Rob's Year-In-Review Ramblings

 

 

I have to say that this year has been a major turning point in my life, and I'd like to share with you what God is doing, and how I'm progressing toward my goal.

 

Earlier in the year (July),  I was thrilled to take my second mission trip to Tijuana, Mexico. Like my 2014 trip, I had the time of my life.

 

                      

During my time there and in San Diego, I kept getting the feeling like I was at home. A feeling of peace was evident. I was also dealing with confusion over where God wanted me. After praying with one of the team leaders, it was clear that God was asking me, "Are you open to my will? Would you come here permanently if I asked you to?" In one of the scariest moments of my life, I answered, "Yes!" I have to say that the first couple of weeks after saying "yes" to God were very scary. What had I done?! Was I out of my mind? I would pull up the life-long roots I had put down in the community and move over 1,000 miles away? I knew the enemy was at work. He was attacking me through my thoughts. I did not sleep well for weeks. I was certain that by saying "yes," that I had merely been caught up in the heat of the moment. However, God was working on my heart. I began to feel more comfortable with the idea of being in San Diego/Mexico. Now, several months later, I am longing to be there. But how was I supposed to get fully financed to get there when I don't make very much money to begin with? Fast forward a few months:

 

The Kansas State Fair had come to town! Every year, I had entered my chocolate chip cookies, only to be snubbed again and again. However, this year, much to my shock and surprise, my cookies took 1st Place, and I took home the blue ribbon! Little did I know that winning the Blue Ribbon was a springboard for getting me financed toward my goal of getting to Mexico. 

 

 

 

 

People began to ask me if I'd bake them some cookies, as they'd like to know what blue ribbon cookies tasted like. I placed a price at $5.00 a dozen, and the sales took off like wildfire! I was cranking out batch after batch. From there, I added some more cookies and other items for sale, and "Rob's Homebaked Goods" was born. I put together a Facebook page, posted my baked goodies with some really competitive prices, and people began to order. The money goes 3 different directions. 1) Overhead, to purchase baking items for future orders. 2) Money goes toward future trips. 3) Money being stored up for the ultimate and final move to San Diego. Through sales, donations, and a matching grant, I was able to pull together the money I needed to finance my December trip. Sadly, the doors for my December trip closed, and the trip was cancelled. If things had gone as planned, I would be in Mexico right now. However, God does not want me there right now. A bitter pill to swallow, but God knows best, and He has a reason.  I am grateful for people who have supported me in this, who have prayed for me, slipped money into my hand, or donated to a fund I have at the church. I have also received baking supplies, so that more of the money can go directly to the missions fund, rather than to overhead. A grocery bag full of bags of chocolate chips, a bag of sugar or bread flour...the list goes on and on.... The success of my business tells me that I am in God's will. God would not be blessing it if I were not in the center of His will. What's next in all of this? Next year, I'd like to take 2 trips to Mexico. Not just to serve, but to also make more connections in the San Diego community, namely, to make church connections. Your prayers are greatly appreciated during this major turning point in my life.  

 

This year has been important to me in the fact that I was finally able to reconnect with my 2 boys, which has not happened in several years. They are living in the area again, and trying to do the best they can to do the right thing, and live a normal life. My oldest son is now 21 and finding his place in the world. He is currently seeking a job. My youngest son is 20, is engaged to a nice young lady, and they are expecting a little girl in February. Yep, I'm going to be a grandpa! He currently works at Sonic, manning the grill. It is a blessing to have a relationship with my boys. I have missed that. They stop by often, usually to see if I have leftovers from baking orders, LOL. I'm sure there's more to it than that.   :-)    

 

I also became a cat owner again. I haven't owned a cat in years. I wasn't planning on it until I met this adorable little kitten. Her momma was killed by a car. Our neighbors found the kittens, took them in, kept them warm and fed, but, despite their best efforts, the little ones were not strong enough to survive without their mom...except this little kitten that we adopted into our home and named "Champ." The name is symbolic of her will to live and her strength. She endured an identity crisis, as we first referred to her as a boy. Yet, as she began to develop, it became clear that she was a "she." She has definitely brought life into our house. She is healthy and thriving, and brings us a lot of laughter. The picture you see is the first one we took after she moved in. She has grown so much since then!

 

 

This year, I also began my 14th year working with the school system, my 2nd year working for Boys & Girls clubs, my 24th year teaching Sunday School, and my 27th year in the AWANA ministries. These things bring me such joy, and I am grateful that God has blessed me with the opportunities to serve in these areas. My parents still live with me, and are doing well, despite some medical issues that age brings along the way. I so enjoy having them there. Without them, it would be awfully quiet in that big house.

 

In the next year, I am going to commit to a healthier lifestyle. I need to get more exercise, and get my crazy sugar levels under control. (In the past few weeks, I've lost about 5 pounds!). I am always looking to grow closer to God. God has given me the discipline to wake up early, spend time in His Word, and spend time praying over different people in my life and praying over the day ahead. I also am renewing my Facebook pledge to keep my Facebook drama-free and clean. That my Facebook would not make anyone doubt that I am a Christian. As I said before, I want to get back to Mexico at least twice this next year. Part of my heart is there.

I hope to meet new people, make new friends, and above all, I hope that I can be a living example of Christ to all that I meet. I want my door to always be open to those who need it, and that they would find a listening ear and a caring heart.

 

I eagerly await the arrival of 2016, and am filled with anticipation of what God will do through me in the coming year. What are your goals? Have you set any? I would be interested to see what you are hoping to do in 2016. Regardless of your station in life, you can always find ways to honor Christ. Here's to you and to 2016. Thanks for reading, Happy New Year, and God bless you!    ***Rob***

 



 

 

 

Weekend before Christmas Ramblings

If I could describe the past few days in one word, it would be "insane!" First of all, I have been slammed with a crazy amount of orders. This is by no means a complaint. Maybe I should say I have been blessed with these orders. I have been in the kitchen mixing, measuring, cooking, and loving it. I blare my Christmas music and thank God for the finances that will be supporting Operation: Mexico. Cooking and baking are my therapy. At this time, I am taking a quick break to give my feet a rest and blog for you. If you take a deep sniff, you might smell snickerdoodles or lemon bars coming through the screen.  :-)

In other news, my blood sugar levels are running higher than should be, and I think a change in insulin will be in the future. Before you think it, let me clarify that I have not been gorging myself silly on what I have been baking. When I make something, I will take one small bite to make sure that it's OK. That's pretty much it. That's not enough to skyrocket my blood levels like they have been. Earlier this week, while I was working at the school, I got extremely dizzy and became unable to stand. I went down to the floor, and I thought I was passing out. I almost did. The teacher I was working with notified the school nurse, and after checking my glucose levels, it was determined that my high sugar levels may have caused my spell. After resting for about a half-hour, I was fine, and was able to resume my duties. It was suggested that my enormous load of orders was stressing me out. I will refer to my above paragraph, that baking is my therapy. I have deadlines, but I am not stressed. I am checking in with my doctor to see what kind of action I need to take. Please keep my health in your prayers. 

As of yesterday, I am off of work from school until January 4. I have 2 days to work on Monday and Tuesday at B&G club, and that will help financially. I have some funds set aside to pull me through this dry spell, so I am thankful for that. I plan to spend my time off resting, and baking for anyone who would like a post-Christmas order, or something for New Year gatherings. God has blessed me with 2 jobs that I love, and through those 2 jobs, I am able to make ends meet. There are days that I wish I could be at home in bed, or doing something else at the time, but when it comes right down to the wire, I am truly thankful for God's blessings in providing me with these great jobs.   

Well, my break is over, and I need to get some supplies at the store, and get back into the kitchen. I still have many more orders to fill. Thanks for reading today, and I pray for God's blessings upon you during this Christmas season.

