Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead

We recently visited Deanna Rose for the first time for their opening weekend this season.

Everyone we have talked to gave glowing reviews, but we had no idea just how awesome it really was.

It was magical.

I'm convinced this place could knock the best of Carson's bad moods right off their tushy.

He didn't nap well this day and was overly tired, and I don't think I've ever seen him so giddy.

He didn't know where to turn, where to point next, or what animal to pet or touch. He just laughed. And squealed. Ran everywhere. Bursting with excitement.

He loved the baby goats.They were so tolerable of all these crazy toddlers running around them. Carson even tried to pick one up! His finger also got nipped by a turkey while trying to touch him, but he only cried for about 10 seconds. Oops.

We had so much fun watching him explore.

The children's farmstead has been in existence for more than 35 years and offers more than 200 animals and birds of prey, vegetable and flower gardens, a schoolhouse, fishing pond, pony rides, wagon rides and more!

The best part? It's affordable. Like unheard of affordable.

Two dollars Friday through Sunday (Did you hear me? I said $2!) and FREE during the week. Kids under two are free, so for our family, we visited for under $5. Impressive if you ask me.

I would have paid $5 just to see his face when Brian sent him down this slide head first.

Yep, my husband is that guy already teaching our child how to break all the rules (don't worry, it was a small slide).

We didn't get to feed a goat or take a wagon ride this time around, but I'd be willing to guess that we will back again.

Another kid-friendly place in Kansas City to write home about!

Brew to Brew 2013

 

4:30 AM wake up call

43.5 miles

10 legs

6 hours and 27 minutes

To support a great friend and a great cause 

More than $50,000

Donated to Cystic Fibrosis

Ledbetter's Army was up and at 'em bright and early this past Sunday to participate in the Brew to Brew running event.

  

For having a team that had barely trained (well...the better half of us), I'd say we did pretty darn good. We completed the 43.5 mile race in 6 hours and 27 minutes, averaging right under a 9-minute mile.

 

We ran on pavement, dirt and gravel, and one team member had to cross a river on a boat. Some members got stuck with legs that had endless hills and nearly died, but I think we made our team leader proud nonetheless:).

You see, our team leader is an athletic-doesn't miss a day-fit bad ass that happens to have a rare form of cystic fibrosis. He is definitely an inspiration to all of us. 

He ran four legs of the race (totaling 18 miles) just because he's a nice guy and wanted to give his wife, mom and brother-in-law a running buddy.

We had a great time, lots of laughs, and not too much complaining:).

Great job team! Next year, I think we'll train. Right!? 

If that's the case, we should probably veto Brian and Josh cracking open beers at 5:30 AM.

Lately

It's official, I've turned into a once-a-weekish blog poster.

No longer are the days of having hours upon hours to blog, read other blogs, watch reality TV, or run a simple errand without rushing. Most days I feel like I am running around like a crazy person.

Life of a mom. Of only one kid. I'm pretty terrified of what it will be like when we have more kids someday. Yikes.

I thought I would be able to crank out some blog posts in the midst of these record-breaking snow storms (12 inches last Thursday, 8 more today and counting) and being stuck at home, but a rambunctious toddler made other plans for my day.

Luckily, I really enjoy his company.

We're stuck inside again today, and are still rockin' our pj's. Not Christmas ones like last week, but pj's nonetheless.

Lately, we've been dealing with some toddler troubles. Teething, those damn molars, pink eye, daycare kids share everything, more biting incidents, it seriously keeps me up at night, and tantrums, watch out - my kid will scream...over nothing.

But today, I'm not talking about my kid issues. I'm relishing over our recent trip to the zoo.

We took advantage of the beautiful warmer weather a few weekends ago and the family pass Gammy gifted to us for Christmas. The best part? Gammy, Don and Big Nana came to KC to join us for the day!

I've been to the zoo once before, but only for a couple hours. C was only 8 months old, and it was a hot summer day when your make-up literally melts off your face.

This time was different. We covered more ground. The Kansas City zoo is pretty spread out, right?

The zoo now has two polar bears, not just one. They were pretty entertaining.

