goin' to kansas city...kansas city here i come

one of my favorite attributes of kansas city (minus the friends and family and childhood spent there elements) is the existence of a number of songs spouting the glory of this town. I can create the soundtrack of my life as I head out on the road heading for home.

"well I might take a train; I might take a plane; but if I have to walk I'm going just the same. I'm going to Kansas City, Kansas City here I come"

here are a few moments from my recent trip home...

the city is shaping up quite nicely...this is appropriate after all as the town is commemorated in the musical oklahoma!

"every thing's up to date in Kansas City. They've gone about as far as they can go."

workin' girl

my little sister has her first job. ok not her first job, but her first job where she'll let me come visit. in fact she not only has one job, but two. I'm just not allowed to visit at one of them so that doesnt count.

she spends the morning at job one...underground in a cave, or more correctly a limestone-mine-turned-office where she preps patient files for scanning, then in the afternoon she heads to Sheridan's to scoop custard (not to be confused with it's counterpart ice cream served 20-25 degrees colder) and make concretes for the masses.

Here I am allowed to visit. Here I am actually encouraged to visit with my half price family discount. Here, I took tons of pictures to document the experience and had her manager ask if I was obsessed with her job. Here, therefore, will be the site of my sister's first job, at least as i will remember it.

I used to take a lot less entertainment

on my recent trip to kansas city I made certain to see one of my better halves. the only half that still calls KC home and who is always up for an adventure.

upon arriving in KC I sent a text message "in KC till next thursday...play-date soon?"

I received a phone call back. "absolutely. what should we do?"

I yelled down the hall to my mom who has recently turned into KC tour guide extraordinaire "what should linds and I do?"

my mom rambled off a half dozen ideas none of which were good enough. since when did hanging out require some big elaborate hullabaloo? we used to be content to sit around and knit scarves while listening to music or create imaginary bands and come up with CD titles and play lists. we would stay up late talking about our lives or making up stories of what our lives might hold for us in the future. now we needed an event to provide entertainment? we have to go somewhere to hang out?

I want my sleep overs back. where we bake cookies or watch movies and just get all giggly. next time I'm home I'm planning it. a central point. get the girls together. no boys allowed. (ok maybe boys allowed for awhile...but then they must leave and go have a sleep over of their own....yes I know they'd call it something much more manly than a sleep over)

for this visit I settled for dinner. twice. and ice cream.

santa goes to my church

we took a break today from our crazy christmas baking extravaganza (which has now lasted several more days than initially anticipated) to remember the real meaning of christmas.

we put in our christmas finest,

ignored the blizzard warnings and the substantial layer of sleet that already covered the ground

climbed into the 4 wheel drive and headed to church. all went well until dad tried to adjust his parking.... and adventures were had...wheels were spinning, finally the car slid sideways so we could back back up the hill. the kids waiting for church in the car next to us had perhaps the best church ever. this of course gave us time to plot our next move. pictures with the manger.

nick got excited about cheese, wallace and grommet style.

I prayed with mary over the baby Jesus

did the church thing, bad homely, and then....SANTA. Im not sure what to make of this. church is supposed to be the reminder that jesus is the reason for the season. and then there's santa. at least he prayed over the baby jesus before going on his rounds for the night.

baking extravaganza day 1

the baking list grew longer this year...and some christmas shopping still needed to be done. so extravaganza will be lasting two days this year. here are the moments of day one.

all the happy helpers

even the cookies are smiling

sugar cookies

dad tries to eat a cookie

and he cleans up the mess afterwards so he can eat more

baked today:

mexican wedding cakes/russian tea cakes

sugar cookies

ginger bread boys and girls

molasses cookies

peppermint chocolate meringues

chocolate fudge

triple chocolate chip cookies

oatmeal raisin walnut cookies

spritz

still awaiting tomorrow:

more fudge

chex mix

raspberry pinwheels

buckeyes

chocolate covered pretzels

that is if my minions don't start a revolt.

day 2 and all the finished products tomorrow!

16 signs christmas is coming

other people have been b-logging about christmas for days. I will provide you with a condensed version of my christmas cheer with 16 signs that christmas is coming. why 16? you ask. because that's how many pictures I have of christmas that doesnt ruin any christmas surprises.

1. we run around in the cold looking at lights and taking fantastic pictures incorporating ourselves into the shot. I piiiinch!!

2. when you participate in (or just cheer at) various athletic events they give your reindeer antlers! go rudolph rumble!

3. there are wreaths just asking for your picture to be taken with all over the city.

4. snowmen moon you at lighting parades

5. nick turns into a burly mountain man

6. we get up early in the morning so that little bear has time to write her letter to santa before we go to work.

7. I make a penguin cake

8. I steal music from church that is needed for flute wars. thank you camera and chruch hymnal

9. stocking extravaganza for my homeroom and advisory

10. I create assignments that require my students to bake cookies and bring them in for my enjoyment.

11. I eat, drink, and sleep with matching penguin attire thanks to my penguin fleece pants, pillow, mug and plate.

12. our Christmas tree gets turned into a homage to disney characters despite our best efforts. this is what happens when you have received at least one mickey mouse for the past 25 years and your sister at least one winnie the poor for the last 20 (and just about every other disney ornament for a period of several years

13. I make christmas baking extravaganza list. game faces and aprons on. (this is also the time of year when family and friends unfortunate enough to stumble upon my house become indentured servants)

14. the soldering iron comes out to fix broken light strands.

15. all the clothing I pack to come home is red or green. (and I have been wearing christmas socks for WEEKS)

16. I actually have time to write this blog

packing

when I travel I pack light. I can travel for multiple weeks with only a carry on. I dont like to check luggage. and really, though I may wear the same clothes in lots of my travel pics, who really cares. my suitcase is manageable.

my light packing abilities come in handy often. because packing light when you leave means much room for traveling acquisitions, especially when going home for a week. and even more especially when going home for a week during which the annual outlet mall excursion is planned.

this way light packing = more room to buy presents for oneself (and one's closest family and friends, though let's be honest mostly for oneself)

I was impressed with my packing abilities, days worth of shopping fitting in nicely with my clothing Id brought, and then I looked down. shorts. big bulky shorts. and then I went to my mom's room. there was another bag that had not even been emptied. a bag of big bulky things. so now I leave you my suitcase.


sometimes light packing just isnt good enough.

10 days in photos

the past 10 days have been in a word busy. and here lies the irony of me and my blog life. when I have time to blog, there is nothing to blog about, when there are things to blog about, I have no time.

over the past 10 days I have had several post ideas, but I dont remember them all, so I have turned to the old camera. and 10 days in pictures is more more bearable than 10 days in words.

Thursday: gave little bear a bath


Friday: traveled to KC where nick got eaten by a giant monkey


Saturday: emily enjoyed a cole slaw and bbq sauce sandwich on family bbq night


Sunday: Made some Instant Easter


Sunday Part 2: took nick to his first celebration at the station, had a partial mini STA reunion



monday: made trivia pursuit: conceptual physics edition


Tuesday: Piccolo found her new favorite spot EVER


Wednesday: Burt MILLIONS of DVDs for my students' end of the year presents


Thursday: unpacked THOUSANDS of dollars work of new lab equipment


Friday: went and saw UP a fabulous new movie

Easter Day / Timmy's Birthday - - in pictures

I found my basket


and my present from my grandma and grandpa


and tim found the thundersticks


and his birthday presents