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The Lane County Fair came back to town last week! This is an annual event taking place in Eugene every summer. And of course, we always go every summer! We always have so much fun at the fair and the ride bracelets that allow people to go on unlimited rides until 10 p.m. are definitely a huge plus! My kids always get excited about the fair and we usually plan our trip for it weeks in advance! We usually got to the fair on a weekend because my husband works evenings all week so we went yesterday. We got home late and I was too tired to upload the 95 pictures that I took at the fair but I did upload a few of them, shared a couple on Facebook and, of course, posted my Ferris Wheel picture on the Snapshot blog like I do every year.
Today I have more time to do computer stuff so I am now blogging about our fair experience this year.
Did I mention yet that we had a great time?? It was really so much fun. I didn’t go on any rides this year (just didn’t want to) but I still enjoyed my visit at the fair.
Unfortunately, it was hot when we got there. The temp was 92 degrees. It was hot and sunny. I got pretty sweaty walking around after a while. Even though I was drinking water, I was still pretty hot and even felt a little lightheaded. I started to wonder if I was having one of those hot flashes again or just hot! I kinda got nervous about feeling like this in the heat and felt a little sluggish. I tried to get in the shade whenever possible or sit down so that I wouldn’t fall down! Eventually, though, it cooled off and I felt better.
At first, I thought we would be splitting up – with Trevor going off on hir own or with hir dad and/or me with my husband and Jesse or just me with Jesse – but we did stay together as much as possible. On the occasions the kids went in different directions, they each had a parent stay with them. I know that Trevor is almost 16 but I just didn’t want Trev to be alone. I didn’t feel good about that, though there WERE times Trevor was alone for brief periods of time. Except for Jesse, we used our cell phones to text each other and find out where everybody was at.
Many times as I stood in one area, I could feel music playing. I wasn’t sure if it was fair music or not and Trevor pointed out that there was a band performing nearby.
At one point, as I got up to follow the kids, Trevor got my attention and let me know that I had just walked right past a friend. I really hadn't seen her! I had walked right past her! I do that sometimes. I tend to walk or run right past people I know! As I talked with her, she seemed a little hurt that I hadn't seen her and I felt really bad about that later. Fortunately, though, I saw her again later (I DID see her that time! Yay!), and so I went over to talk to her and gave her a hugf. I hope that made things right and helped her feel better. (I am terrible at noticing and recognizing people. Ugh!)
Just like last year, we ate a big fast food lunch before attending the fair because the food there is expensive (we once spent $60 on our dinner there!!) but we do buy junk food like popcorn, cotton candy and all that stuff. I had my eye on one “fair food” treat, though: Fried ice cream. I had it one year and loved it. And after dealing with being so hot, I was definitely looking forward to eating some ice cream!! Jesse got some fried ice cream too but he didn’t really like it. He also got an Elephant Ear (like Trevor did) and he liked that, too. (The Elephant Ears are good, too!)
I wanted to take a pic with Jesse but as it got darker and later, it didn’t happen. So I settled for a selfie with him.
Jesse won two toy prizes in games he played at the fair but he also got a Batman fidget spinner. I bought a Guns N Roses T-shirt. My husband asked why, since I’m deaf, I bought a band shirt. I explained that I was familiar with a couple of their songs before I lost all of my hearing. (Thanks to the movie Young Guns!) And, besides, a Guns N Roses clothing item is on my wish list. So, I was happy to get the shirt and I can cross that off my list!
Here are some of the pictures that I took at the fair. We really had a lot of fun and can’t wait to attend next year! I think next year, I will bring along extra water.
Normally, during this time of year, I have to check the local news early in the morning to see if school is opened. However, I got a wake-up call earlier in the week that I should not JUST rely on the news for that info, because all schools in this district recently had a 2-hour delay, and this was not included on the news. It was, however, on the school district website. That was pretty much a good heads-up to me to not JUST rely on the news for that info, but to also double-check on the school district website!
This morning, I got another heads-up.
The school district has a common message to parents who inquire if schools are open for the day: “No news = No change.” And that’s what I thought when, at 5ish this morning (I think it was 5:20??), I checked the school district website to see if schools were open today. Yesterday the kids had what I call an “ice day.” There was no school because of cold and icy weather. I commented on Facebook yesterday that when I had gone outside to look around (after reading reports of fallen trees and downed power lines), it was like stepping onto the set of Frozen! Seriously, there was ice everywhere. The ice was covering everything – even the power lines! I almost slipped on the ice just walking on the grass. I called it an “Ice-pocalypse” because it was really icy and frigid yesterday. Brr!
So I didn’t think there would be school yesterday – although I WAS still open to the possibility. After all, today is the last day of school for the year, and the teachers might want to try to get any last assignments in or wrap up some ongoing projects. I asked Jen last night while I was working in the kitchen and she was sitting at the table working on an art project, “Do you think there will be school tomorrow?” She shook her head. She really seemed confident with her answer, but I still thought maybe there would be school. Even so, we still had to stick to the schedule and pretty much act as if there WAS school tomorrow. Because there still might be.
So I got up at the usual time this morning. I checked out my bedroom window and it looked like there was a spattering of snow on the ground. Hm, if it did snow, schools might be closed. (Don’t know if it was snow; it was dark and frost or icy grass could be mistaken for snow when there’s moonlight and/or lights from other houses shining on it.) Then I looked out the front door window. It still looked pretty icy outside.
Then I checked the school district website. Guess what? No news. Nothing about delays or closures. I also checked the district Twitter feed (I follow it on my personal Twitter account) and it said to stay tuned for news. But I didn’t exactly stay tuned. I figured, since that post was 9 hours old, there was “no news.” So I guess there was school today!
