Fur Rondy

For a while now I've been meaning to do more posts on living in Alaska. It's truly such a unique experience that we are having here, and I'd love to share more of it with you.

Tonight we went to a celebration called the Fur Rendezvous (or Fur Rondy, as super cool kids call it). I just learned, courtesy of Google, that Fur Rondy started in 1935 as a 3-day sports festival to give the locals something to do in the winter. For reals. Now it has all sorts of events, from a Native Alaskan blanket toss, to the Running of the Reindeer (race against reindeer!), Outhouse Races (?), fireworks, and more!

We always love to see the snow sculptures made for the competition. This year, with Minecraft, Minions, and Dr. Who all in one competition, my kids almost wet their pants with excitement. It's amazing to see what people can make from an 8'x8' block of snow.

(This was half of a huge sculpture of a bear bowling at these little penguin bowling pins)

There is also a carnival that sets up downtown, and everyone comes and enjoys it, and we all pretend we're not going to the fair in the middle of an Alaskan winter.

As we look down the "midway," you'll note our large hotel off to the left, one of the dead giveaways that they just plopped this carnival right downtown.

Fair selfies.

 

Attempting to share cotton candy and a caramel apple in the cold, with no tables, pummeled by an 8-year-old, a 4-year-old, and a 6-year-old with two loose front teeth and a penchant for swallowing them.

 

We ended the night cold and content. It was one of those nights where the kids behaved, strangers gave us extra tickets, no one cried and begged for more than they got, and the fair treats tasted like the nectar of the gods. Love this Alaskan life.

BBQ Sauce and Rub Review and Giveaway!

We've been going crazy with the BBQ sauce around here lately, since BBQ Pit Stop sent me some sauce and rub for a review and giveaway!

As many readers know, my husband is actually a former chef and the stay-at-home parent, so he is the one primarily making the meals in our family. I just sort of flit around and think up wonderful-sounding things for him to make. We were both excited for this product review, as we are always looking for something new to add to our recipe repertoire.

First up, we tried both the rub and the sauce on some plain ol' BBQ chicken.

Mmmmmmm..... The sweetness of the sauce was immediately noticeable. One of the ingredients is actually vanilla extract, and it gives it just a little touch of something different. My 8-year-old daughter noticed the sweetness immediately, and declared it "super yummy."

Next we tried the rub and the sauce on some shredded pulled pork sliders.

 Again, absolutely amazing. The sweetness of the sauce paired up so nicely with the pork.

And finally, we mixed the sauce with some mayonnaise to make a BBQ aioli as a dipping sauce for these homemade tater tots. Sooooooo delicious.

My kids LOVED this sauce, and so did my husband and I. The rub adds that extra bit of flavor, and would be excellent on its own, though we kept pairing it with the sauce! We'll definitely be picking up more of both in the future!

Currently, this sauce and the rub (along with a variety of others) are available at their storefront, which is located in Lehi, Utah, or you can give them a call at (801) 341-7171 and place an order. Their storefront also stocks a variety of different grills and smokers. So if you're local to Utah, definitely go check it out! Excellent stuff! We'll be heading over there in person the next time we're down that way!

Want to try some of the rub and sauce for yourself? Enter our Rafflecopter giveaway! To enter, "like" Simply Clean Living and BBQ Pit Stop on Facebook, and/or leave a comment below, letting me know your favorite way to use barbecue sauce! The winner will receive the Blues Hog Barbecue Sauce and Plowboys BBQ Yardbird Rub. Entries subject to verification. Giveaway closes next Tuesday, February 18th.

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