First Weekend=Success

I hope this summer lasts forever...I had such a blast judging my very FIRST county queen contest this afternoon and riding in the Sioux Center Celebration Days parade last night. Dad came along as my chauffer today and enjoyed his stops along the Case IH dealerships as we drove south to Ringgold County. We also got the chance to quickly meet up with my very good friend Dakkota Druivenga, Miss Montgomery County Fair Queen, in Red Oak before the judging began.

It took about four and a half hours, but we finally made it to Mount Ayr and I met six wonderful queen contestants and the most adorable group of seven-year-old girls vying for the "Princess" title. I had the honor of listening in on the little ones' favorite summer activities, colors, and movies. Some even showed us their best funny face or dance move. Needless to say, they all deserved a crown and sash! The six girls competing for the queen title were all outstanding! Crowning isn't for a few more weeks so I can reveal no details. All I can say is the Iowa State Fair Queen competition this year will be tough!

My Dad has always been a fan of taking the "back roads" of Iowa on trips like this and of course, this was no different. I will give him credit; however, he managed to find a restaurant that serves "Iowa's Best Burger" on our way home. We stopped in Coon Rapids to test out Coon Bowl III's famous beef...it lived up to its name! I have a feeling Dad will manage to scope out the best tractor dealerships and fast food joints by the time this summer is over!