A Blue Ribbon Day

To offset the last post (and the ranting), I'm posting this GOOD thing that happened yesterday. :) Balance is good, after all.

And hopefully no one will mind my shameless bragging today! :)

Two nights ago I slaved over a couple of loaves of whole wheat oatmeal bread. It's not really difficult, just time consuming. I enjoy it. I wanted to enter one loaf in our local fair's baked goods competition. I didn't really think I would win anything, but they auction off the baked goods and the $$ go to the fair fund, which is a good thing. It's just our way of contributing.

I dropped off the bread at the fair on Saturday morning and promptly forgot about it. We didn't even go back to see if it won anything.

That night my daughter Sarah baked a batch of cookies for the youth baked goods competition on Sunday. Two years ago she won a red ribbon, so she was really excited. We took her cookies up on Sunday morning.

As we were registering, I asked about the bread competition. I was told that the record wasn't available right then, but the box of ribbons was on the end of the table with the winner's names written on the backs. She invited me to check through the box. I giggled. I mean, right, like I won. But, I went to check anyway, and what do you know, the second ribbon I picked up was MINE and it was BLUE!!!! :) I immediately asked if mine was the ONLY entry, but was assured it was not. :) Well, I had to ask. :)

So, my family now knows that they must henceforth call my bread, "BLUE RIBBON BREAD" and not just "bread." :) I was really shocked. I even sent in my back-up loaf, not the one I meant to take because that one was a little too brown. The loaf I sent was kinda small, but I guess that was okay with the judges. :) I sent the first one to a friend who had surgery last week. I think she liked finding out she was eating bread from a BLUE RIBBON batch. :) (hee hee) I just like saying, "BLUE RIBBON." :) Can you tell? I know. It's shameless bragging, but it's my blog. :) And I've NEVER won a blue ribbon before! :)

If you want the recipe, just post in the comments. :) I'll share as long as you don't enter it in my local fair! :) (Jamie, here's your chance!!!) :)

UPDATE: Sarah's cookies didn't win a ribbon this year, but the youth category goes through age 18 and she is only 11. I was really proud of her for even trying. A really nice lady from church called her tonight to tell her that she bid on her cookies at the auction and WON! :) She made sure Sarah knew they were delicious. There are some truly kind people in this world!