The Big Fresno Fair means big fun with Fresno friends

Friday was our designated "Big Fresno Fair" day, an annual tradition for the Gilmores. We snagged a deal this year on tickets through Fotech photo studio. They sponsor the Shoot-the-Fair photo contest. Meilani and I went to the fair on Friday during the day for some of the kids events. We saw the Mermaids & Mariners show. Meilani was a bit spooked by the "mariners," who were doing slap-stick-style humor, pushing each other over the side of the diving pool and pretending to hack each other with swords. She did get into it when one mariner did his high dive (8 stories) into the pool. I told her it was like the Olympics and she liked that. Then we moved on to meet up with our friends the McGowens at the Pirate Ship Playground (total madhouse!) and Panning for Gold area.

The Ag Adventure area was our fave new addition to the fair. They had a whole area for kids to play. Meilani raked at the "Pooper Scooper" area.

She also tried out her tractor driving skills.

She practiced milking a cow named Bessy.

We returned home for the necessary afternoon nap (for Mama, of course!). Later Friday evening we met up with Daddy, Nana Maria and our friends Forest and Stacie. We dined on Gyros and Chicken Kebobs. (We thought those were pretty healthy options given the other pickins. Yes, we safely avoided the fried twinkies, fried avocadoes and fried White Castles - yech!)

We had big fun browsing the booths with vendors demonstrating gadgets, selling clothes and jewelry and we even happened upon Sarah Palin. We had to take a pic of Nana Maria with Sarah since they're both such MAVERICKS!

Uncle Forest and Auntie Stacie were big fans of this head massager. We were strictly told it was "not for kids to play with." Oops!

Our splurge for the evening was a famous Cinnamon Roll. Ericlee, Mom and I shared one with the walnuts and cream cheese frosting on the side. This was just the sweet treat to top off our evening without going overboard. Divine!

Meilani also dug the wooden toys in the Home Arts building while Stacie and I perused all the food items for the recipe contests and knitting/crocheting projects. We dreamed about what we might enter for the contests. (We do this every year and somehow never find the time to actually enter!)

We ended our fair evening with my personal favorite: the Footsie Wootsie. This fabulous attraction is a seat/foot massage. It only costs a quarter (the same price Ericlee paid when he was a kid!) and is worth every penny. My tootsies felt nice and ready for the walk to the parking lot. Meilani squealed with delight as she tried out her own version - a booty massage?!?