The 12 Palms of Christmas

Every Christmas is unique. This Christmas will go down as The 12 Palms of Christmas. On Tyson's list from Santa was an old school Palm IIIxe. Santa's search led him to a good deal on not 1 ... not 2 ... not 3 ... but 12 Palms for Christmas! Of course it wouldn't be any fun to put them all in one box so each one was wrapped individually in boxes of varying sizes. Oh the anticipation! Needless to say, Tyson was surprised on Christmas morning to see that the number of gifts under the tree had doubled! Hooray! He was estatic to see the first, excited to see the second, surprised to see the third, questioned the fourth, discouraged to see the fifth and so on ... till when the last one was opened, he was so frustrated and angry that he stormed out of the room kicking boxes on the way and tears streamed down his cheeks. He thought it was a mean joke and that each present would be something different. Santa's plan had backfired. It didn't help that Santa had also brought Paige the same cell phone that Tyson had wanted. Sigh. But we talked things through and after a brief hiatus, we returned to our Christmas and things got better and better. In fact, in the end Tyson was grateful for the 12 Palms that he received. He had them all taken apart and got 6 of the 12 working again. He loved 'em. Ahh ... and to think that there's only 12 more days till his 12th birthday.

Shop Projects by Tyson

Tyson enjoys dual-enrollment for his 6th Grade education - he does his core work at home via the virtual school, then he heads over to Tonganoxie Middle School for his industrial art classes. This semester he played the trumpet in band and made some cool projects with the 7th Grade shop students. There was a the candy machine (currently filled with pistachios), the Dr.Pepper lamp, the shelf (complete with routered edges!), candy dish and pencil holder. What talent! And while it's a talent that only a few of us can enjoy, his ability to whail on the trumpet is something the whole neighborhood gets to enjoy!

Ty's Computer Service

Tyson has opened his own "unofficial" home business. After a trip to city hall, he hopes to make it an "official" business. The name? Ty's Computer Service. The company motto? "The Cheapest Microchips in Town That Work the Way They Should." Working with an initial customer base of three, he provides just about any computer service that anyone will let him do. After all, he was able to successfully fix the Mitchell's computer when it wouldn't boot up or operate correctly. Viruses? Not a problem. He has a shop set up in the basement (rent-free ... for now) where he's laid out a few blankets as carpet or area rugs - we haven't decided which along with a few folding chairs for customers to sit and wait. What does a customer do while they're waiting? He's set up a tv and vcr (he hopes to upgrade to a dvd player soon) along with a radio from where they can choose the music of their choice. A webcam on the corner of his desk keeps an eye on them. He has one assistant named Justin, whose allowed to fire anyone, except for Tyson. His current assortment of computers (thanks to the local thrift store) include a handful of monitors, CPUs and enough memory to run a small firm. He has a financial program to keep track of his finances. He'll install Ubuntu on your computer for free. But you'll need to make an appointment, after all - he's downloaded a program to keep track of that as well.

Thanksgiving in Arkansas

Not only did we celebrate Thanksgiving in Arkansas this year ... but we celebrated with family. Of course, in Arkansas, isn't everyone family? Cody's cousin, Maria Hunsaker, and their family invited the Edwards down to their home in Fayetteville, AR for a few days of good grub and good times. It was as traditional of a Thanksgiving as it gets and good to spend some time with family.

Sub-Freezing Campout

The temperature Friday night? 27° ... Brrr! But what makes that so cold was the fact that Tyson was spending the night outside with the Boy Scouts at Wyandotte County Lake Park. According to Tyson, here are the 5 things that he liked the most about his 3rd Boy Scout campout with the 11 year olds ...

