Louisburg Cider Fest - Review

On Saturday I was looking for something to take the kids to, to spend some time with them since I'd been gone the previous weekend to the wedding and one night during the week for the soccer game for work.

I had heard about the Cider Festival in Louisburg Kansas and my parents decided to join me and the kids for an outing.

I would not recommend making the trip. First of all, it is located right next to a wastewater lagoon. So it smells. Like a pig farm.

Next, it is a little confusing because one side has a pumpkin patch and hay rides and you can pay $8 per person plus more for the pumpkins. The other side of the lagoon has Cider Fest. Cider Fest is just a bunch of small tents in a row of locals selling their MLM businesses like Pampered Chef, Watkins Spices, etc. We tried to wait for the balloon guy but he was MIA. We started to wait in line for face painting until I realized it was $10 a face. We listened to a blue grass band while my parents waited at least 15 minutes in line to get hot dogs because there weren't enough food vendors.

Finally, if you want to be surrounded by bees order a cup of cider. We walked through the cider mill but no one was there explaining the process and really it just looked dirty and unsanitary and I really didn't want to try any cider after that.

We left.

We stopped by the Arts Fest at the Overland Park Arboretum on the way back. We should have just gone there instead. We arrived at 3 and it was going to be closing at 4. Luckily it lasted until more like 4:30 so the kids were able to make several crafts and get a hay ride. It was only $6 per person so it was a little cheaper.

Not a very fulfilling weekend but lesson learned. No need to go to Louisburg. Johnson Farms is wayyyy better.

A Month of Dinners - Days Three, Four and Five

Day three of a month of dinners which I started last week was Pork Chops with roasted beets and oranges. I confirmed that I do not like my oranges hot. The kids confirmed they don't like beets. Again I felt like this meal needed a starch so I also made some couscous. The pork chops were actually fine. Thank god. So everyone got to eat something. The kids referred to it as steak and dipped it in A1.

At this point I feel like I have to write that I promise, my kids really aren't picky eaters. They usually try everything, they even like salad, brussel sprouts and soup. I swear I didn't say anything to discourage them on the beets. By this time they had started complaining about dinner. They were forcing themselves to eat it because they know they don't get dessert without eating a good dinner, but even I was having a hard time encouraging them to eat something that I know doesn't taste good.

Strike three and I'm annoyed.

Wednesday I ended up having to go to a soccer game to entertain a client. I believe Kevin made the kids pizza rolls. I'm sure if you asked them it was the best meal they ate all week.

Day four of meal planning was Chicken with potatoes, bacon and cabbage. My first clue should have been that the chicken was only seasoned with salt and pepper.

I now know that I do not like cabbage cooked in three tablespoons of apple vinegar and a tablespoon of whole grain mustard. I must say that my meal did not even closely resemble the picture.

I wasn't having a very good night. I had gotten some unexpected news at work. Kevin was not in a good mood. I burnt the bacon because I was busy chopping cabbage, so I had to do that part over. It tasted better when I mixed all three items together, but of course the kids wanted to eat them separately and alone they were not good.

I believe this is the night Carter commented "Mommy, you used to make good dinners." Yes, yes I did.

At this point I had one recipe left. Tortellini with squash, mushrooms and fontina. How badly could they screw up tortellini I thought. Tonight I felt compelled to use the produce I had bought so I peeled and chopped the squash and mixed it with the mushrooms and started roasting them while I waited for my water to boil. I could smell the mushrooms and to be honest, I don't really like mushrooms. The more I checked them the more I knew no one was going to eat them. I turned the oven off, pulled them out and dumped them down the garbage disposal.

Then I made garlic bread, a salad and added a jar of pasta sauce to my tortellini. Carter told me it was the "best meal ever" although to be fair he has said this many times over (just not in the past week ha!).

So that was that. We are now back on track. I am done with this Real Simple plan. I'm convinced none of the recipes were tested by working moms or on kids.

