Liv's entering an Iowa State Fair contest!

The other day, I was looking at the Iowa State Fair website.

As I looked at the kids' section, I noticed there was an Iowa State Fair Coloring Contest for kids ages 3-10. There are four age divisions: 3-4 year olds, 5-6 year olds, 7-8 year olds, and 9-10 year olds.

A-ha! Livie is 4-years-old. She likes coloring and doing art projects. She likes the Iowa State Fair and is looking forward to going to the Iowa State Fair this summer. 

Anyway, each age division has its own coloring sheet that parents can download and print. Then kids color it, and the parents send it in along with the entry form to the appropriate address by August 1st.

So I printed out the 3-4 year old coloring sheet: a picture of a calf and a young farmer out in a field with a big ol' tree in the background.

Well, since I just found out about it, I needed Livie to color it soon so I could get it in the mail before the deadline. It usually just takes one day for 1st Class mail to get from our house to Des Moines, so I could send it in Friday, and it'll get there by Saturday, July 31 - just in time to meet the deadline.

But I didn't want to take any chances, so I really wanted to get it in the mail by this afternoon, just so it has a couple days to get there.

Since we were out of town until Tuesday afternoon, and I printed the page out on Tuesday afternoon, I figured Livie could color it either Tuesday or Wednesday. I also explained the difference between entering a contest and winning/earning a prize, versus being given a prize just because she wanted it.

She was intrigued by the idea, and was almost understanding the concept of winning a prize versus simply getting a prize, just because she submitted an entry.

If she doesn't win a prize, I know she'll be disappointed, but I hope the light-bulb goes on over her head about the concept of earning the prize and not getting one just because.

But she didn't feel like coloring the page either on Tuesday or Wednesday (she was too distracted by the library books she just checked out).

So this morning I got her to color the sheet.

Here's how she colored it:

Yep, you're seeing it correctly - she colored the calf lavender. She also added its tongue sticking out of its mouth, and saliva dripping off the tongue. She would've colored more drops dripping off its tongue, but I talked her out of it. Oh, and as you can see, she added the sun as well as a flower at the farmer's feet.

I'll get it in the mail this afternoon. 

According to the website, all entries will be displayed in the Paul R. Knapp Animal Learning Center during the Fair (August 12-22). It also says that a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winner will be selected for each age division, with each winner receiving a rosette.

Of course, now that I look at the website, it says that entries should be postmarked by August 1st. The entry form says that entry deadline is August 1st, which seems to me like they want it by the 1st. Just to be safe, I'll get it in the mail today, as planned.

So keep your fingers crossed for Livie's contest entry!