1. Burning sticks in the fire
2. Cooking foil dinners
3. Sleeping with 4 other Scouts in one tent
4. Wearing 5 layers of shirts, 3 layers of pants
   
5. and staying up all night
   

10K at 30 Degrees

If the early morning hours weren't enough ... and if 30° temperatures weren't enough ... or the snow flurries ... then maybe it was the wind that made Cody's first 10K run a memorable one. After running in the Kansas City 5K last month, he had to find another race to run in before winter set in. That's how the Pilgrim Pacer Run at Shawnee Mission Park found it's way on to the family calendar. As part of a fund-raiser for Harvesters, Paige filled up a sack of groceries to contribute to the cause. But it was Cody that packed on the layers of clothing and ran his way to the finish line, coming in 130 of 210 (male) racers. Combined with 300 some-odd lady racers, there was hot chocolate, cobbler, and good times for everyone.

Hibachi and a Movie

We shed some tears. We ate till we were stuffed. We laughed until we cried. All part of Friday Night - Date Night. Joining up with Nate and Krista Beyeler, the foursome headed out to Stix for an entertaining and delicious Hibachi dining experience. By the time we were done, we were wearing our shrimp and rice. Good times. Then it was off to the theater where we watched the movie Fireproof. A feel good movie that left us all appreciating our marriages. More good times with good friends.

Good Gas, Bad Gas

We've been watching the gas prices around the Midwest plummet over the past couple of months with much joy and jubilation. Even with two fuel efficient vehicles, the relief on the gas budget has been noticeable. But the big question on the back of our mind was whether or not it would hit below the $2 mark. Earlier this week it did just that. Hooray! Across the state line in Missouri where they don't have as high of a gas tax, it's even lower! So how does one celebrate low gas prices? Paige has been cooking darn near every meal with beans ... beans and rice, refried beans, string beans. Thus, the bad gas.

Halloween Tailgaiting

The Edwards family opted not to wait till Saturday to purchase their pumpkins ... although there were many free, pre-carved pumpkins lining the streets the day after Halloween. Instead, some local pumpkins were purchased and later dissected on the kitchen floor. Tyson and a friend headed downtown to join the rest of the Tonganoxie kids in pilfering free candy. Apparently that was the place to be. Despite setting up shop in the driveway from the back of the truck ... complete with strobe light, music, a real fire, and typical Kansas tailgaiting, we only gave away 1 piece of candy ... and that was to Paige. Oh well ... it was still an enjoyable evening under the stars on a pleasant October evening.

Pumpkin Day ... Sorta

What started as an Edwards family tradition back in the 80's continued with another Pumpkin Day in late October. This year our family traveled south of Kansas City to the small town of Louisburg, KS to the historical Louisburg Apple Cider Mill. We festively joined others in rollicking in apple cider ... served both hot and cold and in the form of donuts. Yes, apple cider donuts. We saw how it was made in traditional Mr. Rogers fashion. Mmm ... mighty tasty. We enjoyed the time together and the drive was pleasant. But when it was all said and done, we didn't get our pumpkins ... at least not yet. Maybe we'll do that next Saturday when they're discounted for quick sale.

Running a 5K Race in KC

Ever have one of those wild hair ideas? Cody had one a couple of months ago ... a goal to run a 5k race. This coming from someone who's never jogged a day in his life. It took one run around the block to realize that jogging was completely different than the morning run on the elliptical machine each morning. Talk about sucking wind! Then came the shin splints. Ugh. Maybe this was a goal to tuck away for awhile. But perseverance prevailed! A new pair of actual running shoes and a full-time coach (Tyson) made all the difference in the world. Three times a week and once on weekends, Cody & Tyson would head out and run around the neighborhood for 2, 3, and 4 mile runs. Father-son bonding time, road kill, and improved health were found along the way. Then came the Kansas City Marathon & 5K race. Cody & his friend Jason Peters joined 8,000 other runners on a chilly 40° morning in downtown Kansas City for a race. "First race ever jitters" out of the way, they were off and running! It was neck-and-neck between Cody & Jason the whole way with several lead changes in the final stretch ... with one of them beating the other by a mere 3 seconds. In the end, Cody ran his first 5K race in 27:56 ... good enough for 31st out of 55 runners in his age group. Perhaps next year's wild hair idea will be the full marathon.

