Family Reunion

I missed out on Church today, so I will be listening in on iTunes to catch what Chad had to say. I was busy cooking for a family reunion so Carly and I stayed home to prepare. While I was busy putting together a dish to take, Carly began preparing her pie contest entry. You heard right... a pie contest entry.

My grandmother passed away around 5 years ago. She was an awesome cook and if you called a day in advance to let her know you were going to visit, you could bet your last dollar on the fact that she would have no less than three pies sitting on the counter when you arrived. My sister and I, along with several cousins, were commenting on that fact right after she passed away, and we came up with the idea to hold a pie contest in her honor each year. We felt that it was important to keep the art of pie baking alive.

Visit any Walmart or Kroger and you will see people picking over the baked pies and taking them home... loving what they have purchased. Most people don't know how to make a pie... especially one that is completely homemade. We have set about to change that...at least in our family.

Carly has entered the contest each year for the last four years. Her first year she brought home the "Miss Congeniality Award", and then the competitive streak hit her hard. This year it paid off, she come home with a first in the Junior Division (yes we have TWO divisions... one from the "under 50's" and one for the "overs"!) She made a peach upside down pie, and it was great. Not only did she place first in her division, but she brought home the overall grand champion award. (Okay, so we take it to the extreme, but we do have fun with this!)

I have never entered, I have always felt like I shouldn't since I help to run it, but next year... I'm in! I can't wait to begin thumbing through my cookbooks to find just the right pie! And the best part... I will ONLY be 49, so I can still qualify for the Junior Division!!! Now... if I could just figure out where Carly got that competitive streak?????