There’s just something magical about it.

It’s that time of year again. School is back in session, it’s getting dark earlier, the temperatures are dropping in the evenings…and the Tennessee Valley Fair is in town!

I have such wonderful memories from when I was a kid of going to the fair. I think the anticipation was part of it. Trying to behave myself all day at school knowing where I was going that evening. My friends and I would start making plans on lunch about where we would meet up, what rides we were going to get on first, what games we wanted to play. Oh my, the nostalgia of all this is making me so heartsick for my carefree youth.

The great thing is, that even today the fair still holds a kind of magical hold on my heart.

I love now that I get to have a different perspective on the fair. Bert© has the same enthusiasm for the fair that I have and I love watching her experience it all.

On Monday afternoon we pulled Bert© out of school early and headed down to Chillhowee park where they hold the fair. You could smell it before you even saw it; popcorn, corn dogs, pizza, funnel cakes, BBQ, roasting hotdogs, oh my! You could hear the whooshing air noises of the rides before you could see them. Screams of delight and fear filled the air. People of all ages and sizes strolled up and down the walkway between the food vendors area and the midway. Carnival game workers called out offering a free try to win one of their prizes. Lights were flashing on all the different rides, and music was playing loudly at each different stall. I swear that my head was about to pop off it was whipping around so quickly to look at everything.

My favorite ride is and always has been the Tilt-A-Whirl. I love that it has not changed a bit since I was a kid. You can look at the Tilt-A-Whirl and know exactly what to expect, 7 little pods that will spin independently on a larger platform that is also spinning around. The great thing about it is that you can control how quickly your pod spins by shifting your weight in the direction it is leaning. If we know anything about, Webmiss…it’s that I love to be in control. I think Bert© and I rode the Tilt-A-Whirl 3 or 4 times that night. It made my heart soar to hear her laughing with delight as we whirled around. “Mommy, this is the best day ever!” is what she kept saying. I love that I’m right there with my daughter making memories that will last her a life time!

This is the first year that Bert© has been tall enough to ride all the rides. Years past there have been things that we have had to pass up due to her diminutive size. The one ride she was dying to try was the Bumper Cars. Yes, Bert© has been able to ride in the bumper cars before, however this is the first time she was able to operate one by herself. We each selected individual cars and delighted in bumping the crap out of one another. We were laughing so hard I could barely see where I was driving!

We made our way around the midway stopping to let Bert© ride anything she wanted. I occasionally would have to put my foot down and tell her that Mommy wouldn’t be joining her because I’m a big fat CHICKEN! I wont ride anything that goes too fast, turns upside down, or spins too fast. I know, I’m pathetic.

Together Bert© and I rode the Carousel and the Scrambler…another two of my favorite rides. We stopped to share a corn dog & a funnel cake and then continued on, covered slightly in powdered sugar. We laughed at the sheep and the baby goats in the petting zoo, Bert© bounced on the giant inflatable gorilla.

Overall a wonderful, magical time was had by all, including Mr. Nascar! He didn’t ride any of the rides with us because of the issues he’s been having lately with his back, he did however snap a few fuzzy pictures of us on his camera phone that I will now share with you all!

If you can find a local fair in your I would highly recommend you go! Hope you have as much fun as we did.

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