Kansas City Zoo - Tigers

On Thursday the weather was so gorgeous that we decided to do something outside instead of going to see Toy Story 3. I had to go to a quick lunch with Tom from the Pumpkin Run, then we did a little shopping, then off to the Zoo. We got there at 2:45 and I realized they close at 4 during the week, so it was a short visit. We thought the Polar Bear exibit would be open but it was still under construction. We ate ice cream and then walked to the tigers. They were up and about and that was fun, captured on video with some narrating from the kids :) Then we rode the train and the merry go round and then we were done.

Kansas City Zoo Tigers from Cara on Vimeo.

Carter's baseball practice

Here is video of Carter at baseball practice. He has quite an arm. My favorite part is after they learn to field grounders - he thinks he's supposed to roll in back to Kevin.

Carter's baseball practice from Cara on Vimeo.

Anna's Swimming Lessons

Anna practicing kicking.

She goes all the way under water now.

Little brother watching. This week he told me "Mommy, Anna's teacher has boobs!"

Garage Sale Project

Garage sale work in progress.

Bedding, linens, curtains, tablecloths, blankets.


Gymboree, Carters, Old Navy, Baby Gap. I have visions of the Filene's basement wedding dress war. I hope it's civilized.

Boy size 0-24 months.

Boy size 24 months - 2T

Boys shoes.

Girl size 12-24 months.

Girl size 0-12 months.

Girl shoes.

Haven't even started on these.

10 storage tubs done. 10 to go.


Kevin says I have a problem but it's 6 years worth of clothes. And hey - that item on the right to wash and put away the foam letters that were in my laundry room. Done and for sale for $3. Anna is excited to sell Lemonade, cookies and koolaid. But the first sign she made said "Free Lemonade" I quickly corrected her. She changed it to say dime.

Day Out With Thomas the Train

We crammed all the kids into Candi's car. For those of you who wonder if you can fit three car seats across in a crossover vehicle the answer is yes if you put a skinny booster in the middle and the adult stands in the middle in the back to buckle the middle child. You can count on probably bending back a fingernail and definitely working up a sweat trying to fasten this. This might be the new olympic sport that you graduate to after mastering how to dress a two year old.

The best invention EVER is the wireless headphones and DVD players. Welcome to the world of driving in peace. Finally. And if you wondered if the wireless headphones from a GMC Terrain will work in the Cadillac SRX the answer is yes because they have the same DVD system. AWESOME! They watched Thomas videos on the way. We had an hour drive to Baldwin City KS.


Carter doesn't like it when someone else tells him what to do. Case in point, "move over by your mom." And this is what you get.

Day Out with Thomas the Train from Cara on Vimeo.

We got home about an hour after I had anticipated. We ate at this cute local restaurant but they were really backed up because of the Thomas event so it took a really long time. Kudos to the kids who were really well behaved. Kudos to the restaurant which was once an old house and one room was a playroom for the kids while we waited. Genius. I also entertained Anna with her DS and Carter with my iPhone.

After we got home I sweated it out cleaning the garage for 2 1/2 hours in preparation for my garage sale next Saturday. My mom is coming over on Thursday to help me set up. My plan is to have it all ready to go on Thursday so on Saturday I can just open the doors and SELL!

Carter's First Baseball Practice

In June Anna is doing swimming lessons for the first time (30 minutes twice a week) and Carter is doing baseball for the first time (one hour once a week).

Carter's first baseball practice from Cara on Vimeo.

What you can't see here is that he never made it to first base. He realized Kevin wasn't standing there and he didn't know any of those people so he threw his helmet to the ground and ran across the field crying as loud as he could.

Up until then he did awesome though. He was the fastest runner and great at throwing and listened to the coaches and VERY excited. He keeps saying he is going to be a baseball player when he grows up.

A storm was also rolling in. We made it through 45 minutes of the hour practice before it started pouring. And after that it rained. Hard. Sideways rain.

Half Marathon

Candi and I have been training for the Hospital Hill half marathon since January. I haven't run it since before I had kids so it's been at least seven years.

We followed our run one mile walk one minute pace except saving some of our walks for hills instead of directly on the mile marker. It was hot and humid. At our first mile walk we saw David, my co-worker Amanda's husband. I don't think he recognized me at first. I'm pretty scary without makeup and coffee.

For some reason it was one run where I just couldn't seem to think of any new stories to talk about. We really enjoyed running through the aid stations with sprinklers. I think mile 10 was entirely up hill. Somewhere on the way up someone at an aid station gave me ice cubes. I put one in the front of my sports bra and one in the back. Then I kept taking the one in the front out and putting it on my face. My face just felt so hot and red.

Candi walked to try to cool off a little bit on that hill but said my pink bouncing blob kept her going.

I finished strong but hot at 2 hours 36 minutes, which is actually about 9 minutes faster than I honestly expected to finish, but is the 11:56 pace we have consistently been running on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Candi was right behind me and the kids and I got to cheer her on, along with Sam and Alex.

I am so proud of us. We are two mostly-full-time working moms with hectic schedules and all that goes along with usual life - like sick kids, being out of town for work or vacation, etc. and we still managed to make this a consistent part of our schedule. We set a goal and reached it. I have to admit I was a little teary when I finished because it is something we really did for ourselves, all by ourselves. Neither of us are morning people and yet we managed to get up before 5 am twice a week and are considering making this part of our schedules three or four days a week now instead of just two. I am proud to cross the finish line and show my kids that it's good to have goals and push yourself and be healthy.

One of the best parts about training for this has been all the good girl time I have gained. We honestly hardly ever talked during the week before this, we would just chat it up on the weekends. But now I get to see my BFF almost every other day with no distractions of kids running around, or dinner to fix, or a kid getting out of bed asking for a drink. We can have full undivided attention conversations about whatever we want. Although what we really wanted during this last run was just to be done!

Candi saw the red bull girls afterwards and asked them where they were at mile 10 when she really needed them!