The first official day of the Knox County Fair was Sunday 7/26/15. 
There was a lot of activity including the crowing of some Fair Royalty for 2015.
Congratulations to:
Abby Pozderac and Caleb Hickman – 2015 Junior Fair Queen and King
Abby Farris – 2015 Little Miss Knox County Fair
Shelby Erlandson – 2015 Junior Fair Rabbit Queen
2015 Equine Royalty – Lauren White (Queen), Macey Gage (Princess), Alec Johnson (Prince)
Click here to hear Joe’s report on this year’s Equine Royalty.

Joe Rinehart and Miriam Hayslett shared more results from the Little Miss Knox County Fair show. Click here to hear their report.

Joe was honored to serve as a judge for the annual Lamb Cook-Off. He had a chance to talk to the winners. Click here to hear from the winners in both the youth and adult divisions.

There was also a  Pork Cook-Off yesterday at the Knox County Fair.
WNZR’s Miriam Hayslett and Jessica Wells helped in the judging.

Congratulations to the winners.
Youth Division – 1st Place Cord Stewart and 2nd Place David Daniels
Adult Division – 1st Place Heather Stewart and 2nd place Lisa Hathaway

The Morning Thing team is taking on a challenge this week to find fantastic things happening at the 2015 Knox County Fair.
The Morning Thing Fantastic Fair Find on Sunday was the NEW 4H Silent Auction. 107 items are up for bid in the 4H Building on the Knox County Fairgrounds. Final bids are due on Saturday, August 1 at Noon. All proceeds from the auction will benefit the Knox County 4H Program. WNZR’s Jessica Wells talked with Larry Hall about this exciting new event at the Fair. Click here to hear that conversation.

WNZR is excited to participate. We donated 2 deluxe camping chairs to the auction.

Stop by the 4H building and place your bids.

Make sure to stop by the WNZR Tent when you come to the Knox County Fair. We have prizes for everyone in the family. See a complete list of our prizes here. Get registered here.

On The Road with Big Blue – at the Knox County Fair – ALL this week!

It was a full day on the Morning Thing! We started out with a conversation on how to deep clean the entire house in just SEVEN days. What can easily be a daunting and challenging task is easily broken down into manageable, day by day chunks by Penny Pincher Jenny. You can check out the entire checklist at the link below because the house might need a little love before spring:

http://pennypincherjenny.com/ways-for-deep-cleaning-your-home-in-just-7-days/

And we gave away quite a few prizes today as well! Congrats to Laura- she won today’s Chris Tomlin song poetry winner. She won two tickets to see him at the Ohio State Fair on August 3rd. Keep listening next week for more chances to win tickets. http://wnzr.fm/chris-tomlin.html

And congrats to Debbie as well! She won a week long pass to the Knox County Fair! Be sure listen all next week for Fair updates and information on our big giveaway! http://wnzr.fm/knox-county-fair.html

For our Fave 5 this morning we each shared our favorite thing from this week:

As a whole we were excited as we prepared for the Knox County Fair. We had a fun scheduling meeting on Monday as we ate cereal and figured out who was doing what job. We also had a long but fun training meeting last night where we practiced, planned, and got ready for the Fair while bonding as a staff. We are all excited to start the Fair!

Miriam had fun earlier this week at a bachlorette party swimming and having girl time. And then afterwards she got to get breakfast at midnight with her boyfriend, which was a fun treat!

Annabelle got to go see the new Pixar movie “Inside Out” and really loved the fun story and good messages about handling one’s feelings.

Wesley is excited to go down to Columbus to celebrate his girlfriend’s birthday with her. Since she is going to be starting her teaching job next month he is surprising her with some classroom decorations that he made!

And Marcy is super happy about the productive week that her daughter had. Rachel finished driving school and got a job at Wendy’s!

Celebrate National Hot Dog Day with The Morning Thing!

If ketchup and mustard are boring to you, please check out this list of 15 outrageous hot dog toppings! WOW!
http://my.xfinity.com/slideshow/news-outrageoushotdogs/1/

….And here is a link to more CRAZY hot dog toppings.
http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2013/08/toppings-make-you-love-hot-dogs/#/blt

Today, The Morning Thing also told you about the “Fill the Bus” campaign – a collection of school supplies for families in Knox County. We talked with Jennifer Odenweller, Executive Director of the United Way of Knox County. Click here to hear that conversation and how you can help kids get ready to go back to school.

Hello!

This morning on The Morning Thing, we talked about what a family mission statement is and how your family could go about creating one. Many days life becomes so busy and overwhelming that it becomes difficult to stay on task and we forget who it is that God called us to be. Having a family mission statement is something short and simple that can capture the characteristics and values that you and your family hold in your hearts, and how you want to live your lives and relationships – with integrity, intention, and purpose. It can help to bring you back to reality and remind you of who you want to be and what you want to accomplish, when you do get distracted and pulled away by the busy-ness and pressures of this world.