Rob's Ramblings

Yikes, I'm slipping! I used to be so good about blogging regularly, but life has kept me so busy, I rarely have time to stop and blog. At the time of this posting, we are in the throes of a winter storm. I do believe we are at the tail-end of it, however. The majority of the precipitation has been ice, and about a quarter-inch of it. There are limbs, trees, and wires down all throughout town, our yard included. We have been fortunate, as the bigger limbs have missed our house. Our neighbor's porch and wooden fence took a hit, but it looks like nothing was seriously damaged. As a precaution, our school district has cancelled school tomorrow. Yes, I am devastated at this surprise day off. **Insert sarcasm here, LOL**. Church service attendance was lower than usual, with about half of our people gone. Fortunately, the temperatures rose up to above freezing today, and sidewalks and streets are pretty much clear, but they are forecasting more ice overnight, thus the school closings. Some parts of town are without power, but we're still up and running at our house, **knock on wood**.

We had a very nice Thanksgiving this past week. We spent the day at my cousin's house in Wichita. We had an abundance of fabulous food and fun, but was had to leave earlier than anticipated, as the temperatures began to drop and the freezing rain was bearing down on us. Saturday was scheduled to be a second Thanksgiving at another cousin's in Salina, but due to the ice, we had to nix that trip. We gathered at my sister's instead and enjoyed our family being together. It was great. 

The day before Thanksgiving, I had a wonderful open house at my place. We had 34 guests over the course of the evening, and I so enjoyed getting to visit with everybody and sharing my goodies with them. Everything on my menu was available, plus crockpots of BBQ little smokies and honey-BBQ wings. A good time was had by all.

In a disappointing turn of events, the doors on my December trip have closed. My original plan was to head out on my mission trip over Christmas break, returning somewhere around the first of the year. It is simply not going to work out this time around. This is a bitter pill for me to swallow, as my heart is in Mexico. While I am good to go for next Summer, I had my heart set on a trip in December, and I am very sad about this. I have to accept that God has a plan, and for some reason, He does not want me to go on this trip. I have to accept that, even though it is not easy. In the meantime, all donations and monies are safely stored in an account at my church, ready to draw upon when my next trip comes up.  I will keep you all updated as to what direction this takes. I thank you all who have prayed, donated, or bought goodies to support my cause. My heart is still strong for the people of Mexico, and I still feel called to be there on a more permanent basis in the future.

I'd like to apologize for my long lapse between blog posts. I'll try to improve in that area. I thank you for reading. May God bless you richly this week!                ***Rob*** 

Rob's Ramblings; The Big 4-5!

It has been a very long time since I last posted. In fact, my last post was a "look back" at the Kansas State Fair. It seemed only appropriate to post on the final day of my 44th year. I have been very busy....

It all started with a winning chocolate chip cookie that took first place at the Kansas State Fair. Just for kicks, I offered a dozen of these cookies for $5 a plate. Wowzers, did I get slammed! I made about 40 dozen cookies in the space of just a few days. In fact, cookie sales put me over the top for my "Operation: Mexico" goal! People went nuts over this cookie! People were so generous as well. I had many friends purchase a dozen cookies and pay me more than $5 for them. People would pass me at church and press money into my hand. I had people bring me bags of chocolate chips to help defray costs. Soon, I tried my hand at some other cookies. I began dabbling with oatmeal raisin, peanut butter, snickerdoodle, and pumpkin spice. These cookies were getting snatched up as well. I'm not saying all of this to pat myself on the back and brag about the money I raised. I say all that to say this: If God did not want me to go to the mission field, He would not be blessing my cookie sales. I have been very, very busy baking cookies. That's the #1 reason why blogging has not been on my high-priority list.

The second reason I have been absent is due to the fact that I am officially a cat owner. I have not owned a cat in many, many years. Actually, he is a kitten. As a tiny baby, his mom was hit by a car. My neighbors gathered the kittens to feed them and try to save them, but one by one they passed away. They just weren't strong enough to survive without their mother. Except one little guy who refused to give up. My neighbors gave him food, shelter, and much love, and he held on. Knowing that I am a cat lover, my neighbors asked me if I'd like to have him. This is amazing, as my neighbors are my landlords, and pets are not allowed. They made an exception for this little kitty, who I have named Champ, to symbolize his fighting spirit and desire to hold on. He is a gray kitten with soft white stripes in a very unique pattern. He worried us for a while, as he did not eat, had diarrhea, had fleas, and showed signs of worms. We had him checked out and we were given some meds and tips on caring for Champ. Since his check-up, he eats better, it looks like the worms are gone, he scratches less, and his poop is solid, rather than diarrhea. He is very affectionate and has no qualms about climbing up your leg or jumping into your lap. We are very pleased at his progress and improving health.   Cookies, Champ, and the busyness life....I apologize for my lack of blogging, and I will try to be better about posting more.

I love to celebrate my birthday, and enjoy sharing celebrating with my friends and family. I spent much of the weekend baking cookies for my church kids, staff at work, and my B&G kiddos. I also share my birthday with some very special people. First, my good friend Peggy, who lives in Texas. I had the pleasure of working with her a few years ago, and we had a good laugh when we realized our birthdays were on the same day. Peggy, I wish you a most blessed birthday. My friend Ginger Millermon also shares an October 26 birthday with me. One of my Sunday School kids, an awesome kid named Micah, is turning 10 tomorrow, and we have enjoyed counting down the days until that great day, aka October 26. Then there's Christian, a 7th grader. When he was in elementary school, we enjoyed flashing our fingers up to each other in the hall to count down the days until our birthday.

I'm like a little kid when it comes to birthdays. I get excited about turning another year older. I'm happy with who I am, I feel like I am in God's will, and have a great family and wonderful friends, most of who are under 4 feet tall, Lol. Maybe that's why I don't freak out about growing older.
I'll be celebrating at my favorite restaurant, Sirloin Stockade. I'm a buffet type of man. If you happen to be there at about 6:30 on Monday, come and say "Hi." 
In the meantime, I am very tired, and am going to call it an early night.   Thanks for taking a few minutes out of your day to read my ramblings. I pray God's blessings upon you.

Rob's State Fair Ramblings, One last look

As strange as it may sound coming from me, I am glad for a night of rest, in which I can be off of my feet and not putting pressure on my knee. This is a night of vegging. Oddly, I thought that this year had been the year in which I had done the most walking. In fact, I walked more LAST year than this. Last year's step count rounded out to 193,000, while this year's count was 179,000, which is 14,000 lass than last year. How about the weight issue? Did I gain or lose? While I will not tell you what the number was on the scale, I can tell you which way it went. The answer is... I broke even. I am the exact same weight at the end of the fair as I was at the beginning. Imagine if I had not done the walking I did! Last year, I gained 1/5 of a pound. How did less walking allow me to maintain? I attribute it to eating much, much less than last year. I cut back considerably in the area of eating. I saved a lot of money by doing that.

The activities I enjoyed the most this year was the exhibit in the Lair White House for starters. They detailed the history of the Midway rides down through the years. I also was thrilled with winning the 1st place prize for chocolate chip cookies against 18 other competitors. One of the best parts was running into so many friends, some who I haven't seen in a long time. I got to see a lot of free entertainment and enjoy some good food, the which I only see once a year. I enjoyed picking up free stuff from the buildings, such as pens, pencils, cups, and etc. I made quite a haul this year.

Just for fun, I researched the California State Fair. This fair in in Sacramento, which is a looong way from San Diego. I doubt that will ever get a chance to visit the California State Fair. However, there is a county fair right there in San Diego. I checked out the website, and it looks like a lot of fun. This fair sets up and runs for a month! I probably will not go every night of this fair. I looked at the rides and foods they feature, and many of them are the exact ones that we see at the Kansas State Fair. So, if God does see fit to move me to San Diego, there is a fair that I will be able to attend. Would you good folks be interested in the San Diego County Fair blog? Until moving day comes, I'll keep attending the Kansas State Fair as long as I am in town.

I have thoroughly enjoyed blogging the Kansas State Fair for you. I actually looked forward to getting home from the fair to share my insights and thoughts with you. I hope that you enjoyed it as much I enjoyed blogging it for you.  When the fair is not going on, I keep this blog going throughout the year, sharing whatever might be on my mind at the time. I invite you to continue reading as you wish. I always post the link on my Facebook page. God is doing amazing things in my life, and my blog is the best place to see what's happening.

