We got home from Chautauqua on Saturday night after putting the dock in during the day. We went to bed so we could get up and run the 5 mile Blossom Time Run (the festival in Chagrin Falls).

Even Anna made it the 5 miles. Brady pushed her while we ran.

Then we came home and showered. I got to work on our rib sauce while the boys went golfing. When they got back from golfing, we got things set and took them up to the Mackey’s house. They brought the grill, the tools, the sauce we made, the ribs that had been cooking for a few hours and some competitive spirit.

Everyone set up their station around the yard and got to work.

Team 1: Brady in action:

Team 2: Carl (who started cooking his ribs at 1pm and they weren’t due until 6pm.)

Team 3: Karen and Matt

Team 4: David (check out his smoker – this is serious competition and he won last year!)

Team 5: Big Jim (the host of the competition)

Team 6: Adam and Kara (the future newlyweds!)

Team 7: Tom (makes his ribs like we do – keeping it in the fam!)

Team 8: Ryan and JP (joined forces since last year in attempt to dominate)

Team 9 – Mike – why weren’t you at your grill Mike? Where were you?

While the ribs were cooking, there was lots of hanging out!

At 6pm all of the ribs were due to be turned in the kitchen. We were happy with how ours looked! Good Work Brady!

So each team loads their 4 racks into metal trays and drops them off at the kitchen door. There they are secretly given a letter to identify them. No one is told the letter.

Jim thinks he is going to be the champ…we will see!

To show their support of their dads, we dressed Anna and Addie up!

Can you read their shirts? They say: VOTE 4 My Daddy!

Once the ribs are in the kitchen, they are cut into single pieces. Each person is allowed to get one rib from each sauce at first. (We have a crazy amount of food.) They then take a ballot and vote for their top 3 entries.

The behind the scenes secret kitchen prep time is hard work!

When things are ready, you label your plate and make your way around the island.

You have to make room for 9 different sauces and ribs. Usually I just taste the sauces and vote according to that. Brady and I share a plate so we can consult.

Then I got in and fill up my plate on the sides and salads, which most people are not as interested in!

Smoked salmon plate with veggies and antipasto

Strawberry spinach salad

Tossed Veggie Salad

Laura’s cheesy mac

Roasted potatoes

Peanut noodles

The spread:

My mocktail – diet tonic with lime! It feels like a drink and it won’t make it harder for me to get up in the night.

Anna was cozy for the evening!

Back to normal posts today!

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