Now if there is school, that means I have to be in the shower by 6 a.m. (that is the normal routine – sometimes there’s things going on that delays my shower). But I wasn’t finished drinking my water yet, so I was not in the shower at EXACTLY 6 a.m. Which is probably a good thing because, at around that time, someone posted in the neighborhood watchgroup that all schools were closed today. I checked the district site again AND the Twitter feed and, sure enough, there was the announcement that all schools were closed.
Well, whaddaya know. Jen called it!
Seriously, though, I am glad there is no school. The roads DO NOT look safe to drive so early. They say we’re supposed to have sunny weather today, and that’s good because it will melt the ice, but when it’s really early and parents have to drive their kids to the bus stop or school, you gotta go with the CURRENT road conditions. (That sounds kinda funny, though. Cold and icy one day, then nice and sunny the next. Ah, Oregon!) And the current road conditions did not look good! Even when the news showed a live video feed of an icy road, I really felt the current road conditions did not look safe for driving. And after already experiencing one episode of my car sliding on the ice and almost crashing into a bus, you can bet I am a lot more wary about driving during the icy and snowy weather. I am also a more cautious driver because of that. And these days, I’m driving a minivan, so “bus mentality” aside while I’m driving it, I have no clue what to expect if the van starts sliding on the ice.
And as I type this, at 7:15 a.m., it is currently 27 degrees outside. Lovely.
So, yes, I’m glad we don’t have to go out in that weather. It’s too bad the kids won’t be able to wish their friends and teachers happy holidays before Winter Break, but I’m glad we don’t have to worry about trying to get to a destination in one piece. (And anyway, they already gave friends and teachers Christmas presents and I already gifted Jesse’s school, so that’s not an issue. And the other friends left to get gifts to are people we know outside of the school and we can just take their gifts to their houses.)
I am also glad I can take the time to enjoy my coffee this morning rather than inhaling the stuff and rushing to get the kids out the door. I can also spend time this morning, while the kids are still asleep, working on a couple of things.
Even so, I was curious about why there was a delay in getting the info about school closures. (Am I the only one at a computer so early in the morning on a school day?) When I posted about it in the neighborhood watchgroup, someone replied that I should sign up for the text alerts. Maybe that is a way to get a heads-up about school delays or closures so early? I don’t know, but it’s worth a try. (Sidenote: I don’t immediately jump on the computer or check my phone right after I get up in the morning. That’s a bad habit!) I will sign up for those alerts all the same, because I think it’s important to use every resource possible when you need to stay updated on things like that. After all, I don’t want to show up at my son's school with my son in the car when there’s a 2-hour delay at his school and there’s hardly anybody there again. And I REALLY don’t want that to happen should his school be closed for the day and there’s nobody there.
It’s all good, though. The kids get to sleep and I get to work. And I’ll also be extra prepared for school winter alerts when the kids go back to school in January!
The Lane County Fair is an annual event that takes place here in Eugene every year. And it’s an event that we go to every year! We love going to the fair! It’s the one thing we are always excited about every summer! The fair started earlier this week but we can only go on the weekends, so we went today!
Last year, they introduced a “ride bracelet.” This bracelet allowed a fairgoer unlimited rides! Usually, some rides require anywhere from 6-10 tickets, and the price for 120 tickets this year was $50. The ride bracelet is $50 each, and I think it is the better deal! Also this year, people were able to buy the ride bracelet earlier in the month for $37.50 each. But I saved up the $100 so that both kids could each get a bracelet. They always have so much fun going on all the rides!
Well, of course they can’t go on ALL the rides, because the bracelet expires at 10 p.m. But they sure do get to enjoy going on a lot of rides thanks to the bracelet. I am so glad they had it again this year!
Also this year, I got one fair food to enjoy. Last year, it was an Elephant Ear. This year, it was fried ice cream. Yummy! I also took my usual picture of the Ferris wheel like I do every year at the fair.
Like last year, we ate a big late lunch before heading out to the fair. We usually can’t afford the pricey food, which is why I only usually get just one thing, and one thing that is a fair food. Hubby and the kids got Elephant Ears this year. Jesse loved it!
The weather today was just beautiful. I was worried that it was going to be hot because the expected temp for today was 82 but it was really nice and sunny and we had occasional cool breezes. Even so, I made sure the kids and I both put on sunscreen before heading out.
Last year at the fair, Jesse won one thing. This year he won two! I am glad he got to win prizes at the fair.
The kids had so much fun going on the rides. The fair was packed but we managed to get through it okay. I was happy to run into a few people we know (though surprised to see them!) and I enjoyed my time at the fair even though I didn’t go on any rides. It was still fun!
In the past, my friend Kim has talked about seeing the animals at the fair. We could never find them! However, we got lucky this year: We found the animals! Jesse got to see some sheep and a goat. There were probably more animals there (I did see horses!), but we didn’t stay there long. I am glad I finally found them this year, though! Now I know where to look next year.
Last year at the fair, Jennifer headed out on her own to go on rides, but this year, she wanted her dad to go with her. She did go on a few rides with Jesse but then we split up. I stayed with Jesse and hubby stayed with her. I took some pics of Jesse on rides.
We had so much fun at the fair today. It was such a fun time! There was a lot of walking and so many crowds of people but we are happy that we got to go to the county fair yet again this year. Can’t wait for next year!
Here are pics I took. Last year, I took pics of Jesse when he went on every ride. I didn't do that again this year.
The first pic is on the side of the Haunted Mansion ride. I just thought it was cool.
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