River City Roundup: 2013

My kids were glued to their computers, playing some collaborative online game, for most of the morning.  PD days are the "best school days ever!" according to my kids who revel in their pj-wearing, computer-playing and snacking-all-day, glory.

"Hey kids!  You wanna go downtown for lunch?  There is a chili cook off!" I yell out.

...crickets...

I should know better than to pose questions.

"Guess what! We are going downtown to meet dad for lunch at the River City Round Up chili cook off!" I say in my excited, matter-of-factly, voice.

...groans...




"I'm not changing out of my pjs and I'm not combing my hair!" replies my daughter.

Can't fault her feisty response. Chip off the ole block, I say, chip off the ole block.

"Make sure you wear that jean jacket with the fuzzy collar!  You will fit right in!" I say to the boy.

We get to Churchill Square and wait in line for tickets for about 5 minutes. I look behind me, thinking we got there at a good time, as the line started coiling around like a snake, as more and more folks arrived.


Tickets in hand, we head to the first restaurant to find out they ran out of chili.  "They just opened!" I exclaimed to my hubby. "Did they think they were making a small pot just for the judges?" my own feistiness coming out as I'm trying to roundup my own kiddos among the swelling crowd.

All in all, we enjoyed the chili and the great things to see and watch.  Venison, beef, elk were just some of the wonderful variety of meat we sampled in our chili.  There were plenty of vegetarian options also.  My children were little food critics as we tested and compared various chili's.  "That's too spicy! I like the meat in that one" "Eww, why would they put that in there?"

We even headed back the next morning for the pancake breakfast.  Unfortunately, it was cold so we didn't stick around very long at all.

Great way to break up a PD day.