Again, I thank you for reading, and I pray that God will bless you!

Rob's State Fair Ramblings, Day 10

In some ways, it seems like the Fair just started, and in other ways, it seems like it has been going on for weeks. I have enjoyed it thoroughly. The only negative impacts are sore feet and a sore knee, something that should be an easy fix, now that the walking at the fair is over. For the first time, it is unsure whether or not I will be attending the next fair. Since my call to missions, I have no clue when God might take me there. It could be in a few months, next Summer, or a few years. I don't know God's timetable, so I'll just wait in Him right now. People have asked me, "what are you going to do in September when you are in San Diego?" I guess I will have to enjoy the fair by way of people's Facebook posts and pictures. I'm sure I'll miss it, but I'll be doing a greater good where I am.

Today, I was able to meet former Senator Bob Dole, and have my photo taken with him. he was at the KU booth (Rock chalk!), but didn't have the security or crowd around him the last time he was here. The lady hosting him asked if I'd like to meet and greet with him and have my pic taken with him. He was impressed with my name, Robert, and he informed me that he was a Robert, too. There was a reason I wanted to speak with him, and it had nothing to do with politics. I shared with him that about 20 years ago, his foundation sponsored a booth at the fair that provided free mammograms. My mom had not thought about getting a mammogram, but when she saw that they were free, she thought, "Why not?" The screening detected a lump that turned out to be malignant. My mom underwent a mastectomy, months of chemo, and has been cancer-free even since. I told Senator Dole that if not for his free mammogram booth, my mom might not be with us today. Senator Dole is a hero in our family, and we see him as our mom's lifesaver. He shared with me that he is working on a plan with Senator Pat Roberts to bring back the men's free prostate exams they used to have at the fair. I'm sure that Mr. Dole has heard similar stories like the one I shared with him, but I wanted him to hear one more. To remind him of the good he has done. It was a special and emotional meeting, and I'm glad I got the chance to visit with him.

I gave a lot of thought as to what I might eat on the last day. Then it hit me. I hadn't had a bierock yet! (Yes, spellcheck, bierock is a word!) They are rolls stuffed with hamburger, cabbage, onion, and other seasonings. They are large, and come with a bag of chips for $7.00. I give them an A. The people were friendly, and it took only a couple of minutes to be served a hot bierock. In the Meadowlark building, they had a booth called Grandma J's. They serve a wide variety of items, but I went for the mini donuts, aka spudnuts. You could get a half-dozen for $1.65. For an extra .50, you could get a cup of chocolate, strawberry, or other dips to dunk your spudnut in. I opted for the plain. They were good enough that way. They had a little donut maker that you can put dough in, and it pops out tiny doughnuts! I want one! They then dropped it into grease, and then rolled it in cinnamon and sugar. Yum! 

At 6pm, I was able to pick up my prize. I received my blue ribbon, my whopping $7.00 check, (if I say 700 cents, it sounds like more, lol), and the judges' comments. Their only comment was that I need to specify what kind of chocolate chips I use. Everything else was checked "desirable." Earlier this week, I counted the other entries in the chocolate chip cookie category, and there were 18 other people vying for the top prize. Some of the others looked pretty good. I definitely had some stiff competition. I'm just thrilled that I finally won something!

After picking up my winnings, I took one last walk around the fairgrounds. I wanted to see everything one last time. During this time, I was spotted again by my friends Leland and Brenda. On my last time around, I heard a really good Jazz band from Atchinson, so I stopped to listen for a while. They played the big band jazz, reminiscent of Glenn Miller. They had a really good sound. After that, it was time to go. I bid a fond farewell to the Kansas State Fair as I walked out of the gates. The State Fair will return next September, from the 9th through the 18th.

Tomorrow, I will post one more fair blog. It will recap some things, give you some final numbers, and wrap things up with a nice little bow. In the meantime, I think an early bedtime is calling my name. If you enjoyed my blog, would you please give me a like or a comment? This will let me know how many people were reading, and will determine if I will blog next year. I sure appreciate it. Thanks to those who have been reading daily, and I pray God will bless you. Good night.

Rob's State Fair Ramblings, Day 9

Today was quite a busy day in many ways. There were many, many people out and about for this last Saturday of the fair. I was also very busy walking-wise. I roamed the fairgrounds numerous times. When I started my walking, I was at about 500 steps. Now, I am closing in on 22,000. Needless to say, I am pretty tired, and my knee hurts a little, but I am pretty sure I can do one more day. I can't miss tomorrow, as that's the day I have to pick up my beautiful blue ribbon! Can't wait for that!

I posted many pics and videos today. I just happened to be in the right places at the right time. I was thrilled to see that the big robot from 2 years ago had returned! The only difference was that the voice was different. Not singy-songy like before. He was still pretty entertaining, though. I also caught a stilt-walking Elvis impersonator, and a stilt-walking clowny guy. (I'm guessing he was the same person.) I'm also currently uploading the video footage of a guy named Pogo Fred, who does some amazing tricks on his pogo stick. Some of the clips are lengthy, but worth the watch. I'm surprised that we didn't have to call 911, considering some of the stuff he pulled off.

I was spotted multiple times today. First, I was spotted by the Wilkenings. I shared some of my treats with their kiddos. I also again ran into my friends Larry and Angie, and showed them some of the free stuff I had picked up in the buildings. Later on in the day, I ran into Nancy and her kids and grandkids. Just a few minutes later, I ran into Charlotte and Jessica. I have been friends with them for many years. Later, I ran into another of Nancy's daughters, Jessika, her husband, Shaun, and their girls. Many treats went out today. I also ran into more of my BGC and school kids, and more introductions were made. At one point, as I was walking on the Midway, I heard someone say, "Oh! We need to find Rob!" I looked up and I had no idea who they were. There must be other Robs out there that need finding as well.  My cousin Beth and her mom (my Aunt) from Missouri, who stayed with us last night, were excited to find me as well. They came out with my mom and they all hung out for a while.

The lunch of choice was a Tacone! $6.50. That's in my Top #3. In fact it's in second place as my favorite! I compare it to a walking taco with an edible shell. A taco shell baked into the shape of a cone, loaded with everything that goes into a taco. They give you a fork and napkins with it. I give it an A all around. The people were very nice, and the Tacone was amazing! Later, as it became evening, my cousin and aunt left to return home, and my mom opted to stay at the fair. She got turned around and lost (she doesn't know the fairgrounds too well), so she called me and described her surroundings. I was able to get to her in mere minutes. I said to her, "Now you see how important it is that I am out here everyday! I knew exactly where you were, and how to find you!" My mom started getting hungry, and she offered to buy my supper.  She asked me what I liked, and I described my all-time favorite food to her. It comes in a parfait cup, and is layered with pulled BBQ pork, mashed potatoes, and beans. The pulled pork parfait, aka the BBQ parfait. That sounded good to her, so we enjoyed that! I was originally going to get that tomorrow on the last day, but today was a special treat. The pulled pork parfait runs $8.00. We both gave it an A, because we enjoyed it so much. The line to get the parfaits had run all the way back to Nebraska, yet the people working were still pleasant and friendly.    I still have some meal coupons left, so I'll have to decide what to get tomorrow. Choices, choices. I have to think on that a while.

Out on the Midway, behind the big Ferris Wheel, they have a "Stunt Jump," where you can jump from a platform onto a huge cushion below. It is perfectly safe, and it is impact-free. I saw young kids jump from there, and laugh as they crawled off of the cushion. I saw adults get up there and totally freeze up, and have to turn back. I'm guessing the drop is between 15-20 feet, and it must look terrifying from up there. The guy at the top was showing them how to position their bodies as they jumped from the platform. There was a cost to jump, or else I might have tried it. It looked like a lot of fun!

I had the chance to ride the State Fair Railroad today. I was able to score a ticket from a friend who asked that I not identify them, as they can't do that for everyone. I scored a free State Fair T-Shirt in a similar way, but that's a different story. I never knew that there were 2 trains! There is a purple one and a blue one. I was on the blue one. As we traveled around the grounds, we went by a kettle corn stand. I love kettle corn! The owners were standing by getting ready to hand (quickly) train-riders little bags of kettle corn! And guess what! Yeah, I got stiffed. The people in front of me got some, the people behind me got some, and I got a whole lot of nothing. Oh, well, the train ride was pretty fun! 

