The Other White Meat

Not only do we live in the Heart of America, but we live in the BBQ capital of the world too! Every year at this time, bbq aficionados gather in Lenexa, KS for the Kansas State BBQ Cookoff! Hundreds of contestants grill slabs of beef and pork using family recipes and top secret techniques as they compete for ribbons, money, pride and fame. As if the smell of bbq in the area wasn't enough, the taste samples were divine. Paige bought some of the "other white meat" on the way home and we'll be having bbq pulled pork tomorrow after church.

Hot Dogs & Cotton Candy

'Cause it's 1 ... 2 ... 3 strikes you're out at the ol' ball game! That's what 6,775 fans sang at Community America Ballpark on Friday night as they watched the Kansas City T-Bones take on the Redhawks from Fargo, SD. It was a thrilling ball game that went into extra innings where the T-Bones ("family fun well done!") prevailed in the bottom of the 10th! We were dancing in the outfield celebrating the win. What a gorgeous night for hot dogs and cotton candy! It was also Shirlene's birthday (Cody's mom) who was celebrating with Kristy and Amy and their families at a ballpark 1100 miles away. See more ballgame pics by clicking here!

A 6" Anniversary

A baker's dozen. That's thirteen (13) years of marital bliss for Paige and Cody. It also means it's another trip to Subway to celebrate with a 6" sub ... veggie for Paige, steak & cheese for Cody. This year they visited the Subway in beautiful downtown Tonganoxie, close enough to let Tyson self-babysit himself with some Sprite and a video game.

He Shoots... He Scores!

The Utah Jazz made a good run ... and the NBA Finals may be over ... but they're still shooting hoops in the Midwest! We purchased our first basketball hoop a few months ago (with Christmas gift money no less) and finally got around to installing it next to the driveway. We dug the hole very cautiously knowing the gas line was only 18" from the driveway. Fortunately, we didn't need to make any 9-1-1 calls though we had the phone nearby. We poured 6 bags of cement (and etched our names) and waited a few days to complete the installation. Since then, it's been one shot after another (and an occasional dunk) in the driveway at the Edwards home. See the photos by clicking here ...

Also ... Tyson attended his final year of Cub Scout Day Camp (Paige too?) this week and escaped with no ticks, much to his relief. Watch for an extra blog update on Monday as well :)

You're Benched!

The family project is finally finished. We built a custom bench to enhance our viewing pleasure of south-west approaching thunderstorms in the front yard. We cut the boards to length by laying a tape measure across our laps to find the perfect length. Then Cody added a Midwest scene with wood burning skills acquired from his dad, then Paige finished it with a varnish and sealant. Tyson assisted in the final assembly and general leadership skills. Now we have a place to watch the thunderstorms and the lightning bugs. Oh, and Tyson's fishing count is now up to 8 blue-gill for the summer.

His First Fish & More

Cody & Tyson went fishing over at Leavenworth State Fishing Lake Thursday night where Tyson caught his 1st fish ... and his 2nd, his 3rd and 4th. Little blue gills ... but it was fun nonetheless. He now states he likes fishing more than electronics.

Family Summer Vacation

There wasn't a beach or a fancy amusement park, but the Edwards family enjoyed a fabulous, albeit short, vacation to the Heart of America ... literally! Here's a run down of what we did ...

• In between rain showers, we visited the City of Rocks outside of Minneapolis, KS. Here we climbed among the largest collection of sandstone concretions in the world! (... and had lunch).
• Tyson added 150' of sisal twine to the World's Largest Ball of Sisal Twine. Now it's even bigger!
• Feeling a little more balance in our lives, we stood in the exact center of the United States. Well ... okay, the center of the lower 48 states.
• Visited the Higley Cabin where the official state song of Kansas was written. The song? Home on the Range (where the deer and the antelope play).
• Stayed at the US Center Motel in Smith Center, KS ... and they had a pool to boot!
• Got to know the Kansas Highway Patrol just outside of Manhattan, KS.
• Created memories to last a lifetime ...

To see 25 entertaining photos in slideshow format, click here!