I don’t do a bunch of baking at Christmas. My huge baking event is in the summer. I started a few years back entering baked goods at the Open Class Homemaking event at the county fair. I have increased my entries over the years and the family loves it!

There are usually around 16-18 categories just for cookies, and I usually enter them all. I also have entries for the quick breads, muffins, and sweet rolls. For the first time this year, I entered my spiced peach jam and my oatmeal pie. I was pleased with a second place ribbon on my jam and that I made my own pie crust (first time!) for the pie entry. I decided to challenge myself and enter these new categories. I knew I had the skills, I just needed to take the chance. While the pie didn’t place, it was included in the baked goods auction to raise money for our youth at the fair.

I guess I started entering because I knew I could bake and I knew the entries were always appreciated by the committee who runs the event. I started with three items the first year and then I was hooked! The family knows when the entry list is published each spring that I will look through and mark what I think I will do. They also know there will be a day they will find me pouring through all my recipes, sorting them, and deciding which recipes I will use for the year. They always ask, “How many entries this year?” It really has become a family event.

The hauling of all these entries is like a puzzle each year. I have acquired many containers over the years so that my beautiful baked goods stay in perfect condition while being transported. Seats in the vehicle are moved and containers are carefully arranged like puzzle pieces. There is at least one child who accompanies me to the move in. Usually, they are holding at least one item on the journey and help me unload into the display building. I must say I really do enjoy when I show up and those wonderful committee members say things like, “We have been waiting for you.”

It is a sense of accomplishment to see all that I am able to do. I think it is a good example to my kids that I am willing to work hard and push myself to try new things. It makes me happy to see the smiling faces of my family when they enjoy what I have made and they ask me to make it again.