It just can't be that there is only one day left! What am I going to do on Monday? Probably rest, that's what. I thank you for being very loyal readers. I know that some of you read and follow it every day. I get likes and comments, and that makes me enjoy blogging it even more. I pray that God will bless you. Have a good night!    

Rob's State Fair Ramblings, Day 8

How could it possibly be day 8? Time's fun when you're having flies. :-)

I was "spotted" several times today around the fairgrounds. The first time was with my friends Leland and Brenda. They had their son Matthew, and three extras: Malachi, Isaiah, and Xanna. It was more of a tackling than a spotting, Lol. I gave them a treat, and then we had a photo op. You can see the pics on my Facebook home page. I guess they've been on the hunt for me for days! We had a good time visiting. Now you kids can stop asking "Where's Rob?" :-)   Later, I ran into Rhonda, who's been keeping up with the blog, and has also been keeping her eyes open for me. I gave her 3 girls some treats and we visited for a few minutes. I truly love running into my church kids. I also ran into a lot of my school and B & G club kiddos. I don't know all of their parents too well, so when the kids run up to me to give me a hug, I have to introduce myself to their very curious parents, and explain how I know their kids. That is usually followed by smiles and sometimes handshakes as I meet the parents. I  saw many, many other familiar faces, but none of them "spotted" me or asked for a prize. Guess they don't read my blog, hmmm? :-) 

If you are really into the rides and the history of the rides at the fair, you need to check out the Lair White House. This year's exhibit outlines the history of the different Midway groups that have come to the fair, and there are video clips of when the Royal American Shows brought the Midway by way of train. There are pictures and models of rides that haven't been on the Midway in many years. Personally, I found this exhibit fascinating. It is definitely one of my favorite exhibits there, and they didn't even give out free stuff! Imagine that!

Another thing I enjoy doing, which I hadn't had a chance to do until tonight, is look at all of the storage barns and RV's. I feel like I am one of the Tiny House Hunters, and imagine living in one of them. Being single, I'm sure it would be possible. I could live in a small space. In fact, when the time comes for me to relocate, I will be looking for a small place. Of course, the way the cost of living is in San Diego, a small space may be all I can afford!  

I stopped by the Channel 12 booth and chatted for a few minutes with the one and only Merrill Teller!  (Long-time Channel 12 weatherman). I jokingly gave him a hard time for interrupting the series finale of "Under The Dome" for a weather report. Then I thanked him and his crew. I will only watch Channel 12, as the other networks don't really cover Hutchinson news. In fact, Channel 12 was founded in Hutchinson. This is their home. I thanked him and the newscast for covering Hutch info. Merrill is a very friendly guy.

Some of you asked about my knee. It's holding up OK. If I have been sitting few a minutes immobile, it gives me some pain getting re-started. After a few minutes, it's OK. The brace is really helping. I'm almost at 21,000 steps today, and about 12,000 of them were at the fair.

I thank you for reading night after night. It is fun blogging for you and being your "fair guru." I've given directions, info, and etc. to many people who know to stop and ask me. In fact, as I was walking today, someone near me asked her friend where one of the exhibits was. Her friend didn't know, either. I couldn't resist. I piped right up and told her where it was. They smiled and thanked me. I love being at the fair, and am sad that there are only 2 days left. Those last 2 days will be the days I purchase my 2 favorites. Can't wait! 

Thanks for reading, and God bless!!

Rob's State Fair Rambings, Day 7

Seven days have come and gone, and only 3 days left! I began my adventure this evening by making my way through the buildings, gathering all of the free stuff I could find. Of course, I do that on every trip to the fair. It was kind of a slow day in the buildings, so I got through pretty quickly. Some of the takings were getting to be slim pickings, so either they are running out, or saving them up for the busy weekend. There is a booth in the Pride Of Kansas building that hands out little containers of toothpicks. I asked the gentleman running the booth how many they hand out every year, because they always have stacks and stacks of them to hand out. He said about 60,000, give or take a few. Wow! I also stopped to sample the dips with the pretzel sticks. The different flavors include Cajun, green onion, horseradish, spicy, spinach, and many others. They also have sweet flavors, such as key lime, that you can sample with an animal cracker. It really takes the edge off if you are hungry. The most interesting thing I sampled was flavored ketchup. They had spicy, smoky, Thai ginger, and a coffee-based one. I went for the coffee-based one, and it was very interesting. It was good as well. He was only offering one sample, which was a bummer, because I wanted to try the Thai ginger as well. In the Sunflower North building, you can sample a variety of hot and iced coffees. Tonight they had Turtle, Black Forest, Cinnamon, and about 6 others. Very good. They were also offering samples of some amazing beer breads. You combine the bread mix with beer and then bake it. The beer bakes out so that it's non-alcoholic when it's done. At least it had better be, because they were letting kids try the bread samples, too!

After the samples, I knew I had to do some walking around to burn off the stuff I ate. I walked over to the 4-H building to look at the exhibits, as I had not been there yet. I was in 4-H as a kid, so I enjoy looking at what the kids have done over the years. Afterwards, I continued down the road toward the Midway, and saw my friend Ron, who was handing out little booklets containing the Gospel of John. He and I briefly caught up on each others lives, and I thanked him for doing what he was doing. Who knows how many souls have been reached because he took the time to hand out these booklets and visit with people. I walked the Midway and saw a lot of my school and B&G club kiddos. No one came to me to "spot" me and claim a prize, though. Keep in mind that I am there every day, and I walk all over the fairgrounds.

I wanted to check out the Hedrick's Petting Zoo, as they always have such unique animals there. I enjoyed petting the camels and goats. Did you know that goats love to have their shoulders rubbed? I did that to several of them, and they just stood there, enjoying it. I also wanted to check out the animal birthing center. There are several cows ready to give birth, some cows with newly born calves, and some new little piggies. They were so cute! We were not allowed to touch or pet them. Bummer. In the next building, they had longhorn cattle, and other beasts that looked like they wanted to break through the fence and destroy my total existence. I got a few photos that I have posted on my Facebook. 

In celebration of my blue ribbon, I'm running a special on my chocolate chip cookies. 1 dozen for $5. I will bake these cookies using the same recipe that won the blue ribbon. I already have 14 dozen ordered. Do you need some award-winning chocolate chip cookies? Let me know, and I'll add your order to my list. All proceeds go to support my Tijuana trips.

There is no school tomorrow. However, I will not be galavanting around the fair all day. I'll be spending the day working at B & G club, so I'll be hitting the fair afterwards. My full days at the fair will be Saturday and Sunday. Thanks for being loyal readers, and I pray God blessings on you. Have a wonderful evening!

Rob's State Fair Ramblings, Day 6

Today's trip was fairly brief, as I didn't go out until AWANA was over. I must have turned my knee wrong last night, because it started hurting a little. I didn't think much of it until later this afternoon when it started hurting more, and felt like it might give. (This is the knee that I broke 4 and 1/2 years ago.) I got a knee brace and will wear it for as long as I need. As I walked the Fair this evening, it didn't give me much trouble, so the brace must be helping. As I entered the gate this evening and handed my season pass to the gate-keeper, he mentioned that a man had come through with a season pass, and tonight was the first night he had used it. I can't imagine having a season pass and not utilizing my money's worth out of it.

I was denied access to some of the buildings at 8:45. I was told (quite rudely) that they were closing. When I mentioned to him that I thought the building closed at 9pm, he told me that yes, the buildings were scheduled to close at 9pm, but they were going to close right now, and rudely asked me to leave. I don't think this is right. For people like me who enjoy walking though buildings, the buildings need to stay open until their scheduled time. However, God had a plan. More on that in a second....

