Yamboree Day 2

Friday morning we went to the FRIDAY PARADE...mostly the high schools from around the area. Then we went to the Gilmer square where all the rides and booths were. We saw a lot of people that Heath grew up with, and enjoyed spending time with all of his family. For lunch I got a HUGE corn dog- delicious!!! Not just a regular state fair corn dog like I had in Utah, but a Texas corn dog.

That night we went back to the square and went to the street dance. (Pictures of course didn't turn out). They had a local country singer, and everyone sat around, danced, ate all sorts of food I had never heard of. A funnel cake for example. A huge plate of fried dough sprinkled with powdered sugar. It was delicious. Britni told me all about the JUMBO smoked turkey legs that are very popular, those were good too! (see the turkey leg below). We rode rides, bought all kinds of yummy fried foods, BLUE BELL ice cream, DR. PEPPER---the texas must-haves.
This Jumbo turkey leg was really good! I couldn't get my own because I had just eaten a plate of fried dough, and was going to ride some rides, but oh man, I should have! Saturday was the biggest day....pictures coming tomorrow.

Yamboree

Heath and I had a blast at the Yamboree! Thanks Jones' for letting us come! This is what we did during the week:

Thursday we had a Halloween party for the kids. Steph made some pretty amazing treats for the party. Perry took all of us on a hay ride around their land, the kids got to pick out a pumpkin, and then we decorated them. It was so cute!

All the kids on the hay ride!Perry pulling us behind his HUGE blue tractor.

Thursday night all the girls went to the YAM Queen pageant. It was a little dark so I couldn't get very good pictures. Brooklyn wanted a picture with princess Sarah-Beth in

the blue dress, and the YAM Queen is in the brown. There were a lot of princesses, duchesses, dancers- all sort of entertainment. I loved it! The dresses were huge and sparkly! Once the queen in done showing us her dress, she walks up the stairs, and all the queen's court stands around her. It was so fun! My favorite dress was the dark green one, but my picture didn't turn out. The "D" you see on the train of her dress stands for her last name- DAHLE. Each princess had a escort that helped her up the stairs after she showed us her dress, and curtsied. Their tuxes (the vest and tie) matched the girls dress color. Heath did that once! I couldn't believe that! He would have been so cute to watch.

That was day one. So fun and such a different experience. I loved it because it was a tradition. It's not often you get to see something like that. I love that small-town feel. I laughed, clapped and smiled all night! Thanks Angie and Donna for the tickets!

Day 2 of the yamboree will come tomorrow......

East Texas...Here we come!

This Wednesday Heath and I are headed to Gilmer for the annual Yamboree. I am so excited! The yamboree is a fair attending/parade-watching/beauty pageant-seeing/animal-showing/barn dance-dancing/4 days of fun! I have never been because each year I was in school, but this year it's finally going to happen! It is going to be like nothing I have ever seen before! The most exciting part: The YAM Queen Pageant!!!!! Here is the winner from 2008.....oh yes. This is going to be TEXAS big!