This week's meal plan:

Sunday: Tortellini with salad and garlic bread
Monday: Turkey tacos with homemade guacamole
Tuesday: Pasta with leftover chicken apple sausage
Wednesday: We are hoping our new deck will be done and we are grilling ribeyes + potatoes
Thursday: Grilled barbecue chicken + sides ?

And I think we are going back to the Cook's Country Recipes we were using more frequently months ago. I may even pay for access to the site so I don't have to keep the magazines piled up.

Carter Plays Royals Baseball

This summer every night Carter asked to go outside to play baseball. Every night. I must have pitched a thousand balls and Kevin must have played hours of catch.

Anna took these videos so we could capture Carter announcing himself as each Royals player when he bats. You can see me pitching in my work clothes and Baxter helping to fetch the balls (he is handy that way... except when Carter hits them past the invisible fence line).

He says he's going to be a baseball player when he grows up. If it comes true I'm sure this video will be played more later than it will now.

Cooking with Carter (Real Simple's A Month of Dinners - Day Two)

Day two of A Month of Dinners from Real Simple was Tomato Soup with Paninis. Carter chose to help me make this meal. I edited 45 minutes of video into 9 that I've named "Cooking with Carter." I personally think his commentary on the whole meal is hysterical. He frequently breaks into song. If you can get past the fact that you have to stare at my mid section for most of the video (and that's not my best section) and all the crap on my counter in the background, then I think it's worth it.



If Real Simple's goal is "taking back dinner" then mission accomplished because Carter and I definitely enjoyed cooking together.

Unfortunately the reviews of the meal weren't as good as the reviews of making the meal. Several times Carter exclaims "This HAS to be better than last night" and while Kevin and I agreed it was an improvement over day 1 the kids did not agree. They didn't like the sandwiches grilled - they claimed they were burnt. They weren't burnt but it's clear they prefer their sandwiches cold and if I was going to make cold sandwiches this meal would have been a lot faster and simpler to just make some turkey or roast beef sandwiches. The soup was ok but not as good as Nordstrom cafe's tomato soup and so I would just recommend picking up a jar of that and heating it at home to go with some cold sandwiches if you wanted to make this meal. Or go with simple grilled cheese. Way faster and easier and everyone would have liked it more.

Strike two.

iPhone 3GS Stolen at Gap Kids at Town Center Plaza in Leawood KS

So I had a little drama this weekend. Anna, Carter, my mother-in-law and I were shopping at Gap Kids. Carter was in the stroller and I had parked it kind of out of the way so I could look at the sale rack on the girls side of the store. When I turned around from the sale wall I noticed a guy standing at the table of girls knit capris. He was tall, thin, dark skinned, maybe Indian, short black hair. I noticed and thought to myself, that's weird that he doesn't have any kids with him in here.

Then Carter needed to go to the bathroom. He had been in the stroller playing a game on my iPhone. I took the phone, pushed the button on top to turn it off and sat it right on top of the stroller. My MIL and Anna were still shopping right around the stroller so I didn't think anything about it. I took Carter to the bathroom in back. We talked about the game he was playing on the phone.

As soon as we came back I noticed it was gone. So was that guy. But I just couldn't believe someone would steal my phone. So we used my MIL's phone to call it. Nothing. I looked around. We checked the bathroom but I just knew I had left it on the stroller. I actually went outside and looked around for that guy.

We came back in and I asked them to call security. They brought me the number and I used my MIL's phone to call mall security. I asked the Gap lady about the security cameras.

"Oh those don't actually record anything." Apparently they are just for looks. Helpful.

Mall security came and then Leawood police came and I filed a report. Then we walked down and around the corner to the ATT store and had them turn off my service. I went to Apple after that but the only way to get a new phone was to use my upgrade. I didn't want to waste my upgrade on the iPhone 4 when the 5 is rumored to come out in September. I went home empty-handed and actually went phone-less for 48 hours.

Which seemed like a long time. I realized how addicted I am to my phone. I use it to check the time. For the calculator. To check my calendar in the morning to see if I need to dress up. To check the weather. It seems so cumbersome to boot up the laptop to do these things, ha!

