Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween from our little sunflower, Stella.  Our neighbor's daughter said something cute when she saw these photos, "Adorable little flower, she is.  She has really blossomed."  It's true - just in the past week or so I've really seen Stella's personality developing before my eyes.  She is so much fun!  People told me from the very beginning that being a mom only gets better as time goes on - I can remember getting weepy when Stella was about three months old because she was outgrowing some of her infant clothing already.  I was sad because I thought there was no way that she was going to be more fun than when she was a newborn.  It's amazing how, with every new phase, it just keeps getting better and better.  Here are a few of my favorite pictures from today.

LOVE Caroline's tongue sticking out in this photo!

Pam's Baby Shower

This morning we celebrated the much anticipated arrival of Baby Boy Peavey by having a baby shower (thanks, Kat Knowles, for opening up your lovely home and co-hosting with me).  It was a time of joy as women from different parts of Pam's life gathered together to share in making memories.  I'm incredibly grateful for Pam's friendship - she's been a huge blessing in my life for the past TEN years!  I can't believe it has been that long since we were "randomly" assigned to each other as freshman roommates at UNH...may I just say, "Thanks God, you made a great choice when you put us together."

How is it humanly possible that tiny Pammie is about to have a baby in THREE weeks??

I loved the favors we made - cinnamon buns with hand-written tags that said "Thank you from the bun in the oven."  How cute, yummy, and easy!

Now I'm going to crash because I'm still nursing this cold.  Great day, though!

Mr. Mom

I'm getting a lot of help around the house today because I've got a cold...hoping it gets better REALLY fast because I'm co-hosting a baby shower tomorrow for my great friend, Pam!  In the meantime, thanks to Mr. Mom and Super Baby for picking up the slack!

Teaching Stella to fold laundry...all she wants to do is eat the socks, though.

I love socks, socky socks socks, down in my belly!

Getting closer, Stella...looks like you're really folding in this one!

Thanks for all your help, Mr. Mom!  I couldn't do it without you!

My Daily Bread

My beautiful friend, Carla, and her handsome son, Connor.

Tonight I'm reflecting on how God's provision in my life comes in all forms.  Above is a picture of my wonderful friend, Carla, and her son, Connor (who is now officially Stella's boyfriend, apparently, because they were making out today during their play date...more on that later).  Carla and I met several years ago when she and her husband, Josh, moved to the area and we joined a small group together.  Our friendship has continued to grow as we have added kids to the mix.  I'm grateful to have close friends with whom I can share so many things in life, especially those who share faith my faith in Jesus and challenge me to grow.

When it comes to material provision, I've been thinking a lot about a particular part of the Lord's Prayer:  "...Give us this day our daily bread..."  What I love about this verse is that it reminds me to trust God for today and nothing more.  Not that He won't take care of me in the days to come, but all I need to trust God for is strength and provision for the present day - makes life a lot less worrisome, too.  Even with this truth about daily bread, I've been continually amazed as of late that God is also giving me a glimpse into His provision for future needs.  Case in point, Tim got to work today to find an envelope on his desk with our names typed on the outside and nothing more to indicate who it was from - inside were five $100 bills...that's another $500 folks, for those of you who have been following my blog.  Thank you to our anonymous angel - you are being used by God to show us His provision.

Since I stopped working, we've tried very hard to cut back on all our unnecessary expenses.  Even things that are important to us have had to be trimmed - like Zumba, for me.  This was a hard thing for me to say goodbye to as it's SO MUCH FUN and it's also an excellent workout.  But, another example of God's provision is that I've been given a gift specifically so that I can attend Zumba again for the time being!  I know it might sound cheesy, but I think God probably missed laughing at me while I got crazy on the dance floor...sometimes He provides even for the "extra" stuff in life, and for this I'm truly grateful tonight.  I'm typing this in my still sweaty Zumba clothes and I'm feeling better than I have in some time.  Goodbye lumpy post-baby body...hello Jenny of yester-year!

Thank you, God, for the daily bread of friendship, money to pay the bills, and Zumba! 

Super Baby!

She can climb tall buildings (or pull herself up on some surfaces), leap mountains in a single bound (or bounce like crazy in her jolly jumper), and she can put anything in her mouth (including dirty dog bones...).

Who is she, you ask??

She's SUPER baby!

Her bib doubles as a handy cape!  Never know when you may need a good cape...

