airplanes and whoopie pies

Today's life in Otown started out with breakfast in an airport hangar and ended with whoopie pies. Blueberry whoopie pies. It goes without mentioning, but I'll mention it anyway... Today was a good day!

For the 3rd year in a row we gladly supported some young aspiring aviators (Owatonna's branch of the Civil Air Patrol). For the price of a few cheap tickets, they filled our bellies with delicious french toast and allowed us to stomp around on the airport grounds.

As usual, the boys talked their way into a cockpit. First Miles -- he does have to show his brother how it's all done, you know.

Then Westy!

All activity came to a hault when a guy (maroon shirt in picture below) flew in on his "trike". It was fascinating! As you might expect, Miles quickly moved to the front of the crowd and drilled the man with questions. We learned that they guy is from Montgomery, has been flying trikes since 1991, bought this particular plane 3 years ago and had it shipped from Australia, and the only thing he had to do was put on the tires and wings.

Beep beep.

How do you make a transition from stories about airplanes to one about whoopie pies? Hmmm. We tried our hand a making blueberry whoopie pies today! They were supposed to look like this --

But instead they looked like this --

Thank goodness for the pretty plate underneath. They tasted fine but didn't look at all like a whoopie pie. Oh well. The boys didn't know any different.

Although Westy did look a little skeptical.

Until daddy gave me the nod of approval. Then it was all good!

Now on to Monday....

The fair is over. Sigh.

The Steele County Free Fair (and the largest free fair in the state, thankyouverymuch) set a new attendance record this year with an estimated 322,000 people braving the smelly barns and greasy food. We took part in the festivities as a family on opening night, then Miles and I went back with his friend Alexis and her mom on Friday night. Even though Miles would argue (and DID argue) that all children should go to the fair every day (for the entire day), two evenings proved to be enough. We got our dose of animals, rides, and treats!

Miles and Weston did such a great job on the tractors that we're thinking about getting them farmer's permits in the next couple of years. As soon as they can reach the pedals, they should be good to go.

Moo!

Miles continued practicing his driving skills with Alexis. Think about how much crazier this world would be if 4 year olds were allowed to drive...and drive together...you know, both at the wheel at the same time. I suppose they do look fairly responsible in this photo, so maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Ha.

Even better - 4 year olds flying helicopters. Alexis looks like she's offering some advice on which button to push to get the thing going. Never too young to be a back seat driver! Or co-pilot, as I prefer to call it.

We topped off the evening with some Dip-n-Dots. Yummy! By the way, Alexis is a couple of weeks older than Miles. Apparently she got the short genes in her family. She's a cutie patootie and we like her just the way she is -- small and sweet :)

Brrrrrr. I lost count of the number of complaints about brain freeze.

We've biked through the fairgrounds a few times since the fair ended and it looks tired. Worn out and ready to hibernate (and air out) 'til next summer when the fun will start all over again!

#7

First of all, happy happy happy anniversary to Grandma Jill and Grandpappy! 42 years of wedded bliss....emphasis on the bliss, right mom?! ha ha.

As you might expect, Miles is intrigued by the idea of an anniversary. I talked with him about Grandma Jill and Grandpappy's wedding (although not the part about the moose head on the wall at the reception) and told him that daddy and I will be celebrating our anniversary this weekend. After I told him that it's our 7th anniversary because we'll have been married for 7 years, he asked, "And is this your last one, then?"

I won't tell you what Tanner mumbled under his breath.

To Miles, my little sweetheart:
Daddy and I look forward to many, many more years of wedded bliss. So please help us by being a good listener, taking naps until you're at least 6, sleeping late on weekends, and in general setting a good example for your baby brother.

xoxoxo