Spring Fest '09

Every year Purdue puts on Spring Fest, which is full of free, family-friendly activities. (Right up our alley.) ((Especially the free part.)) We haven't been for the past couple of years because the weather was so yucky, but today was a Spring-perfect 65 degrees.

First the boys played a ring-toss game and won some candy.

I would have preferred to win the Cherry Coke. Oh well.

Then we checked out the animals. They were enthralled and I couldn't get anyone to turn around for a picture.

Joshie and the cow share a 'moment'. (Seriously, the cow was looking at him dead-on.)

Joshie thought the piglets were so funny - he just giggled and giggled.

I felt for that momma piggy. She kept wandering around the pen, trying to get away from all those piglets, who kept fighting over her and trying to eat. I might not have eight babies to nurse at one time, but I know what it's like to have kids hanging on to you, whining about being hungry and whatnot, and having no hope of escape.

There! I finally got someone to turn around!

We also got to pet some baby ducks and chickens. (No pictures because I was doin' the holding.) The boys were quite impressed. We even got to see a chick who had just hatched out of its shell. As I was holding Josh and explaining the whole thing to him you could see the wheels turning in his head. (Joshie's thought process: "That chick was in the egg. And then he came out. So chickens come from eggs. Oh. My. Gosh.") He then said "But not from our eggs, right?" No Josh - no chicks will come from the eggs in our fridge!

Then it was time for the main event - the Roach Races at Roach Hill Downs!


If you have never been to the Roach Races I highly suggest you go. They are serious fun.

Part of the reason the races are so great is the announcer, Arwin Provonsha. He's awesome!

Another great thing is all the little touches around the race track. Like this roach protester. This picture is for you, Dad! (My dad got his Ph.D. in entomology.) ((Dad, you have GOT to be here for the Bug Bowl some day.))

They randomly select children to be "Roach Jockeys" for each race. This year Josh was chosen! What a grand and important honor!

Lance went up with Josh for moral support.

Joshie holding his racing roach. He was pretty impressed.

Then Josh got his racing hat - which we got to keep. How awesome is that?! (Very.)

Time for the races to start!

Here's a video of Joshie's roach being introduced - and a bit of roach racing action.

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Joshie's roach didn't win, but that's okay because I won a free t-shirt in my bet that the blue racing roach would. I got a super-huge Bug Bowl t-shirt to fit over my super-huge pregnant belly. Awesome. And attractive. But mostly awesome.


After Bug Bowl we met up with our old friends the Munz's and enjoyed lunch with them. - our first barbecue of the year. (Yum!) The boys set a great example for Sydney (their 11-month-old) by fighting, rough-housing, and snarfing down their hot dogs. I forgot to take any pictures. Oops. (Pictures of pigs - yes. Pictures of friends - no. Dang it!) But that's okay because we had a nice time chatting and catching up. (Thanks again, guys!)

Overall, a fun and lucrative Spring Fest!