Stella's superhero name would be Captain Thunder Thighs (don't you worry, I will stop calling her that as soon as she's old enough to understand what I'm saying to her):

Today was great - I met with a wonderful friend for edifying conversation (sans baby...thanks SUPER dad), and then Stella and I met with MY dad, her grandpa, at the Olive Garden.  Today I learned not to take a baby to the Olive Garden until they are old enough to sit in the high chair on their own...and to not scream in public when they get frustrated.  We still had a great time and got a nice family photo, just the three of us:

Here's to hoping I get a good night's sleep as Super Baby was up every TWO hours last night - cutting some super teeth and starting a super cold, again...more later on the adventures of SUPER BABYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stella's Spiritual Grandmother

Meet Stella's Spiritual Grandmother, Gail.  Stella has two, wonderful grandmothers by blood, but she is also part of an extended spiritual family...which includes Gail Durost.  Gail is a prayer warrior - she's a member of our church who has met with Tim from Day One of his job as Student Ministries Director, simply to pray for all the students, to pray for Tim and his team of volunteers, and to support him in whatever ways she can.  I'm confident that she is one of the reasons his ministry is flourishing at the church.  There were 79 kids at youth group last Wednesday night (junior and senior high kids showing up on a school-night to hear about and study Scripture...what is that?!); when Tim started working at the church, sometimes only three high school students would show up on a Wednesday evening!  Gail prays for EVERYONE.  She is amazing.  When Tim and I decided we wanted to start a family of our own, Gail prayed for us - the next month, we found out I was pregnant with Stella.  Have you ever met someone you think might be a real guardian angel?  We have...

(On an entirely unrelated note - we have tooth number 2 today - bottom right!)

Kids Toys Vs. Dog Bone...Winner = Dog Bone.

I'm learning my lesson to keep a VERY close eye on my daughter now that she's rolling everywhere.  Part of our morning routine involves Stella having some tummy time beside me while I check e-mail, etc.; I spread a blanket on the floor with toys all around her and she rolls from toy to toy.  Well, this morning during tummy time I heard her gurgling with delight in a new way - when I turned to look at her on the floor I realized I didn't recognize the toy she had in her hand.  I went for a closer look and, to my disgust, saw that she was chewing on a dirty dog bone!  Those of you who know how clean I am will find this especially amusing.  Note to self:  keep a VERY close eye on her during tummy time, and move all obstacles far away (even the ones I think are totally out of her reach)...

 Stella after the dog-bone incident...see, she's a-okay!

Thought you'd also find it funny that while I was typing this up I neglected to notice that Caroline was french-kissing a delighted Stella who was hanging out within arms reach of me...

Princess Stella

Princess Stella in her pink tutu on Grandmom's bed - Aug. 2010

Today felt like one of those days - especially in the afternoon.  I was missing certain things about my pre-baby life:  arriving somewhere when I said I would be there, having a totally clean and organized house...that stayed that way for more than five minutes, getting one thing completely done without being distracted by another, finishing a sentence because I remembered what I wanted to say in the first place...you get the drift.  It was a really poor day for Stella nap-wise - definitely part of the reason I was feeling frazzled.  I was sitting in front of the computer feeling sorry for myself while Tim got Stella ready for an early bedtime, when I heard the whispers of Tim's bedtime stories over the baby monitor.  I found the monitor on the bookshelf and cranked it up.  What I heard brought tears to my eyes - Tim was not reading a story to Stella, but composing a story in which she was the main character; he had no idea I was listening downstairs.  I could tell that he was walking around the room with his daughter in his arms, talking about what he saw.  This is his story to Stella - almost word for word:

"...Princess Stella looked out the window of her room to see the golden leaves on the trees, the green grass in the yard, the beautiful, blue sky.  She looked in her room and saw her dog, and her blue chair, and the tapestry above her bed that says, 'You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands (Isaiah 55:12).'  Princess Stella was thankful for all the blessings in her life.  She said goodnight to the trees, to her dog, to the green grass, to her room, and then her mommy came up to get her and she fell fast asleep."

Needless to say, I'm not feeling very sorry for myself anymore; thank you, God.  If that's not the most beautiful bedtime story - let alone one of the most precious moments of my entire life - I don't know what is.

The Generosity of Friends.

