Southern New Mexico State Fair by John Lee

Fairs are definitely more fun with friends! We took a field trip to the fair with Ms Darcy. The whole crew loaded up and headed out!

My favorite show was the BMX bikes. They jumped over things. I am already planning to take the tricycle over the slide. Everytime they went over I would just laugh!

We are quite a crew - always ready for action. We visited animals and saw lots of people we know.

We found the model trains and spent some time checking them out.

We also saw the tigers and lemurs. Here I am trying to join them. Truth be told, there was a little dog in there, too and I was trying to get to him.

We stoppped for lunch at the Desert Kitchen and finished it off with a cookie. This was an extra special treat because Daddy joined us for lunch!

We ended the day with a ride on the tractor train.

Eli and I rode together. I liked standing up because you could see more. Plus - it was like a parade - I could wave at everybody!

We had a really good day at the fair. I was asleep before we even started movign in the car. I was glad to share it with my friends.

Southern Fair Exhibits by Denny Lynn

I am ready for more fair! Me and John put together some exhibits to enter at our Southern NM State Fair here in Cruces. Ms Tammy was nice enough to enter them for us! Thank you, Ms Tammy! I counted out 12 pecans to enter.

I picked my big watermelon that I was saving just for this!

Then I made a veggie train. I picked out all the veggies at the store. Mama showed me how to use toothpicks to put it together and I was off! We had to have 5 different kinds of veggies. The tracks are celery and carrots.

The engine and the freight car are zuchini or puchinis as I say! We used baby potatoes for wheels.

A train needs lots of wheels.

We added a parsnip for the cab and an aparagus tip for the funnel. It came out way cool!!

Mama got home just in time to help us get ready for the Baked Foods part. I wanted to make my famous popcorn balls! First we melted the caramels.

We added some bunny grahams to the popcorn.

Next came the sprinkles - this is my favorite part!

We drizzled the caramel on and then shook it up to coat all the popcorn.

We butter our hands and started making balls!

They looked yummy and  my hands looked messy! It was a fun project for me. We wrapped each one up with plastic wrap and a pipe cleaner.

I entered them myself Wednesday morning.

I was very excited to get to see all my exhibits! Especially since everything got a ribbon! My watermelon got 1st place and a free kids meal at Peter Piper Pizza (for me, not the watermelon!) My pecans got a 2nd place (John beat me!)

My train got a 1st place and a 2nd Best of Lot - it isn't as pretty as it started out, but I am still proud of it!

We also took my dragonfly - Ryer. He got a 2nd place.

My popcorn balls also got a 1st place! It is really fun to put stuff in the fair - I don't understand why it has to stay so long! I will be glad to get everything back on Sunday!

Southern Fair Exhibits by John Lee

Fair time is never ending for the Turners! Southern NM State Fair is here in Cruces. This year, we planned ahead and had our exhibits ready for Ms Tammy to take on entry day (Mama was still in Albuquerque). We really appreciate Ms Tammy taking care of us! I got the little watermelon from our garden, since I am the little brother. I also got to pick 12 pecans to take. 

Foods are entered later, so when Mama got home we made our baking projects. I made tiger butter just like Ms Amy's! (In theary, anyway!) I had to taste the Almond Bark - it was actually pretty good.

This is me taking time out to have a fit because I wanted to eat more chocolate chips and Mama said I had to wait.

The fireman hat was as good as a chef's hat in my opinion! First we melted the bark and stirred in some peanut butter.

I am a crazy stirrer and ended up wearing a little of it! Don't worry - I had washed my hands really good before I started!

You spread out the peanut butter parts, then put the melted chocolate chips on top and swirl it all together.

I am a crazy swirler, too! Don't worry - I washed my hands before I started and again after I stuck them in the bark!

We chilled it in the fridge and then it was off to the fair to enter.

We had a really good year! I got a ribbon on everything! My watermelon got a 2nd place.

My pecans got a 1st place and 2nd Best of Lot (that is a big ribbon!)

My Tiger Butter also got a 1st place and a 2nd Best of Lot. I can't wait to take all my ribbons home at the end of the fair!

I fixed tiger butter to take and share at Show and Tell for school today! I hope everyone likes it!

Build and Grow at Lowes by John Lee

Since we were in Albuquerque for the fair, Mama signed us up for the Build and Grow project at an Albuquerque Lowes. This was really exciting because they had baskets that look like the Lowes racing car with steering wheels - one for Denny and one for me!

The project this time was a firetruck! It even has a siren (sounds real - Mama loved having them in the truck with us!) Here is Denny laying out all the pieces.

I helped find all my pieces, too! I was a good helper until I smashed Mama's thumb with the hammer and got it taken away (to be fair - she is the one that gave this almost 2 year old the hammer!)

Denny got his all put together.

I love mine! I carried it all over yelling "FIRETRUCK".

We decided to wait to put the stickers on until Daddy could help us. Build and Grow is really fun. I can't wait to make more great stuff!

Pee Wee Stampede by Denny Lynn

My new favorite thing at the State Fair is the Pee Wee Stampede. It is a special rodeo just for kids my size. This year I was finally big enough to do it. They give you a number like a real rodeo cowboy.

Then you get a hat to wear - black for boys, red for girls.

Once you get into the back, they assign you an event. As a bronc rider I got to wear chaps, too!

We had our own grand entry with our horses - following the American flag carried by a girl with a crown on her hat.

The first time, I got to ride broncs and bulls (there weren't many boys).

I got my own champion ribbon - Mama tied it on my shirt for everyone to see. What I learned that first time is that they give trophies in each event. I told Mama I wanted to come back and win a trophy.

We practiced and prepared and then went back on Saturday. I went in knowing that it was important that I try my best, even if I didn't win the trophy.

Before the Bronc Riding we get to warm. The idea is to jump with your horse. You get a score based on how well you jump.

As luck would have it, I couldn't draw a horse with much buck. Mine tended to gallop around the arena instead and this affected my score.

When the awards were announced - they didn't call  my name. I told the little boy next to me who did win - "Good job, you won the trophy". I still really wanted to win.

Mama took me back one last time. We practiced jumping and throwing my arm in the air. I lined up on the fence with everyone else and then gave Mama a big thumbs up before I went into the arena. I jumped my hardest! I waved my hand in the air and the crowd went wild! However, when they called the name for the trophy, it wasn't mine. Again, I told the other boy good job. Even though I was unhappy, I sat proudly on the hay for the rest of the rodeo. When it was over I found Mama and I cried. I was upset that I tried my best and still didn't win. (It was also 4:00 and I hadn't had a nap). Just then the rodeo lady came up and tapped my shoulder. She said, "I have a special trophy just for you. You kept coming back and trying hard and you improved each time, so I want you to have this trophy." I was so proud! I carried it everywhere! I didn't jump the highest, but I did my best and worked hard and I was a good sport. Those are the important things and they paid off. I made Mama and Daddy very proud! On Sunday I went back and told the Rodeo crew thank you for putting on the rodeo and gave them all a hug. Today I got to take my trophy for show and tell at school.