This evening, I ate nothing! Not that I wasn't tempted by the smells and sights of wonderful food being carried around by other fair-goers. I had to remember the big picture. Every dollar I save is another dollar toward Tijuana.  I spent no money whatsoever, but simply walked around and collected free stuff from the 2 buildings that DID stay open until 9pm. At the end of the week, I'll post a picture of this year's haul. It's adding up quite nicely! I walked around all areas of the fairgrounds, allowing myself to be spotted, but no one approached me. I added about 6,000 steps to my pedometer during this trip. As I came to the part of the Midway behind the Grandstand, I heard it...Newsboys! The concert was still going on!!!  I hurried as fast as my crippled leg could carry me to the side of the Grandstand where there was a wide gap in the fence, just the right size to view them and get pictures and video. I was able to stand there for quite a while and enjoy some of their big hits. Back to God's plan I mentioned a minute ago...  Had the buildings been open, I might gave missed the end of a concert I would have loved to be a part of. Instead, God closed those buildings in order to get me to the side of the Grandstand to be blessed!

The hour is getting late and I need to close out. I'm tired in the evenings, so if you see a spot in the blog that doesn't make sense, please be understanding and chalk it up to Rob's tiredness. I really enjoy putting this blog together for you and I sure hope you are enjoying it. Many of you have told me that you do. That makes me smile. I want to thank you for reading, and I pray that God will bless you. Good night, friends. Lord willing, I'll see you tomorrow night for Day 7!   

Rob's State Fair Ramblings, Day 5

And just like that, the fair is now halfway through. Day 5 has come and gone, and there are 5 days left...

Tonight, I kind of strayed away from one of my strict policies for this year, and bought something that I had not planned on buying. If you saw my Facebook post, I posted a picture of the "Bacon-Nizer," a food item that has been there in years past, but unnoticed by me until a few days ago. While my mom and I were eating Chinese food on Saturday, a man came to the table with one of these Bacon-Nizers. Bacon-Nizers consist of seasoned ground beef, melted cheeses, ketchup, mustard, onion, and optional jalapenos and/or mushrooms. This mixture  is wrapped in a flour tortilla, wrapped in bacon, and deep fried. The gentleman with the Bacon-Nizer told me where they were, and I've been thinking about them ever since. I couldn't get it out of my mind, so I splurged on one, just to put my questions to rest. I opted for a full Bacon-Nizer minus the jalapenos. The regular cost is $7.00, $7.50 if you want mushrooms. Wow! It was good! The lady at the window was very friendly, but the size was not $7.00 worth, dropping the grade to a B+. It was the first thing I bought. That's my policy. Buy the food first, that way, you can walk it off while you are there.

Tonight was a very slow night. Very sparse as far as people go. I was able to breeze through the buildings in record time, collecting my free stuff. A friend of mine marveled that I only had one bag of stuff so far. I'm pretty sure he was joking with me. I also ran into my friends Larry and Angie. Angie had to inspect my bag to see what free stuff I had collected, and I'm assuming that I had been in the right places at the right time, because she didn't have all of the stuff I did. Angie, I guess they put out the good stuff after you walked by. By the way, you guys made the blog!! :-)

I also took a few minutes to rest and watch people. People-watching is pretty interesting. I think the thing that entertained me the most was watching people walk and text. I saw some trip over a sidewalk crack, bump into someone, or almost walk into walls or posts. I also got a chuckle over watching parents carrying their zonked-out kids back to the cars. Some being carried, some in strollers, and some practically walking in their sleep.

Tomorrow is AWANA night. I will do my duties as an AWANA director, and then head to the fair for about an hour or so. Tomorrow night, the Grandstand is hosting "Newsboys" with "For King and Country," 2 awesome Christian music groups. I'm bummed because this concert runs on a Wednesday night. I would not have had the money to go and see them, but I have seen many concerts from the other side of the fence. However, my place is in AWANA. I made a commitment to the kids and their parents, and I can't be off at the fair leaving my leaders and kids in the lurch. In fact, taking the night off of AWANA to go to the fair does not even cross my mind. It's about my priorities, and that is where they lie with me. 

Today's step count numbers just over 18,000, and about 8,000 of those steps were taken at the fair. The fair involves a lot of walking. Have I made a difference in my weight? After the fair is over, I'll weigh myself and see if I made any progress. I will tell you, my feet feel a lot better after changing out my shoes.  Thanks for reading, my friends, and may God bless you!

Rob's State Fair Ramblings, Day 4

Today was Dollar Day at the State Fair. You could get into the fair for $1, or free with a Dillons card. All rides were $1.25. My friend Christy and I decided to head out and enjoy the fair together. She and I went last year on Dollar Day, and had such a good time that we decided to do it again this year. We're going to make it an annual event. We have many of the same interests, so everything we looked at was stuff we enjoyed. We walked through buildings picking up free stuff, and then decided it was time for a Pronto Pup. No argument from me! We only get those treats once a year, so they're special. Afterwards, we headed into the Domestic arts building so she could look at quilts and behold the first place chocolate chip cookie.  :-) 
From there, it was time to ride the giant Ferris Wheel. Since all rides were only $1.25, it was a great deal. From atop the wheel, we got a panoramic night view of the fair below and the city spread out against the horizon. I posted some Facebook pics from the top. My camera does not work well in low light, so some of the pics are blurry. A lady in the same carriage with us was obviously afraid of heights, and did not like the Ferris Wheel at all. So, while Christy and I were enjoying the view and taking pictures, the lady with us couldn't get out soon enough! After a trip through the grandstand, our evening at the fair came to an end.

Since Christy and I both work for the school district, and both work at B & G club, we saw a LOT of kids who were glad to see us, and were waving wildly at us. We saw a lot of our kids out there enjoying the fair. Since so many families in Hutch are low income, this is pretty much the only day a lot of them can enjoy the fair. In between the waves and smiles, Christy and I talked quite a bit. She is a great friend.

On my way to my car, low and behold, both of my boys were meandering down the sidewalk! I had the chance to hug them both at the same time, something I have not been able to do for a long, long while. I had the chance to visit with them for a little while, and it was blessed. I have missed them so much. I had not been planning the use that sidewalk to get to my car, but God had a plan, and guided me to use that walkway so that I could run into them.

On a final note, as I was nearing my car, a rock pierced a hole that has been wearing into the bottom of my shoe and yowzers, it hurt! I decided that if I was going to walk around for 6 more days at the fair, I needed some new shoes. So I have a pair of new kicks to wear around. Looking forward to some comfortable walking over the course of the next few days.

That about wraps it up for Day 4! I'll be checking in tomorrow night for Day 5, the halfway mark of the Kansas State Fair! Remember, if you miss a day, the links to the previous days' posts, plus pictures, can be found on my Facebook home page. Thanks for reading, and God bless!! 

Rob's State Fair Ramblings, Day 3

Most of my friends and acquaintances I saw church and at the fair today (those who have me on Facebook) were congratulating me on my cookie success. I'm still flying high from that one. I know it's a simple thing, but for me, it feels like a pat on the back, or a recognition that I am good at something. I'm not being prideful by any means, but I'm proud of that blue ribbon. Does that make sense? Being proud of something without being prideful? For the record, I received 131 likes on that cookie pic. Funny. Thanks for your show of support. Thanks, Hobbs family, for your pic of the boys with my cookie. It made me smile.

Today was Father's Day at the fair. I took my mom out yesterday, and today was my dad's day. Their interests are very different, so bringing them on separate days enables them to see specifically what they want. I let them call the shots, where to go, eat, etc. I take them where they want to go, when they want to go. My dad is interested in the animals. He loves to look at the horses, but there weren't many horses out there today. We saw a lot of cows, goats, llamas, and rabbits, but very few horses. The poultry building is totally empty due to the diseases going around lately concerning our feathered friends. No entries in that category this year. My dad also enjoys the sky-ride. He enjoys the view while I white-knuckle the bar, hoping that the bar holding us to the wire is secure. "I wonder if any of the skycars have detached from the wire at the fair before. Will we be the first?" I guess that's kind of morbid, but those things cross my mind. Add to that the fact that the wind was blowing, causing the skycar to rock. Yikes! I don't care for the skyride, but I do it for my dad's sake. 