Recently, I shared about our financial crunch since we decided I'd stay at home with Stella - and how we're believing in God's provision for our need.  I shared how other friends in similar circumstances have seen God work in a number of ways.  Here are just two specific examples:

• Our friends who work in ministry were in need of a larger car for their growing family, especially as their other vehicle was going to cost them over $1,000 in repairs just to pass inspection.  They sent out an e-mail asking their supporters if they knew anyone who would be interested in selling them a used-minivan.  One couple responded by saying they wanted to pay for the difference of whatever our friends had planned on spending to buy the used van, no matter the amount, so that our friends could instead purchase a BRAND NEW 2010 minivan...all because these particular supporters felt led to give in this way and believed a new car would be more reliable and would bless our friends' growing family!
• One of my best friends was experiencing a health crisis involving a blood clot during her last pregnancy - this was expected to cost them literally thousands of dollars a month, out of pocket.  Throughout the course of this crisis they received significant financial support from fellow church members, as well as outright donations of a very specific medication that was originally going to be one of the largest expenses.  God provided for all their needs while they awaited the birth of their son; now he's a few months old and mommy/baby are completely healthy.

Here's just the beginning of our story:  Today, I received a small envelope from a dear, dear friend and her husband.  I opened the envelope to find a check for $500.  She knew we were struggling, but she had no idea that this happens to be the exact, remaining amount we need in order to make our full mortgage payment in November while we await word from our mortgage company on a re-negotiation of our contract.  Who does this?!  I'll tell you who...people who are trying their best to follow Jesus's call to give freely of themselves and their resources.  This is a gift with no strings attached - but we look forward to the day when we can pay it forward to someone in need.

"If one falls down, his friends can help him up.  But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!"  Ecclesiastes 4:10.

Marriage Retreat

Phew!  I'm breathing a sigh of relief because Tim and I have finally finished our materials for the Marriage Retreat in two more weeks - at which we'll be the keynote speakers!  We were a little surprised when the head of our church's Marriage Ministry asked us to consider speaking this year (okay...a lot surprised...); last year, we attended the conference as small group leaders and we had a fantastic time, but our marriage resume, if you will, didn't seem long enough to be the main speakers; we just celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary on July 2nd of this year.  However, the more we thought and prayed about this opportunity, the more we realized that God has given us something to say about marriage.

I remember last year when I told co-workers at Phillips Exeter Academy that we were attending the marriage retreat.  More than a few people looked concerned, and even some asked, "Is everything okay?"  Obviously, it helped when I explained that the retreat was basically a conference, one that offers a Christian perspective on building and maintaining a healthy marriage.  Even after a little explanation, I was struck by how uncommon it is for people to take an entire weekend, with other couples nonetheless, to think about, talk about, pray about, and hear about what it takes to make marriage work in this day and age.  Typically, people don't do a lot of work on their marriages until something is broken - following the age-old advice, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."  What's interesting, though, is that we spend a lot of time in life working on things before they "break"...things that often matter a lot less than our marriage (our house, our car, our hobbies, our body, etc.).  Perhaps this lack of attention to our relationship with our spouse is one reason why more than half of all marriages today end in divorce?!  I personally believe my marriage is worth fighting for BEFORE it gets to the breaking point - and I'm grateful to have a husband who not only shares the same feeling but he happens to be an excellent public speaker, as well - Thank GOD!

I'm grateful to my mom who will be watching Stella so that Tim/I can have our first weekend away since our baby was born...and I'm also thankful for my dear friend, Heather (she just happens to be a RN/Lactation Consultant), who gave me my Medela Pump-in-Style-Advanced as the most generous gift for my baby shower - without this gift we absolutely wouldn't be able to get away for a weekend without our daughter!

Crying it out.

I can't do it, friends; I can't let my baby cry it out.  I write this not to make a judgment on any fellow-moms who have chosen this method of sleep training, but more to reflect on judgments and decisions I made before becoming a parent.  

