Oh Pioneers!

On Saturday, in honor of Pioneer Day, our stake held a chili cook-off. The primary children were supposed to dress up in their pioneer costumes for a pioneer parade.

My kids put together their own costumes, and I think they did a good job.

Luke had to wear his horse costume and carry his favorite toy "bupalo". I was hot just watching him in that thing - but he was so dang cute!

There was such a great turnout! So many people came to celebrate this special day and enjoy each other and some excellent chili and cornbread. There was so much chili to choose from. I wish I could have tried them all! Lucky judges.

The cornbread wasn't judged, but I must say, my dad's sweet corn cake, in the humongous iron skillet, was absolutely the first to disappear! The folks in our stake know a good thing when they taste one.

Good food, good times, family and friends.

After dinner the primary children had a pioneer parade - indoors, of course, because it was well over 110 degrees outside. Maybe the real pioneer could have handled that kind of heat. Maybe not.

There were handcarts and horses and lots of darling costumes.

My sister's kids did a version of more modern pioneers with their bikes and very cool ward pioneer day T-shirts.

How fun to just hang out on a summer evening with our whole stake.

I love how Luke insisted in wearing the horse's stirrups on his arms.

What a fun pioneer day!