The Most Disgusting Yet Delicious Sandwich Ever - Springfield Part 3

Missed Part 1 and Part 2?

After the fair we picked up Lauren's car from the wedding reception she was at so we would be able to drive around and let Grayson and Suzanne get back to their lives! We headed back to the house and hung around for a bit, watching some TV and playing with Molly!

After a while we were hungry for dinner, so Harrison decided I had to try a Horseshoe. What is a Horseshoe? Well, it's famous in Springfield because that's where it originated. It's a piece of texas toast with meat on top (we chose a hamburger patty) and then they put the fries on top of that and cover the whole thing in melted cheese... Sounds disgusting, right? It was AMAZING. Haha granted I hadn't eaten this kind of food in ages so it was a real treat, but it tasted pretty good!

We actually ended up splitting a ponyshoe (smaller version) and each had a side salad. All that fair food was getting to me! I didn't take a picture but here's what they look like:

After dinner, Harrison went and picked up Lauren from her wedding reception and since it was so late, we decided to just spend the night rather than getting back to Chicago around 1am! Good choice, because I needed some sleep for my 4 mile run in the morning!

I ended up running 4.5 miles around the neighborhood. And when I say around, I mean AROUND. Haha I thought I was going straight in one direction and then straight back, but I ended up doing a circle twice without even realizing it! I guess everything looked the same!

I ended up finishing in 38:52, which was an 8:37 min/mile pace! Honestly, I think my mapmyrun program might be off... that seems really fast to me. Haha it did feel like a pretty easy run though, I was in my groove! So I guess maybe it's right! Just hard to believe!

After my run we packed up the car and headed back to Chicago! The first bit of the trip was interesting... let's just say Molly was a bit rambunctious and didn't want to be in the car... It was also a very foggy morning! Here are some pictures from our drive back!

Molly can drive! (she has her learner's permit) 

I love windmills, we passed several fields of them. I think they're pretty! Go alternative power sources! 

Road trip selfie!

Once we arrived back in Chicago, we remembered it was Air and Water Show weekend! SO MANY PEOPLE!!!

The water was gorgeous! 

We had to get off on a different exit because of the show, and I saw this mural as we passed under Lakeshore Drive. I thought it was so pretty! 

When I got home I was starving and IMMEDIATELY made a smoothie! I'd been missing them! Then I tried to get some work done and then went off to see The Help with my book club!

The movie was great and did a wonderful job of capturing the book. However, I did think how they incorporated Skeeter's boyfriend was odd; it was as if they just threw him in to have him there but showed nothing about his family, which was important to his character. Oh well, haha the movie was already long enough I guess! 

I didn't get home until 8:30 so I threw together some steamed veggies for dinner:

Broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, 1/2 cup black beans and then I added 1 tsp cumin, some dijon mustard and a sprinkle of garlic for seasoning. Delicious as well as quick and easy! 

What's your favorite dinner to throw together at the last minute? 

What Would You Pay to Milk a Cow? Springfield Part 2

Apparently, I would pay $1! Actually, I probably would have gone up to $5! Haha, they should have haggled! For those of you catching up, check out Springfield Part 1. After checking out the Dairy Building, we walked around the fair a bit and checked out some of the stands!

Suzanne has been going to the IL State Fair her entire life, so she knows all the good stands. She said she had to get a Lemonade Shake-Up, and they were everywhere! However, she has one specific stand she goes to, so we had to find it!

A Lemonade Shake Up includes a fresh squeezed lemon with sugar and water and they shake it up in the cup for you. Suze got a Lemon Orange Shake Up, which also has pieces of orange in it!

She was very pleased. 

We also saw some other interesting stands:

this one is hard to read, but it's various types of meat on a stick (of course) as well as chocolate dipped corn dogs. Who wouldn't want one of those???

 Suzanne had also heard about deep fried brownies, but had never tried one (she does say, however, that deep fried snickers are the best thing she's had, so she recommends it, and she would know!). So we stopped by the brownie stand to check it out:

I tasted a bite and it was alright. It basically tasted like funnel cake with some chocolate on top. Suze said the Snickers was much better! 

After the brownie, we stopped into the horse ring to check out the show. Honestly, I almost died laughing. They were playing some kind of Mexican or Spanish music and all the competitors were prancing their horses around the ring while wearing Spanish costumes. So NOT what I was expecting! 

