You know the summer is coming to an end when it's Fair Time.

The boys had fun at our annual outing to the Hardwick Fair. Liam got us all in the mood by wearing Daddy's Hillbilly hat in the car on the way there. The first stop was the fire engines, of course. Eamon has a very amusing siren noise he uses for everything from police cars to tow trucks, anything with lights on top! From year to year, all the kids seem to remember or care about is the hay-bale obstacle course that is set up there (and mostly the rope swing part). I could probably recreate it in the backyard in 20 minutes but I just don't think the draw would be the same! Eamon stood at the entrance the entire time watching his big brothers run through over and over again but felt no urge to go through the first tunnel. He was mostly enthralled with the cows and particularly the tractor parade which he watched in its entirety. They also got ice cream cone face-paints which quickly washed off between the sweaty 90 degree temperatures and crazy downpours (which have yet to dissipate any of this heat wave). Liam had a ball, so to speak, dribbling through the soccer course which I hope bodes well for the big boys starting soccer in a couple weeks. Fall is coming faster than I would like but if it brings cooler temperatures, I will take it!