The most amazing attribute of the fair is that IT HAS NOT CHANGED in the past eight years since we last visited or really since we were kids. One visit has the ability to flash a person back to the boy crazy teen years, the years with iron stomachs where we would ride every ride multiple times until closing time or the days when my sister and I still went with my parents and our dad would play games and win us sawdust-filled stuffed animals with a lifespan of about four days.

My poor mom. This picture is sort of legendary around our family because it is my mom’s “disappointed look” caught on in one’s and zero’s. My dad hates the picture but my sister and I adore it. My mom thinks it’s funny…now.

They are not only gorgeous but also sweet and smart! Watch out high school boys back in North Dakota!

A stop on the road trip in Bend, Oregon.

Andy and I feel very fortunate to both have incredible fathers. Without the strong, compassionate, intelligent, involved fathers we have had in our lives, there is no doubt we would not be the same people we are today.

On top of it all, our father’s get along, they are even friends. In fact, our parents went to dinner last night together and we had nothing to do with it. I know, right? Not common.

Juniper has the same wonderful cheeks that exist in pictures of Kristi as a little girl.

Kristi put a quilt down on the grass and pulled out a basket of toys and Belén and Juniper did a great job of playing around each other. And for a brief moment, they even played together fascinated by putting toys in the basket.

Has summer finally arrived? If I get a say in it, let’s keep this weather up. What a perfect weekend!

As we got closer Ray kept saying everything was going to be okay while I kept saying, “I don’t know if I can go around him.” We both ended up being correct as Erin and Ray passed the bulls and I promptly turned my bike around and started going back up the hill again. I started wondering what exactly I thought I was going to accomplish with this and forced myself to turn around and face the bulls. Meanwhile, Ray was talking to the bull telling him to ignore me and pay attention to him.

I love this sassy photo of my little sister!

Well, you can go hang out at the bar and pick up on old guys with money or young guys with Justin Beaver haircuts.”