Blackberries Abound!

Paige has always had a green thumb when it comes to gardening. But with this year's bumper crop of blackberries, that thumb may be turning a different shade of purple! A few years ago Cody found a wild herd of blackberries while mowing the west side of the property. Then another bush was found ... and then another. Knowing what to look for, the family started finding them all over the yard. In fact, this year Paige found a new outcropping down near the creek. After Kallie scouted out the best path to the berries, Tyson fired up the lawnmower and mowed a path through the weeds to give Paige better access to the harvest. The result? Tonight's fruit salad was divine. Here's to batches and batches of blackberry jam on the Edwards farm!

Fuel for the Next 51 Weeks

Cody and Paige enjoyed 5.5 days of solitary bliss while the boy was off at Scout camp this past week. It felt like Heaven. Really. It was relaxing, rejuvenating, and even energizing as the two refueled their parenting souls in anticipation for the next 51 weeks of life with Ty. There were all kinds of hopes and plans of what could be accomplished during that time ... but it really came down to a lot of R&R. Some of that R&R took place up in Nebraska City, NE at a local winery and bed-and-breakfast. Ahh ... The boy had a good time at Camp Nash too though. This year's camp was just shy of a week and was held nearby in Bonner Springs, KS. He earned 3 merit badges (automotive repair, weather, and leatherworks). Most importantly, there were no trips to the ER or urgent calls home to Mom and Dad (but there were a record number of text messages). Family night was Friday night at camp and Paige and Cody had an opportunity to see just how hot and humid Scout life could be. But boy did the A/C in the car feel good on the way home ... he he. Two major thunderstorms this week - one happened at camp when all the boys had to rush to the dining hall to take cover. The other rushed them out of camp ahead of schedule on Saturday morning. That was the same storm that hit just after Cody's first ever 5K trail race (read here for more info). With the family back together, life is good ... and with greater appreciation for one another.

Never Together

Our family is in the midst of a couple of weeks of upheaval. Cody just returned from a week in Charlotte, NC on business ... and now Ty is leaving for Scout Camp in the morning for the week. To make matters even more interesting, Cody has this next week off from work! Hooray for Paige (we think). We'll have a full recap next weekend ... stay tuned!