Here are the five steps that can start you in the process of creating a family mission statement:

1. Talk as a couple

Start a conversation about creating a family mission statement. Talk about things like what a mission statement is, and how it matters to your family. Prepare your hearts for where God would guide you in designing your family, and allow time for this project to settle in your spirits.

2. Invite the kids

Invite the kids to start throwing out their ideas of what is important to them. You might be surprised at what they come up with. If you have young kids, have them tell you words of phrases. If your kids are older you could have them each sit down with  paper and pencil and see where their hearts are without the pressure of the family dynamic. It would be really fun to see where they are individually and then bring those pages together and brainstorm as a family from there.

3. Write it all down

Have a notetaker and just get everything on paper. Once you have all the ideas down you can start playing with words and putting them together.

4. Decide on a format

Do you want to have a short catch-phrase or a long and developed statement? Maybe both. A short take-away phrase can be used to quickly remind ourselves and each other to get back on track with what matters to us.

5. Create

Every single one of us was made to make art. It’s easy to start making excuses that we’re not creative or good with words and how or why that excludes us from stepping into the arena. But the truth is we all have this aching desire to create something. To be a part of something – or build something – bigger than us. What better place to build than our families?

You can view the entire article here:

Also, it’s Prince George’s second birthday today! In celebration of his birthday, a new photo has been released! It was taken at the christening of his sister, Princess Charlotte, on July 5th. He looks just as adorable in this photo as he always does 🙂

In the 8am hour, we had a conversation with Jessica who is a trained navigator with the Ohio Association of Foodbanks. She talked about what they’re doing to help families with health care at the Knox County Health Department, and about how people can participate in the free sessions. You can hear the full conversation here:

It’s National Junk Food Day. We want to celebrate by sharing with you the 11 most extreme junk foods ever created.

National Junk Food Day shouldn’t be celebrated with commonplace junk food—oh, no, it deserves something far tastier– so save your potato chips and chocolate bars for another day, and get ready to try some truly wild treats.

http://mentalfloss.com/article/57704/11-most-extreme-junk-foods-ever-created

We also talked with Sam Barone from the Community Foundation of Mount Vernon and Knox County about the future plans for Foundation Park.

Happy Monday from The Morning Thing!

Would you like to save money?
Here are 10 forgotten money saving skills.
http://www.gracefullittlehoneybee.com/10-forgotten-money-saving-skills/

Do you like to play with Legos?
(COLUMBUS, OH) – The 2015 LEGO DESIGN CHALLENGE is a partnership between the Columbus Museum of Art (CMA), COSI, and Ohio History Connection Open to builders of all ages and experience levels, the challenge promotes the creative use of LEGO bricks to explore transportation and architecture. Show us where you want to live and how you want to get there by designing a building and a mode of transportation.

The partnership between CMA, COSI and Ohio History Connection grew from the LEGO exhibitions each has planned during the coming months.

Anyone is eligible to participate in the 2015 LEGO DESIGN CHALLENGE, but all finalists must be able to transport their designs to and from the exhibiting museum. Judging of designs will be divided into 2 categories Youth (16 and under)/Family and Adult/Professional.

CHALLENGE GUIDELINES:
• Design submissions will be accepted July 15—September 21, 2015
• All entries must be original designs.
• Designs may not exceed 10” W x 10” L x 24” H
• All entries must be built on a LEGO baseplate measuring 10” x 10”
• One submission per individual or group.
• All entries must include a complete application and photograph of the design.
• All entries must be submitted between July 15 and September 21, 2015

Visit columbusmuseum.org/lego-contest to complete the 2015 LEGO DESIGN CHALLENGE application. Submit the application along with one photograph of the design between July 15 and September 21, 2015. (Photo should not exceed 2MB).

Design finalists will be exhibited at one of the partnering organizations at a designated time from November 2015 – May 2016. Finalists will be notified by October 20, 2015.

CMA’s Center for Creativity presents Think Outside the Brick, its third annual holiday season celebration of the creative potential of LEGO® building blocks, November 2015–February, 2016. This exhibition features the return of the Central Ohio LEGO® Train Club’s wildly popular collaborative model of the city of Columbus. Familiar landmarks and imaginative additions come together in a gallery of original creations by local builders.

The Ohio History Center’s There’s No Place Like Home is on view January 13, 2016–April 10, 2016. From small houses to high towers, see how finalists in the 2015 LEGO® Design Challenge explored the idea of home. Come see new architectural creations and discover how ideas like shelter, structure and form can inspire builders of all ages.

Did you know that something NEW is coming to the Knox County Fair?
This year, Knox County 4H is having a silent auction the week of the Fair. Click HERE to hear our chat with Larry Hall from the OSU Extension Office about this new event and how you can participate.

It is Peach Ice Cream Day. In honor of the sweet treat, we found a list of the craziest ice cream flavors from the U.S. Would you try some of these??