Herffies Reunite

While passing through the Midwest, Kyle Loosle and his mother spent a couple of days hanging out at the Edwards homestead. They started their 12-day vacation in St.Louis and then visited numerous church historical sites en route to visit Kyle's sister Nancy in Wichita. We enjoyed their company and the chance to think back on past memories of good times spent back in Cache Valley. In fact, it was 12 years ago that Kyle and I met while working at Bourns, Inc. A few years later Kyle left to work for some company named Herff Jones - and the rest they say is history.

A Temple in Kansas City

After we started the weekend with a camping trip (see previous post), we settled in for a weekend of spirtually uplifting messages from the leaders of the church via the internet and satelite. During the 178th semi-annual conference, the most exciting news of course was the announcement of a new temple to be built in Kansas City. Hooray!

Camping w/the Beyelers

2 familes ... 2 canoes ... 1 great time. For the 3rd year in a row, the Edwards and Beyelers got together for a night of camping, this time at Leavenworth County Lake. Pleasant temperatures, dutch oven cooking, canoeing and laughing around the fire made for a pleasant fall trip to the lake.

Friday Night Football

The first week of fall meant a father-son trip to the local high school football game. The Tonganoxie Chieftains took on an inner-city team from Kansas City at Beaty Field. It wasn't much of a game with Tongie dominating the Wyandotte Bulldogs 34-8. Perhaps the most entertaining part of the evening was when a breaker blew and some of the lights went out (see picture) delaying the game. All the moths had to migrate to our side of the field. What a shame. What a game.

A Trip to the Mental Hospital

What better way to spend a beautiful Saturday afternoon than visiting your local State Lunatic Asylum ... well, at least that's what they used to call it back in the 1930's before they were more politically correct in calling it the State Psychiatric Hospital. An hour jaunt up I-29 to the city of St. Joseph, MO and we found ourselves learning the antiquated methods of treating depression, hysteria, and the like at the Glore Psychiatric Museum. Fascinating for the future psychologist in the family (Paige)! Intriguing for the family mental patient (Tyson)! Mind-boggling for the tour guide (Cody)! The place even came with it's own morgue. One thing we all agreed on ... we're grateful for modern technology, science and the general understanding of mental disorders. None of us would want to have to endure hydrotherapy, leeches, or a frontal lobotomy to release the demons. We prefer better living through chemistry.

5 Inches of Wet Rain

We probably could have floated to church today if we would have had time to build an ark Almost 5" of rain over the weekend almost had us gathering two of every kind. The sump pump in the basement was working 24-7 to keep the basement dry and it did a fine job in deed. Mushrooms in all variety have found sprung up everywhere to remind us of just how wet it is outside. 5 inches! By comparison, Logan's average rainfall is only 16" in a given year! But because this is Kansas, one can add the thrill of a tornado to the mix as well. There were elven in the area Friday night, including one about 10 miles from the Edwards plantation. And when it was all over, said and done, a beautiful double rainbow graced our view (a portion of our house is in the bottom left hand corner).

Headstone Hunting

The 5th business trip in 3 weeks landed Cody in the land of his ancestors and four fathers (still looking for two of them). In an effort to document and archive the family history of both the Edwards and Hull side of the family, a massive headstone hunting expedition was undertaken. With the help of his parents and a friend, the following cemeteries were searched, scoured and scanned for loved ones:

• Richmond, UT
• Lewiston, UT
• Fairview, ID
• Robin, ID
• Marsh Center, ID
• McCammon, ID
• Rockland, ID
• Honeyville, UT
• Ogden, UT
  

With a success rate of 98.2%, over 25 headstones were photographed and added to the database of family headstones. These headstone pictures will be added with other photos, stories, biographies and other family history elements being compiled in the aforementioned family history project.

Mashmallow Roast

We spent the "labor" part of Labor Day mowing our lawn ... for the first time in almost 4 weeks! The grass was so long that we would often lose Kallie in the backyard. There was a time or two that Tyson would disappear as well. Yes, it was deep and ready to cut, bale and sell as hay. We spent hours on Saturday trying to fix our lawnmower and ended up taking it to the lawnmower man down the street who in an act of genuine kindness loaned us his mower to keep our yard at bay. With the yard once again under control, we had our other neighbors Jay and Wendy over for a marshmallow roast - a fitting way to end the summer.