In the afternoon we got hungry, and my dad said he was in the mood for barbecue. My pick for barbecue at the State Fair is in the Cottonwood Food Court building. It's a stand in the corner called "Bernard's." I give it an A. They were out of French fries, so they only had onion rings available. No problem there! The lady taking the order didn't hear my dad's drink order, so after she rung it up and I paid, my dad didn't have his drink. She realized she hadn't heard him, so she just gave him his drink. Nice! My dad and I both had BBQ pork sandwiches, which we both enjoyed thoroughly. It was at this stand that I got "spotted!" The first one was Desiree. I guess I made it easy on her, because she works at Bernard's. She's a neat lady. Then, Skyler and Chase (2 of my church kiddos) came running out to see me. I gave them all a special prize from my bag. I won't tell you what it is, but it's good! So far, I've been spotted 5 times at the fair. Who will be next? I'm out there every day, all over the place. Keep your eyes peeled! 

After eating, we made our way through the buildings. If you think I was nuts but about getting free stuff, you haven't met my dad! He was trying to pick stuff up that wasn't free for the taking! I had to watch him like a hawk! "No dad, that's not a free pen. It's there so people can sign up to win a free truck!"  "Dad, you have to spin the wheel for those prizes, you can't just take them off the table!" I guess it's partially the fair's fault. If you leave things lying on the table unattended, people are going to think they are free for the taking. LOL I guess it boils down to using common sense when looking for free stuff. From there, we went to be entertained by the Hedrick's Racing Pigs! They always put on a fun show. We also took in the Tiger Show and Ron Diamond's hypnotist show. My dad enjoyed Ron Diamond the most. 

After the Ron Diamond show, it was time to go. My dad said that he really enjoyed himself at the fair. I'm glad that I have the opportunity to take my folks to the fair every year. 

I didn't add any new pictures today, because most of what my dad wanted to see, I already had pictures of. Tomorrow is Dollar Day, and I'm going to hang out with one of my friends from work. All rides are $1.25, and I plan to ride the Ferris Wheel and get some good pics. The Ferris Wheel cars are huge buckets and I feel very secure in them. Unlike the skycars!
I want to thank you for reading, and for your likes and comments. I pray that you will have a great evening, and God bless you!    

Rob's State Fair Ramblings, The Awesome Day 2!

Day 2 was possibly the best day of the fair I have had in many years! First of all, I ran into my oldest son, CJ, whom I have not seen in almost 3 years! I had no idea he was back in town! It was a sweet reunion, and he seems to have his head on straight. He has a good plan. I pray for both of my boys daily, that they will make good choices and rely fully on God. Second of all, as many of you may know, (because over 100 of you liked this post with the pic) my cookies took First place in the chocolate chip cookie division!! This is the first time I have ever placed in anything I have ever entered in the Kansas State Fair! And it was first place to boot! I remember seeing that 3rd place didn't have my name on it, 2nd didn't have my name on it, well, surely, I didn't get fir....I GOT FIRST!! It was a surreal moment. I was delirious. I was telling complete strangers that walked by, "That's my cookie." or, "See that first place cookie? I made that." They were congratulating me, and probably thought I was nuts or something. Looking back now, I feel like a nut, but I am pumped about this. These cookies are the same ones I advertise for my fundraising efforts to get me to Tijuana. So, when you see me post info about my baking, you can know that the cookies I bake were judged #1 at the Kansas State Fair!  **Insert majestic music here**

It was also Mother's Day. I enjoy taking my mom to the fair and treating her to the fun. We enjoyed the Tiger Show and stayed for 2...count them...2 Ron Diamond shows! Yeah, he's that good! We both enjoyed Pronto Pups, and we always give them an A+, because they are friendly, the Pronto Pups are good and hot, and they offer Granny's Mustard as a condiment. Pronto Pups are $3.50. Mom sprung for a dish of cheese curds that we shared. I give it a B because the serving size is not worth the $6 we had to pay. Plus, 2 of them fell off the top and landed on the ground as he handed the dish to me, and he should have replaced those, and he did not. I treated Mom to an ice cream cone at the Grandstand (Rob's top pick for ice cream- $4) and we both ate Chinese food (ChinaGo) in Cottonwood Court, a tradition we have held for many years. The ice cream earned an A as did the Chinese.

Mom and I raided the buildings for free stuff and we both saw and talked to many people we knew. 2 people...Melissa and Carter... "found Rob" and claimed a prize. I won't tell you what the prize is, but I can tell you it's not chocolate. It's not an item that can melt in my bag. Remember if you "Find Rob" (that's me) and tell me that you read my blog, I'll give you a small prize. I'll be out there every day, so keep you eyes peeled. I try to cover all areas of the fairgrounds each trip...be looking! Mom and I also walked through the Meadowlark building and enjoyed sampling the dips with pretzel sticks. The lady at the stand said they go through about 40-50 bags of pretzel sticks every day! Wow!  We also stopped by the booth in Sunflower North and sampled the flavored coffees and breads. In the Pride of Kansas building, we beheld the giant pumpkin, weighing in at about 1,039 pounds. It is the largest pumpkin in the history of the fair. It actually broke the scales as they weighed it. It's enormous! A small child would be able to fit inside comfortably if it were hollowed out.

It was a grand day at the fair. The hour is getting late, my friends, and I must get up early for church in the morning. After church, I will be celebrating Father's day at the fair, when I take my dad out there. My mom and dad are very different in their interests, and it works out so much better to take them individually, so that they both get to see and enjoy what they want at the fair. Thanks for reading today, and I hope that you'll tune in tomorrow evening for Day 3's report. Good night and God bless!

Rob's State Fair Ramblings Day 1

Somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 or 10:30 pm, the day's ramblings will appear as a link on Facebook. Sorry, it's quite a bit later this evening. If that's too late for you, you can always catch it the next day. The posts for all 10 days will be linked on my homepage, as well as all of the pictures and videos taken during the day.

Today was the day I have been awaiting for a long time. The first day of the Kansas State Fair! My shift at work ends at 6pm, and I have to tell you, the clock was crawling at a very slow rate today, but I finally made it! I began by making my way through all of the buildings, looking for free stuff, such as pens, pencils, cups, etc. I made a pretty good haul today! At the end of the week, I'll post a picture of all the stuff accumulated over the course of the week. There are 6 buildings that hold the potential for getting free goodies: Meadowlark, Sunflower North & South, Pride of Kansas, Eisenhower, and Highway Patrol. Meadowlark once again had the free samples of dips, complete with pretzel sticks for dipping! One of the smaller Sunflower buildings (I can't recall which one) offers a variety of free coffee samples and beer bread samples. While they use beer to make the bread, it bakes out, so it's non-alcoholic.  **Hic**LOL. Sunflower South has a booth that offers free chili samples that is gluten-free. As you enjoy your sample, walk across the aisle and visit the Project Belong booth and look over the info on Christian-based adoption and foster care. I have dealt with this organization, and I give it high marks. 

I need to clarify and emphasize a few items. The cheapest soda is the P-Nut stand with $1.50 bottled drinks, but do not have Diet Pepsi. However, right across the way is a Hawaiian-themed stand that has bottled Diet Pepsi for $2.00. At the Dollar Days stand (with a big red sign), for $1.50, you can get a hot dog, burger, drink, or you can get 4 items for $5.00. The info I shared with you in the last few posts was based on last year's info, so this was the clarification. What did I eat this evening? I opted for the fried veggies, which is further down the road from the P-Nut Stand and Dollar Days stand. For $8.00 I got a basket of fried broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, zucchini, and onion. They also give you a generous-size cup of ranch. I give it an A overall. They were friendly, and my veggies were made to order. I had to wait a few minutes, but I got a hot product. Tip: If you want to order a fried product, opt to get it early in the week, while the grease is still relatively fresh. Some vendors don't change out the grease like they should! Before ordering, I checked their grease pit, and it looked good. I ordered it early enough in the evening so that I could walk it all off. However, as I was walking by a toy vendor, he blew a bubble gun at me at some of the bubbles landed on my fried veggies. :-(  It didn't affect the taste, but I wasn't very happy. He grinned at me "My bad," he said. No kidding.

