Pioneers, pancakes, and stick pull

Every July around the 24th, my church has a pancake breakfast picnic, pictures, and pioneer games to celebrate the day that the pioneers made it to the West.

This picture was taken a few years ago... maybe 4.


This one is a more recent picture, I think it was taken two years ago. It was supposed to be a serious picture (my dad wanted to make it look authentic) but a few of us could not help our smile as people walked by and giggled.


This year we didn't take a pioneer picture, but we had a big stick pulling contest. (Stick pulling was a game that the pioneers played.) We ended up having a tournament. Separated into children, women, and men.



The rules are simple:


Don't get pulled up... or you lose.


Don't let your rear end off the ground... or you lose.


And don't let go of the stick... or yep you guessed it, you lose.


I was not planning on signing up for the tournament because I had just given blood earlier that morning, but the man in charge insisted that I sign up. I didn't expect to do that well, but... I kept winning.


And winning...


And won the women's bracket! I was surprised and a little dizzy, but had a lot of fun. I doubt a bracketed tournament is how the pioneers played the game, but they did play it.