Kansas State Flower

FACT: No other state flowers produces more bird food than that of the Sunflower - official state flower of Kansas.
Photos taken in a field 10 minutes from the Edwards plantation.
News article located here.

Late Summer Worms

In a nasty, disgusting display of nature, a sign of late summer has appeared not only in our trees but in trees everywhere. The WebWorm has made it's presence known. They're known to thrive in 88 known varieties of trees - apparently none that we were familiar with when living out west. Fortunately these grotesque webs don't damage the trees - they're just nasty to look at. From the world wide web we learn the following: Adults of the overwintering generation emerge during May or occasionally in late April. Egg laying occurs in late May and early June. Each female can lay 400 to 500 eggs in masses on the undersides of leaves. The egg masses are covered with white hairs from the abdomen. Larvae begin hatching in early June and immediately begin to spin the web in which they feed. The web is extended as the larvae grow. The larvae mature and leave the trees to pupate in late July. First generation adults emerge during August and second generation larvae are present from late August into early October. Second generation pupae are the overwintering stage. There are two generations per year. That's just down right nasty.

How Was the Fair? Fair.

It was a night out at the Leavenworth County Fair Wednesday night. How was it you ask? It was fair. Seriously, there wasn't much there but a few rabbits, a couple of cowboys, and some 4-H exhibits. Fascinating. We did however buy our traditional 25 cent honey sticks. The total only came to 50 cents though ... 'cause one of us wasn't at the fair this year ...

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

It certainly felt like summer time this weekend. It was hot and muggy and there were peanuts and cracker-jacks at the ballpark. Tyson and Cody joined some friends from church at the Community America Ballpark for some Kansas City T-Bones baseball. What a hitting display they put on! The score was 9-6 after just the 3rd inning! Good times.

Then Cody & Paige took in a Kansas City Royals game the next night out at Kauffman Stadium. Another hot night but what an atmosphere for a ballgame! Adding to the excitement was Ken Griffey Jr. in a Chicago White Sox uniform for the first time. The crowd loved it ...even though he drove in enough runs to beat the Royals 4-2. Bummer.

Riding the Bull

In an effort to relive his glory days as a rodeo cowboy from Wyoming, Cody spent some time at the Wintergreen Resort in Virginia last weekend riding the bull. Lasting a full 8-seconds, he would have easily qualified for the National Rodeos, had it been a real cow of course. Instead, he was lucky to avoid any serious injuries and did well to entertain the crowds that gathered to watch. All in a day's fun at a weekend business meeting.

Bunny Binkies in the Yard

Well ... the rabbits are at it again. They're out in the backyard doing "bunny binkies" or jumps of joy and pure euphoria. It's the most darnedest thing to watch - check 'em out on YouTube sometime - it's hilarious! Why are the bunnies in the Edwards yard so happy? Here's some possibilities ...

• Perhaps it's the beautiful weather ... they can count on one paw the number of days Kansas City has had in the 90's this year. This weekend it was a struggle to make it into the 80's!
• Or maybe it's the green grass ... and it's green without any fertilizer or watering on our part! That humidity must be good for something ...
  
• Paige's garden may have something to do with it ... fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, pickles, and squash. Add wild raspberries to that mix that Cody found mowing in the back-40 as well.
• Maybe they know something about computers and are overjoyed to know that the Edwards finally upgraded to Vista.

Dishwasher Is Healed

Life without a dishwasher can be tough ... especially when the family dishwasher is Paige who has been ill herself over the past couple of weeks with a severe heat rash. But last week both were healed ... it's a miracle! Paige ordered a new motor for the dishwasher that had been broken since the first of the year and had the white appliance back up and working in no time. Shouldn't a new dishwasher last more than 3 years? Then through diligent care, home remedies, and a reminder not to itch, her chicken-pox like blisters soon vanished like the stubborn leftovers off a frying pan. We're hoping Paige lasts for more than a few years as well.

