It seems that I've got some very talented folks living here in this house with me.  My wife and our boys were entered into the State Fair this year, in several categories.  Seems that they did VERY well  this year. 

Chris - my youngest son (5 years old) - placed 3rd in the Honey Sweetened bread category.  He was competing against his oldest brother (see JT below), so we got 2 of the 3 top awards in that category.  His cookies, didn't place, though.

Micah - our middle son (7 years old, in the developmentally challanged categories - a bunch of entries there) - placed 1st for his loaf of Kamut bread (honey sweetened wheat category).  It so impressed the judges that the lady who tasted it remembered it later that afternoon, without us having to point out which one in the case it was.  Just mentioned that it was the Kamut one and she started raving about it. 
He also placed first for his age category in Jewelry category (and this was against all other kids his age, no DC category here).  Took us a while to find it, too.  They had it prominently displayed. 

JT - Our oldest (10 y/o) - Won 1st place for his Spelt honey sweetened bread and 2nd for his cinnamon raison bread (also made w/ a Spelt/Kamut mix).  This is his second year for winning with the same bread.

My wife, Christy - WOW - Her Cinnamon Raison bread won 1st Place for that category.  Her Spelt/Kamut bread won 1st Place in the adult Honey Sweetened Wheat category AND it won a Best in Show!!!!!  WOW!!!  I knew it was good....

I wonder ... Can you tell that I'm just a little proud of my guys and their wonderful mom?  'Cause if you can't, I'll just stand up in front of you and scream it in your face 'til you can tell.

I'm so proud of how the boys did with this.  They all got up Friday morning (the day it was due) at 1 AM. They proceeded to make everthing from scratch.  The only thing the boys did NOT do all by themselves was grind the grain.  They measured the ingredients, mixed everything together, shaped and kneaded the dough, timed the rising, and backed it.  ALL.  BY.  THEMSELVES.  Mom just supervised, mostly to make sure they didn't make too big a mess of the kitchen.

When we went to check on everything yesterday afternoon and saw all of the lovely ribbons ... our daughter (youngest of the 4) was so proud of her brothers.  She was bragging to everyone that we saw at every booth that we stopped at. 

So, if anyone wants to go visit the Virginia State Fair, take a peak into the Exhibit Hall.  The baked goods sections are the very back of both buildings (adult and youth are in two different buildings, though side by side).  The breads that have all the nice pretty ribbons on them ... most belong to one member of my family or another. 

Something interesting happened on the way out.  Due to the extreme heat yesterday (95+ F, 103 Heat Index), we took the tram from the Exhibit hall back to the gate we came in.  The gentleman that was manning the tram was a nice, gregarious fellow.  During the ride, he asked an interesting question.  He asked me if we homeschooled our children.  When I said, "Yes, we do.", his response was "I thought so.  They are so well behaved."   Now, I know that there are kids that attend public schools that are well behaved (I wasn't one of them).  It just strikes me about the first thought this gentleman had was a group of well behaved children (all 4 sitting quietly on the tram watching things around us).  Shocked me a little bit.  Of course, as Dad, I see every little piece of misbehavior.  That reminds me, I better go tell those little angels that I was/am proud of the way they behaved at the fair yesterday.

Y'all have a nice day!