Biggest Weekend in Montana!

So ever since I have been married to Joe there are two things I have not stopped hearing about. Bannack Days (which we attended in July) and the Labor Day County Fair. I decided that this year I would dive right in and enter into a few contests. A few days before the fair I put my kitchen to good use and entered into 3 different baking categories and submitted photos for 8 different sections.
The next two days were really long as I awaited the results.
As soon as the judging was finished I made Joe walk down to the fair ground with me to see if I had won anything.

I took first place for my cupcakes! It was a little silly though because they gave me some pretty serious critiques and yet they still gave me a blue ribbon. I submitted the all time favorite Hot Cocoa cupcakes, which if you haven't had them, are filled with my family recipe hot fudge. I really think that is what makes them so good. However instead of thinking it was hot fudge in the center they thought I didn't cook them all the way through. I guess I learned a lesson this year; be sure to put a full description of whatever you enter. I was still very excited about the blue ribbon. I am already thinking of what to submit next year.
The photo building wasn't open yet so we had to wait until the next day. Gammie and Potts showed up with Audrey, Addie and Dexter they next afternoon. They were all ready and hyped up to attend Montana's Biggest Weekend. Addie's birthday is just around the corner so Audrey gave in and got her the cutest pink cowgirl hat! She fit right in! We took everyone in to see all the animals and displays, watched a bit of the rodeo events and of course had some fried food. The corn dogs were amazing!!! We had so much fun at the fair together.

We finally made it over to the photo building. I took a few ribbons home. It was really fun to submit all of these. I think this year I will really have fun thinking about more photos to submit!

holding my blue ribbon, and the top two bigger frames were my red ribbon (2nd place) photos.

My total haul from this year!

We also spent some good time at the house just enjoying each others company.

Our post BBQ relaxation

The girls went out to the big Patagonia sale while the boys stayed home to babysit...

 If this is what you call babysitting... Aj loved having Gammie and Potts around and Andy wouldn't leave Dexter alone. I am so glad we get to live a bit closer to them now, however we do wish that Grandma and Papa were on this side of the country too. :)

It was so wonderful to have everyone come visit. Maybe next year we can get a few more people to come out and join! Until then, we will remember the great memories we made in our first Labor Day Fair.