Iowa State Fair pt.2

Yesterday I made it back to the Iowa State Fair. As intended I was able to get some rib tips. They were worth an extra trip to the fair.

So here is the food run down for the day (and again, most of the food was shared 4 ways):

Rib Tips

Funnel Cake

Fried Snickers

Corn Dog

Chips

Turkey Leg

Pretzel

Taffy

I think that was everything, but I may have forgotten something.

Again I went with my sister, Deann, and we met up with our parents. Since we spent last Saturday there, we didn't do much beyond wander around aimlessly. We did watch the chainsaw carver at work.

At the end of the day, we went to a horse show. Two memorable things happened: 1) a draft horse reared up and ended up falling. FREAKY for those of us who aren't around horses often. And 2) a team of 6 came partially unhitched. Again FREAKY for those of us who aren't around horses often.

Over all it was a good day.

Making Some Changes

I'm sure that all of my regular readers (all 1 of you) have noticed that I have removed my Recent Reading gadget from my sidebar. There are a couple reasons for this: 1. I haven't really been keeping track of what I have been reading. 2. In the grand scheme of life, all the piddly books I was reading really don't matter. I've decided to start giving quick and incomplete reviews or summaries of the books that challenge me to think and act differently. First up is The Five Love Languages of Teenagers by Dr. Gary Chapman.

As in all the other Love Language books Dr. Chapman has written, he explains what the five love languages are and how they apply specifically to the target age group. The five love languages are 1. words of affirmation, 2. acts of service, 3. gifts, 4. physical touch, and 5. quality time. (I did not list the love languages in the order the author taught them.) Dr. Chapman did an excellent job explaining how each of these languages would be best received by teens and how, due to the fluctuating moods and states that teens experience, the teen's receptivity to any given language will vacillate depending on those states of mind.

The book is an easy read and will help the reader better understand teens and how to best relate and help them though the more difficult times of maturation.

After completing The Five Love Languages of Teenagers, I decided that since I didn't know what my personal love languages are I should take the appropriate test. Since I own The Five Love Languages of Singles I decided to turn to the end of the book and be quizzed. I discovered that I am bilingual and am most receptive to words of affirmation (this received 10 out of 30 points) and physical touch (this received 9 out of 30 points). I equally appreciate quality time and acts of service (5 points) but don't waste your money buying me stuff. Gifts scored a low 1 point so I really don't want you to give me anything. Oh wait. Let me re-think that one.

Moral of the story, if you want to make me feel loved feel free to tell me how great I am and give me random hugs.

Iowa State Fair

The end of summer is here and that means that it is time for the Iowa State Fair. Thursday was the opening day and also the day they hosted the Jeremy Camp and Steven Curtis Chapman concert. I was able to go thanks to Nita and April. I just want to say that the concert rocked...quite literally. Nita was able to get us some great seats. As soon as I saw how close we were to the stage I started kicking myself for not bringing my camera. I was able to take a couple photos with the camera on my phone, but they are poor quality and they make it seem as if we were quite a ways from the stage. SCC is pictured above. At least he is as pictured as my phone allows.

I have never been to a Jeremy Camp concert before and let me advise you that if you ever have the chance to see him live, take it. SCC was great as well. I thought that the combination of JC and SCC was unique. They both did a great job communicating that Christians should live life passionately for God. Both men have suffered huge losses in their lives: Jeremy Camp lost his first wife to cancer after they had only been married for three months, and Steven Curtis Chapman lost one of his young daughters in a tragic accident a year ago last May. Both men talked about how their relationship with God, during their raw grief, had to prove itself to be more than just words. It is a relationship that gets deeper and more refined with hard times. God truly is who He says He is in the Bible.

I'm having a hard time portraying the heart of what they said. Check out their blogs if you don't know what I am saying. I'm sure that you will be able to figure it out from there.

Yesterday I spent the day at the Fair. Anyone who has been there knows that the main attraction is the food. Typically I end up leaving the Fair being a bit disappointed because I get full too quickly and can't try a wide variety of foods. But yesterday, thankfully, I was with my parents and sister, Deann. The smart way to do the Fair is to be with a small group of people who want to split all sorts of foods.

Here is a run down of our day: (to the best of my recollection)

saw crafts

split giant pickles

saw things that were made out of butter (see pictures)

saw a sign for salad on a stick

shared a slice of apple pizza

ate an Elephant Ear

ate chips

decided I wanted to try rib tips

tried to find stand selling rib tips

looked at the winning entries for the ugly cake contest (one looked like the inside of a toilet bowl...I'll leave the mental picture up to your imagination)

tried to find stand selling rib tips

got free ice cream cones

tried to find stand selling rib tips

ate fried veggies (had to get something "healthy" in us)

saw more stuff

tried to find stand selling rib tips

sat on a bench for a while

ate a turkey leg

tried to find stand selling rib tips

bucket of chocolate chip cookies

gave up on the rib tips

In between our times of eating we did go into various buildings to see stuff. I didn't buy anything this year besides food, so as I left I felt as if I had missed out. Maybe I should go back this Saturday.

Deann and I left before my parents did and I was driving home I got a phone call from my mom telling me that they found the rib tips stand. Decision made: I'm going back this Saturday.

I'm a Broken Record

Almost every time I talk to basically anyone I end up telling them how excited I am to move. I thought that my house would have sold by now. I had really HOPED that my house would have sold by now. Oh well, chalk it up to another or rather my continued lesson on patience.

In a couple hours I will be heading to the pool with one of my sisters and her kids. I bought a pool pass this last spring and haven’t actually been able to use it. What a good investment. J The pool doesn’t open until 12:30 and the only days I’m not working in the afternoons are Tuesdays and Thursdays. So far this summer it just hasn’t worked out for me to go. How sad. On the bright side, I HAVE made it to the lake a couple times when the sun HAS been out. Yes, the sun was actually out and I was able to experience this more than once this summer. Yay!