Fun at the Fair... Kind Of

Yesterday the kids and I had big plans to go to The State Fair. That is something that we do every year... always on a Wednesday. The cheap day. The day when most kids are in school. But this year we made an exception. The Jonas Brothers were doing a free concert at the fair yesterday (That means nothing to you if you don't have tweenagers, but it meant everything to my kids.), and we were invited to go with some friends that have kids that are similar ages to my older kids. The 4 big kids were looking SO forward to seeing the concert! When I agreed to this plan, I did not realize that it was Columbus Day and that 50 million kids would be out of school... and that they would all be at The Jonas Brothers concert. But we had made plans... We were going to test it. See what the fair was like on a busy day. Check out what a concert is like.

Sunday evening Cooper started getting sick, so I thought that we would not get to go, but my saintly friend, Nancy, offered to go ahead and take the big kids while Coop and I stayed back to recover. Really. She is a saint. After what should have been a 1 hour drive that actually took 2 hours to get to the fair, they went to a couple of shows and exhibits then it was time for the big concert. I think that there were several thousand kids there. Evidentially, several thousand very enthusiastic kids! Some had been camping out for 3 or 4 hours to get the perfect spot. They said that the girls on the front rows were getting smashed because of everyone pressing toward the stage, and security was yelling at people to step back. My kids' group was somewhere close to that, but Nancy moved them back when she saw the chaos that was ensuing. Thank goodness! So from where they stood, the Jonas brothers looked about the size of an ant. They did have a good time though... for a while. Then, it happened. Jack started to feel really sick. I don't know if it was the heat or the crowds or the fair food or what. Nancy took the kids into the car exhibit to try to cool him down in the A/C, but it didn't work. At about 4:00, Allie called and said, "Jack is throwing up. We were at the concert, and he started puking!" Oh my goodness! I felt so badly for everyone. They went through all of that and didn't even get to finish the concert. And... my little boy was sick, without me anywhere close by. And... Poor Poor Nancy - having to deal with the crowds, the traffic, and my kid's vomit. I was on the phone with her when she said, "I've got to go. First Aid just arrived." My mind started spinning. First Aid! And I was 1 - make that 2 - hours away.

When, I finally got to him at our friends' house, Jack looked beat. He wasn't talking much, and he looked like he just might throw up again. When I got into the car to drive us home, he said, "That go-cart ride was so cool!" Evidentially, the ride on the First Aid golf cart had made his day despite all of the rest of it. (I wish that Nancy had gotten the same thrill from it.) Then Allie excitedly said, "Jack almost threw up on a brand new Chevrolet!"

My kids! Easily entertained