Manor Fest

Welcome to Saturday morning.
I began it by trying to convince my 3yo that picking his nose was
a) really gross
b) never going to get him a date to the prom
c) something mommy doesn't like wearing when you wipe it on her.

Then we found BBQ!

And a balloon..




And a sucker...
...the candy kinda sucker.
(knuckle Max, Gaga, and Papa were no where to be found. We see those suckers next week).




Every year our little town of about 2000 hosts a little festival and a BIG BBQ contest...
I am convinced these men are debating which cows tastes the juiciest.
And I don't blame them.
Although I did judge them.
(get it? judge them??? BBQ cook-off? hehehehe!)



There is a parade that is over if you blink and includes the local Elementary/Middle/High School cheer team, some random guys on horses, our one fire truck, some police cars, and about 10 random dudes driving their old fashioned cars and pelting kids with candy.

D decided that yes, he should buy me this car as a wedding gift...
(hint. hint)


Little O...




It. is. awesome.
My son as a cowboy...



Little O spends the entire 5 minute parade screaming horsey and fire station stopping only to take a lick of the sucker that someone schucked at him.
hehehe!

I really do love it. I love the small town feel.
Afterward they set up the town square with a bouncing castle, craft fair, little choo-choo rides, local musicians, and the biggest event of all...the BBQ fest.




If you can imagine an entire town smelling of smoked meat then you have been in Manor on first weekend of October. There are more men smoking Q than there are kids in the bouncy castle and that's sayin a lot.


I think what I love the most is that not only does it support local crafters and cooks, cheer leaders and cub scouts, vendors and small business owners but it is fun to see others having fun.



I think this ladies things are adorable...although (as you might have guessed) i'd prefer if the plates and bowls were vintage. Really cute though and she is so sweet!

I had such a lovely time watching other families strolling the one block of crafts, and the teenage boy whose Mom probably twisted his arm to make him take his little sister up the bouncy slide. The kids with face-painted butterflies on their cheeks that they were ever so proud of and the Grandpa's with knees in their noses on the 2 second choo-choo train ride.

Not my style but I thought they were kinda cute...

I convinced Little O to go fishing.
He thought we were getting Nemo.
Hey, life is full of disappointments.
He got a cheap plastic toy.

Later that evening they had an outside movie showing for the kiddos and a two-step-in live band in the dance hall for the adults. For all that I complain about small towns, there is something truly magical and special about living way out here in the sticks.