From Chili to Cider

Saturday night we went to the chili cook off at a friends house. This year was the 2ND annual and I actually took a thing of chili this year. Last spring a co- worker of mine brought into work a bowl of chili that smelled so good I got his recipe to use for the cook off. Mark LOVES the chili. Most of you know Mark is the main cook in our house. I cook but he is so much better then me and doesn't let me forget it.Anyways he loves my chili and has been talking it up saying how great it is and how I was going to win the chili cook off this year. We made the chili and when we got there we were the 9Th ones to get there with a pot. They had 12 pots this year which was great. Mark tried a few different chilli's and I manly stuck to the homemade fries. The food is always so good there. When they announced the winner I found out that.....I'm a loser. I didn't win. I didn't even place. Wendy went home with the plunger trophy this year and a basket full of goodies. (She is a great cook) My chili didn't even make the top 3 and someone actually bought 10 Large Wendy's chili's and put them in a pot to pass off as there own and they only placed 4Th. The competition is much stiffer then I thought.

I guess for now I have to settle with being #1 at home.

Maybe next year I will place in the cook off.

Sunday we picked up Mark's mom and took her to meet Mark's brother Steve and his family at Uncle Johns Cider Mill. Mark and I haven't been yet this year and we try to make it an annual tradition. With the Baby on the way we are trying even harder to start and keep up on these family Traditions. It was so busy there. I have been going there for years and never seen it so packed. We got in line for the cider then several of us decided to go check out the gift shop. They always have really great smelling candles and that is usually were we head to first. After 10 minutes in there I felt like a sardine. So we went up stairs to enjoy some cider and donuts and watch the cider being made. We had such a nice visit with everyone and it was so nice to have a weekend of fall activities. After cider and donuts we went to fling some fruit. We did this a few years ago and everyone had a good time with it. This year the aims were improving and they were all able to hit at least one target. I of course forgot to bring my camera (it is packed in the hospital bag.) So I don't have any pictures to share.
Fall is my favorite time of year and this weekend with the chili cook off and the cider mill it definitely feels like fall. NOW if we could keep it like this and not have a long Michigan winter it would be perfect. At least being pregnant keeps me warm.