Sir Terrible

The drive from Minneapolis to Kansas City is pretty boring. It's 475 miles driveway to driveway. 430 of those miles are bor-ring farmscapes. Not even the cows, horses and pigs type of farmscape (I saw maybe 10 cows the entire way) it's all fields. Yes this can be pretty as there is a lot of green. But there aren't really any rolling hills and there are very few landmarks outside of freeway exit signs.

Bor - ring.

The most exciting moment in my drive to Kansas City has traditionally been when I cross over "Pole Cat Creek" somewhere in northern Missouri. When I cross over it I will say in a horrible, fake southern accent,"POLE CAT CREEEEEEK!" (Note that the extended "eeeee" in creek is said in a higher pitch than the rest). This is very entertaining and I usually crack myself up for a good 2 or 3 minutes with this antic.

I usually make this drive alone.

I can't imagine why no one would want ride with me.

Well I Pole Cat Creek was nearly upstaged on this journey. As I drove south on I-35 I could see something in the horizon. It was something I had never seen before.

I was kind of excited.

Terrible's Casino in Southern Iowa erected a new sign since last summer. Isn't he striking?

This means that there are now two exciting landmarks on the drive to Kansas City. And, thanks to this sign I have a brand new official stopping point for gas, snacks & bathroom.

I was so excited to see it that on the way back to Minneapolis I made a point to stop (well that and it is my official stopping place too) and took a photo. I did wish I had a road trip companion as I would have loved my photo taken with the very striking man, Terrible.

xoxx

Wedding.

I spent the weekend in Kansas City in honor of my sister, Kati's nuptials to my fantastic new brother-in-law, Chris.

Yay! Yay! Yay!

Set in my dad & stepmom's backyard, it was the most low key wedding I've ever been to & easily the most beautiful. Including my sister and her new husband, there 9 of us in attendance. Minutes before the ceremony was to begin Kati looked at myself and our other sister, Maura, "Will one of you hold the ring 'til I need it?"

After the ceremony we had a lovely lunch of chicken salad sandwiches, fresh fruit and oriental salad and watered ourselves with Champagne (of course). The meal (& wedding festivities) were completed with a strawberry mousse filled wedding cake and a reviewal of photos taken of the ceremony.

The bride and groom pulled out of the driveway around 3pm. We all waved, hugged each other and then changed into casual clothes and headed downtown. It was funny later when we ducked into a Starbuck's for coffee and I looked at my dad & said, "Kati and Chris were married today,"
"YEAH! Isn't it great?!"
It is. So great.

xoxx

jumping in mud puddles with my dad.

Saturday morning I woke up at 5am, got in the Subaru & drove to Kansas City to surprise my dad for Father's Day. I arrived around lunch time, talking to my dad on the phone the last 10 miles of the drive. I was telling him all about the weather in Minneapolis like I was there & all the things I was going to get done that day. We got off the phone just as I was pulling into their subdivision.
I walked into the house & he says, "HI!", followed by, "Wait! What are you doing here?!"
Happy Father's Day.

It was priceless. I wished I had my camera to take a picture of the expression on his face, but I'd left it in the car.

After my presence set in we ate chicken salad sandwiches as he marveled how we (my stepmom, Karen, my two sisters & I) pulled off the surprise without him knowing. We had a great Saturday concluding with dinner al fresco & staying up late laughing and drinking too much wine.

Today, in great tradition, my dad & I went to Kansas City's Loose Park to take photos. There's a beautiful rose garden there and lots and lots of pathways. More importantly there is a tree that my dad loves to photograph. Today this tree was surrounded by lots of mud.


So my dad sets up his camera on a tripod in front of the tree. I stand by the tree so he can focus the picture. He puts the automatic timer on, pushes the button & runs to the tree with hopes to sit on the branch with me standing in front of him.
only he can't get up on the branch, not enough time.



take two.

flips flops are off so he can run to the tree faster thus having more time to climb it. He jumps in a mud puddle on the way splattering mud all over his feet and legs. As he approaches the tree I back away worried that he'll splash mud on me and precious $7 H&M sundress. The photo takes and we do not take a pretty picture.

take three.

My dad climbs the tree (causing me to laugh hysterically), I press the button on the camera & run to the tree in time to smile and pose with my dad. Only on the way I land in the giant mud puddle covering my legs and sundress. I do manage to make it to the tree in time, pose graciously for the photo & then survey the mud situation. it's not bad & makes us both laugh, but there's enough to wonder if there's a spare towel nearby (there wasn't).

In the end all was well. We rinsed off in a nearby fountain (Kansas City is the city of fountains after all) & looked like new. We walked around The Plaza, and did a little driving tour of other cool areas of Kansas City. Later on we all ate dinner al fresco once again and visited family nearby.

Tonight I still laugh as I think about my dad climbing the tree (or trying to) and the splatters of mud we endured for the ever perfect picture.

xoxx