Oh Yes We Did

Big Tex is even more frightening in person when you stand below him on the fairgrounds, if you can believe it. In fact, the children categorically refused to have the stroller rolled in his general direction for a photo.

But to the Texas State Fair we ventured yesterday.

Being a family of a 2- and 1-year-old, we basically stuck to the animal portion of the fair -- and, of course, the food. Glorious fried food. (People aren't joking when they say Texans are serious about their fried food. They are. I literally almost got thrown out of an office once because I said I preferred sushi.)

Our first stop was to the Grand Champion line-up: cow, goat, sheep and pig. After which we stayed in the goat corral for an hour. I never knew my children liked goats so much. But, boy howdy! Jane kept asking every goat if they wanted to come home with her.

If I had audio on this, you'd hear "OK, Goat. Let's go home. Come on, let's go home." I didn't tell her this goat was for sale.This foray into the world of goats must have been the first my children had seen the animal with such pronounced horns. Because as we walked out of a stunt dog show, Jane spied a pair of steer horns. Jane turned to Lane and said "Daddy look, a goat hat!"

Of course, we had to purchase the fried item winning the Best Taste for 2010: Fried Frito Pie. Which I followed up with some fried cheesecake.

Lane then found his mecca and apparently faced an intensely personal struggle of fried ribs or fried alligator.

He went with the fried gator, but not before Elliot showed definite signs that the trip must come to a close with his unrelenting insistence of photos (seriously, this kid likes looking at himself):

Followed by the glassy look of Jane which indicates that you have approximately 3 minutes until explosion.

We promptly ran to our $20 parking spot and left the glorious State Fair. But we'll be back.

After all, 2011 has a whole new fried food champion.