So today at work while I was still complaining about having my phone stolen and beating myself up for leaving it on my stroller with some creepy guy there who was probably scoping out little boys, my boss mentioned that there was an extra iPhone 3 somewhere. It makes a funny buzzing noise but it works. Awesome.

So tonight I am syncing my laptop with this borrowed iPhone until the 5 comes out and I can use my upgrade. Perfect. Made my Monday a little better :)

Anna Signs

I really enjoy some of the artwork Anna has been making. Like this one about her summer camp class at daycare...

Or these, that she wrote to me a few weeks ago when she had a really bad toothache. It turned out she actually had two teeth where the nerve went bad and they had abscessed. One already had a root canal and the other one already had a filling, so we ended up having those two teeth pulled. She has since also lost her two front top teeth. So there are a lot of holes in her mouth right now. This letter and drawing are really pathetic and I felt so bad that she was in so much pain that weekend.

She also makes a lot of signs and tapes them to her bedroom door. Like these two for her brother.

Oh the joys of having a little brother, ha!

Happy Birthday Anna!

She is getting so big. Her party is this weekend and is a Hello Kitty theme. I even found a Hello Kitty card with a 7 on it. As if it was meant to be! She got today's outfit, a tooth fairy pillow, a diary and an Easy Bake Oven (which I think Carter was just as excited about!) I have one more gift I realized I forgot to wrap so I'll give that to her this weekend at her party.

On this day 7 years ago I worked in the morning, went home to meet Kevin and get my bag and went to the hospital to have a scheduled c-section. I think it was a Monday.

Anna,
At 7 you're about to finish first grade. You've read all of the Junie B Jones books except the last one. You love chapter books. You're on to Ramona and Beezus.

You LOVE playing house and luckily Carter obliges. You narrate what's happening... "And you were surprised and you said 'Oh my gosh, I can't believe this!'" and then Carter will say "Oh my gosh, I can't believe this!" He plays right along.

You love writing stories. Tonight you narrated a story to Baxter. He was in it and you kept saying his name. He loved it.

There are a few little spats with other girls at school. One day "she's" a friend the next day "she's" not.

You love gymnastics which you go to once a week.

You're learning a few hard lessons about homework coming first and playing outside or playing DS coming second. You're like a mini-me playing your latest DS game. Something about owning a bunch of pet boarding buildings and taking care of pets and earning money to buy food and more buildings. People come and ask you to take their pet but sometimes you're full as you have to say no. And sometimes they tell you how great you are pampering their pet and you get extra money. At 7 you're a manager. Maybe all those management podcasts I've been listening to in the car are rubbing off on you already!

You love your American Girl dolls Gracie and Kitt.

You want a pet goldfish.

You always want to go some place on the weekends. You like to go go go.

You love the older movies like Mary Poppins and Sound of Music.

You think tooting is hysterical.

You're about to lose your two top front teeth.

You seemed to have sprouted two inches but gained them from the waist up. All of your shirts look short.

You look older to me this week. It's sweet and sad at the same time. Like a little lady. Love you love you love you. Love that you still love me to love you. My sweet big baby girl.

Toy Story 3 on Ice

Candi and I took the kids to see Toy Story 3 on Ice. It was fantastic! Probably the best ice show I've seen (and I think I've seen 4 or 5). The kids were great.

I enjoyed the Barbie number! The music during the show was great. This number included Girls just want to have fun and "I'm a barbie girl, in a barbie world..."

They even had army men flying from the sky! 

Spring Break!

I only worked two days last week. Woo hoo! Anna was on spring break so I took some days off. Wednesday I spent for myself, getting my hair high and low lighted and getting my nails done. Thursday I took the kids to the zoo, then to Party City to get goodies for Anna's bday party coming up, and then Carter's soccer practice. Friday we went to see the Justin Bieber movie in 3D, then went out to lunch and then to Kaleidescope. Saturday we went to Paradise Park all afternoon and then the grocery store. Today we stayed home. Carter is now running a fever and seems a little lethargic.

But we had a great spring break! I'm not really ready to go back to work, but I only have a 4-day work week this and next week so that should help!

Making some new recipes this week. I've moved on from foodnetwork.com to bhg.com.

