Minnesota State Fair

We went, we ate, we played, we were spotted!

Some pictures, few words...

Here we are all in our Boston Scientific t-shirts. If we get spotted we win a prize.

We got spotted! And I was told that I had the most enthusiastic response of anyone he'd spotted all day. I squealed, jumped on top of some cement fixtures and said I needed a picture. I wasn't going to leave until we got spotted. I said I'd have all five of us hold hands and walk in a wide line until someone saw us. The thing is, we were spotted about five times that day. We were only supposed to win once, but told a white lie and got two prizes: $25 gift cards to Chipotle and Applebees.

My Dad and Linda were visiting and my Dad was our good luck charm. The Boston Scientific spotters actually noticed him a few times and asked him who the employee was. Dad and Linda were great sports - it rained a lot the day we were at the Fair. And although the kids didn't seem to mind (or even notice), the weather was pretty crappy and Machinery Row was not the same as last year's sunny visit.

This year we saw a group of four older women with a TON of prizes from the games. Each of them had a clear plastic garbage bag filled with stuffed animals. I had to know how they got them. They said they've been coming to the Fair together for years. Every time they play games to win the prizes and donate them to a family member's grade school class/students. Their Mom (lady with black hair sitting on the bench) is 92 years old and the most competitive. They win most of the prizes with the water gun games.

Then we happened upon this kid and I really wanted a huge pig. Or penguin. Or Smurf. First Joe tried his hand at a milk bottle/baseball pitching game with no success. Linda - to no avail - tried fiercely to win by lifting a Corona bottle up with a ring attached to a string "fishing pole."

Finally we let Otto & Max take a turn and they won a couple stuffed dolphins (granted, it was a "guaranteed win with each play" - but I'll take it)!

Beginning next summer, I am organizing State Fair training for our family. I am re-creating the games at our house so we can practice and have a better hit rate on the games.

This year we went all out and got a BUCKET of Sweet Martha's Cookies. Tip: Ask for all fresh cookies if you get a bucket. They put day old cookies at the bottom and there is definitely a taste difference, we learned. Getting the bucket was 100% for the boys who really wanted one. I personally think Pillsbury cookies are better.

The cattle corral. I put it on my wish list for Santa. Two, actually.

Otto on the bumper boats.