by Kristen Bagwell
(First, let me apologize for the punny title...I just couldn't resist. This was one of the better choices: you missed out on "a family aFAIR" and 2 others. But I digress.) Have you been to the NC State Fair this year? My husband grew up in Asheville and his first trip was as a 38-year old...his was a deprived childhood, I tell you. My family went to the fair on and off from the time we moved to NC (1981) until we lost interest, which was about the time we could have driven ourselves. Go figure. Before that, we enjoyed the county fair that our small town put on every year, and anyone else's fair that we were allowed to attend. Cotton candy and ferris wheels - who doesn't love that?

Being a mom at the Fair turns things upside-down, a bit...and thank goodness I don't mean that literally (yet). Although we took our daughter when she was tiny, this year marked the first that she was truly excited to go, and was ready to do all things FAIR: eat, ride, and marvel. Her almost-5 year old self had the best day ever, and I needed a cold beverage at the end of it, for more reasons than one.

If you've not yet been, there's still plenty of time - in fact, this Thursday is Hunger Relief day (bring in 4 cans of Food Lion Brand food for free admission). If you have, maybe you'll identify with the Top Ten Things I learned as a mom at the fair:

1. The 5 minutes before the rides open for the day is actually 20 minutes.
2. A baby Brahma bull is the same size as a regular baby cow.
3. 15 minutes is NOT too long to stand in line for 2 minutes of fun, especially if your child is the one having it.
4. If you think you're going to barf on the kiddy rides, you're probably not. If you think you are going to barf on the grown-up rides...well, don't say we didn't warn you.
5. The guess-your-age and/or weight guys are usually pretty accurate...if you want to be flattered, try elsewhere.
6. You will use approximately 1 purse-package of antibacterial wipes for every 2 hours that you're at the fair. (Or is that just me?)
7. The small, super-hairy cow in the petting zoo (near gate 9 entrance) is a Scottish Highland cow. 
8. The Super Sky Jump trampoline thing is indeed worth $5. Every penny.
9. On the petting zoo theme, a one-humped camel is also called a Dromedary.
10. Everything tastes better at the fair...particularly corn.

What are your favorite things to do and see at the state fair (or any fair)?