Fair Time/Garden Time

Doesn't fair time always coincide with the time that everthing is ready in the garden?  Seems that way - at least we are not involved in 4-H and livestock showing yet, so we don't have to spend all our time at the fair!  I have been busy canning beans lately - and picking cucumbers and zucchini.  Ava is a great helper.  Although she gave up on picking beans after picking maybe a dozen beans, then amused herself by playing with the buckets and dirt.  She was one big dirtball when we were finished picking these beans!

 Mr. Blaine is starting to learn to figure out a sippy cup - and has discovered that he kind of likes it!  Now if he was only coordinated enough to always keep a hold of it rather than drop it and get mad when he can't get it back to his mouth by himself.

We have spent time at fairs this week and will likely still visit the Benton County fair Friday night when John has to work down there.  Ava and Lilly enjoyed watching the "Princess Show" (aka queen contest) at the White County Fair.  Ava always loves seeing all the animals.  She also really loved watching some of the pig show last evening at Jasper County (that a girl!).  She was full of tons of questions last night and John endlessly answered them to her, teaching her all the ins and out of a pig show - all about the show sticks, numbers on their backs, numbers on the pens, the judge, and on and on.  Ava also had a lot of fun playing on and in all the John Deere tractors with her friend Madie, whose daddy works with John.  Those girls were all about sitting in every single tractor Castongia's brought to the fair.  When Jon Castongia came by, he gave the girls purple John Deere hats and they loved them and looked so cute!  Ava had a lot of fun and was wired last night and didn't stop talking all the way home - even though it was after 10:00.  She has told me her favorite part of the fair was the pig show :) and she wants to show pigs and cows someday in 4-H.  I am kind of looking forward to that day, but also enjoy not having all the work that goes along with it right now!