Before Stella arrived, I had a pretty clear idea in my head of what kind of mom I'd be.  I watched other mothers (whom I still admire) practice different parenting philosophies with their children and I made critical judgments on whether these moms were doing the right thing or the wrong thing with their children.  Sometimes, I even openly questioned my friends who had made certain choices with which I disagreed...and often, I talked about people behind their backs based on something they did with discipline, sleep schedules, nursing, co-sleeping, you name it.  Now that Stella is here, I have realized a few things:

1.  You simply don't know what kind of mom you're going to be before you take the plunge.

2.  You also don't know what kind of child you will have before they enter the world.

3.  There are very few non-negotiables in parenting...and even the non-negotiables differ from parent to parent.

4.  Parenting books can be helpful, but there is no perfect model by which to raise every child.

5.  I'm pretty sure my method of mothering will change if I have more children, based on meeting the needs of all my kids (to the best of my ability) at that time.

6.  Being a parent is a lot like the rest of life:  have fewer, less rigid expectations (of both yourself and your child) and you'll be much happier with how things actually turn out in the end.

7.  I choose not to let Stella cry it out, I like nursing her on a more flexible schedule, I may change my mind about both of these things in the future, and I'm pretty sure I'm not doing any permanent damage to her (or to myself) by choosing to do these things!

Photo of me, my mom, and my brother the day she brought my brother home from the hospital.

By the way, she let me cry it out, I still love her, and I'm not permanently scarred from the experience!

P.S.  I've been up and down my stairs no less than four times since starting this post to tend to a certain, fussy baby who need not be named...and I'm grateful for the extra time I spent with her tonight.

Mo' Money, Mo' Problems?

I resigned from my job in June when my maternity leave ended.  I don't regret the decision because I get to wake up to these two faces every morning:

One inevitable side-effect of me staying at home has been a big reduction in our monthly income.  Going from two incomes to one has definitely been tricky, and frankly it doesn't get much easier as time goes on.  Here's a little background:  We shop only for things we really need, like food, to date I have not purchased our daughter a single toy or item of clothing (think: hand-me-downs, swap-shops, generous gifts from others, etc.), Tim and I don't typically carry debt on our credit card, we have no car payments, we have nearly perfect credit, and we've never missed a payment on our house, Tim's college loan, or any of our utilities in our entire marriage of five years; needless to say, we're pretty darn frugal and yet we find ourselves struggling now to make ends meet.

There are a few things that keep me going when I start to feel anxious about our financial situation.  My faith in God is the most important thing.  We have so many friends who have faced a similar financial burden at one time or another (many bc one parent decided to stay at home); I can't even begin to write down the number of stories of God's provision for people who are following what they believe He has called them to do.  Every person has a unique calling; I believe God has called me to stay at home with Stella, and because of that we're trusting in His provision.  

Here are two quotes that are especially encouraging to me in this time of waiting on God:

"It is true that many "perfect jobs" may come and go during the childrearing years, but only one will absolutely never come along again - the job of rearing your own children and allowing them the increasingly rare opportunity to grow up at home." - Dorothy Patterson.

"Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.  Is not life more important than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not much more valuable than they?  Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?...But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own."  Matthew 6: 25-27, 33-34.

I heart naps (and other things I never thought I'd love...)

Since becoming a mom, I've discovered a few things I love - some of them are things I used to dislike for one reason or another.  FIRST on the list is:

1.  Naps:  I usually take at least one nap with Stella each day and WOW what a difference that makes.  When I took naps before becoming a mom I'd wake up groggy and feeling more tired than before...now, I wake up ready to continue the day of caring for my sweet pea.

Sleeping beauty - one month old.

2.  NPR Talk Radio:  BORING, right?  Wrong!  Truth be told, I started listening to NPR a while before Stella was born, but boy have I grown to love it since she arrived.  We don't have TV, so the house gets pretty quiet, and every once in a while I really like listening to the good, old fashioned radio.  Tim and I even had what we called a "nerd date" a few months ago to a live interview with Neil Conan and Ken Rudin (Talk of the Nation).

3.  Breastfeeding:  Not that I ever thought I'd dislike this per se, but it has been one of the most wonderful, bonding experiences of being a mom.  I do wish every mother could have the joy - for their own sake and for the sake of their baby.  If you can get past the first rough weeks of adjusting, it's well-worth any and all the pain or trials endured at the beginning.

And for the sake of balance - here are a few things I do NOT love:

1. Broken Washing Machines:  Makes cloth diapering really impossible.

2. Car Repairs:  Traps me in the house and costs a lot of money to fix.

Never Do This Again...

I just looked at the clock and I realized I've been trying to post a video of Stella for the past HOUR with no success.  Now that's a waste of time, I'd say!  I really enjoy blogging but I don't want to allow it to eat up time in an unnecessary way - so I've got to work on that apparently.

