Saturday was a real whirlwind tour of lower west Michigan. Beth made arrangements for us to go to the annual Ric's birthday chili cook-off at the Wiessner house this weekend, and also made arrangements for she and I to go to her 40-year reunion for high school in about 3 weeks. However she realized only Saturday that the reunion was not in 3 weeks, it was this Saturday. Yep, you read that right. She paid for us to have dinner at the reunion and everything. But she didn't want to miss the chili cook-off either. So we solved the problem (as well as we could) by driving ourselves separately from the kids (Alex drove the Honda). Beth made a crock pot full of her Mom's chili recipe (which she hasn't made in years, and I remembered when she was making it how much I like it) during the morning. In the afternoon we headed up north, and got to Ric's at about 6 (30 minutes early). So we dropped off the chili, and had a few minutes to visit before heading out again (left the kids there). We drove to South Haven where the reunion was at a newish place called Lake Arvesta Farms & Sports Complex, sort of a manmade lake/beach with mini golf and pickleball and ziplines and everything. Plus a restaurant and bar. We didn't get there until around 7:30 so we missed the dinner (as we had at the chili cook-off too) but we had a few hours to visit with some of her old friends. She had said on the way up there, that there were only about 5 people that she really wanted to see, and 4 of them were there. But it was a good time. We headed home around 9:30 or so, called the kids and found out that the chili had finished in the middle of the pack, but at least it got there, unlike the last 2 years (see 10/8/23 and 10/6/24).

Friday night was the Ladies' Ministry annual 5 favorite things party. Beth got a bunch of pens and notepads and such to pass out, and came home with some chocolate and hand lotion and such. Missy came up from BSU for fall break Friday night to join her at the party, and to go to Michigan with us for the chili cook-off. She'll get to visit for a few days.