We are constantly telling our children that the Fair happens once a year for a week but for the rest of life, it's not fair.  So this week we went to the Fair.  A couple of months ago I picked up tickets for wrist bands and entrance tickets at the 4 hour only sale at Woods Coffee.  I figured that I saved over $65 by doing that.  I saved enough to pay for John's ticket in and all the food I ate.  Oh I have been looking forward to Fair Food; Moo-wiches, New York Steak Sandwiches, Curly Fries, and it could have gone on and on if I had enough money.  As it was the kids were wanting money for their food too.  Lona quickly found some friends to hang out with and she rode all the rides and I left her at the fair with them. I really have no idea how late she was there. Something new at fair this year for me were the boys looking at MY DAUGHTER!  Her friends are all a couple of years older but I didn't think they should have been looked at either.  ACK!!!!  I think it's going to get worse.  Job hung out with some of his friends too but after a couple of hours he was just done with the rides.  He may not be going back next year.  It really isn't his thing.  He does like to walk through the barns looking at the displays such as the Lego collections or the animals.  He left with us after dinner.  Isaac was also left at the fair this year with his friends.  He wasn't quite into the rides like Lona but more so than Job.  I think for him, its a lot of socializing and maybe a tiny bit of girl looking but not seriously.  It was nice to ditch the chaperons and just be husband and wife at the fair.  John remarked that he was surprised at the number of older people we saw.  I was surprised at the number of names I recognized with the different exhibits.  I guess that Fair can really be a social place to see people that we haven't seen in a while.  Even living in the same small county sometimes the fair is the only time to see them.  The whole time though I was missing my camera.  I've sent it off to the repair center.  It seems as though there is just something not quite right about it.  I missed it, just not quite as happy with my photos without it. 

Lona is our first child to attend any kind of camp.  She wanted to go last year but we weren't ready and were too busy anyway.  This year, I had cut out all of our soccer camps, swim lessons and piano lessons.  We thought about it, prayed about it and decided that it would be ok. The fact that I had heard they did Bible study and encouraged girls in their walk was a big plus for me.  I really wanted a positive experience with a great message.  I remember that I went to camp for a couple of years.  I loved it.  We sang songs around a camp fire, had bible studies but after camp that was it.  These counselors have on going relationships with the girls throughout the year.  They often times are teaching assistants or the teachers themselves of the girls in the various dance classes.  For that I'm glad.  They are role models in an activity that often has not good connotations to it, such as thinness and looks.

We've attended Grace Church Bellingham since it started about 3 years ago.  In that time we've had two children baptized.  Isaac was one of the first person to be baptized in the church.  I was so excited and happy for him.  Then last August after months of pestering Lona was baptized.  We only had Job.  After our trip to Cannon Beach, Job decided that he wanted to be baptized.  I was thrilled. He said he was ready.  I made an appointment to talk to our Pastor and bright and early he walked into our church.  I waited in the lobby.  It's important that he is able to explain what baptism is about and what it means to him.  I really want my kids to own their faith, to understand the importance of baptism.  Pastor Dax said it is for them to look back upon and say yes, I have assurance."  It is more of a rock, a remembrance for them. 

The biggest blessing of Cannon Beach is making friends.  It seems as though we get to know people through our children.  Our children get to know kids in class and soon they just hang.  We are involved in our kids' lives and so talk to these kids and talk to their parents and pretty soon we are developing friendships too.  This is what keeps us coming back the same week.  Our kids put the pressure so that they can see their friends.  The messages are great but we no longer choose a week based on the message.

I have to confess, I was not thrilled to go back to the museum.  We've already done this twice, and I'm not too interested in vintage planes.  We had put off making any kind of decision on what we were doing that day so this was our back up plan.  We've already made up our minds what we are doing next year on Wednesday of our Cannon Beach week.  We are going to the air museum in McMillville.  They have the original Spruce Goose.  It's an all wood plane built during World War II.  I hear it is an outstanding museum.  Yes, another plane museum but one that we haven't gone to. 
It will be good.
Every time we go to the Tillamook Air Museum, I am impressed with the size of the structure.  That in itself it worth seeing.  It is the last all wood blimp hanger in the US.  It could house 8 blimps at one time.  Very impressive.  Some of the planes in there are being stored there by their owners and are taken out for air shows.  Other planes are on loan from our military.  Of course they haven't been used for years, lots of years.  The big draw for our family is the P38 Lightening.  The only plane to have two fuselages.  Job  can get tunnel vision with ideas and on this trip it was wanting to build a gyrocopter, otherwise known as a gyroplane.  It is the precursor to helicopters.  The big difference is that there isn't a motor that drives the top rotary blades.  Those are powered by the contraption moving forward and it provides lift.  The engine powers blades behind the seat and moves the contraption forward.  What that means is if the engine for some reason quits, it doesn't just drop to the ground, the top blades keep spinning and you drift to the ground instead.  After seeing this, Job immediately upon returning to our room started his research.  I wonder if this is going to be a science project.  Can he make one out of Legos?  You never know what is going to spark his interest.
On the way back to Cannon Beach we stopped at this little antique store called the Little White Church Antiques.  So very cute.  If we head back that way, I'm stopping again.