If A Tree Falls ...

So much for the excitement of living in "Tornado Alley" here in the Midwest. We can count on one hand the number of emergency trips we've needed to take to the basement due to a tornado that has Tonganoxie in its sights. Some people would say "better safe than sorry" but where's the excitement in that? Sigh. But on occasion we will get some good thunderstorms that will rumble through the area. Earlier this week we woke up from a night of storms (why must we sleep through them? WHY?) to find a fallen tree along the west side of our house. It was a dead hardwood (Osage Orange or "hedge apple") tree but the real exciting part is that it's enveloped with poison ivy! Leaves of three, let them be ...

Buffalo River Canoe Trip

Two years ago, Cody and his friend Nate Beyeler set out to canoe the Buffalo River in Northern Arkansas, only to have their trip ruined by thunderstorms, a capsized canoe, and missing gear. (Relive the memories here.) That left a score to settle and a river to conquer. So the two headed back to the river that got the best of them and this time, they came out on top! That is, the weather was beautiful, the scenery was incredible, and good times were had by all. They couldn't put in at Ponca like they did last time due to low water levels, but the scenery from Pruitt to Woolum was just as beautiful. Swimming holes and rope swings were plentiful, as was the wild life and the good times. For an entertaining video of the 2-day event, click here. A slide show below will also show some of the grandeur of the trip.

Auction & Racing

Today we were able to cross 2 more things off our list of things we've never done before. We first took in a county auction over at the fairground. Wow. And we thought that Tyson was a fast talker! We didn't come away with anything, but that was in part because we warned Tyson about raising his hand to ask a question.
Later in the afternoon, Tyson and Cody took a 15 minute drive over to the Kansas Speedway. On their way, they took a total of 2 left turns and 1 right turn. At the Road Runner 300 race featuring the finest of the Indy Racing League, they watched more left turns than they'll probably see in a lifetime. They had a great time and were educated, both on the sport and the culture. Click here to watch a short clip. Pictures are below.

Rain Brings Tadpoles

It can feel like feast or famine 'round these parts sometimes. We went two weeks without any rain and then all of a sudden ... BAM! Flash flooding and torrential downpours. Our hearts and prayers go out to those that were affected by the tornadoes and severe weather that affected Mississippi but at the same time, a little severe weather around tornado alley would be nice. Otherwise the weather starts to feel a little bland and boring. We did have a few storms pass by and say hi over the weekend, including the one pictured below, late Friday night. Oh ... and each time it rains it replenishes the rain in our pond, thus sustaining the backyard ecosystem we have ... namely tadpoles and frogs. Click here to watch a short two-minute video of Ty harvesting some tadpoles for his collection.

Busy Hands

We had busy hands this weekend. Ty spent the night up at Leavenworth (the military base, not the prison) with the Boy Scouts on Friday night. Then Saturday was spent in a day long service project with several other troops to help restore the landing area along the Missouri River where Lewis and Clark once landed by clearing out trees and brush. Cody and Paige also spent the day on Saturday clearing out trees and brush from the backyard. There was no historical significance of the area that they restored. It sure did look nice when it was all said and done! Who knew that there were actually trees growing under all those prickly bushes? There were no pictures taken of either event, but we do have pictures of the actual hands that did the work ... one of which apparently still needs to be washed.

Camping Weather

Spring camping weather in the Midwest can be hit-or-miss ... but this weekend's weather was a bulls-eye with blue skies, warm temps and a southern breeze. Thus we were off to the lake for some overnight rest and relaxation with our friends the Beyelers. It would have been nice had it only been our two families but we seemed to have attracted a few local party going folks that seemed to enjoy telling stories and playing loud music in the wee hours of the night. But the food was great and the time spent with friends and family was even better. You just can't go wrong with a camping trip to Leavenworth State Fishing Lake on a weekend with weather like that.

Wired and Amped

If Easter Eggs had circuitry, an on-and-off switch, or perhaps an LCD screen, then maybe Ty would have more interest in them. But as it is, his life revolves around a hot glue gun, a soldering iron, and a 12 volt lawn and garden battery - the latter two items coming from money he earned recently from pet sitting. As much as the rest of the family is tired of hearing about wattage, voltage and amps, it's better than hearing about how miserable his life is with his new braces.