If We Can Eat Here, We Can Eat Anywhere

I think Darrin and I have visited the State Fair every year that we've been together.  It helps that my mom has worked at the Personnel Office at Cal Expo for the last 20 something years  thirty-one fairs.  We just get excited to go - to see the livestock, the county exhibits, funnel cake, the rides, the vendors, funnel cake, people watching, the wine garden, funnel cake.  Our kids now look forward to the fair every year, too. 

So even though Darrin took the kids last week while I was in San Diego, my family was totally agreeable to another trip so I didn't have to miss the fair this year.  Now that our kids are bigger they are getting into the phase where they only want to ride the rides - but like any good parents we tortured them through a few exhibits too. 



This year we spent a lot of time in the garden exhibit, checking out their methods of growing tomatoes and other crops.  The kids totally loved the goats and pigs, and learned how to milk a cow (not a real one).  Ben tried to talk us into bringing a pig home for a pet. 

Then, of course, it was time for rides.  The swings and the tilt-a-whirl were the family favorites. 

But our major triumph of the night was actually finding fair food that our family could eat.  I was shocked, but it's there.  We skipped everything fried (full of preservatives), skipped the Chinese food (MSG alert!), and everything in between.  But over by the livestock pavilion was a giant BBQ where you could see them actually cooking the food.  We asked what they used on their pork ribs and they showed us the bottle of seasoning and the Kikoman Soy Sauce (which is all natural).  So we bought two orders of ribs and four corn-cobs and had ourselves a feast! 

Towards the end of the night, Darrin and I hatched a plan.  He took the kids to the big GIANT SLIDE, and I went and bought us a funnel cake.  You're hearing it, we ate funnel cake behind our kids' backs.  And you know what?  It rocked.  I don't regret it for a minute. 

And next year, we will go back to the fair and do it all again.