Small Town Loving...

This past weekend my mom, dad, and I headed up to Stockton to celebrate my Poppy. Rooks County recently amped up their medical facilities with the Rooks County Health Center and now Stockton is building a new clinic. In order to raise money, they held a fundraiser honoring those who chose to practiced their profession in Stockton and Plainville. My Poppy was one of the town doctors in Stockton. He spent his entire profession as a doctor in that wonderful town, tending to the wonderful people that live there. By the end of the night two things were very obvious...that my Poppy was an amazing doctor, beloved by the entire town. But of course, I already knew that. Secondly, that the towns of Stockton and Plainville are generous. They are some of the kindest, most giving people I have ever met and to say I was shocked by how much they were willing to bid on some of the auction items is an understatement. It was incredible...the support the town gave to the new clinic was nothing shy of amazing. And I am so thankful I got to be witness to the generosity of the people of Stockton. I miss my Poppy all the time and I am so glad I was able to participate in something that is keeping his memory alive.

Now, on to the pictures. First up a pic at my Mimi's house...Mitch, Claire, and I were the only cousins able to make it. Hopefully more of us can get there for the ribbon cutting in November. Here is all of us rocking was Warby Parker glasses. :)



Next we went down to the high school to drop a few things off for the auction, then downtown for some "shopping." What was funny was that we wanted to go to this antique store, but were nervous it would be closed. When we got down there the door was propped open and we were so excited they were still open. We quickly realized they in fact WERE NOT open. They had closed two hours earlier, shut off all the lights, and left. Out the back door. Leaving the front door open. So we looked around then left. Oops.


I can only imagine the trouble these ladies caused...well ok...probably not my Aunt Tam. But definitely the twins!

I loved that the town has tiger paw prints all up and down Main Street (they are the Stockton Tigers). Just one of the many things I find great about smaller towns!



Now on to the pictures from the dinner and auction.




We had to get a pic with the state titles in the background! :)




They had a slideshow running with pics of the town doctors. I made me all teary to see the pics of my Poppy.


I took this picture for Ber! It was great to see her folks...and meet her beloved grandpa who I have heard so much about! He was also being honored as he had been the town dentist for years and years and years. My Aunt Tam even mentioned him in her speech and how she can remember just walking down the street from the high school to have her braces checked. :)


That drawing of Poppy is one of my favorite pictures of him.


The picture below is probably my favorite. He looks so happy!




Senator Moran was there...my Aunt Tam got to introduce him! He grew up in Plainville and was so wonderful. You can tell how much he really cares about this part of the state.


Aunt Tam giving her speech....it was wonderful! But what else would you expect! :)




My mom and aunt Mo participated in a "Top Ten" reasons to participate in the auction.


Senator Moran started his speech out talking about this note. One of his assistants prepared his documents for this event and when he was in the car on the way to Stockton he realized she had stuck a note of her own in the folder. You can read it in the picture below. When Sen. Moran was reading it and talking about my Poppy and I started to tear up...when I saw my Mimi crying it was all I could do to hold it together.









The next morning (after a LATE night of driving back) my dad ran in the first annual Hutch half marathon. It was so fun to watch a race in Hutch...and to KNOW where they were running by and not feel completely lost trying to watch the runners. We even just got to walk over from our house to watch him run by. He finished with a great time (1 hour 53 minutes). Very impressive, especially considering we didn't get home until 1 am!


Go, Dad, Go!


Joe Henry was showing off how good Tug is. He just sits when you ask. Wish we could say Boo was as good....see below.


First, she tries to walk herself.


Tug is walking right next to Joe...Boo is pulling my mom all over the place!


Trying to walk herself again...





Dad crossing the finish line! The clock is a few seconds off...his official time was 1:53:19. Good job, Dad!





Busy weekend! And now we off to our final wedding of this wedding season...can't wait to celebrate Dan and Kristin's union in Peoria, Ill!

I love the state fair!

Sometimes it is strange for me to think that not every body grew up going to a state fair. I understand that not every one can live in the town that hosts the state fair (these towns are often small and awesome...hence we don't just let anyone in. Or maybe we do....there are some real characters in Hutch.). But even if you didn't live in the town...I just assumed people go. Why wouldn't they....state fairs are wonderful! They have great food, rides, games, some prize winning pumpkins, a butter sculpture, beer gardens, and lots of great people watching. Literally....everything you could want! :)

Having been a few hours away from Hutch for the past seven years it was tough for me to get back to the fair each year. But missing a few years made me love it even more. Last weekend my mom, dad, Joe Henry and I all went and spent a long afternoon at the fair. Unfortunately, Robby had baseball that day so he missed out on the greatness that is "THE FAIR." But that's ok...because he probably would have spent the whole time dissing pronto pups. He didn't grow up around the excitement of the fair...poor guys just doesn't get it. :)

Here we are in front of the fair sign. I couldn't even count how many pictures my family has standing in front of that same sign. I'm sure you could track the growth of our childhood through some of those pics. Pics with just me and Bets...add Tedder in a little later....then there is Joe in the stroller and us on the wrist leashes. Wait, what? Leashes. Yes....when you out number your parents 2-1 they do what they have to do. They would just tie us up to the stroller...we had a little room to roam, but couldn't get so far away that we would be snatched up by a fair crazy. Well...not usually at least. Bets got away once. My parents taught her well though...she turned herself in to missing children almost immediately. :)



And a super cute pic of my parents....



