Annual BFF Outlet Mall Shopping Trip

Every year Candi and I make a spring trip to the Osage Beach outlet mall in Missouri. It takes about three hours to get there from KC but is so worth the road trip. It's also good for 6 hours of girl time in the car! This year's trip was captured on video. Let's just say we're good for the economy.
(note: the beginning is dark because I'm driving. and it's so early the sun isn't up. no, i'm not holding the camera while I drive :)

Annual BFF Outlet Mall Shopping Trip from Cara on Vimeo.

(includes the Starbucks video clip at the end. if you watch this version there's no need to watch the stand-alone version in the following post)

Starbucks - Beloved Cake Pop

Candi and I were headed back after getting up very early for our annual BFF road trip to the outlet mall where we shopped till we almost dropped. It was time for a pick-me-up... we may have been a little slap happy.

Starbucks and the beloved cake pop from Cara on Vimeo.

Turns out I don't run much without my BFF

My BFF and her hubby adopted a new baby recently. Kind of a big deal. I am thrilled for them. They have added the most adorable baby girl to their family.

BUT - this was a trainwreck for my workout. Turns out I don't run much if no one else is showing up at my house or expecting me to show up at their house to burn some calories at 5 am. I would set the alarm and then snooze and snooze and snooze until I would finally reset it to get up later. My husband loved it (not). One morning he said "Was it too not-rainy for you today?" I really had no excuse.

After three weeks of not running I was really grumpy and really tired all the time. One day at work someone said "Maybe you should have some more coffee." I was not fun to be around.

With the threat of wearing a swimsuit imminently upon me for an upcoming vacation, I finally dragged myself out of bed twice in the morning to go last week. The first day I stepped out I realized it was already somewhat light out. Completely different than just a month before. There was a bright full moon. When I finished the sun was coming up. Already I felt better. The next day I snoozed a little too long so I only went 4 miles instead of 5.5 but felt good to go two days in a row which I rarely do anyway.

These two runs allowed me to get in a longer run on Saturday yesterday. My BFF ran with me for the first three, then she headed back (she is easing back into routine from being gone) while I did some additional miles to get a total of 8 in. It was hot and humid.

So far I've been more awake and in a better mood. Turns out exercise may truly actually make you feel better. Who knew :)

So thank god my BFF is back! I need someone else to hold me accountable for getting up. Plus it's my therapy for the week to chat (and work) it all out.

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! 

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-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.

December Daily - Day Eighteen

Candi and I ran 6 miles at 6:45 in the morning. I think it was in the 20's. It was super cold and I hadn't run in a month. Afterwards I got some Starbucks to warm up. Well, and a shower.

Around 10:45 that morning I met my parents at Paradise Park to pick up the kids from them. Candi and Alex met us there and we let the kids burn off some energy from being couped up in the house the last few weekends. Here they are making Christmas bracelets during the craft session.

While the kids played I addressed my Christmas cards, stuffed them and stickered all of my return labels.

I took the kids Christmas shopping for each other at Target. We invited Candi, Sam and Alex over for dinner. I found this work of art from Carter on the table. You can't tell but it has a tunnel in the middle for the train to go through.

Later, Carter made a long train with his Geo Trax and took Buzz, Jessie and Bullseye for a ride.

After the kids went to bed Candi and I did our nails with her Axxium set and had girl time. I missed this photo opp. Love my "Bring on the bling" color which is essentially gold sparkles.

Kevin hogged my iPhone as usual to play Words with Friends and Chess with Sam. Who was 5 feet away. I think Sam kicked his ass. Dare I say... again. Tassie is not impressed.

December Daily - Day Seventeen

That's my mess of a desk at the end of a week during "beer thirty." I found this Mike's hard pomegranate lemonade in the beer fridge. It matched my outfit.

My mom had picked up the kids from daycare. Kevin and I fed the dogs and they had a race to see who could drink more water faster. Baxter is almost as big as Tassie and he's only four months.

We went out to the Peanut with Sam and Candi for bar food and drinks.  

Then we went back to Sam and Candi's house and watched Knight and Day. Well mostly, I fell asleep at the end. Honestly, it's rare for me to see a whole movie anymore.

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.

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?

(Un)happy Halloween

This Halloween definitely wasn't one of my happiest. Thank you so much to our best friends Sam and Candi for feeding our kids and taking them trick or treating. Otherwise they wouldn't have gotten to go.

Here are pics from our trip to the Pumpkin Patch. Can you tell it was cold? 

Kansas City Half Marathon

This weekend I ran the Kansas City Half Marathon. I ran this race last year. It is my 3rd consecutive half marathon. I am running one about every six months. I felt great and finished strong. Great weather. Couldn't have asked for a better running buddy and so glad her friend from college also joined us. Great girl time! The only part that sucked was that no one from my family was there to see me cross. My parents were out of town and Kevin had to take Anna to swimming. Oh well. It was pretty crowded. We had trouble finding Candi's hubby afterwards.

Finishing time: 2:27 - That's about 10 minutes faster than the Hospital Hill half marathon in June (which was unbearably hot) and 6 minutes faster than the same race last year.

Disney in Pictures

I have posted all the videos from Disney but some of the best moments were captured on camera.

Ride #1

Magic Kingdom Characters (Carter ONLY took his picture with Woody and Buzz Lightyear. You will notice all the others are only Anna)

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique

Before

After. (We are still finding glitter EVERYWHERE but especially in the stroller)

Character breakfast at 1900 Park Fair 

Hollywood Studios 

Playing in the water 

View from our hotel balcony

Hotel pool