Signs of Living the Fair Life

I was living the State Fair life for a while there.

How do you know if you too are living the State Fair life?  Let me tell you.

1.  Look at your fingernails. Are they perfectly painted? Yes, then you aren't living the State Fair life.

If 7 out of 10 of your fingernails are ripped off from opening boxes (who needs box cutters) and hooking tent  flaps up daily, then you've lived the State Fair life.

2.  Do you have multiple large, styrofoam cups from the gas station (half full of warm Coke Zero) throughout your house from late night trips home from the fair? If so, you're living the State Fair life.

I counted at least 10 of said cups around my house, including on my bathroom counter, last week. Add multiple empty candy bar wrappers and you have my supper choices during the fair.

On a side note: Have you tried the Nestle Crunch Girl Scout Cookie candy bars? I'm addicted to the Thin Mint version and may have cleaned out the supplies of at least 2 Speedway C-stores in my area!

3.  Are there piles of CLEAN clothes scattered around your house? You HAVE to do laundry during the 17-day run so your two work t-shirts are kept clean but you don't have time (or energy) to put the rest of the clothes away.

4.  Is there edible food in your fridge? If you answered yes, then you are NOT living the State Fair life.

Who has time to go to the grocery store when you are encouraging people "to visit our big soybean statues around the area...win a free milkshake coupon" over and over again every day?

If you have any of these signs, then you are indeed living the State Fair life.

Good news, it lasts just a few weeks each year (I do love the state fair) and you have a whole year to recover!

Take Out Fair Food

A Brilliant Idea

I have spent 15 of the last 17 days at the Indiana State Fair.

I love the Fair...I really do, but 15 days is a bit much.

I have even begun dreaming about working at the fair. I've woken up VERY mad at some of my co-workers for messing up our exhibit. It's been a long 17 days!

However, during this time I've come up with a brilliant business idea...

Take-out (and delivery) State Fair Food. 

Just drive up to a gate the the fair and a delivery person runs the food right to your car. Or call in your order and have it delivered to your door.

Brilliant, right?

Want a corn dog but don't want to fight the crowds?

No problem.

Craving a candy apple or some cotton candy but have other plans?

You got it!

Aren't you loving this concept?

Now, the deep-fried foods pose a bit more of a problem. This is where I'd suggest drive up Fair Food over delivery. You want these items fresh.

Deep fried Oreos, Twinkies, cookie dough (seen below).

Call in your order now!

Or what about a big order of Ribbon Fries (my favorite)?

These are a bit messy to eat in the car so I suggest a co-pilot to help you eat these.

Am I brilliant or what?

There's still one more day left to get out and enjoy the Indiana State Fair (it closes Sunday, August 19). But if you can't make it out, watch for the details next summer for Megan's Fair Food Fast service...coming to a state fair near you!

Wednesday Loves

It's been a busy few weeks but I am still loving life - especially with a day off from the 90-degree temperatures at the Indiana State Fair!

I'm loving this ecard that a friend sent me yesterday. It's awesome. I'm awesome. You'd better get tested!

I'm loving the compliment I received last night. After 13-plus hours at the state fair, I said good-bye to the nice gentleman in charge of the Indiana Beef Cattleman's Tent (I was the official table cleaner for four hours last night) and he said he enjoyed working with me because I made it fun and always had a smile on my face.

I'm loving that all my nephews and nieces are home again. I don't think multiple sisters and their families are allowed to go on vacation at the same time any more! I missed them.

I'm loving my cool Holstein nails (if I say so myself) in celebration of the Year of Dairy Cows at the Indiana State Fair. If you go, be sure to stop by the Dairy Bar and try their new Lemon Chiller milkshake. It's yummy (I may have mixed it with chocolate for an awesome treat).

Yes, I painted them myself - free hand.

What are you loving this Wednesday?

Linking up to What I'm Loving Wednesday over at this kind of love.

The Universe Laughs At Me

This is the fortune I received on July 31st.

After I just worked 9 days straight.

Before the month of August started, when I'm staring at 23 days of work with maybe a day or two "off" which means I don't have get to go to the state fair to work but can get caught up on email and other work from home (maybe).

Yes, the universe laughs at me.

But at least I can eat elephant ears, fried cheese and milkshakes while it does!

Udderly Excited about the Fair

Last year about this time we were getting ready to celebrate the Year of Soybeans at the great Indiana State Fair.

And Bennie the Bean was showing up everywhere, even at an Indianapolis Indians game!

While these guys (the giant soybean statues, not the three monkeys in front) will still be at the Fair this year in the new BeangoLand, it's time to moooo-ve on and celebrate the Year of Dairy Cows!

