Marion County Fair

Tonight we met my dad (mom wasn't feeling up to so much walking with her new knee yet), Anna, Tom, Audrey, Ruby and Cooper at the fair. Dad got free tickets through work, and Jason won some on a facebook contest, so we all got in free! Plus, it was $1 rides on the midway. Woohoo for a cheap trip to the fair!

***I would like to take a moment to say thank you and give a special shout out to Stacey Gaines. (I didn't forget, Stace!) Without her, non of this would be possible. (How was that?)***

Just to forewarn you, there are A LOT of pictures in this post...

 This year at the fair there were many animals to pet, hold, and feed. The girls loved it! 

 The chicks were just so cute!

 It took a while for Charlotte to hold any animals. (I was a bit nervous that she would drop one!) She was pretty content to pet them. The baby guinea pigs were adorable!

 They were obviously accustomed to being held and handled.

 I think the girls would've spent hours and hours in the barn.

 There were small cups of food to purchase and feed the animals. The rabbits weren't too interested.

 The goats, of course, gobbled it up!

 We left the barn to go meet Anna's crew at the entrance.

 And then we had to go back to the barn so Anna's girls could see and pet and hold the animals too.

 Bless her heart, Chloe is such an animal lover!

 We eventually made it out of the barn and over to the rides. Charlotte always enjoys a carousel ride.

 Ruby had been asleep and wasn't quite up to rides at this point. Sophie, Audie, Charlotte and Chloe rode this caterpillar roller coaster (they are toward the back).

 Charlotte was too little for this one. Audie and Soph rode together and Chloe had to ride alone.

 Henry was too little to ride anything this year, but I think he enjoyed all the sights and sounds.

 Me and my Charlotte girl

 She rode this boat ride several times. It kind of looks like she's blocking a paparazzi shot here, but I think she was just waving to me.

 And here she is telling me that her boat doesn't have a bell to ring.

 And this just made me chuckle. So not true. Ever. ;-)

 Hanging out with Daddy

 Anna and Tom

 Me (Henry) and Anna

 While they rode this ride it was hard to tell if Audrey was enjoying it or completely terrified! But she wanted to do whatever Chloe and Sophie were doing.

 Soph was kind enough to ride this dinosaur ride with Char.

 Just in case you thought we forgot Coop somewhere, here's some proof that he was there too!

 Ruby finally woke up and had fun riding rides with Charlotte. I think they rode the same four rides about 400 times.

 See? More boat rides. (Notice that this boat DID have a bell to ring.)

All the girlies at the end of the night

FLASHBACK:

These pictures are from 2004. It was Chloe and Sophie's first trip to the Marion County Fair.

 Sophie was probably right around twelve-months-old. Not much older than Hank is now.

And look at my sweet little Chloe. I just cannot get over how quickly time flies!