301 Mid-South Fair

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Monday after Katie got home from school (and Chip got home from golf) we headed out to the Mid-South Fair. This is the first year that it has taken place at the Desoto Civic Center. It used to take place at Liberty Land, but our Memphis amusement park is now defunct. They are slowly working the Mid-South Fair down to Tunica, MS but for a few years it will be right here in Southaven/Horn Lake, MS. I won't complain, it was nice having it so close to home.

It is, of course, a smaller fair than it was when it was located at Liberty Land. Back in the "good 'ol days" you got the fair rides AND the Liberty Land rides, but it was still a total blast for Katie. She couldn't decided what she wanted to ride next. She would say that she wanted to ride alone, but usually when it came down to getting in line she would ask Daddy to go with her. Daddy had the wristband, and Mommy was on Connor duty. Connor was stuck in the stroller ... until he rebelled about 2 hours in and we had to start carrying him around. Katie rode most of the rides. There were several that she rode and wished she hadn't. They were a couple that Daddy wished they hadn't rode either.

Connor even got to ride one ride. He was so HAPPY! I was afraid he would freak out when he got strapped in and Daddy walked away, but he didn't care at all! He was with SIssy and they had a BLAST!

Katie also played several games, and she even won some prizes. I think we were just lucky to get some of the nicest people in charge of the games. The first game that Katie played was a Ball Toss. For $5 you got 5 balls, all you had to do was get two balls into these big tubs. Of course they would bounce out. The guy was trying to coach her through. He taught her how to throw underhanded, and he told her to throw it soft like she was throwing to her brother. Finally, he put his hand on the lip of the tub and told her to throw it softly to him. SHE FINALLY GOT TWO IN! He probably let her throw 15 times. So amazing! She won a "leopard skin rug", and she is SO proud! He even gave Connor a stuffed monkey with banana pants. She played a few other games. The water gun one, and she did great, but she wasn't the first to fill her tube. It was her first "loss" and she was very disappointed. She chose two rubber duckies and won a stuffed pig. We were there for over FOUR HOURS! And still Katie pouted when it was time to leave. Daddy tried to throw softballs and break beer bottles (sounds super safe, huh) but he only managed to break one. I had glanced at the "Strong Man" game. You know the one where you try to ring the bell by swinging the mallet? I was standing there looking at it, but I really didn't care about any of the prizes, and I didn't want to spend the money to play just to see. The guy must have been bored because he motioned us over. "$1 and I will let you swing" he said to Chip ... that is when Chip told him it was me that wanted to swing :) So, I swung.... DING! It was the women's one, and I was "ALL WOMAN", so he told me to try the men's one. I swung ... and it went to 1400 and STUCK ... it never came back down. Sure wish I knew how high it would have gone. He had said that I would just get to swing for the $1, but he went ahead and gave us a blow up 3 foot long hammer. Katie and Connor LOVE it!And you can't go to the fair without getting some fair food, right? Around here it is the Pronto Pup that really says you are having fun. Chip only bought two because Katie usually turns up her nose at corn dogs, and Connor hasn't been big on eating real food. Chip and I barely got a few bites. Connor was in Pronto Pup Heaven! Katie wouldn't turn it loose. I am still a little sad that I didn't get any cotton candy or even a funnel cake. I didn't even mention the livestock. And I won't put more pics up. Katie was able to feed some animals and ride a horse. They had a "cow milking" thing set up, just tubes and such. Katie hunkered down and started milking right away. She was a pro. I think Katie's favorite was the baby pot-bellied pigs. She ended up choosing the stuffed pig after petting the real pig. Don't worry, we followed it up with LOTS of sanitizer.

If you are in the area, I highly recommend heading out to the fair before it leaves on Sunday!!