A FAIRly great week

This has been a fun and BUSY week! On Tuesday Greg and I went up to Peoria for one last Peoria Chiefs game. It was the perfect evening for baseball, and we got to see the Chiefs' pitcher set a new stadium record for number of strikeouts. We also won a free burger at Hardees because the pitcher struck out one particular player three times!

On Thursday I was able to participate in the annual State Fair Twilight Parade with the museum staff and volunteers! I got to ride in the Humvee this year, which was good because the crowd got a little rowdy as we neared the fair grounds.

Here is the HUGE crowd inside the fair grounds.

On Friday two of my favorite Lincoln Home friends--Matt and Melissa--visited me at the museum! Melissa works in Richmond, Virginia, and Matt works in Independence, Missouri, and I have missed them SO MUCH! Greg and I had fun at dinner with them and some of our other Lincoln Homies that evening.  

Yesterday was my last day of work at the museum, so to celebrate Greg and I went to the State Fair with our friends Rose and Chris after work. Greg tried something new this year--fried cheesecake, which apparently looks like a Twinkie (as does most of the other fried food at the fair).

Look who Rose and I found!! But what was Abraham Lincoln doing in Ethnic Village? I suppose it wouldn't be the Illinois State Fair without Lincoln! And you will notice that I am holding a large and very delicious watermelon lemonade--my new favorite drink.

And here is the butter cow because we have to have a picture of the butter cow every year (and this year there is a butter girl too).

We had a great evening at the fair!

And since yesterday was my last day at work, I took a picture of my Mormon War display, which is now out on display in the museum. It was a good last hurrah for my time there. I did enjoy working at the Illinois State Military Museum, but I am so excited for my new job in Utah and our new adventures there that I don't mind leaving this museum. This has been a very busy week, and I think it will keep getting more busy until I leave!