Family Golf Tourney '11

I've been in such a blogging funk lately.  Really, I've just been in a funk period.  Whenever I get that way the thing I always do to help me get motivated again is writing out lists.  It helps me visualize things I need to do and it feels so good to check them off the list.  It works every time. :)

So, at the top of my list tonight was blogging about last weekend's annual family golf tournament.  Go here to read about last year.  It's become such a fun tradition to get my dad's side of the family together (and friends) to play golf.  The actual name of the tourney is "You Don't Have to Know How to Play Golf, Golf Tournament".  Love it.

This year our team of four included Harlan, Ryan, my friend Kara & I.  We did pretty well since it was a scramble.

Harlan & Ryan

Kara & I

We met a friend along the way that followed us to a couple of holes.

I don't think you want to know what they were looking at...

Ok, you asked for it!  So Harlan.  Ha!

Like Father

Like Son

Can I just tell you think was the longest day of golf ever!  Like, going down in the history book.  7 hours!!  A team a couple of holes in front of us had flat tires on both of their golf carts, then the team in front of us was extremely slow and then it rained on us!!  Got to love it.

The fantastic four.

I would play another 7 hours of golf if I could play it with you guys!

Sally Jane!

Last week was my beautiful sis-in-law's 26th birthday!  We tried to surprise Sally with a birthday dinner in the middle of the week by meeting half way in between our towns.  Harlan drove her to Emporia where Ryan, Papa & I were all waiting for her at an Applebee's.  I think she figured out what was going on as soon as her dad drove her out of their small town.  :)

The birthday girl and her Grandfather

We were all treated to Papa's stories and jokes.  He must of been talking about something serious in this pic!

It wouldn't be a birthday dinner without the free dessert and the servers serenading you!

And finally it was time for the gifts!  Ryan of course had to have some fun with Sally first.  After poking her in the hand with a tooth pick he gave her a DVD player for her new apartment space.

This was a clue to her final gift.  Hint: it was an air pump

Ta  Da!!!!  Sally has been in need of a "new" bike for a long time now.  Especially, since she just moved into her own place in a neighboring small town.  So Ryan & I discussed it and decided to gift my bike to her.  The bike will get so much more love now with it's new owner!

Priceless.

Weekend at the Lake

This past weekend Brad & Lindsey invited us to Lindsey's parent's lake house in the Ozarks.  Their lake house was amazing!  It had 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and an annex!  I believe they had enough room to sleep 10 people just in beds.  It is definitely the perfect place to bring friends and have fun on the lake.

They family combined brought their 4 dogs on the trip as well.  It made for an entertaining weekend.

  See above.  :)

Lindsey's little sister, Kelsey, & her fiance Austin where there as well.  It was the first time we had seen them since they got engaged a few weeks ago.  How cute are they??  That's a good future husband to be painting his fiance's nails.

Ryan & Brad

We pretty much spent most of the weekend out on their boat cruising around or swimming in the lake.

Linds & I

Austin & Kelsey manning the ship

Lindsey's mom, Sherry, and Linds

The boys getting ready for some tubing action.

The water was pretty choppy making it hard to stay on those things!  So I decided to not subject myself to that.

The best was when Lindsey's dad, Reed, decided to tube.  He must have been in this position for 20 minutes. Ha!

I think since we were giving him such a hard time about not doing anything fun he decided to do this.

Pretty impressive!

These are just a few pics of the back of the lake house and the views from the deck.  It had so many different layers to the deck and even a screened in porch!

We had a blast with the Fuller family this weekend as always.  Thanks for having us!!  You may regret inviting us because we will probably beg to go all the time now.  ;)

Entertaining Family

It has been so ridiculously hot this summer I thought Ryan & I had brought the Houston heat with us to KC!  I just don't remember the summers being this hot as a kid.  We've finally been getting some relief from the heat the past few days but it's still been pretty humid.  I can't ever remember a time where I have wished away a summer before but I am REALLY looking forward to fall this year.  ;)

Considering all that, we really haven't sent that much time in our backyard this summer.  We have a great space for entertaining but it just hasn't been possible.  However, there was one night where we decided to brave the heat and invite my family over for a cookout.  It at least wasn't deathly hot that night and everybody seemed to enjoy themselves.

That gang on our lower brick patio.

(You can see can Ryan in this picture wiping away his sweat standing over that hot grill.)

