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.

The Wedding

My cousin's wedding in Estes Park was one of the best weddings I've been to. Of course it had this gorgeous backdrop

And she was beautiful

It had a few firsts for me.

The first wedding I've been to where the bride didn't walk down the aisle to the typical wedding march. The first wedding I've been to that didn't have a flower girl or ring bearer. And the first wedding reception I've been to that had a surprise flash mob.

Surprise Flash Mob at Wedding Reception from Cara on Vimeo.

My cousin made all of the centerpieces which were very personal (she works in the film industry)

In addition to those paper flowers she also made all of the ones in this wreath

Not to mention the 100+ cupcakes she baked (the pumpkin with cream cheese icing was my favorite). She put Martha Stewart to shame.

I wore a new dress by Suzi Chin for Maggie Boutique. I had never bought this brand before. I ordered it online and it arrived the day before we left. Luckily it fit. I originally found it on Nordstrom's but then found it for half the price on Blue Fly. Ahh, the benefits of shopping on the internet if you have the time to find what you want and then search for it for cheaper. I don't think I have anything in this color but I decided I really like it.

All in all it was a nice weekend getaway.

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 :)

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 Nineteen

Sunday. Sleep in day! Anna was up first at 8. Carter didn't get up until 9. I used that opportunity to have Anna wrap the presents for Carter and then after Carter woke up we wrapped his presents for Anna. He even practiced writing Anna's name on the gift tags. It was really sweet. We took advantage of the new closet - it turned out to be the perfect "secret hide out" for wrapping gifts.

We went to my grandma's or "granny's" for her birthday/anniversary/Christmas lunch.

It was good to see my cousins Megan and Jennifer that I really only see about twice a year. They are both married now and Jennifer has a little boy named Owen. Here he is with his auntie Meg.

I overate. And after that I was completely exhausted. I definitely could have used a nap. I got a small cat nap after we got home around 5. I realized I left the milk out all day so headed to the grocery store to pick up a few things and milk, for the week.

This week's meal plan
Sunday: frozen pizza
Monday: Spaghetti w/sausage meat sauce + Salad
Tuesday: Fajitas + Guac
Wednesday: BLTs + Side
Thursday: Corn Chowder + Garlic bread

I also got stamps to mail those Christmas cards.

December Daily - Day Four (Saturday)

Saturday morning. I need coffee.

Lots of coffee.

I get back to work on the final demo. I removed the left wall of the center shelving unit.

 And had my first moment of doubt when I realized it was part of the floor. I realize it shouldn't show because hampers will be here. And Sam is good with wood working, if I need to have him shim it it won't be a big deal.

I roll paint.

After two coats my parents arrive. We begin hanging the first track. We realize we have to remove the trim to get these flush with the wall. Parts will have to be cut to be reattached later so we keep them in tack (except for one that cracked).

After we get shelves in, Anna and I can hardly wait to start putting shoes back. We get the second track and shelves up.



And the third track on Kevin's side.  But on this side, my dad hung it a few inches too far to the right, forgetting that the right panel has a finished side so we can just move it over to the left because the panel isn't cut all the way through. This one really needs to be shifted to the left a few inches, because otherwise I think the hanging clothes will run into that panel. There is also a vent on the floor. We will probably need to install the toe kick board behind the vent on that section. These will eventually have shelves and drawers.

By then it was 5 pm and my parents had dinner plans. Ok, no problem. We still have the largest part to go in on the back wall. I'll text Sam and he can come help.

Uh oh. Sam had surgery on Thursday on his knee and is on crutches. Scratch that idea. Ok well, I'll just do as much as I can on Sunday. Reality sets in that Kevin is going to have to finish this. It won't have the impression I had hoped for. Oh well. There's no turning back now.

The kids had been so good that I took them to Christmas in the Park at Longview Lake. Carter liked it but Anna thought it was for little kids.

Best quote of the day "Mommy, you have too many projects. You don't need to start any more projects." - Anna

Yes, Anna. Lesson learned. Lesson learned.

December Daily - Day Three (Friday)

Friday
Kevin and Tassie left for a hunting trip in the morning and we saw them off.

Tassie was shaking because she was so excited.

I went to work. At the end of the day my mom picked up the kids and we went to Anna's bookfair at school. We came home and I made spaghetti. Then my mom left to pick my dad up at the airport.

Then. I got down to bizness. My project while he was gone was to redo the master closet. Here are the before pictures.

Kevin's side. Yes, there's a nerf gun at the top back.

Looking straight in (I had already starting clearing the floor and shoes before I remembered to take pictures)

My side, not any better 

There's a hamper buried in there somewhere (you can see the shoe storage moved into the bathroom) 

I use the phrase "shoe organizer" loosely here 

So I cleared it out.

And started demo.

 

And spackling.

Where did I put everything? Shoes and bags into the bathtub - where Baxter couldn't eat them.

Everything else I piled into our bedroom. I thought I would sort through it on Sunday when I put it back into the closet (keyword here is thought - more to come later) 

 It left me with a mess of clothes and a mess of boards with nails (I then moved these to the basement to be out of children's way)

I had to make room for 

all of these boxes. 

36 of them to be exact. Luckily they arrived the day Kevin left and my brother Zach came over with a friend to move them into the house while I was at work.

It was then about midnight and I started edging with the paint to match the master bedroom and bath. Nothing like waiting for spackle to dry.

At 1:30 am I decided to go to bed and start in the morning.

Carter's 4th Birthday Party

We held Carter's 4th birthday party about a week before his actual birthday. I thought this might work out better with the Thanksgiving holiday. Having a child around a holiday is not ideal for party planning. We had it at a local community center with indoor pool. His choice. Can you tell the theme?

Labor Day Weekend - Sunday: Santa-Cali-Gon-Days

On Sunday I took the kids to the carnival in Independence with my parents. We had never been to the Santa-Cali-Gon-Days festival before. They had a ton of rides. Anna was all about it - riding front and center on the roller coaster. Carter rode one ride and had no interest in any of the others that I couldn't go on. He was pretty fussy all weekend and eating a lot. I think he's having a growth spurt.

(Today we realized we actually had tickets to the Royals game yesterday. Oops. Oh well. The kids probably had more fun here.)

That night Kevin and I planned a date night. My parents kept the kids and we went out to dinner at a sushi restaurant called Ra at the new Park Place Plaza. It was delish. You have to get the Viva Las Vegas roll, it's the best.


Then we headed to the theater. We tried to find a liquor store on the way to put some $2 alcohol in our $5 soda but then realized it was Sunday and we were in Kansas and there was no place to buy any. We had planned to see The American. We got there 30 minutes before the show and everything starting in the next hour was sold out. Well everything except Machete which Kevin said I wouldn't like.

So we went hope and ironically watched Date Night on DVD. I was entertained but Kevin thought it was boring. We got to make our own drinks. I slept so hard that I didn't even hear the phone ring the next morning at 9 am when my mom called to meet me to hand off the kids.