San Diego County Fair

This weekend we packed up the kids and drove over to the Del Mar Racetrack where the annual San Diego County Fair is held. It was a bright sunny day and the kids were excited. We entered the fairgrounds where the big kid rides are located. Dominic was getting excited and he wanted to try all of them. Unfortunately, he was too short to ride any of them so we headed on over to the livestock showing area where we met up with our neighbors and their little girl, Brianna.

The first thing that we saw were the little piggy races. Four little pigs raced around a small racetrack to the cheers of the crowd. Dominic thought it was the greatest thing! Jocelyn was a little scared by the cheering crowd.

Here the piggies are loaded into the starting area.

We then headed into the barn-style buildings where the cows and goats were kept. Dominic and Brianna had a good time going from cage to cage petting the goats. BriannasMom and I had a good time rounding up the two kids and washing their hands afterwards...

After lunch (which include hot dogs, chicken nuggets, fries, fish & chips, BBQ sandwiches, and some dancing by the kids) we crossed over the racetrack to the inner field where all the kiddie rides were located. Dominic and Jocelyn rode on the boats first. Dominic first rode these boats two years ago, before Joss was born.

Joss rides in the wagon.

Other rides included the carousel, a ballon ride, a train (twice), and a car ride. All three kids are with DominicsMom, but you can only see the top of Jocelyn's head... Poor Joss, she was too little to go on all but a small number of the rides. So everytime she was able to go on a ride and we pulled her off when it was over, she cried a little. She wanted more! The other two kids sometimes complained, but they generally stopped when we told them that there was another ride (and no Papa Frank, the last ride is not the one home!)

The next ride was a small caterpillar roller coaster. Dominic did not want to go and DominicsMom almost had to drag him on. Brianna and her dad also went on the ride. Both kids had a blast and Dominic was throwing his hands in the air like a champ. Dominic wanted to go again and since it was his first roller coaster, I took him again.

The next ride we were not sure about, but Dominic was tall enough and some of the kids lined up looked smaller than he did, so we let him go on the bumper cars! It was hilarious. Imagine a dozen small bumper cars filled with kids, probably none over 6 or 7 years in age. Most did not know about the gas pedal (a big red button on the floor here - easier to describe to a small kid!) and steering was a giant mystery. The whole affair was characterized by some driving around (usually by kids not looking where they were going), a small crash, and the resulting huge traffic jams as the two fair workers struggled to get things moving. The two gentlemen working the floor had to have to most athletic and dangerous job in the whole fair!

Hey buddy, you are geting a little too close!

Dominic in an airplane ride.

Dominic's last ride was a little NASCAR ride, you didn't steer but the cars went around a little track. DominicsMom gave him the typical Mom advice, "Remember to wear your seatbelt! Don't drive too fast! Keep your eye on the road. And wear your mittens!"

Here Dominic wishes he had paid more attention to Mom!

Both kids had a great time and Dominic put up a huge fit the whole walk back to the car (at least a half mile walk with him howling and clutching my hair as he road on my shoulders.) He was out within a couple of minutes when we got in the car...

DominicsDad