Chili Cook-off

This past weekend our church hosted our 3rd annual Chili Cook-off during what started off as a beautiful fall day. Everyone makes their favorite chili recipe with secret ingredients (think pumpkin, chocolate & beer) and brings it in a crockpot for all to taste. We provide all the toppings and dig in! We had a few outdoor games planned but the rain started coming down so we all stayed under the pavilion and did some activities with the kids.

Before the rain they played on the playground

After eating lots and lots of chili we decorated cookies.

Then we painted pumpkins which was Riley's first time handling a paint brush.

After much deliberation by our three judges...

We have a winner....

MARY ANSLEY!!

Secret ingredient: chocolate bar

We ate and played till we were all tuckered out!

And then we played some more.

17 months old

Capturing that beautiful smile on camera is getting harder and harder to do. Riley hates to sit still. You would think changing her diaper was torture by the way she acts. She is everywhere and into everything, much more than other children her age. Tantrums are in full swing and she knows what she wants and how to get it. She can be just as sweet and loving as she is wild. She loves to gives hugs and kisses, reading books in mommy & daddy's lap and cuddling up to watch TV. She sure keeps us busy!

A Whole Lotta Happy

The NC State Fair is a big deal around here! Some people love to go for the rides, some love it for the animals, others love the exhibits but most love the food! That is the category we fall in. What's not to like fried food delicacies you eat only once a year? The new food item this year was the chocolate covered bacon. Gross, huh?

This year we had fried cookie dough and reese peanut cups. They were both sooooo good! It amazes me how expensive the fair is. The rides cost between $3-6 to ride. Growing up I always got to ride the rides for free since my Papa was the fair manager in Manatee County, FL. Thankfully Riley doesn't know about the rides yet to ask to go on them so we luck out there. We did take her to see some of the characters from the shows she likes and the animals. She was more excited to see the cut-out characters than the dressed up ones.