One good thing while I was waiting for my video to upload - I did get to enjoy a sweet moment with our daughter as she fell asleep in my arms again; this just never gets old and I'll take the real thing over videos of her any day!

Attention tooth fairy!

We have a tooth!  I was sitting with Stella in my arms this morning when I decided to do one of my periodic checks of her gums - and what did I feel, but her first tooth poking through (bottom, front left)!  I got a little emotional when I thought about how quickly time is passing.  Every milestone is accompanied by a mixture of joy and sadness:  our baby is growing up before my very eyes.  Each day of my new life with Stella my heart convinces my brain that it cannot get any better than this; and yet I wake up the next morning to find that it is true what they say - it only gets better.

Goodbye Vacation - Hello Constipation

Here's a picture of our big girl drinking from her sippy cup for the very first time:

Warning:  this post may contain a little TOO much information for my non-parent friends.

We have a constipated baby on our hands.  She is quite cheerful, all things considered, but the poor thing just can't go.  I've tried just a few of the natural options so far - prunes, pears, soaking her in a warm bath, rubbing her tummy, letting her jump in her jumper to get some movement, extra fluids; alas, it looks like we're going to have to try some of the (*ahem*) more invasive (yet natural) options starting tomorrow...

Taking suggestions now!

Even big girls still need a little help from mommy every now and then...

Comfort Food

Day 5 of Carpenter STAY-cation 2010 was a lovely, cold, windy, rainy day here in New Hampshire.  I'm serious, I love these days!  They remind me of childhood winters growing up close to the ocean.

We loaded into the car as a family and took another drive along the Seacoast to see the waves.  Stella had her first taste of chocolate ice cream and I mistakenly thought I had forgotten to bring the camera (note to self: check all pockets of my purse before coming to that conclusion...I'll write more on how I regularly cannot find things that are right in front of me in a later post), so I didn't capture her utter delight on film today; I'm hopeful there will be many more opportunities to do so in the future.  The rain makes me think of comfort food, like chicken pot pie topped with homemade biscuits...yum!  Tomorrow is our last day of vacation...sad to see it go as it has been wonderful to just be together...

I married my best friend.

Renewing our vows at Nubble Light House (July 2010) - where Tim proposed in April 2005

Tim and I took a drive with Stella today - Day 4 of the Carpenter Family STAY-cation 2010.  We chose a bunch of lazy roads through Strafford, Barnstead, and New Durham to see the foliage.  Funny thing was, as we left our house we reflected on how the last time we took a similar drive we had a disagreement that lasted the entire car-ride.  Well, the same thing happened today as we drove the same route (I am beginning to think these roads are some sort of vortex into marital unease).  By the end of the ride, however, we had worked out our differences - or at least we'd come to some understanding of the other's point of view.  I am thankful to have a husband who will listen to me, put up with my verbal processing and often illogical sticking points, and usually have me laughing by the end of our "talks".  It also helps that Stella slept the entire time and that we stopped at Hannaford's on the way home to pick up Klondike Bars for dessert.  

The fam at Odiorne Point - October 2010

We have been asked to be the keynote speakers at our church's Marriage Retreat next month!  Tim is preparing the talks, another thing for which I am VERY grateful (he's an excellent speaker).  As we reflect on five years of marriage, we have so many wonderful memories and have learned many valuable lessons that we look forward to sharing in a few weeks.  This partnership is God's highest earthly demonstration of grace in my life.  May He see it fit that we would grow old together - I married my best friend and I can't imagine my life without him!

Honeymoon in Hawaii - July 2005

Tim's Kidney Crisis - 2007 (he's A-Okay now)

Visiting Tim's brother and family in France - December 2007/January 2008
Atop Mt. Blanc - a glacier!

Fall 2006 - Adams Point, Durham NH

Interview with Stella (featuring her new face)...

Day 3 of Carpenter Family Vacation was spent on a beautiful walk around Odiorne Point.  The Seacoast of New Hampshire is amazing - made even better with great company like Tim and Stella...check out her new face!

