Sunday, March 23, 2014

A Kansas Wine Kind of Day...

Yesterday we spent the day with Rob and Michelle venturing along the Somerset Wine Trail.

The wine trail is four different wineries, with one of them being Somerset Ridge, where we happen to hang out at all of the time.

Michelle and me being transported around from winery to winery.

Michelle and me in one of the wineries that is located in a barn.  Clearly, we are not in Sonoma.

It is a shame that we never laugh together.

Rob and Michelle at Somerset

It was a fun little Saturday outing with friends!  

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Lately...

Lately we have been having a little fun.

On Saturday, Ken and I ventured to Shawnee Mission Park.  Ken went kayaking and fishing and I went for a bike ride, which is a story for a different day.

Ironically enough, Ken ran into our friend Melissa while he was kayaking.  He was near the dog park and heard someone yelling for Dakota and then Paige.  He said he knew it had to be her.  She snapped this picture of him playing around.

We also ended up with tickets to the Sporting KC game on Saturday night.  Neither of us had ever been, but it ended up being fun even if we are not huge soccer fans.  It was such a beautiful day to be outside.

With my love

Of course I got a picture of the mascot.

Sunday was the Martin City St. Patrick's Day Parade.  Ken and I have gone the last few years and invited Brian and Jill to join us this year.  It was really cold and windy, but we had a lot of fun.

Avery and I took a little time for our traditional selfie.  We was passing out shamrock stickers to all of us.

Joe and Laura joined us again this year.  The kids had to miss the parade since they were in Dallas on Spring Break.

Us girls freezing, and waiting on the parade to start.

There was a warning issued for a masked man that was thought to be involved of a string of gas station robberies...

Jill is clearly a very lucky lady.



It was a fun little weekend!

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Adventures in Swimming...

One thing that I learned when I decided to train for an Ironman is not to take myself too seriously and be able to joke and make fun of the fact that I am doing this for fun and I am not a professional.

I am the first person to be able to make fun of myself, especially when it comes to swimming.

Swimming is not something that I did a lot as a child, well unless you count doing handstands in the pool as swimming.  I have never had any formal training in the pool and pretty much taught myself how to swim freesytle. 

Yeah, scary. 

Basically, I am not a very graceful or fast swimmer.  Last time I checked, Michael Phelps has not done an Ironman.  (Neither has Chuck Norris for that matter).  With that being said, I take my wins in the pool when I can get them.

The other day, I came home from the pool beeming.  Of course Ken asked me why I was smiling and if I had past a 60 year old man in the pool again.  I of course respond with the fact that I was faster than a man in his 30's.

That's right, I was swimming faster than a man that was close to my own age.  Obviously, he had no clue that we were racing, but I totally whipped his butt.

Score one for me.

Obviously I should probably mention that I a group of 12 year olds that attend "swim team" on Tuesday nights pass me like I am not even moving.  I chose to over look this because they should be passing the girl in her 30's that has never taken swim lessons before.  Their parents have paid a lot of money for them to be good at swimming. 

Of course not all of the kids can swim faster than me.  There is one chubby girl that I totally fly past.  That's right, along with beating a 60 year old man, a man in his 30's, I can also swim faster than a chubby 12 year old.  Like I said, when it comes to swimming, I have to take my props when I can get them.

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Thirsty Palette...

All of the game night girls got together for a fun night at Thirsty Palette for a few drinks and some painting.

I was not exactly sure how this whole thing would work, but the instructor walks you though step by step on how to paint.

Our painting was the Plaza Starry Night, featuring the Country Club Plaza buildings that we Kansas Citians are all so familiar with.  

Jill and me all ready to paint!

Heather and Jilly

Jill, very into her painting.  This was after she told me that her painting was copywrighted.

Melissa was having a good time.

I started out really well, but my moon ended up looking like pac man.

All of us girls with our final paintings.

It was really a lot of fun and I would like to do this again.

Thanks for organizing Heather!

Friday, March 7, 2014

Playing Catch Up...

It seems I am a little behind on blogging.  

I have been busy with Ironman training and then enjoying time with friends and family, which has left little time for anything else.

Over President's Day weekend, Jill, Michelle, and I made our way to Somerset Ridge for an afternoon of wine.

Jill and me, and yes, I obviously carry my Ironman water bottle everywhere.

Jill and Michelle enjoying a little sangria.


Kya got to spend a day with me at the office to celebrate my company's owners dog's birthday.  The dog lives in LA, but that did not stop us from having a party and ice cream cake.

Two happy girls ready for cake.

Kya was waiting on her cake.

Kya with her friend Lola.  These two played all day and had a blast!

I had the girls over one night for a mystery wine tasting.  It was a lot of fun.  By the end of the night, we had tears from all of the laughter.

All of us girls

You never know what is going to happen when the camera stick comes out.

Michelle and me showing our best jazz hands.

It has been a fun few weeks with a lot of laughs!