You can do it at a trot, you can do it at a gallop; you can do it real slow so your heart don’t palpitate . . . just don’t be late. Do the Puyallup.
If you’re from around here, you know exactly what I’m talking about. That’s right! The Western Washington Fair.
We skipped church this morning (oh, the glories of having a non-pastor husband!) and arrived at the fairgrounds shortly after 10:00 a.m. The skies were still cloudy, the air chilly, and the crowds hadn’t quite converged. We split up, tackling rides first. My husband took our 6-year old and I went with our 10-year old. (We left the fair-hating teenagers at home.)
We rode two roller-coasters and I watched while he rode a few other spinning-type rides. By the time we met up with my husband and daughter at noon, the sun had emerged. After we ate lunch (Krusty Pups for the kids, burgers for us and curly fries all around!) I saw on the schedule that the rodeo was about to begin. I suggested to my dearly beloved that he should go and watch it at the Grandstand and so he did. The kids and I wandered around, searching rather aimlessly for the petting zoo place. (We found it eventually by following the green line on the pavement.)
Oh, and guess what their favorite thing was? The escalator. We might need to get out more.
Also, we thoroughly enjoyed the monkey show.
They each won a prize or two from those ridiculous games. My husband found us after his rodeo extravaganza. Then each child had enough tickets for one more ride and by 4 p.m., we were home again.
(While waiting for the sky-ride, my daughter gave me a giant hug around the middle and said, “Mom, you’re squishy.” I’m pretty sure I saw the guy in front of me smirk.)
I’ve been going to the Puyallup (pronounced pew-al-up) Fair since I was a little girl. I love being able to take my own kids–and look forward to the day when i can actually tour the exhibition halls containing the quilts and prize-winning baked goods without a child pulling my hand and begging to go find cotton candy. Then again, I’ll miss those sticky little hands. Or will I?
Actual Unretouched Photo 
We LOVE going to our county’s fair. There is nothing else like it.
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I took myself and four eight-year-old girls to the Puyallup Fair last year for the first time, to see the Jonas Brothers in concert. What a blast. But the two-hour drive home, after being at a fair all day AND seeing the Jonas Brothers? Man, oh, man, what a drive.
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Fair= fun
Squishy- not so much.
My 6yo says it way to much… but not enough to motivate me. 😦
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When we were living in Redmond, I tried to take my girls there once. Got caught in the crush of traffic coming off of 512 and endlessly circling the fairgrounds. After 45 minutes we decided to head home instead. The times we’ve successfully visited, though, it was a great time. Oregon’s fair pales in comparison.
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Those lines have saved many a person’s bacon, they have. The colored lines lead to their respective gates, and the WHITE ones lead to the bathroom! 🙂
I should just stand out by one of the many spas and stove tents and show people the lines on the ground…”this is the way; walk ye in it!”
I have it all over on those information booth people who just stay put and wait for the lost and needy to come to THEM.
Hm. there are some parallels here. Fair Evangelism takes on a new twist!
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