Last time we went to the zoo, we visited Australia. This time, we headed for Africa.

At times, we were unsure how much Carson could see or if he really enjoyed it, but he was pretty chill the entire day. 

I'll take a content toddler in a stroller any day and call it a win!

He was very uneasy about his first carousel ride, but warmed up to it once it started moving. He gave his fan club lots of smiles who were waving and smiling from the sidelines.

Funny story that happened towards the tail end of our zoo visit. We stopped at the polar bear exhibit one last time before exiting the park. As Brian was holding up Carson to see the bears through the glass, he felt something wet seep through the sleeve of his shirt. Sure enough, big boy's diaper had leaked.

So I took him to the bathroom to get changed and made the executive decision to not put his extremely wet jeans back on. I mean, who wants to sit in their own pee? Now, wouldn't you think a responsible mother would have an extra pair of pants in the diaper bag?

I didn't. Mom of the year I tell ya.

So I did the next best thing I could think of and wrapped a thin receiving blanket around his legs in the stroller. Well, Big Boy just thought it was absolutely hysterical to keep kicking the blanket off and exposing his skivvies to everyone.

He would kick it off. And laugh. I would put it back on. Now repeat that process about 27 times as I'm trying to find my family and leave the zoo.

It was pretty funny. But I received some stares. Why yes, I like to bring my kid in public with no pants on.

Pants or not, the Zoo was a success! We're looking forward to going back in the spring and visiting the penguin exhibit coming fall 2013.

I seriously love Kansas City. There is always something new and exciting happening.

Restaurant Review: Gram & Dun

I'm slacking on posting my restaurant reviews, but I can assure you I'm not slacking with crossing them off the list.

In fact, I've already managed to eat at six eateries. SIX!

That's pretty good if you ask me. Glad you asked.

First off the list to share with you all is Gram & Dun.

We went while ago now, and have since been back. It was so yum-in-the-tum that I'm taking it upon myself to do free marketing for them and tell everyone I know.

Location? Plaza, so location gets an A+ in my opinion. It took place of the former Baja 600, which I wasn't a huge fan of considering it was exactly the same as Jose Peppers only more moolah.

Their website says they have the "best patio in town," and I just might agree. This American gastropub is definitely doing things right.

Casual and sophisticated at the same time, offering an awesome place for people to relax and enjoy the vibe.

If you don't go for lunch or dinner, at least go for drinks. The atmosphere really is pristine.

Open is a boring word, but it's a great word to describe the atmosphere. They have large doors that open up onto the patio giving the feel of sitting outside, even when you're inside.

This was 90+ degree and we weren't even hot. I couldn't believe it myself. I definitely thought we would bake, but I was proven wrong.

Fam & Friends

Here's the deets:

Restaurant: Gram & Dun
Location: Plaza
Atmosphere: casual + sophisticated
Price: Mid Range ($$)
Ordered: PBR Can Chicken (Banana Bandino and the Gram & Dun Bar for dessert to share. oh.my.gosh.)
Service: Superb
Verdict: RAVE

KC Restaurant List 2012

Remember when I posted my list of Restaurants to Try last year?

Well, operation Restaurant List 2011 went pretty well and I'm ready for a new eatery adventure.

I couldn't believe how many new or undiscovered spots there were to include in the new list.

Right here in this place I call home.

With the help of a few coworkers, we came up with places we had never heard of, restaurants we knew of, but had forgotten to try, spots that recently opened, and places we simply had no clue about.

Any time we go out to lunch during the week, we have decided we will hit somewhere on the list. Don't you just love trying new places?

Within a few weeks of compiling the list, I already have several to report about. Stay tuned.

Here she is...

