Ham Days

The last weekend in September means the same every year....it is time for Kentucky's best festival, the Marion County Country Ham Days!  We did not make it into town in time to watch the parade downtown, but that was perfectly fine.  We had great seats on Meme's front porch steps!  I really wanted Isaac and Elliott to see the tractors and horses.  It was perfect because that is exactly who came by the house!  The boys were mesmerized!

The eagerly anticipated what would come next!

The "tracties" as Elliott and Isaac said.

We even saw a "train"!

 

As people and floats would pass the boys would ask "Where'd it go?" 

The iconic "Pig pooping flowers" flag...I had to take a photo as I hear it may be retired after this year.  The pig has had so much fun over his 10+ years of Ham Days that he is no longer pink!

We saw many horses!

So excited for the "neigh neighs"!

After the parade ended, we walked downtown.  Isaac loved dancing to the music on the main stage.  I loved him dancing but I didn't realize how much that would throw off my balance.  It made walking an adventure!

In the photo below, Bob and Elliott are posing in front of The Turtle Man autograph area.  This was as close as we were going to get as I heard many people stood in line for over seven hours just to get a signature or photo with the hometown celebrity! 

After our trip downtown, we went to Leslie's parents' house to visit with friends and have dinner together.  It was wonderful seeing everyone and having all of the kiddos together!  It was the first time Elliott and Isaac met everyone and my first time meeting Jack and Bella.  It was so neat to think about how we used to gather there as high school students and now we are gathering there with our families!  What a great blessing it is to have lifelong friends!  I'm already looking forward to our next gathering and hoping not as much time will pass before our next visit!

The boys made fast friends with Amanda!

She even had photos of cows and "neigh neighs" on her camera!

Isaac and Elliott were exhausted after hammin' it up downtown and playing with new friends!  They fell asleep in the car on the way home and slept through changing into their pjs.  When we put them in their beds and were surprised to see they now touch the bed from head to toe!  It seems like yesterday both were sleeping in the same crib together!  Not even a possibility now!

On Sunday, we went to church.  Mom had not been downtown yet, so after church, we ventured to the festival again.  We all enjoyed a country ham breakfast!

Elliott enjoyed the biscuit and fried apples.

Isaac enjoyed the eggs and playing with the biscuit.

I love seeing all of the pig decorations!  Someone on Main Street trimmed their shrub to resemble a pig.  So creative!

After checking out the car show, Elliott and Isaac were so excited to see the "tracties"!  They ran from one to another touching everything!

How small they look next to the giant wheels!

This nice man had twins of his own.

What a fun festival, but boy were we all tired!  When we returned to Meme's house, the boys ran off their last bit of energy before a long nap!

To close, I leave you with Elliott's version of a piggy back ride!  He kept saying "Piggy, back" over and over until we finally gave him the pig.  This is what he did!  Too funny how these little minds work!

Happy Ham Days!