The most unusual thing I saw today was located at the Carousel Café, home of the Krispy Kreme Burger. They sell a Jalapeno Twinkie. Does that sound good to you? I do not plan on spending the money to find out what it is. If you give it a go, let me know what you think.

Missing from the Midway this year were 3 rides: the Avalanche, Spider, and Speed. A new ride, Storm, made it's premier this year. It involves a lot of spinning, which is not my strong suit. The Whitewater, again, did not appear this year. I'm kind of surprised that it has been removed from the line-up, as popular as it was. The Crazy Mouse stands in its place. I rode the Crazy Mouse last year, and it lives up to its name. Pretty Crazy!

Just for kicks, before the fair started, I weighed myself as an experiment to see if I gain weight this fair. Last year I gained 1/5 of a pound. Not enough to cause any problems. While I will not reveal what number the scale told me, I will reveal how much weight I gained/lost by the end of the fair. I'll also keep track of my steps on the pedometer. The day's total was 21,000, which is very good! Average is about 10,000 or 11,000.

My favorite part was seeing people and chatting. I lost track of how many people I had the chance to visit with. I also lost track of many times I heard my name shouted over the noise. "Mr. Rue!"  "Mr. Rob!" I saw many of my school, B&G, and church kids out there. They were pretty excited to see me. I enjoyed seeing them as well.

Tomorrow, day 2, is mother's day. I'm taking my mom to the fair to let her do whatever her heart desires. For now, I need to get some sleep so that I'll be rested and ready to go. Thanks for reading and supporting me! Have a blessed day!    

Rob's Ramblings: A Pre-State Fair Ramble!!

The State Fair is in the air! I've been going out to the fairgrounds the past few days to see the progress. Today was my final time to visit until the fair actually arrives. I have AWANA tomorrow night, and I'm baking my blue-ribbon cookies (fingers crossed) on Thursday night. It's fun to see the rides come together and see stuff get set up. This evening was a flurry of activities as people were getting their booths set up and cleaned, and vendors setting up their wares.

Why do I love the fair so much? I love the atmosphere. I enjoy seeing many people coming together to have fun. Every year I run people I haven't seen in ages. I love to walk around. I enjoy touring the buildings and getting all of the free stuff that I can. And although I won't be able to indulge in all of the foods that I have enjoyed in years past, there are some items that I am looking forward to. It will be a "greatest hits" type of deal. I will pick my favorites and not try anything new, unless you want to buy it for me, Lol. Some people hate the fair, and won't go near it. I can't imagine that. It's a very enjoyable 10-day stretch for me, and goes much too quickly.

I'll be posting an update every evening after I return from the fair. I'll let you know what I did, saw, and enjoyed. If I have a food item, I'll give it a grade according to taste, value, and customer courtesy. I will post any pictures I get to my Facebook page. It's just simpler that way. There are multiple steps to posting pics on BlogSpot, and Facebook is a one-step process. So, stalk my Facebook page for everything you wanted to know (and some stuff you didn't want to know) about the fair! If I see one of you, and you do something blog-worthy, you just might make the evening blog. Keep in mind that if you do run into me, and tell me that you read my blog, I'll have a treat for you. It's kind of a "Where's Waldo?" type of thing, except it's "Where's Rob?" Instead of a striped red shirt, it'll be my legendary hat! I might even try to elude you if I see you coming! Just kidding!

I am depending on you for the success of this. People have called this time of the year their favorite time to read my blog, so I need your likes and comments to gauge how many people are reading, liking, and enjoying it. I truly enjoy sharing my fair experiences with you, my readers. The next blog you will see from me will come Friday evening! I'm so excited! 3 days till the fair!

Rob's Ramblings

One more day, and then August 2015 will be a memory. Tuesday brings us September 1, and thoughts turn to the Fair! I have always been and always will be a state fair nut. I enjoy the atmosphere. Walking around, seeing people, enjoying the food. I will not be spending a large amount of money at the fair this year, as I am putting money back for Tijuana. I have my 10-day pass and meal coupons I purchased last Spring, and once those run out, not much more money will be coming out to spend on food. I have a few items I'm going to try, and I'll reveal those things when I get them. It will be a "greatest hits" type of deal.  Here are a few helpful hints if you're spending the day at the fair: Cheapest soda: (Disclaimer: based on last year's prices): The P-Nut Stand on the north side of the Oz building. $1.75 for a bottle of soda, most brands represented. There are also several Root Beer stands with regular and sugar-free, and their prices are pretty low as well. Cheapest Food: If you walk toward the midway from the P-Nut Stand, you will see a "Dollar Days" sign on a trailer, left side of the street. They sell $1.25 hamburgers and hot dogs. I usually get 2 burgers when I visit this stand, as their burgers are pretty thin, but for $1.25...it's a good deal! Best free stuff: In one of the smaller Sunflower Buildings, there is a Union Booth. They always have some of the coolest promotional stuff on their table (several different things)and they'll let you take some of each. Those guys are fun to visit with, as well. Also in one of those smaller buildings are samples of flavored coffees and breads. Good stuff! In the big Meadowlark building, there is a booth with many types of dips, with pretzel sticks to dip for sampling. Just don't double dip! They're watching like hawks for that! Many, many other booths hand out pencils, pens, cups, magnets, keychains, etc. Be watching those tables for free stuff, if that's what you're into. Think of the money you'll save on school supplies!

In other news, my baking business is steadily gathering interest. I'm currently at 27% of funds needed for Tijuana, and a lot of it is owed to orders from people who either want to help me out, satisfy a sweet tooth, or both. I've already had people tell me my stuff is expensive. Here's the deal: Some of the supplies are not cheap. I have to cover overhead AND try to make a profit. My baking business is more of a fundraiser than a business. To those people who have ordered, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. The fact that money is coming in is confirmation from The Lord that I am in His will, and He wants me to go.

Prayer needs:
*A good chunk of the funds needs to be in by Mid-October, which is when I need to purchase  my plane ticket. That brings me to the next need.......
*I'm looking for an individual, agent, whomever...who has experience with scoring low prices on airfare. In this case, it would be from Wichita to San Diego. I have no experience with travel/airline sites, and am totally clueless. If you have any suggestions, I'm open.
*I'm also needing someone to get me to and from the Wichita airport. It's a load of money to park at the airport for almost a week.  

It's totally wild how God can change a heart. A few years ago, I would never have dreamed that God would call me away from Kansas. I thought I would spend the rest of my life here. But since Mexico, God is showing me that what I am doing now is merely temporary, and that there is something more....something bigger in store. He's given me desire to be in San Diego, fully accessible to all of the Mexico mission trips they take throughout the year. Pretty crazy, huh? I've shared this before, and I share it again...Before I left on my first Mexico trip they told me "Go on a mission trip. It will change your life." They weren't kidding.

Thanks for reading, thanks for praying, and God bless you!! 

Rob's Ramblings; Endings and Beginnings

It's official. Summer vacation has come to an end. For many of us who are in education, Summer vacation ended weeks ago. For those kiddos out there, it ended today. Tomorrow morning, children in our area will be making their way back to school.

I think I am ready for school to start. I have really missed the kids. Today at our open house, I was greeted with hugs and high-fives from returning students. I also was able to interact a bit with some of the new Kindergarteners I will see on a daily basis. Many of the kids were excited, while some of the older kids were in a "whatever" kind of mood.  I am also ready to get paid again, as paras do not get paid over the summer. That makes things pretty tight, while trying to stay on top of expenses and also attempt to raise funds for my upcoming Tijuana trip (8% funded). In exciting news, I was given a generous raise this year, the biggest I've ever gotten in my 13-year run with the public school system. While my duties as a Kindergarten para will pretty much stay the same, my role in Boys and Girls club will change. I will be moving from the school-based B&G club site to the main site. At my school-based site, we had about 25 kids. The main site has over 200! Fortunately, I am not responsible for all 200 of them (I'd quit!LOL) but I will be working with K-1st grade kiddos. The main site stays open a half-hour later than the school-based site, so there's an extra half-hour pay in there!