Want to know just how long you have to wait to get your dairy on? Visit the Year of Dairy Cows page here and see the countdown!

I can't wait to see all the great stuff that the Indiana dairy farmers have planned for us this year.

Rumor has it that there are some great new foods being offered this year. The Signature Food contest is happening now over at WFMS - be sure to head over and vote for your favorite treat.

The new Lemon Chiller at the Dairy Bar is definitely going on my "must try list."

I think the Indiana State Fair is still a great deal for individuals and families with a lot of free activities once you are inside the gates. Want an even better deal? Check out this blog post on some discount (even free) admission days at the fair!

There are even some free ticket giveaways out there!

Head over to Indiana's Family of Farmers Facebook page and check out some great State Fair giveaways from some Indiana blogging ladies. They are offering admission tickets AND coupons for the Dairy Bar. Score!

As I have said on her before, my work takes me to the Indiana State Fair almost every day of the 17-day run. It's a long stretch but I love it. I love it more in the beginning, but I do love it.

I'm thinking that I need to paint my nails like this to get me in the mood for the Year of Dairy Cows and the great Indiana State Fair!

Source: loveit.com via Megan on Pinterest

What do you think?

Disclaimer: I don't work for the dairy industry OR the Indiana State Fair. I am active in Indiana's Family of Farmers and do work for Indiana soybean farmers. However, all opinions on this blog are my own. Period.

Flexible I Am Not

I was going to name this post:

What You Need to Know Before Attempting Pilates

But that was a bit long and the name of this post is 100 percent accurate!

I decided to break out one of my new Pilates DVDs late one night last week. I've had the DVDs for more than a month but didn't gain the motivation to use them until my sister - who has had 2 children in the last 4 years - showed me her stomach last week.

Let's just say that if a stranger were asked to look at her stomach and mine and tell us which sister was the mother of two, I'm sure they would pick the wrong sister (me). That girl has some flat abs! I'd be really mad at her but she runs daily so she's worked for them. I've worked for mine too, but unfortunately mine comes from a lack of exercise and a love of Oreos!

So, after polishing off the last of the Oreos, I popped in the Pilates DVD and got to work.

Here's what I learned during my first attempt at Pilates:

1. Buy a cute yoga mat. It will motivate you, I promise.

My yoga mat has butterflies on it. How cool is that? I love butterflies so finding these was a bonus.

2. Watch the workout once before attempting it. I didn't know what I was getting myself into and I could have benefited from a quick watch before actually doing the workout!

3. If you have contacts, wear them - NOT glasses - when doing the workout. I was wearing my glasses and spent half the workout lifting my head so I could actually see the TV. Not conducive to a good workout.

4.Start with a Pilates for Dummies workout if you are as uncoordinated as me.The DVD workout had one lady doing a modified routine for beginners but they didn't show her very much OR she was just cut off on my TV because I don't have a widescreen TV. I spent most of the workout waiting to see what I was supposed to be doing!

5.Study up on Pilates/Yoga terminology before attempting a workout. The lady was talking about core muscles and powerhouse. What?!?

After a not-so-successful first Pilates workout, I definitely learned some important lessons. But I will attempt it again.

What workout DVDs do you like?

Long Live Summer Pool Fun

Summer is in full swing and it's been hot.

Now, I know what you are thinking. "It's summer so, of course, it's hot."

I know summer is supposed to be hot but we've experience above normal temperatures for an extended period with NO rain, so I think I'm allowed to point out that it's been abnormally hot and dry around these parts.

What this has meant for me is lots of time around the pool with my nieces and nephews. I've captured a lot of cute photos of them in all of their wet and wild glory. 

Like this one of the boys making up their own carnival-type game that involved throwing water-soaked balls at my oldest nephew as he stands in the middle of the kiddie pool. Once he was hit, he toppled over like one of those clown figures in the midway game at your local county fair.

These photos scream summer to me.

Do you take more photos during the summer? I definitely do.

If you have captured some fun summer images, be sure to check out Shutterfly's Long Live Summer Photo Contest over on Facebook (http://bit.ly/sweepS) for a chance at some fun prizes, including a grand prize trip to the Bahamas complete with a professional photo shoot!

The multi-week contest runs until August 6 and features weekly photo themes. They even have a "Water Fun" theme! I'm definitely entering one of my photos in that one.

Another cool thing about the contest is that you'll get a gift from Shutterfly JUST for entering. You can find all of the official rules here.

Disclaimer: I did receive compensation from Shutterfly for posting about their contest but, like always, the opinions (and photos) in this post are my own. Whose else's would they be?