Cousin Chelsea, Aunt Cindy, Marty & Gene

Uncle John, Aunt Darla holding little Wyatt, Cousin Josh & Brad

Ryan, Cousin Shyla, Grandma and Cousin Jace.  You can see part of our upper deck in this picture.

(My mom is missing from all these pictures because she was busy being the hostess with the mostest inside. Ha!)

It was so great to be able to have some of the family over to see our house and just spend some good quality time together.  I feel very fortunate to have a family that all likes to hangout with each other.  I swear they have something going on every week!  Next weekend we are having our annual family golf tournament and I can't wait!

New Arrival!

Stephanie's baby girl, Chloe Renee, is here!

Born 8/10/11 at 7:23 pm. 6 lbs 14 oz and 19 in long

Is she not just absolutely precious?!  I can't wait to meet her and squeeze those little cheeks.

Visitors

This is the only picture I took all weekend even though we had some great friends visiting us!  I'm so bummed.  I think I was just anti camera for some reason and needed a break from it.

Our good friends, Mark & Brittney, flew in from Houston to visit us for a fun weekend.  Mark had never been to Kansas City before so we had to show him the ropes.  The very first thing we did was introduce them to KC BBQ at Oklahoma Joe's. Mmmmm...  Then we made our way to a Royal's baseball game that was actually pretty fun and had the best fireworks show I've ever seen there!

(I swiped this picture from Brittney's fb page since I didn't take a single picture of them!)

Saturday we slept in and then had brunch at one of our favorite places, First Watch.  Then we drove them around for a little bit to show them the area, and I may or may not have forced them to try my favorite cookie place, Blue Chip Cookies.  :)  Afterwards, we stopped by my mom's since they had never met before for a short visit.  Then we headed down to the plaza area to Papa's condo to swim at his pool.  It is just so stinking hot these days it's hard not to make a pit stop at a pool.  Once we got good and pruney we decided to go back to the house to shower and get ready for dinner.  At first we were going to take them down to the Power & Light distract but at the last second just decided to go back to the Plaza and have dinner at Cafe Trio.  We were all pretty worn out after dinner so we just came home and played Mario Kart for the rest of the evening.  I know we are such nerds.  Oh well!

Sunday we had to take Mark & Brittney back to the airport after our very short but fun filled weekend together.  It was so good seeing them since it had been forever since the last time was saw them.  I guess it's Ryan & I's turn to come visit you guys next!  And I will make sure to take way more pictures this time.

So Blessed

So my birthday was yesterday and I am now another year closer to 30.  I seriously can not believe that.  I still feel like I just graduated from high school!!  I'm having a hard time dealing with the fact that I am no spring chicken anymore.  Oh well,  being 28 can't be all that bad when you have such a wonderful husband to share life with.  He seriously out did himself this past week trying to make me feel special and honored on my birthday.  I love that man!

Ryan believes in "birthday months".  So we both get special treatment the month of our birthdays.  Who am I to argue with that??  So if I can't decide what to do about dinner and I want him to make the decision, he has to because it's my birthday month.  Ha!

Ryan started a little early with my birthday month this past Friday.  He surprised me by taking me to the mall to buy some fun clothes and then taking me out to have dinner at Maker's Mark down in the Power & Light District.  Lindsey & Brad were able to join us for the delicious food!

(All of these photo's were taken from my camera phone).

I know this looks gross but it's fried chicken on top of mash potatoes on top of waffles with syrup!!  It was freaking amazing.  I am craving it right now.  Don't judge until you try it.

After dinner, Ryan had planned for us to enjoy a free concert that was going on right outside the restaurant.  We had a blast that night.

On Saturday & Sunday, he took me shopping for things for the house and did whatever our hearts desired.  That's always fun.  Saturday night Ryan took me to see the last Harry Potter movie and we both enjoyed it.

Monday night my mom had us over for a steak dinners to celebrate.  It was mouth watering good.  She gave me these gorgeous flowers and a gift card to get a massage!

My mom even made me this delicious homemade chocolate chocolate chip cake.

Mmmm...

And then on my actual birthday Ryan ordered in pizza and had a few friends over to the house.  He bought me this amazing red velvet, "birthday cake" ice cream cake from Cold Stone.

to die for

Ryan showered me with so much love, creativity, gifts and fun over these past few days it's been hard to recap!  I am definitely a lucky girl.  It's helped me forget the fact that I am now 28...