Doggy Redemption

BEFORE photo of our puppy, Caroline - approx. 10 weeks old

Wow - what a flashback I had when I saw this photo; it instantly brought tears to my eyes.  This is a picture of our puppy, Caroline, who is now almost two years old.  Her story is the COVER STORY on the Paws of Marion website...and our story of adoption is featured there, too!  Caroline was found with her littermates - abandoned down South.  She suffered from Mange that was treated with a medicine which caused her to lose almost all her fur and develop sores over most of her body (especially her head/face); she survived abandonment, Demodex, Parvo (a highly fatal illness that attacks dogs digestive systems), separation from her mom and litter, and she was badly in need of food and medical attention for several other issues.  Despite all the odds against her, she is the picture of health today, and she is possibly the most loving creature on God's Green Earth, truly.

Caroline's is a story of redemption...a story of GRACE.  I'm not talking about Tim and myself - I'm talking about the people who stood by her through the worst times when she looked so sad and sickly on the outside.  Caroline won the heart of many people on her trek from Arkansas to Maine, and now she owns a piece of our hearts, too.  Thank you, Paws of Marion in Arkansas, for her initial rescue and for saving her life.  Thank you Lucky Pup Rescue of Maine - for giving Caroline the second chance she needed.  Thank you, Sherry Moody and family (Caroline's foster family in Maine), for reminding me tonight of all our little girl has been through in her short time on earth - and for seeing beyond her physical appearance, welcoming her into your loving home, nursing her back to health, and for your continued friendship and support.  Thank you to the Davies family (our neighbors), especially Kim and Casey, who lovingly take Caroline and Griffin into their home for doggy-daycare nearly every day; they treat our pups as if they were their own - along with all the other dogs they have fostered through Lucky Pup Rescue.  Thank you, Caroline, for being a demonstration of unconditional love to our entire family (especially Stella)...even on the days when I don't feel I have much to give you, you always have more love to give me than I know what to do with.  Thank you, God, for this picture of unconditional love which reminds me of how you love us...thank you for seeing through our spiritual leprosy and making us whole in your love through your Son, Jesus; I'm grateful for the opportunity to love others in this way...even our four-legged friends!

What a difference love makes - to all of God's creatures:

Caroline - Summer 2010

The dynamic duo - Caroline was helping me clean up after Stella's first feeding...gotta LOVE Stella's face!

Caroline and Stella - best buds.

Stella and Griffin - our first rescue pup who is now 4 years old!

Sherry and Caroline - June 2010

  

Sandwich Fair 2010 - Carpenter Family Vacation Day 1

What a day, what a day!  Carpenter Family Vacation - Fall 2010 - is off with a bang beginning with our trip to the 100th Annual Sandwich Fair.  Allow me to note that the Sandwich Fair is not a fair of sandwiches, rather, it's an annual fair set in a beautiful, New Hampshire town called Sandwich.  I've been attending this fair since I was about ten years old and it's one of my favorite fall traditions.  This year wasn't as full of people watching as I'd hoped it would be (things change when you spend more time looking at the stroller wheels making sure they don't run over the feet of the person in front of you...); however, we had a wonderful day filled with sweet, sweet memories as a family.  I love my family, I love my baby, I am grateful for all the blessings in my life right now.  Possibly my favorite moment of the day was spent discreetly nursing Stella, with Tim at my side, on a swinging chair.  Stella fell asleep in my arms under a blanket, and Tim and I sat together talking.  I sang a song to him.  We listened to the cattle caller at the competition ring up the way.  Let’s call it a country romance.  And we ate...oh, did we eat.  Here is a list of all we consumed (don't judge me - we wait all year for this...and it's truly a once-a-year occasion):

Hand-cut French Fries

Cheese Fries (2)

Corn Chowder

Corn Dog

Elk Burger (Tim's favorite food of the day)

Buffalo Sausage

Chocolate Fudge (my favorite food of the day)

Rocky Road Fudge

Fried Pickles
Fried Dough

Lemonade

Coke

Diet Coke (because I like the taste...obv. not bc I'm watching my weight with all I just consumed)

Here are some sweet pics from our wonderful trip:

Stella is excited for the fair!

YUMMMM!!!!

Old Ladies in Cowboy Hats - Love it!

Don't Hate.

Tim makes his annual trip to the knife shop.

Me and my peanut.

Baby and Daddy.

Someday Stella - dad will take you on this ride.  Mom would throw up if she did.

Precious, 2200 lb., sleeping ox.

Stella: "I loved the fair...do we have to go home?"

Stella:  "Thanks, mom and dad, for a great day!"