I'm Suddenly the Suburban Soccer Mom

My mom told me I just began "10 years of taking kids from one activity to the next. Until Anna can drive."

Anna has started gymnastics once a week. And LOVES it.

Carter has started soccer practice twice a week. And LOVES it.

A few weeks ago Anna also did a dance practice one night with the high school girls and then performed a few nights later.

She also had a music performance at school along with a book fair.

AND, my job has convinced me to go back to work full time. No more day off for me to catch up on errands, laundry and appointments. I'm now squeezing everything in on the evenings and weekends. When I tell people this they all have the same reaction "Weren't you working full time already?" Apparently this is only news to me.

I also became an aunt in the last few weeks! I can't wait to meet my first nephew Sam. I look forward to spoiling him, cuddling him and watching my kids play with their first cousin at family gatherings.

Next week is spring break! I'm taking a few days off to spoil myself and then spend some QT with the kids. Hopefully we will find some fun activites to be had outside (if the weather finally holds out - it has been so weird over the last few weeks - snow, ice, fog, rain, bleh.)

I've been fighting a stupid cold for three weeks. And pink eye for two days.

A few weeks to my first half marathon this year. The next one is just four weeks following that.

2011 is looking to be a busy year of travel. Should make for some fun and exciting blog posts with lots of pics.

Science City at Union Station - Kansas City

With all the snow I was looking for something different to do with the kids indoors. Anna really wanted to go to Science City. I thought it was geared towards older kids so I was pleasantly surprised. We ended up putting our admission that day towards a membership. I recommend using the free parking at Crown Center and walking through the Link indoors to get to Union Station.


Science City at Union Station - Kansas City from Cara on Vimeo.

Conversations with the kids

When I picked up the kids today Carter announced

"I'm NOT going to be a baseball player when I grow up anymore."

Ok, what do you want to be?

"I just want to be a regular Carter that works."

Ok.

Anna chimes in "I want to be a baker!"

Ok.

"Because you get to taste test the icing!"

A good reason.

Later at dinner when I was telling Kevin all of this she added

"And it smells better than other jobs."

Very true. A good enough reason for me.

They are so hysterical.

Science City at Union Station - Kansas City

This past weekend I had a "mommy day" with the kids. First we went to Kaleidescope at Hallmark, then we ate at Crayola Cafe at Crown Center. Then Anna really wanted to go to Science City at Union Station. We had never been to Science City before. I thought it was geared towards older kids to understand science.

I was really shocked. There were all kinds of hands-on activities and "rooms" for the kids to play. Like a train table.

And a classroom

 And rolling balls

And indoor miniature golf 

And an entire airplane inside 

And a tree house

And a sky bike (no, that's not Anna) 

And a floor maze

They loved it. It was so cool. So cool, that I decided to put my day's ticket costs towards a membership. If we go two more times in a year it will pay for itself. That also let them ride the train for free then. And we also did the Dinosaurs Unearthed exhibit one more time (it leaves this month).

After they got off of this train ride Anna told me that that kid behind Carter was being mean to him. "I had to say 'Stop being mean to my brother'" she told me. "That's the first time I ever had to say that."

I told her I was so proud of her for saying that. And that if someone was doing that to a friend or another kid she should do the same thing. I hear all these stories in the news about bullying and how it is one piece of life that parents need to be better at teaching their kids how to handle.

December Daily - Day Twenty-five (Christmas!)

I thought for sure Carter would wake up when we got home, or at midnight, or 5 am. But he slept 13 hours until 7 am when Baxter decided he couldn't wait to pee any longer and did his noisy I-have-to-go-potty dance across the wood floors.

I got gorgeous Michael Kors shoes and a new, smaller camera.

I got Kevin an iPad so he can stop borrowing my phone to play Words with Friends and Chess.

Anna got an American Girl doll, Littlest Pet Shop toys and a robe.

Carter got a DS, Toy Story characters and a remote control lightening McQueen car.

And they both got lots of other gifts from each other and us, like Squinkies, My Little Pony Ferris Wheel, talking Woody and more.

