STATE FAIR

It all started one year ago.

The entire gang (Uncle M, Aunt J, Uncle J, Aunt K and our family) trekked up to Fergus Falls for our annual State Fair Weekend.  We always anticipate celebrating the State Fair in our own way- forgoing the crazy, crowded, and costly chaos of the actual MN State Fair- pulling out the deep fryer and making our own food.  Fried cheese curds and onion rings, mushrooms, peppers, pickles, marshmallows, Snickers and Reece's, funnel cake … and plenty of beer (okay, so last year the three girls were pregnant, but we had a sip of beer.)  We spend the whole weekend doing nothing- lounging on the colorful hammock attempting to perfect our end-of-summer tan.  My big kids get the garden hose and spend hours soaking Grandma K's plants.  Grandpa A makes ten trips to the grocery store each day.  Aunt K obsesses about the perfect gluten free recipe, and the uncles act like they are in junior high.  

But last year, Grandma K made us all leave the house for one hour on that Saturday morning because someone was interested in buying their house.  I'm not sure we really understood how the story would t unfold.  I'm not sure Grandma K or Grandpa A did either.  

That was our last trip up to Fergus Falls.

Within a few months, Grandma K and Grandpa A accepted the offer for their house, had a major moving sale, moved into a one bedroom apartment short term and then bought a home in MY town.  The transition from Fergus to my town has been a process - Grandpa A is still looking for a job and continues to commute to his new home on the weekends.  Grandma K is just getting into her real estate business as she continues to perfect their foreclosure-flipped home.  And I'm still digesting how amazing it is to have my parents live just twenty minutes away.  

Of course, I'll always miss my hometown.  Despite living in Fergus since 6th grade, the memories I'll hold most tightly are the most recent ones.   I'll miss driving down Union Avenue (after four plus hours all packed in the car!) and hearing JP squeal, "There it is!  I see Grandpa A's house!"  I'll miss the looks of pure joy as AA and JP would run into their house and immediately race upstairs to play with the toys.  I'll miss the time when the entire gang was home (even though it was impossible to keep my kiddos sleeping as the intoxicated aunts and uncles went up and down the creaky stairs a million times).    I'll miss our Christmas Eve dinners and our movie nights on the patio.  I'll miss our breakfast feasts, late night popcorn, and candy dishes dispensed all over the main floor.  I'll miss the way life just stopped when we were all together.

And now we have a new place to make memories.  I was so happy to continue on with our Labor Day State Fair weekend tradition.  Though we weren't all together at the same time, we were able to lounge:

play with water:

perfect our end-of-summer tan:

and, best of all,

indulge in fried food!