OKlahoma is OK & More!

How was the Edwards family vacation to Oklahoma? It was better than OK ... it was great! 4 days in the Sooner state led us to the following places and created these memories:

• The Marais des Cygnes Massacre site where a five free-state men were killed by pro-slavery men in 1858 ... a solemn pause for history in the state of Kansas.
  
• Big Brutus ... a 16 story tall piece of mining equipment near West Mineral, KS ... but we couldn't "dig" the $8 visitor price tag.
• Visiting the homestead of Laura Ingalls Wilder near Independence, KS. Couldn't find a wheat field to run down though.
• Stayed in a comfy Kamping Kabin at a Tulsa KOA amidst a violent thunderstorm. Had to wait for the lightning to stop before we could run and use the bathroom.
• Walked through downtown Tulsa admiring the art deco, skyscraper lobbies, tunnels, and clocks that displayed Tulsa time.
• Witnessed an echoing phenomenon at the Center of the Universe ... eerie and spooky! Paige has her own theory as to why ...
• Got wet at the Big Splash Waterpark Friday night. We couldn't pull Tyson away from the wave pool and Cody found the courage to go down the Silver Bullet slide ... once.
• Tyson took a ride in an F-16 and launched the Space Shuttle at the Tulsa Air Space Museum. We caught our breath afterwards by taking in a show at the planetarium.
• Saw other quirky Roadside America sites such as the Golden Driller and the world's largest set of praying hands.
• Found four (4) of Cody's ancestors (great-great-great-great grandparents) in the small towns of Havana and Altoona, KS.
• Did summer school work at a local library with wi-fi connection.
• Took in an outdoor musical production of "Oklahoma!" at Discoveryland USA, national home of Roger and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! ... great show, great food, but watch out for the bbq sauce - comes out a little fast when squeezed too hard.

We have a new appreciation for our neighbors to the south and look forward to another state-filled-good time next year.

To see all 39 pictures in the Official OK Vacation photo album, click here.

A Concert with Nature

In celebration of their 14 years of marriage, Cody and Paige headed to the hills ... the Flint Hills ... to enjoy some of mother nature while listening to the Kansas City Symphony perform in the background. The 3rd annual Symphony in the Flint Hills was held on a private ranch just outside of Council Grove, KS (about a 2 hour drive from Tongie). In a week peppered with severe weather, Saturday was a beautiful day for an outside concert. Covered wagons and cattle drives added to the visual senses while the crickets and nearby frogs accompanied the full piece orchestra. Of course no Kansas activity is complete without some good ol' fashioned barbeque. But no marriage anniversary is complete without a trip to Subway - that happens Tuesday.

Employeed for a Day

Postponed from April, Tyson finally got the chance to spend the day at work with his Dad. Dressed in his casual-Friday apparel and toting his book bag along with him, he was ready to work ... for a little while. He did some beta testing of a new online page creation program (eDesign). Next, he assisted in figuring out a school's image problem that wouldn't import into InDesign correctly. Of course there was some tinkering with a laptop, touring the plant, discussing Ubuntu with Jason, and schmoozing the ladies.

A Hideous Green Lure

With a 2008 Kansas fishing license tucked away in the glove compartment of the truck, Tyson and Cody headed over to Leavenworth State Fishing Lake to "rip some lips." It took Tyson all of one cast to land a small crappie fish with a local garden worm as bait. Later he switched to the most hideous, fluorescent green lure known to man. Amidst the summer breeze that blew across the lake, one could hear the fish mocking it's ghastly appearance. Except for the two fish that took a swipe at it and landed in Tyson's hands. That'll show them to mock one's lures!

