fair time!

Only 2 ½ weeks until the county fair! Yeah! (or not?!)
What usually happens is about 4 days before the fair entries are due, we go frantic trying to get drawings and colorings and getting and finding crafts and yes, it is ME who ends up having to push to get stuff done.
So this year I decided with all the “boredom” we need to get ahead of the game and get some of this stuff done NOW. Off to the dollar store and craft store I went. As I stand and pull down items to throw in the cart I am thinking, “I am spending how much for the chance for my kids to win a few bucks?!”
I know, I know, it’s not about the money. It’s the fun of crafts, it’s the learning to do something…it’s the pulling of mom’s hair. Really, they like to do it, but only if I come up with it. And I know a $1 premium is a big deal to a 6 year old and the fair can’t afford to pay more anyway. And there’s nothing like the excitement of going to the Home Ec building and seeing how pleased the kids are with their ribbons (even the green participation ones).
It’s funny that I have the kids do all these craft things, considering how very uncrafty I am. They do get to do a little baking, but I just don’t need all the extra goodies that come along with the baking in the house. C and M can do most of the baking themselves now, but it’s still a lot of anxiety and mess for mom! We’ll also go around and look for veggies in the garden and flowers around the house. All the girls want to try some photography this year too-we’ll see. That one is definitely a more expensive category-you have to have it developed a certain size and framed so we’ll see about that one.
When we first started doing the fair stuff (7 years ago?) there weren’t many other kids doing crafts. Then their friends started and more of their friends and now…it’s a little tougher to get a prize!
Oh well-plenty to do to keep boredom at bay for a while.
P.S. JoAnn’s in Willmar had a whole bunch of little craft kids and summer camp things on clearance for 50 cents!