The aftermath.

Christmas Day video to come later this week. Carter was hysterical and hopefully I captured some of the funny things he was saying. I haven't watched it back yet.

December Daily - Day Twenty-four (Christmas Eve)

My brother Ben had gotten into town the night before. I had planned to meet him at Paradise Park to let the kids run but they were closed. We went to Burger King and let them play at an indoor playground instead.

We celebrated Christmas with my parents and brothers on Christmas Eve.

I got a new coffee maker from Ben, a new calphalon pan from Zach and clothes and a bag from my parents. Kevin got a meat cleaver (even though I emailed my family that he was already getting one from his brother. I don't think my parents read their email. Ironically it is my job.)

Carter got Toy Story stuff. Anna got doll house furniture and littlest pet shop animals. They both got Vermont Teddy Bears. Anna was especially excited about hers.

We left at 6:15 and Carter was asleep before we made it out of the neighborhood.

When we got home Anna and I baked cookies for Santa.

Then she went to bed and Kevin and I wrapped some presents for the kids while watching Avatar in the basement. I wish I liked science fiction better. I thought it was predictable and a little boring. The special effects were cool and it looked good on the blu-ray in HD.

December Daily - Day Twenty-three

I was off because it was Thursday. Originally planned to hang out with my BFF but soon realized my to-do list was a mile long.

Went to the office and played Santa - the kids handed out iTunes gift cards for everyone I directly manage.

Then we went shopping. For my BFF, my mom, my brother. Then I took the kids home and finished some shopping that needed to be done without them.

We had Sam and Candi over for dinner. I made Corn Chowder from the cookbook Help My Apartment Has a Kitchen, which I would actually highly recommend.

Then we exchanged gifts with each other.

And then the girls beat the boys at Spades. An unusual occurance.

December Daily - Day Twenty-Two

Kevin goes to put on his shoes and an arch support is missing from one. Then we find it. In the water bowl. Baxter at work.

Carter is excited to go to school for once because they are having a Christmas party. It's so unusual for him to smile at this time of day. 

Anna is still sick. I work from home. Tassie is happy.

Later that night...

In the bathtub Carter tells me he found coins on the stairs and he put them in his piggy bank (Ham the pig that he got for his birthday) and that that was ok because they didn't come from daddy's bowl. (Kevin has a bowl of coins on the console table that we found Carter was stealing from to fill his piggy bank. I think he has learned that lesson now). Then he told me he was going to save his money to go to Disney World (this is what Anna always said). I told him he could use his money for whatever he wanted, it doesn't HAVE to be Disney World.

"I'm going to spend my money on....... long pause..... Starbucks!"

I laughed, "That is NOT what I expected you to say. What would you get at Starbucks?"

"Chocolate milk."

Oh the things that are important to you when you're 4. And oh the things I've taught my 4 year old that I want to spend my money on. Sigh. Perhaps a parenting faux paux.

That night I really needed to make a list. I was searching everywhere for my "list paper" and about to freak out because I had too much in my head and needed to make a list.

Then I found it.

December Daily - Day Twenty-One

Candi and I ran 5.5 miles Tuesday morning. I tried to capture myself post-run. Can you overlook my messy bathroom.

I might have worn Tassie out for a minute. She likes to run. 

Baxter sleeps on the bathrug while I take a shower. 

Fast forward to end of day. As soon as I get to the daycare and see Anna I can tell something is wrong.

"What's wrong?" She points to her throat. Uh oh. I touch her forehead. Clearly running a fever.

"She has a fever!" I look at the daycare girl.

"She just told me she was cold so I told her to put her coat on," the daycare-girl-who-clearly-doesn't-have-any-children says to me.

"She's sick." I say, annoyed with this "babysitter" who is there at the end of the day.

At home the thermometer says 103 something. We decide she has strep and Kevin pulls antibiotics out of the cabinet.

Carter wants chinese food and I agree because I don't want to be busy making dinner when I might need to take care of Anna.

When Carter and I go to pick it up I see this sign in the window at the nail salon next door. It makes me laugh.