Less Trimming

With the boy pushing the lawn mower around the house in those "harder to reach places" ... there was a little less trimming to do around the house with the weed eater. Tyson worked out a deal with Mr. Nible down the street to buy a new lawn mower for $10 (and another $10 from Mom and Dad for 50% ownership). Mr. Nible taught him how to check the oil, maintain the cables, and other general maintenance. When all was said and done, Tyson mowed around the house three times ... all at different settings.

Is School Really Over?

It's almost like a cruel joke ... the kind that has a rotten punchline. Is school really over? Well, for some of us. Paige is taking some time off to full-time gardening and mothering, but not before being inducted into Lambda Delta of Sigma (National English Honor Society). In the national Standardized testing this spring, Tyson's scores were in the 90th percentile in just about every subject! Unfortunately that didn't transfer to his school work; thus he will be engaged in summer school. Cody graduated from Kansas City Community College ... kinda. There's still two more classes to take this summer before moving on to Washburn University this fall. So is school really over? Depends on who you ask.

Lonely Cemetery Graves

Continuing our Memorial Day tradition, we visited a new cemetery this year (Holy Angels Cemetery) to attend to some forgotten graves and place some wildflowers from our yard on those graves that didn't have any flowers.

Radish Harvest

The harvest has begun, and it's only May! After clearing out almost 500 square feet of additional garden space this spring, we have high expectations for our garden this year. We transplanted our wild blackberries, experimented with potatoes and peanuts and planted enough corn to compete with Nebraska. Tonight's salad will feature our first harvest: a radish!

NOTE: Stay tuned for school and graduation information to come shortly!

Canoe Trip (***UPDATE***)

Sometimes, when you least expect it ... wonderful things can happen that will restore your faith in the human race. After a weekend canoe trip down the Buffalo River, a man named "Brian" found Nate and I's missing bag from our canoe trip and returned the contents thereof. Yes - the contents were wet, slimy, soggy and mostly non-functional ... but it's nice to have everything back. Funeral services for the camcorder and camera will be held tomorrow night. The GPS lives on.

No More Pictures!

Wet. Simply wet. That one word sums up Nate and Cody's Arkansas canoe adventure on the Buffalo River. From the beginning to the end, everything was wet.
After their gear (mostly stored in garbage bags) was unloaded at the bridge near Ponca, AR ... Nate's car was picked up and shuttled 30-some miles downstream where it would wait for them Saturday morning. Alone with a raging river ahead of them ... Nate and Cody set out down the river into the unknown in the pouring rain.
3 miles downstream, the tent was pitched before a thunderous storm rolled through the area pelting the tent with rain and soaking the sleeping bags.
Day 2 was filled with miles and miles of towering bluffs, crystal blue-green water and solitude around every bend. But that solitude was silenced with series of class I and II rapids that were skillfully traversed by the confident canoeists. That is ... till a low hanging tree limb proved their un-doing.
While Cody managed to limbo beneath the limb, the twisting canoe and swift current put Nate in an awkward position to do the same and then ... just like that ... the canoe capsized. Swimming to stay above water, Nate saved the canoe while Cody scrambled to gather what floating gear he could save. From there the two continued downstream, soaked from head to toe, scrounging for what lost gear they could find. Cody's sandal was found along the bank and the bag of Chex Mix, a bottle of Dr.Pepper along with Nate's hat made it to a log downstream. Everything was eventually found except one bag ... the bag that contained:

• Nate's
• Wallet
• Keys
• Cody's
• VISA and Driver's License
• $90 cash
• Sony Camcorder
• Digital Camera
• GPS

It's fair to say that a little bit of Nate and Cody remain somewhere at the bottom of the Buffalo River.
After making it to the Erbie River Access, a faulty pay phone prevented a call for help. Fortunately, a Park Ranger soon arrived to assist in the emergency retrieval of Nate's car. The two soaking river-rats eventually made it back home (a day early) just after midnight Thursday night grateful for the safety of a memorable canoe trip (and good BBQ en route!)