I guess while renovating the grand stands they found this old wheat fountain back in one of the storage rooms. I guess it used to be a staple at the fair but hadn't been used in a while, so they had it restored to its former glory and was proudly displayed for all to marvel at.



I love the butter sculpture. I love that there is so much anticipation built around what will be carved out of butter each year. It is one of those things people say in passing as a joke...you know..."Gee....yes we HAVE to get to the fair this year! Can't miss out that butter sculpture, I wonder what it will be this year!" Except when they say that...they actually mean it. Anybody who says they aren't a little curious about the butter sculpture each year or at least intrigued by the fact that a major fair attraction is something created out of butter is lying. Because it is intriguing. And awesome. This year didn't disappoint. Monkey's riding sheep? Adorable.





Good thing the butter sculpture was awesome, because the state's largest pumpkin was a bit of a disappointment. Only 366 pounds? I have seen pumpkins three times that size. Literally. But I guess the serious drought put a bit of a damper on the pumpkins this season. Oh well...there is always next year!



As always the latest exercise fad had a big old booth set up. This year it was some machine that wiggles your whole body. Joe and my dad both gave it a spin....neither came away too impressed.



As we found ourselves taking pictures at the entry way and in front of this diner sign, we couldn't help but chuckle about the big deal we were making of all of it. As Joe kept reminding us "Really, seriously? We're going to take all these pictures? People, we live two blocks away....why don't we come back when there aren't a bunch of people staring at us like we're tourists."



Sorry Joe....no can do. We want to enjoy the fair now. Shortly after that pic he started boycotting pictures. Lame-o.

The fair is one of the few places you can literally get almost anything you want...fried. Pickles, oreos, ice cream, cheeseburgers, kool-aid, twinkies....literally, the list goes on and on and on. So we gave some of these things a go...when in Rome, right?



Joe Henry, boycotting pictures while drinking some of the BEST root beer in the whole world. That is real root beer folks. Straight out of a cold barrel. Yum.



Love the midway. I don't know how many ride-o-rama days I have been to in my lifetime...but seeing the midway brought back memories of them all!



The Zipper is still there for all you Hutch folk who might remember this ride from growing up. It was the token "scary ride." The ride spins round and round while at the same time the individual cars are spinning. I'm pretty sure this ride was about to fall apart when I was in high school...so needless to say I was a little surprised to see it is still coming around. With the Zipper you are always guaranteed a few things....1) long lines (it is almost as popular as the butter sculpture...almost), 2) that at least two or three cars will be out of commission due to vomit. Fried fair food + spinning ride = yuck. 3) some intense leg bruising once you are done. The thick metal bars that help to keep you safely strapped in have no padding. But that's ok...you work those bruises like a badge of honor.



I had to BEG Joe Henry to take a picture in front of the Ferris Wheel. I look like I'm smiling and happy, but I was actually gritting my teeth as I had a firm hold on the back of his shirt so he couldn't run before the picture was snapped. Little escape artist.



Then we went and played some fair games. They are of course incredibly rigged, incredibly over priced, and incredibly fun. :) What is funny about this second picture is that my mom seems the most unprepared, but she actually won! At least out of the Dower family...she should have won the whole thing, but then again, they are rigged and even though her turtle reached the top first, some kid on the other side won the prize. Secretly I think my mom paid the carnie off to make sure none of us brought home another fair stuffed animal. She has thrown away enough of those over the years.





We moved on to the hen house...looked at lots of chickens and roosters before deciding that their cockadoodle-doing was too loud and obnoxious.


I don't think he was a fan of having my camera all up in his beak.

So we moved on to the bunnies. Much quieter...and much cuter!



The Alpaca's were probably my favorite! I want to live on some land some day...and if I do, I want get an alpaca to keep in the barn and maybe tie up in front of the house to greet guests when they come over. :)



Joe Henry lifted his ban on pictures after a while, thank goodness. I feel like the steer in this picture is looking at Joe like "really...bring it on. Seriously...open the gate and let's rumble."



How can that steer's neck not hurt all the time?



I wanted him to get even closer to the cows but he wouldn't. Apparently he is still scarred from when he witnessed his friend Abe get so close to a pig once on an elementary school field trip that out of fear it pooped. All over Abe.



This little guy was brand spanking new....and happy to smile for the cameras.



And last but not least...the pronto pups. I would have served these at my wedding if I could have. YUM.



I meant to take a picture of it right after I took the one above, but literally started eating it so fast that by the time I remember it was half gone. Oops.



While I'm sure my parents are happy to have their street back and the fair traffic gone, I am already excited for next year's pronto pup!

Happy Thursday everyone!