The Marin County Fair is going on from June 30 to July 4, so we drove over to San Rafael yesterday so that we could give Mio her first taste of a fair. She was too young and short to go on the rides, but she still had a lot of fun with the farm animals that were there!
Walking around the fair, making our way over to the farm animals area.
The fair was a huge affair by the water – we were impressed by how many rides, food tents, and vendors there were.
In the area with the farm animals, Mio got to see so many animals — rabbits, chickens, geese, sheep, turkeys, cows, goats, deer, horses, donkeys, alpacas, llamas, potbelly pigs, wallabies… there were so many that she got to see for the first time!
When the animals were inside pens, Mio got very adventurous and climbed up on the railing and leaned in to touch them, as she did with this cow.
I think one of the highlights for myself personally was watching the potbelly pig race! I’d never seen a pig/hog race before, so it was actually really fun to watch!
It was an intense race! And the potbelly pigs were so cute.
There was a petting farm area specifically designed for little kids, so that they could go in to touch and feed the free-roaming animals. While Mio had been really brave up until then, trying to touch the animals inside their cages and pens, she suddenly became very timid when she was in an area where they weren’t behind bars.
Here I am, trying to get Mio to pet the llama… but she refuses.
Mio is usually very quick in trying to run off, but this time she clung to me.
She even turned away from the smaller animals like the baby goats.
We finally got her to willingly feed a little fawn, probably because she felt safe as it was one of the few animals that was caged in.
Mio feeding the fawn from her hand.
A baby goat wedged its way in to get fed, too. Mio has great practice with feeding animals from feeding our pet chinchillas back at home!
Even though the fawn was behind a pen, it still managed to reach its neck out to take a couple bite out out of my dress, leaving holes in it! 🙁
Mio loved climbing up on the wall of the cages to look down at the animals.
A little overwhelmed by all the animals.
Had to take a picture with the creepy-looking Clover cow.
…and of me as a cow.
Taking a lunch break on the haystacks.
Gotta stay hydrated!
I forget how small Mio still is compared to Dan…
After Mio was done eating, we walked around to try some of the delicious fair grub ourselves…
Turkey legs remind me of college! I was tempted to get one, but I didn’t.
There were so many good food stands! We decided on some delicious garlic fries, Cajun seafood gumbo, and a root beer float… all delicious!
With our tummies full, and our hearts warmed by all the cute animals, we headed home. It was a great first carnival experience for our little family! 😀
Our friend Stephanie was visiting the Bay Area this past weekend, and Mio and I got to have dinner and catch up with her on Sunday evening before she caught her flight back to DC. Thanks for making time to come see us, Steph! 🙂
Here is Mio in the adorable Paul Frank outfit that Stephanie got fir her! We love it. ♥
This post is almost a month late because uploading all the Hawaii photos was slowing me down, but I had to post some of these adorable photos from when the Jubbs were in town! I’ve known Nancy since we were kids in middle school, and I have a lot of memories with her — it was through her that I got my first part-time job (working as an accountant’s assistant at a law firm), and with her that we got our first cell phones! Not to mention all the sticker photos we took together after school in Annandale… 🙂
We’ve both come a long way since — we are both now married, and Nancy has been happily living with her English husband Matthew in London for a few years now! They just had their first child in March of this year, and they were in Sacramento visiting family and stopped by for a day in the East Bay. I not only got to meet Matthew for the first time, but 3-1/2-month old Eleanor, too! I hadn’t seen Nancy herself in over four years, so we had a lot of catching up to do. 🙂 We went to have lunch together in El Cerrito, followed by some gelato in Berkeley, and then came back and just relaxed at our humble abode for a while.
Such a beautiful family!
After lunch at Pasta Pomodoro. Look at Ellie...!
I couldn't get enough of baby Eleanor. She is just the cutest! A quarter Korean, she's going to be a knockout when she grows up! I'm jealous of her good genes.
She was so well-behaved, too! Someday, when I have kids, I can only hope they are half as sweet as this girl is!
This must be the first time I've ever seen Dan hold a baby. He is so awkward with babies! hahaha* But I am too...
Baby Ellie... so adorable!
Thank you so much to Nancy and Matthew for taking time in your busy schedule to meet up with us! We hope you had a great time visiting the East Coast afterwards. We will definitely have to visit you in London someday!