New Set of Wheels X2

We knew that in time we wanted to replace the ol' rust bucket that we called a car ... we just didn't know how quickly it would happen. But with the both the Honda and the Jeep sold to new (happy) owners, the Edwards are back down to two vehicles, both of which have almost as many miles combined as the old Honda. With 37 mpg and a kickin' stereo, Paige is as giddy as a school girl in her new Civic. Cody has promised not to haul any canoes on it.

Wild & Ferocious Night

Two rounds of electrifying storms raced through the area last night. The first one pelted us with hail and rain ... and then the 2nd one woke us up around 1:30 am in the morning. We watched the Topeka news stations and saw the impending storm heading our way. Circulation in the clouds prompted a tornado warning near Lawrence and the storm had a bead on Tonganoxie ... due to hit in about 13 minutes. The winds soon picked up (and up and up ... up to 70 mph) and down to the basement we went. More wind, rain, lightning, etc. but that was all. Oh ... and a big tree branch fell. No harm done ... but it certainly was a wild and ferocious night.
MSNBC Article: Click here
USA Today Article: Click here.

Gas for $695, FREE Honda Accord!

Craigslist ad for our '84 Honda Accord ...

We are selling a full tank of unleaded gas for $695. Yes, that's over $46/gallon but with this sale also comes a free 1984 Honda Accord LX!

Look at all these great features that this Honda comes with ...

• Multi-colored paint job: maroon and rust
• Excellent gas mileage ... avg. 32 mpg
• Space available for the stereo of your choice
• 3 floor mats
• 4 new tires (2 are 9 months old)
• free mileage and repair book (accurate since 1998)
• 3 windows that roll up-and-down

This Honda also offers the potential buyer the opportunity to replace the power steering and air-conditioning system. Opportunities abound!

Email for a private appointment before the price of gas escalates to $50 a gallon!

New Set of Wheels

With the passing of the jeep a couple of weeks ago, a new set of wheels was introduced to the family. A 2001 Ford Ranger found on Craigslist made it's Edwards debut over the weekend much to the excitement of one and all. With 25-28 MPG gas mileage and the ability to haul canoes and thrift-store furniture, there was joy and jubilation in the garage. In fact, we already used it to take a load to the recyclables to the recycling bins. Ah ... saving the planet one Ford at a time. Next up ... selling the Honda (deemed a classic on some car value sites) and a new car for Paige. Tyson has to wait 5 more years. See more photos by clicking here.

Canoe for Skis

We might have lost our Jeep last weekend, but we still have our canoe! After selling his cross-country skis on eBay last winter, it was time for Cody to switch out hobbies and a canoe was purchased instead. So it was off to Leavenworth State Fishing Lake for the inaugural float and picnic ... and the canoe only fell off the Honda once! Otherwise it was a perfect float on a beautiful Saturday afternoon.

Roadkill on I-435

First it started to rattle ... then the steam started to spew forth ... the Check Engine light came on ... and with a dying gasp our Jeep Grand Cherokee gave up the ghost near Exit 23 on I-435 this weekend. Paramedics arrived on the scene a couple of hours later and hauled the poor thing to the Emergency Room. The next day the Mechanic M.D. placed the dreaded phone call to our home where we learned that the head gasket was the cause of death. There was a slight chance they could revive it with a new one at the cost of $1k ... but once they get in there it could be worse, a new engine all together for $2.5K. So we shed a few tears and turned our heads as they pulled the gun out to end it's life. It was a good Jeep ... full of memories and laughter. We'll miss her dearly ...

Rock Chalk Championship!

KU wins National Championship!!! 75 to 68 over Memphis!!! I'm tired!!! I'm excited!!! I'm thrilled!!! Rock Chalk Jayhawk!!! ... KU!!!

And Then There Were 4

The field of 65 NCAA basketball teams has been whittled down to 4 ... and much to the delight of 3 KU fans in the Edwards household, one of them is the Kansas Jayhawks. The game will have to be tape-delayed due to prior commitments ... but thank goodness for DVRs! Let's hope that at the end of the night they'll be singing Rock Chalk Jayhawk on their way to the championship game Monday night.