After we left that show... we headed to the livestock area where the highlight of the day occured: I milked a cow, for the first time ever!!!! I was pretty excited. Granted, I was taller than everyone else in line by a solid two feet. Oh well, first time for everything!

I did it! Not gonna lie, was a liiiiiittle nervous. But couldn't let it show, all the kids in front of me went in with no fear! 

I even got a pin! And a coupon to go next door for some free milk!  It was quite a steal for $1!

After milking the cow, we walked around the livestock to check out all the animals! This is one of my favorite parts of fairs, because I love farm animals! Actually I'm a big fan of just about all animals (marine biology major...). Ha I sound like I'm twelve.

Suze tried to touch the llama... but got a little nervous

Everyone debating about touching the llama... they do spit, you know. 

Pretty sure Grayson was very tempted by this.... He became quite a llama expert while we were there.

They couldn't resist... 

After the livestock I decided to try a shake-up for myself! A Strawberry Lemon Shake up! It was alright, I ended up eating the pieces of strawberry out of it and giving the rest to my brother.

We were about to leave the fair and I realized, I hadn't gotten anything fried! We headed over to a stand where EVERYTHING was fried! They had oreos, snickers, pickles, twinkies, key lime pie, peaches with ice cream, kool aid, green tomatoes, and more!

I couldn't decide between the fried peach with ice cream (clearly I was craving a bit of healthy) or the oreos... SO I GOT BOTH!

THAT. JUST. HAPPENED. 

I shared the Oreos with the group, and let me tell you, getting them was a GOOD decision. That was amazing. I love oreos and having them surrounded in basically funnel cake batter and melted down a bit was absolutely fantastic. 

The peach, however, I saved for myself! At this point I didn't realize how hungry I was and I figured, hey! It's a peach! And they used low fat whipped cream. So it's all good. 

More to come in Part 3! I've got to get ready for my first day of school tomorrow! Second year of law school, here I come! 

Molly Visits the Capital - Springfield Part 1

Hey Everyone! Sorry for the long delay in posts, I didn't have any internet this weekend in Springfield, IL! Saturday morning myself, my brother, my sister-in-law (who's feeling better!) and Molly (their golden retriever puppy!) headed down to Springfield to check out the Illinois State Fair! I had never been to a state fair and I was dying to go, and Lauren had a wedding to go to, so Harrison and I were going to check it out!

This was Molly's first official road trip, and minus a little barking and biting, she did a great job!

Such exciting things to see!

Like this motorcycle, covered in FRINGE!

Potty Break 1 (of many...) took us to Cheese Rd.!

Molly's favorite part of the trip were the potty breaks

I love road trips, because no matter where I am, I love the scenery!  (ok well almost wherever I am...)

I think we got a little tired...

When we finally made it to Springfield, Lauren's brother, Grayson, and sister-in-law, Suzanne, came over and Molly met a new friend, their dog Bella! Sorry the picture is a bit dark and fuzzy... But Molly got a bit ambitious and annoyed Bella. She learned her lesson though! Very adorable!

After we got settled, we headed over to the State Fair grounds! We parked at Jan and Jan's parking lot (they were characters... best part of the fair was people watching!)

When we first arrived, Harrison and I hadn't eaten for ages, so I was starving! We headed to Ethnic Village where there were huts featuring foods from various countries around the world. I thought I'd order something that might be semi-healthy and sustain me for all the fried food tasting I intended to do! 

I ordered the vegetable plate, which came with rice and yogurt salad. Harrison and I shared the plate. It was not so amazing... Haha clearly the vegetables were out of cans, but I guess that's what I get for ordering Indian at the IL State Fair! 

After we ate, we headed over to the Dairy building where we saw the famous butter cow! Every year an artist carves a cow out of butter for the fair! I thought you'd want a good look... at all the angles. 

And when I saw this, of course I had to get my picture. I love these photo things! 

 I've got to run, heading out to see the Help with a group from MeetUp.com! I joined a book club group earlier this summer to meet new people, it's all women in their 20s who are new to Chicago! I met with them in July after reading Room and had a blast sipping wine and chatting! I haven't been able to go since, but I'm so excited to see The Help tonight! I hope you all had a great weekend!