Hannah's Birthday Take Two

You know living in a different state than the rest of your family really has its benefits.

 Like for instance:

No Aunt Betty we can not make your cookies with Santa, we are six hours away or No, (insert friends name) we are not able to help you move...we are six hours away. I kid I kid, we are totally up for cookies for Santa. Have you ever been to a retirement home? They serve booze!

I digress

One of the major down falls of living six hours away with the ONLY grandchild, it birthdays.  We normally make the trip to STL for H's birthday but this year I decided it would be a good idea to throw two birthday parties. one in AR and one in MO.

Who was riding safety when I made that decision? I must have been out of my mind.

I will be happy to announce that M didn't serve me my walking papers and we lived through the LR birthday party, a 6 hour drive to STL, a STL party and he's even ok with me totally leaving him the next two weekends for a girls weekend. #WINNING

So back to STL.

We loaded the car Friday after work and set out for STL. M took the first shift, while I sat and  watched movies played with H in the back seat. Next thing I knew we were at my parents doorstep. H and I were all bright eyed and bushy tailed and M somewhat resembled Shrek, a very tired Shrek. We made it to STL around 1am.

since I slept 5 out of the 6 hour drive I was wired for sound. I couldn't go to sleep.  Next thing I knew it was 6am. I jumped up and immediately put my running clothes on. My parents live less than a mile from Tower Grove Park. This park is beautiful (we'll minus the night life, occasional fights and random homeless people that like to hang in the bushes) just don't go there after dark and you are good.

So I laced up my shoes and hit the pavement. it was 70 outside. 70. I couldn't believe it. LR weather has been set on HELL for the last month. I was happy as a clam.

I headed straight to my now local sole sista's house and woke her ass up, along with a few of her neighbors. I couldn't remember her house number. Ol' girl just moved and I had to see her house. It's beautiful by the way. AND I'm pretty sure her new boyfriend thinks I'm a few fries short of a happy meal.

Off we went for a quick run with the hounds. Running in my old neighborhood with my bestie really give me a good home feeling. pure happiness.

I had 503,232 things to do before the birthday party started at 2:00pm. Pick up cake, balloons, decorate, bathe H. cook, drink a glass of wine etc etc.  oh did I mention I thought it would be a great idea to take H's 3yr old pictures before her party at the Botanical Gardens.

again, who was riding safety when I made these decisions?

H's pictures turned out wonderful. I'm actually really glad I had them done.

By the time 1:30 rolled around. H was dressed, cake and balloons were picked up, house was semi decorated and I had my happy ass on the back porch with a glass of wine.

I love H's STL party. It's really a "Mike and Amie are in town everyone come over and bring your kids" it's great. we sit and laugh with all of our friends and family.

H had a great time. and by had a great time I mean she passed out super early and slept like a ROCK.

And, I have no pictures because my super awesome friend who is a photographer was in charge of all that. So I'll have to update those later.

All in all it was a great time. Next year, I'm thinking one birthday party will be plenty.

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

Tuesday Thoughts

This morning I debated staying in my jammies all day on my couch watching reality T.V while eating ice cream right out of the box. Doesn't that sound glorious?

 I put my big girl panties on and drove to work. Mainly because I have a hair appointment this afternoon. I CAN'T miss that. Priorities.

Cai and I booked our hotel for Hospital Hill Run KCMO I'm super excited for the girls weekend. The run terrifies me a little tiny bit.

I follow them on facebook and they had a post yesterday "If someone who had never done Hospital Hill Run had asked you to describe the event, how would you...?"

• The most terribly awesome experience you'll love to hate!
• It's called hospital hill for a reason but its a beautiful run
• It's a challenge and the name is very fitting. However, the route is beautiful and the people in Kansas City are very supportive. They brought out hoses, ice, water, etc. to encourage the runners. I am proud to have checked this race off
• At about the second mile is a Catholic church, "Our Lady of Perpetual Sorrows". If you ran those first two miles with your ego and not with your brains, the rest of the race will be Perpetual Sorrows
• You must prepare!
  This is not a run to take lightly!
  Hill training will make or break u

Umm...I'm scared. But we can do it! We can do ALL things though Christ right? lol.. I'm sure there will be prayers, tears, and cursing.

St. Jude has announced their 2013 date.

I haven't decided if I'm going to do the full marathon or wimp out and stick with the half. The feeling I get when I reach the finish line at 13.1 is so beautiful. I can't imaging going another 13.1(that's my story and I'm sticking to it) I'll pretty much do whatever cia does. Because I'm 10 and I can't make my own decisions.

March 2013 marks 4 years for us in LR. I can't believe we've been here 4 years. It's starting to feel like home (minus the dry county part, the camo and the ridiculous amount of snakes) I no longer cry when we leave STL, I now call this my home, and our house has become a hotel I mean a home :)
I still secretly pray we get transferred back to STL or Dallas.

I'd like to give a shout to to my bestie Lauren. Even though she totally flaked out on running with me and Cia (she had an injury) I have to give kudos's to her and her weight loss.

Before: Still amazing and beautiful

She's totally going to kill me for using this picture.