NOTE: This blog may or may not be updated, pending the outcome of tonight's game.
Update: 11:01 PM ... Jayhawks WIN!!! 84 to 66.

A Crime Scene

First there was a crash. Followed by a scream and shout coming from the study. "Mom!" Tyson cried. "MOM! Come in here quick!" A red liquid had been split ... and it slowly oozed down the wall below the window. Whew ... at least it was just hot wax from the candle that was simmering. A crime scene never smelt so good.

No flooding in our neck of the Midwest ... but we do have our first severe weather of the season approaching. Time to duck and cover!

3 Holidays, 1 Week

Three holidays in one week! Spectacular! First there was St. Patrick's Day ... then came the 1st Day of Spring ... and finally Easter. We could go for 4 in a week if you count the Ides of March, but that was theoretically last week. There have been a few snow flurries here and there, but that hasn't stopped Paige from starting the garden. The study closet has been converted into a temporary growing spot for peppers, tomatoes and the like under a grow light. Soon they'll find their way into the garden outside (with Paige's assistance of course) ... provided it stops snowing and freezing. After all, even the yard is starting to green up. Hooray!

Winter Sleep

It's been a couple of quiet, laid-back weeks around the Edwards ranch. The cold grasp of winter won't relinquish it's grasp on the area ... the local groundhog must have seen his shadow twice 'cause winter doesn't seem to want to end. No snow of course ... just cold. The switch to Daylight Savings Time created a few yawns round these parts too. The added daylight is nice, but it's hard to get out and enjoy it when you're having troubles pulling the sheets off the bed in the morning. Even the cats seem to be sleeping more.

Go Jayhawks!

One Giant Leap

The Edwards hooked up with the Beyelers Friday night for some frog legs (hot dogs in green buns), frog-eye salad, lilly pads (flat hash browns) and more to celebrate Leap Year. We'll do it again in 2012.

Animal Update

The family dog was trimmed just in time for a fresh batch of snow and ice. But it's more than a new haircut that has Kallie feeling spry and chipper these days ... she's healthy too! A couple of trips to the vet got her allergies and infections cleared up and feeling pretty good. To pay for the vet bills, we'll garnish her allowance. As for the cats? They're just hanging out and starting to shed.

Comfy Chairs for $5

With a knack for finding great finds at second hand stores, Paige came away with a very comfortable chair and ottoman from the Good Shepherd Thrift Store in Tonganoxie this week. Good thing they weren't having one of their brown bag sales where for five dollars you can fill a brown sack ... she did good to squeeze it into the back of the Honda, let alone in a brown paper bag. But you should see how small she can roll those sweaters (like the Weber Warrior one she's wearing) and clothes to fit inside those bags!

Music in the Air

There was music in the air last night composed of winds, percussion and brass. In a free community concert at the Community of Christ Assembly Hall in Independence, MO the Kansas City Symphony performed a delightful concert. Perched in the balcony, Cody and Paige enjoyed the 50 plus member ensemble perform selections from their upcoming CD. It was a beautiful evening that followed a dinner at ... you know what I'm thinking?

Arrow of Light & Teeth

After three years of Cub Scouting, Tyson received the highest honor a Cub Scout can receive at Friday night's Pack Meeting ... the Arrow of Light. Now it's on to bigger and better things as he attends Boy Scouts with another group of eleven year olds.
Although a little late for Christmas, Tyson lost two more teeth this week. No, not his two front teeth. But his goal was to lose both on the same night and with Paige's assistance, both came out. That makes eight teeth total and one cute smile.

Dirt Hills & Street Lights

A pile of dirt and and a plot of land is all that separates us from our new neighbors to the north - a retirement community that ends in a cul-de-sac. The new houses (still empty) have been there for some time but it's the street light and it's ugly amber glow that caught our attention one night. Let's just say there was no coincidence that Cody got a sling shot for Christmas. But even with the street light in tact, we welcome our new neighbors and hope they elect to keep the dirt hill in tact. We'd much rather see it than them. The opinions expressed in this entry may or may not be the opinions of the whole family.