She didn't place, but she sure had fun!

Well, that wasn't very organized, so I'll go ahead and write just a little from each day:

Friday, July 29

Foods in the evening and setting up the camper

Saturday, July 30

5-8 year-olds and turning in projects (all I did this year was glass painting, stencil on wood, and metal punch...ah that felt good!)

Sunday, July 31

Brought the sheep and rabbits in

Monday, August 1

Sheep showing! This was one of the most fun days. It's always a little nerve racking before you start, but then once you get in the ring, you want to keep going back!

Tuesday, August 2

Just hung out at the fair... I love doing that(: Fair is one of my favorite places in the world!

Wednesday, August 3

Rabbit showmanship

Cheering on Elaina! I decided not to do a rabbit this year, either. It was nice not having to sit there all morning showing rabbits, but I decided that I might raise meat rabbits again next year and just skip showmanship (that's the worst part...).

Thursday, August4

Large animal auction

Friday, August 5

Hung out at the fair in the morning, then left in the afternoon for HPA (Homeschool Performing Arts for those of you who don't know) auditions. That was... something.. haha. Then on Friday night we got to ride rides at the fair and watch Little I (part of it!)!

Saturday, August 6

Last day): Andi and I had to leave early to work at a wedding. It was..well.. a really sad morning!

I'm not really missing the sheep (yet), but I do miss all the fun times we had with them this summer! And of course I miss fair... the amazing people there and just being there having a blast! Please come quickly, fair 2012! I'm hoping to do SOME kind of cow next year (most likely a dairy feeder), sheep again, and maybe rabbits... we'll see! I can't wait to get next year's animals and get started!

::It's a great day to be alive!::