Looking back, it really was a great summer. God really did a work in my life. When I think back on my weeks at camp, my trip to Mexico, and VBS, it's with a tinge of sadness to see an end to such a wonderful season. However, I am looking forward to an amazing school year getting to know these great Kindergarteners. I've got a good feeling about this year. I've been praying for these kids and my co-workers all Summer long, and I'm excited to see what God holds in store. 

In the morning, I would ask that you take a few extra minutes before leaving for work, as there will be extra back-to-school traffic in the morning. Please be extra vigilant as you drive, as many kids walk to school. I'd also ask that you pray for our kiddos and teachers this year. We will definitely appreciate your prayers. Here's to a great school year!

These are my random thoughts this evening. Thanks for reading. Be blessed!


  

Rob's Ramblings: Looking ahead to the State Fair

It's hard to believe that in just a few weeks, the Kansas State Fair will be upon us once again. I went into the office yesterday to pick up my paperwork to enter my cookies, and I also picked up info on entering tomatoes, providing I have some to enter. My tomatoes are not producing like I'd hoped. They're pretty sparse. I'm hoping that something I enter will take home a ribbon or two.

If you will think back a few years, the State Fair is the reason I created this blog in the first place. My original blog started on a blog site called Xanga, and when that site went down, my blog posts took the form of Facebook "notes." Sadly, everything I ever posted in Xanga was lost. Last year, I graduated to Blogger, and I've liked it a lot. Originally, my posts were only designed to come out at State Fair time, but people encouraged me to keep on posting, even after the fair was over. I'm happy that I did. Those of you that followed me from the beginning have seen me grow and watched God do amazing things in my life.

Before I give you a blog preview, I have a few winners to announce from last year. I tossed out some trivia questions last year, and I have 3 winners to announce. First, I asked what ride was located where White Water had formerly been. The answer was Crazy Mouse, and Brenda from Hutchinson was the first to answer that one. My other question concerned how many Pronto Pup stands were on the grounds. I had 2 answers, neither of them were correct. One reader guessed 6, and another guessed 10. The correct answer is 5. I told the 2 readers that I would give them both a prize just for trying. My 2 winners were both named Laura! Laura S. from Hutchinson was closest with her guess of 6, and Laura K. of Smolan guessed 10. I have a gate ticket for you 3 trivia winners. Those tickets won't be available for pick-up until the first Friday of the fair, and we'll need to arrange a pick-up time for you. Congratulations! 

Since I am at the Fair everyday, someone suggested a "Where's Rob" adventure. Kind of like "Where's Waldo?" If you see me at the fair, come and say "hello" to me, and tell me that you read the blog, I will have a small treat for you. I had a few friends who would come out to the fair, knowing that I was there, and made a game out of trying to spot me. I will also toss out some state fair trivia that could earn you gate tickets for next year! 

The blog this year will be slightly different from previous years' posts. Since I am saving back for Tijuana, I will not be eating like I usually do. I purchased my season pass and meal coupons back in the Spring, before I knew what God would do with me in the future. I didn't purchase an exorbitant amount of meal coupons, so when those run out, I won't be putting out a whole lot more money for food. I am saving as much money as I can. I have already decided what I will purchase to eat, and I'll report on how it tasted, the service, and value. That will be the biggest change: less food and less reporting on it. Maybe I can walk up to random people and ask them about what they are eating and give me a grade on it, LOL.  Although the food part will change, I will still be out there taking pictures, seeing the sights, and bringing you a daily report on the happenings out at the state fair that you enjoy reading. I love seeing the people, seeing the sights, and enjoying the festive atmosphere.  

The state fair starts September 11, and I hope to be there every day. It runs for 10 days, ending on the 20th. Between now and the beginning of the fair, I'll post flashbacks and pictures of previous years' state fair on my Facebook page. 
So... the long and short of it all is that there WILL be a state fair daily blog, just minus so much eating. I'm looking forward to it.

Thanks for reading today, and may God bless you!

Rob's Ramblings

I remember as a little boy, I was convinced that I would be a missionary. I'm not really sure how the idea popped into my head, but the thought was there. I guess I should realize that God put that idea into my head. My mom tells me that I would stand in the backyard and preach to the dogs, and whatever or whoever else happened to be passing by. I remember sharing this missionary dream with my pastor, and lovingly nicknamed me "Preacher Boy." He would call me that every time he would see me.   I felt that one day, I would go to Africa to be a missionary. Surprisingly, when I shared this vision with the youth leaders and other youth, my dream was met with mocking and teasing. I recall the youth group making a joke of my desire to be a missionary. Some of the kids would tell me they felt ill, and asked if they could touch me to receive healing. Eventually, the feeling passed, as did the youth group leaders and students over the passage of time. However, a number of years later, in my adult years, God reminded me of the dream I had as a child. I acknowledged this to God, but did little to pursue this. I remember being drawn to South America, but other than that, I allowed the drawing to remain dormant. Fast-forward to 2014, when I had the opportunity to travel to Tijuana, Mexico for a mission trip. "Should be fun," I thought. The experience brought me more than I had bargained for. I remember leaving the orphanage in tears, moved. The missionary feeling had been re-ignited, stronger than ever before. Immediately upon our return to Hutchinson, we knew that we would return to Tijuana the next Summer. Fund-raising began immediately, and I was able to secure the cash for the 2015 trip. Before we left on our second trip, people joked that I would not be coming back, and that I would be staying at the orphanage. I was, at the time teetering on the edge of a commitment, and I joked that one more trip might "push me over the edge." Well, God pushed! When I look into what God might do with me in the future, I can't help but remember that missionary's heart that I had as a child, and know now what God was preparing me to do. I feel very strongly that God will call me to San Diego in order to be closer to Tijuana, and be available for all the mission trips the church takes down there. 

What's the plan, Rob? 
There are a lot of things to think about before making this drastic move. I might add that I am at peace, should God call me to San Diego. I would sorely miss Hutchinson. I have a great family, church, friends, great job, awesome co-workers, and great kids that I get to see every day. However, there are some things that draw me to the San Diego area........
 

I have fallen in love with these children of Tijuana. Very few nights have passed when I have not dreamed of being at Colina de Luz. I grow more at peace with being in San Diego each and every day.  However, there's more to the story than just loading up a U-Haul and hauling my stuff to San Diego.  First, I need to get my financial picture in order. I have a lot of debt that I need to eliminate. My plan is to play the lottery and hope to win big... Just kidding! I am sticking to a budget, cutting expenses, and paying down as much as I can. Dave Ramsey would be proud! If I can get my cooking business off the ground (see previous posts), that will be a valuable tool in ridding myself of debt. Unless I receive a major windfall, this will take quite some time. During this time, I will also begin parting with needless items in storage and at home. So, if I announce a big garage sale, or you see items hit the Buy, Sell, Trade websites, that's what's going on.

I will also continue to take mission trips to Tijuana as often as God provides the resources for me to go. One trip in the Summer, and a trip in December if there is a need.

 Other issues will include getting my car to San Diego, finding a job there, and finding a place to live.

To put it simply, God has a timeline, and He will put me where He wants me WHEN He wants me. If He wants me there sooner than later, He will provide the resources I need to get there. So this is where it stands. I am ready, but I am waiting for Him to give me the go-ahead. I know many of you had asked for a plan of action, and I had not been able to give one. Now, I have a bit of a clearer picture of where I feel God might take me.

How can I help, Rob?
First, pray. Pray for safety, and for the hearts of the people that I will one day be ministering to. 
Second, please think about contributing to my Mexico fund. There is a fund set up at my church: Westside Baptist Church
               400  West 12th
               Hutchinson, KS 67501
               Designate the donation to Rob Rue's Mexico trip.
               ***Note: There is still a $250 challenge grant on the table.****

Another way you can donate is by checking my past few posts and ordering some goodies made to order. Reasonable prices, really yummy goodies!

I hope this answers some of your questions. I know that I am grateful to have more info from God as to what direction I may go. I want to thank you for reading, and I apologize if my fund-raising efforts are wearing thin on you. It's just that I have a tremendous burden to get back to Tijuana. Thanks for understanding. I'll try to tone it down a bit. God bless and have a great week!