I'm pushy in the kitchen and thankful for Tuesday.

Family.

Such a simple word, with a powerful impact. When you leave home to begin a different life 1000 miles away you realize what that word means:

- Love
- Friendship
- Support
- Laughter
- Tears
- Respect
- Irreplaceable
- BBQ

I don't know about your family but mine, we eat. Most people plan their trips and visits around what they are going to see or where they are going to go but we plan ours around what we are going to make and who needs to visit the grocery.

Cooking is such a strong bond with my family and the Cattleman's family. What better way to get reacquainted than to push each other around the kitchen and mix a few creations your dying for everyone else to try since you've seen them last?

This past weekend parts of both of our family's came up for a visit to do none other than enter a BBQ contest. SO MUCH FUN.

We laughed, we played, we mixed a few adult beverages and stayed up way to late but had more fun than you can shake a stick at!

This being our first official contest we had high, but realistic hopes because frankly our smoked BBQ is awesome but we weren't sure we had the contest part down yet. And wouldn't you know it, we took second in both categories for ribs and beef tenderloin!!

All the boys did such a great job! That's our custom built smoker that the cattleman and cattleman dad fashioned.

So this Tuesday, friends, I am thankful for BBQ. Specifically St. Louis style ribs.