Fried Food Fest 2009 (aka The Texas State Fair)

Mind you this is a ONCE a year occurence for us - and we prepare for it. Some of us fast, others (like me) make sure to have Pepto in the cupboard for afterwards...but nonetheless...we look forward to it just the same.

The State Fair Fried Food Contest!

The Texas State Fair has a contest every year for the latest and greatest fried food creations. We have begun to think about how we ourselves could submit an entry and benefit from these high-priced tasty treats...deep fried LG Tacos (a Mullin family fave) have even been mentioned. Mmmmm.

So in no particular order...

Brandon and Brody trying the Deep Fried Cookie Dough
The Deep Fried Cookie Dough close up -- this was from a previous year, but it was new to us. We tried it, I wasn't impressed. Too chocolatey for me. Also, it wasn't appetizing to look at once the fried shell was bitten into. Im sort of weird though - I think Brandon and the kids liked it okay.
Here is Ella...finishing off one of last years winners...Deep Fried Jelly Bellys. We liked this enough we had to try it again this year. They taste like little mini jelly donut holes. Yum!

Deep Fried Butter! I know its been in the news and when I first heard I thought how gross...but then they described it and I couldn't wait to try it. It is a pad of butter dipped in batter and deep fried, served in the picture above with some grape jelly and a few sprinkles of powdered sugar. To me it tasted like a KFC biscuit slightly under cooked. It was delicious! It took home the Most Creative award for 2009.

The guys all gettin' a piece of the Gator...
...the grilled alligator. Brandon wanted to try it last year, but didn't...so he did this year with the other guys. They all liked it, and agreed that it was spicy and had a different flavor than chicken. Not bad...just different. My mom spit her bite in the trash.

Mom sampling a Sweet Jalapeno Corn Dog Shrimp...the name is decieving, it is shrimp skewered and dipped in corn dog fashion, then covered with a sweet jalapeno sauce. This was Brandon's favorite of the day.

Deep Fried Peaches and Cream...a few slices of fried peaches, a few slices of fresh peaches with a dallop of whipped cream, a cup of fresh cream sprinkled with cinnamon, and the whole plate drizzled with a raspberry sauce. Absolutely DELICIOUS! Definintely my favorite of the day. It also dazzled the judges and took home Best Tasting 2009. (Look at Ella staring at the plate - the girl loved it!)

Finishing off the night (and the last of our tickets) with a hand scooped Blue Bell Ice Cream cone. Blue Bell ice cream is so yummy. This ice cream cone was supposed to be mine, however the kids soon took over and I took it as a sign from my tummy that I needed to call it a night.

Other treats tried at the fair but not photographed:

Fletchers Corn Dogs - a favorite of mine, but this year I passed.

Kettle Corn - grandma's favorite

Twisted Yam on a Stick - another Fried Food Finalist - it was just alright. Im a fan of our homemade baked sweet potato fries, so these "sweet potato chips" didn't really wow me.

Texas Fried Pecan Pie - Another finalist...My parents and grandparents had this while we were at the petting zoo. It was my grandma's favorite. Everyone else liked it too (I think).

The only fried food finalists we DIDNT try were:

Country Fried Pork Chips (sounded too much like Pork Grinds - and they are just gross)

Fried Peanut Butter Cup Macaroon (just didn't grab our attention enough I guess - maybe next year)

Cowboys Stadium Tour

We braved going to Cowboys Stadium on Saturday. We thought we'd go on the noon tour. Well...we got in line and waited and waited and waited. And then were escorted to the concession stand where we were told we could wait some more. We finally got to go on the tour and we walked up to our car at 3:40! We were allowed NO bags - not even diaper bags, and we had NO stroller. Our kids did excellent considering - and Brandon and I survived too. BUT - we decided if we do it again someday it will be on a weekday!The BIG Screen
Where the field should be...but isn't. They have three fields and depending on who is playing (High School/College, NFL, or soccer) depends on what field they put out. It takes 12 hours to lay the field, and 12 hours to take the field up. They are just finishing taking the field up in this photo.

The two cutetst tour-goers.

View of Arlington Stadium (home of the Rangers) from the party decks.

Brody playing around on the Dr. Pepper Party Plaza (the place where the people with the party passes stand) Brandon did it for a preseason game. He wouldn't do it again - he wants a seat & he wants to be able to see the big screen.

Our Family

They fired up the big screen and started showing a slide show of construction. There are 8 people inside the big screen during any game. There is an elevator that is remote controlled that comes down to pick them up. They are up there for 1.5 hours before the game, the whole game, and about 1.5 hours after the game. There is NO bathroom up there.

This is the field - in storage - waiting to be put on the field.

A tunnel wide enough for two tractor trailers traveling side by side goes around the whole stadium. When we were there, the tunnel was full of pallets of toilet paper.

Daddy and Brody in front of Romo's locker.

My grandparents in front of a Cowboys Star in the Cowboys locker room.

The tunnel leading to the field. The players walk through an elite club for people who paid ALOT of money for field level boxes. The visitors side was set up the same way - until the NFL found out and they made Jerry Jones put up glass on each side so the visiting players would be accosted by overly enthusiastic Cowboys fans.

The Cowboys entrance to the field. That small piece of turf was one of the few things brought over from Texas Stadium.

The Monday Night Football Preparations were in full swing --- I never realized what a production a football game could be! There were probably 8 tractor trailers that were under the stadium all for the cameras & production of the MNF broadcast.

a recent conversation

Preface: We are in the car right after lunch running to the post office. My kids always think they need to get food in the car.

Brody: "But mom...(as whiny as one can possible get)...Im more hungrier...

Mom: "Brody you can't be hungry - you just ate a huge lunch"

Brody: "I need a snack...I can't just eat my boogers"

Our little Ballerina

This was too cute not to post...even though it is sideways. Brody's bedtime got pushed up so it leaves Ella and I a little alone time together before her bedtime. With tonight's Dancing with the Stars premiere I put on Ella's tutu I made her and a little leotard (both part of her upcoming Halloween costume) and was surprised at her moves.

She keeps saying "dancing" while doing it (in case you can't understand her). I was trying to coax her to say tutu - just because it sounds so cute coming out of her little mouth.

Could she be the first in our family that will have rhythm or dancing ability????

From Baby to Big Girl...

in one not so swift cut...The Before

The After


...and for any who might be concerned, her lovely little locks in the back were untouched (and will remain that way as long as my opinion counts) Her hair is so used to the "comb over" that it is tending to go that way even after the cut...hopefully it relaxes and hangs better. I just felt so bad that her hair was always getting in her eyes...plus she is stinkin' cute!

First Day of Preschool

It has finally come --- not soon enough if you ask Brody! He is SO EXCITED. He was up early and made his bed, got dressed and had breakfast. Brody loaded up his backpack and then we loaded up the car after a traditional picture (from the looks of brody this is a tradition he may just have to put up with for my sake)

Here is a picture of his class...Cannon, Joylyn, Alli, Drew and Brody