 

After:

Girlfriend has lost over 50 pounds! Doesn't she look great! I am so proud of her!

 

Lauren and I were college roommates, even though we went to different college. We instantly hit it off. It could have been our shared love for beer and Pointer's Pizza but what ev. She's my girl. I could not ask for a better friend. I call her for everything. She always knows what to say. She's the one I call when M is on my reserve nerve. She always talks me out of dipping his toothbrush in the toilet.  Lauren is beautiful inside and out. I miss her dearly.

 

I got this email from Cia today: It made me miss her too..

 

YOU are an AMAZING mother, friend, sister, and sole sista. Know God is with you, and I'm here if you ever need anything. An ear, prayer buddy, Babysitter, Dog Sitter, Albi, Cell mate. I got you covered. I LOVE YOU!

 

Wow I'm missing my girls, I think I need to plan a STL trip ASAP!

Happy Tuesday!

 

 

 

Three Things Thursday

1.

I'm home with a sick baby, a baby with a fever a teething toddler. Bless her heart. She had a 101 temp this morning. I'm chalking it up to the 3 I-Teeth that are ALL coming in at once. I noticed some coughing and sneezing but I chalked that up to cheap perfume. The sitter called me just as I finished coffee klatch at the office. I wasn't really feeling work today anyway. So she didn't have to tell me twice.

 

My little sweetie is running a fever but you wouldn't know it. So here we are eating popsicles and watching Brave. Which is adorable watching with a 2 year old. She keeps say "ooh...Amazing"

 

When M gets home tonight and the house is still a mess and realizes its take out for dinner I'll tell him I was too busy blogging giving H tender love and care all day. When duty calls...

 

2.

Let's play. "Guess Amie's Race Time"  It all comes down to one race. All this hard work, all this training, all the nights of trading beer & wine for water... wait that never happened. My goal has always been to finish in under 2 hours. That was before the "Granny Hip" kicked in. Now I just want to finish the race. I'm scheduled to see a doctor after the race to see what's really going on. Until then I will rely on M and his "professional advice" and BIO FREEZE .  So after the race we are headed to Beale Street for a girls night out. I'll be the one  wreaking of menthol wearing my compression socks. YEP My Milk Shake brings all the boys to the yard!!!

 

3.

Despite everything that is going on right now. I am feeling very blessed. Going to STL for Thanksgiving was just what I needed. I got to spend some great time with Marcia, Jaimie , Renee, and I tried to stalk Stacey but she was too busy popping out a 9pound adorable baby boy (congrats). I absolutely love these girls. Then family came over and we laughed and drank wine while looking at black Friday ads. Seriously there really is no place like home. It was great to get away. It was even better getting home to M.  I no longer wanted to dip his toothbrush in the toilet. It's amazing what a few days away from each other will do. I kid. I kid

Anyway that's a few tidbits of my crazy life right now. Wish me luck this weekend!
 

Thanksgiving 2012

Gobble! Gobble! Gobble!

 

I LOVE Thanksgiving. Yes it’s the one day that I can shove my mom’s homemade (everything) mac and cheese down my throat all day and not give a darn.

 

After the Turkey Trot

 

 

 

Excuse the mess. It's amazing how quickly I can destroy the guest room. Maybe next time they'll leave my bedroom alone.

 

I came home and showered. I immediately put my "June Clever Apron" on and got to cooking in the kitchen with my mom.

 

 Lol yeah right. I unscrewed the top to my wine bottle and sat my happy butt down at the dining room table and looked through black Friday ads with my sis.

 

 

Hannah and her Granny!

 

Eventually more and more friends and family showed up around the table with wine.

 

LOVE THIS PART.

 

I laugh so hard at my parents house my cheeks hurt.

 

 

 

H would like to tell everyone Happy Thanksgiving in her usually dainty voice.

 

 

 

We ate drank and went Black Friday Shopping. Sounds like a great STL trip to me.

 

 

 

St. Louis Zoo

Because I just didn't have enough of the 6 hour drive when we went to STL for H's birthday on August 9th. I thought I throw the kid in the car one week later and head to STL....again...yep...I'm crazy.

 The 6 hour drive at night...was just shy of misery...but totally worth it. I don't know why I thought getting up at 5am-working-then hitting the road at 6pm would be a good idea. Guess that's how I didn't realize H was painting her toes with a magic marker in the back seat #mommyfail.

Anyways, I purposely accidentally woke my prego friend Stacey and convinced her to meet me at the St. Louis Zoo, before 9am so we can run around like banshee to the free stuff before they started charging. YEP. WE DID.

Our first stop was the Sting Rays & Sharks

The girls loved looking at them. One even "jumped" up and splashed.

This ginormous guy..made me a little nervous...If my memory serves me correct...someone was killed by one of these guys...#callmecrazy

Then we headed to the Children's Zoo..which is AMAZEBALLS

I told my self to not freak out about the nasty rat Guinea pig and let H pet it. She loved it.

Madi and Hannah played in here for quite a bit. It's so nice. There is so much to do in he children's zoo. It was amazing that how much they loved this:

Best Buds....

The STL ZOO is by far my favorite zoo. Not only is it free but they have added so many new fun things for kids and adults to do.