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/g2581/50-states-crazy-ice-cream-flavors/

Our Morning Thing team went through the list and came up with our 5 favorites.
The Morning Thing Fave 5 for 7/17/15 – our favorite CRAZY ice cream flavors:

#1 Idaho:
Chai at Toni’s Sun Valley Ice Cream Co. — Sun Valley
Skip the coffee shop and scoop this frozen treat for your afternoon pick-me-up. Bonus: It’ll make you feel warm and fuzzy inside thanks to baking spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and a hint of black pepper.

#2 Illinois:
Lavender Honey at Capannari Ice Cream — Prospect
Sweet and floral lavender is one of the most fragrant and versatile edible blooms. Pair it with honey and you’ve got one of the most refreshing and relaxing treats ever.

#3 Iowa:
Sweet ‘n Salty Pretzel at Over the Top — Pleasant Hill
We’ve seen plenty of preztel-studded ice creams before but this scoop is actually flavored with the salty breaded wonder. It’s also dotted with chocolate-covered pretzel balls, pretzel pieces, and a generous pour of caramel.

#4 Tennessee:
Firecracker at Clumpies — Chattanooga
Order this cone and sparks will fly — literally. Once you take a lick, the Pop-Rocks mix-ins in this fruity, baby blue concoction will start to snap and crackle.

#5 Utah
Blue Mint at Aggie Creamery — Logan
This cool blue scoop with make you do a double take. Though it’s not green, it is, in fact, minty fresh but it’s also loaded with chocolate cookie crumbles and white chocolate chips.

Honorable Mention – West Virginia
Grape Pineapple at Austin’s Homemade Ice Cream — Ceredo
Sweet grapes and juicy pineapple get upgraded from fruit salad in this creamy, lilac-colored scoop.

Now, let’s hop into Big Blue and go get some ice cream! YUMMY!!

Going to the beach this summer? We shared 15 ideas to make your trip easier. Check these out before you head out to enjoy the sand, sun and water.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/smart-living/15-hacks-everyone-should-know-before-hitting-the-beach/ar-AAcIqUq#page=1

We also took a look at some popular Bible verses that don’t mean what you think they mean.
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/five-verses-dont-mean-what-you-think

In honor of the opening of One World Trade’s observation deck, Earthcam has released this official timelapse. From 2004 to 2015, this video shows off the incredible construction of America’s tallest building.
Watch and share this commemorative time-lapse movie showing the completion of construction from October 2004 to Memorial Day 2015. Hundreds of thousands of high definition images were captured over the past 11 years and hand-edited for this exclusive time-lapse movie.
http://whatstrending.com/inspiring/19137-one-world-trade-timelapse

Hello!

Today on The Morning Thing we shared about 13 different household items that have other hidden uses!

1.  Ketchup

A little bit of ketchup removes tarnish and stains from pots and pans.

2. Aluminum foil

Believe it or not, aluminum foil is not only safe to put in the dryer, it’s also a good replacement for dryer sheets.

3. Coffee filters

Coffee filters are lint-free and typically work better than paper towels when it comes to cleaning your windows or mirrors. Obviously, filters aren’t cheaper than paper towels, but in a pinch they could save you a trip to the store.

4. White vinegar

As you saw in the video above, vinegar is practically a wonder-substance. Sure, it’s a great coffee pot cleaner, but it can relieve sunburn pain, athlete’s foot, a sore throat, and hiccups. It’s also a remedy for acne and body odor.

5. Rubbing alcohol

Did the kids get a hold of the permanent markers again? Don’t fret. Rubbing alcohol will remove those drawings from tabletops and walls.

The rest of the items can be found here!

We also talked about the Psychology of Color, and how it can be used to convey messages, set moods, and evoke emotions.

“Mere color, unspoiled by meaning, and unallied with definite form, can speak to the soul in a thousand different ways.” – Oscar Wilde.

Yellow can convey messages of optimism, clarity, and warmth.

Pinks + reds are exciting, youthful, and bold.

Purple makes us feel creative, imaginative, and wise.

Blue brings trust, dependability, and strength.

Green is peaceful, and evokes growth and health

Gray is about balance and is calm and neutral.

For more insight and to learn more, click here!

It is Pandemonium Day, July 14. 

Pandemonium Day is a day of sheer bedlam, and utter chaos. If ever there was a wild and whacky, unorganized day, today it that day.

Everyone has a day like this once in while. Its a day when all sort of unexpected things occur. Its a time when everything is happening at the same time, and at a very fast pace.

Celebrate and embrace Pandemonium Day. Don’t let today, or any other day shake you up. If Pandemonium prevails, just go with the flow in a calm, cool manner. Sanity will return soon enough.

Here are the BEST and WORST things to do when you feel overwhelmed.
http://marissabracke.com/best-worst-things-to-do-when-overwhelmed

We also shared some reasons why your skin might be blotchy and how to fix that problem.
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/beauty/anti-aging/a33326/blotchy-skin-causes-redness/