Restaurant List 2012
Snow Co. - Downtown
(This was included on the list because my coworker has never been. I wrote about it here.)
Mildred's - Downtown or Midtown
(Again, coworker has never been, but one of my faves. I'm partial to the chicken salad sandwich on rye.)
Little Freshie (hand crafted soda fountain and espresso bar) - Downtown
(Fresher than fresh Sno Cones anyone? Go. We went last week. Get Blackberry Lavender. You wont be disappointed. )

Gram & Dun - Plaza
Tannin Wine Bar & Kitchen - Crossroads/Downtown
Seasons 52 - Plaza
Chez Elle Creperie & Coffeehouse - Downtown
Lill's on 17th - Downtown
Coal Vines - Plaza
Zocalo - Plaza
Carmen's Cafe - Leawood & Brookside
Extra Virgin - Crossroads/Downtown
Bar Louie - Downtown
Haus - Downtown
FÜD (Vegan) - Downtown
Succotash - Downtown
Westport Cafe & Bar - Westport
Mestizo - Park Place
The Brick - Crossroads/Downtown
Urban Table - Prairie Village
Cafe Trio - Plaza Outskirts
Blue Stem - Wesport
The Boot - Westport
Le Fou Frog - River Market/Downtown
Hamburger Mary's - Crossroads/Downtown

Grünauer - Downtown

Cafe Gratitude (Vegan) - Downtown

YJ's Snack Bar - Crossroads/Downtown

Baby's First Ball Game

Tuesday, we took Carson to his first T-Bones baseball game. It was mom's first time too. He did awesome.

Always making it easy on mom and dad.

I have the best baby, I swear. I'm sure I'm biased. Every mom says that right? Yep, I'm biased. I can't help it, he is such a good baby!

This kid napped a whole 2+ hours at school and still managed to get through the night with all smiles.

He just doesn't want to miss out on anything. Brian's coworkers thought he was quite the cutie.

He showed off by grabbing a beer out of Brian's manager's hand and holding it all by himself. He is really into grabbing anything and everything. Even beer. Yes, it's true, we promote underage drinking. 

 Sizzle, the mascot, visited our suite, so we got a family pic. Carson didn't even cry or act scared. Maybe that's a good sign that he'll like Santa one day?

And then the little man passed out in dad's arms. But for only 20 minutes.

Great first ball game experience!

First First Fridays

Carson experienced his first "First Fridays" a few weekends ago.

Not to worry, it only took us five years of living in Kansas City to venture down to the KC Crossroads district to see what it was really all about.

Not familiar? I wasn't really either.

The Crossroads Community in the downtown area was once known for dilapidated buildings and rundown streets. Today, the district that spans a mile wide and is chock full of hip art galleries and swanky restaurants.

On the first Friday of each month, the Crossroads Community's art galleries, studios and restaurants open their doors to showcase local and national artists. Much like the already established First Friday’s of Phoenix and Houston, Kansas City’s version hosts a free evening of art entertainment where people gather to enjoy local and national art, the company of others, and even a free glass of wine. Some restaurants offer deals you don't want to miss. 

Lucky for us, the husband's new office is located smack in the center of the district, making it a great hangout spot. His company participated in an art showing by opening their doors and offering a bounce house and cotton candy machine.

Cant wait for the days when our little booger can enjoy these kid fun activities. Funny how having a kiddo makes you get out of your house and experience everything your City has to offer. 

Carson had a blast. We put him in the stroller for the first time without the bucket seat and he was a little sponge taking it all in. And having fun.

Clearly, his face says it all.

We couldn't have asked for a better Friday. Art galleries may not be our favorite thing in the world, but it offered something different. Something we don't typically do. Like maneuvering the stroller up and down stairs to enter and exit art galleries.

But really,  it was an experience and something we will definitely do again.

I've made a personal goal of truly getting out and about to learn my city. It sounds crazy that a city I've lived in for five years -- the city I consider home now --  is still unknown to me.

But, as they say...first comes love, then comes marriage. Life continues to pass by quickly and the next thing we know, there's a baby in a baby carriage.

Next up on the first-time Kansas City list, the Zoo in June!

Happy Friday everyone! Get out there and enjoy your City.

Restaurant Week

It's Restaurant Week in Kansas City and I am actually going to take advantage twice this year.

I always seem to forget about this week and end up missing out on some of Kansas City's finest spots. Not to mention, many of the participating restaurants offer mouth-watering dishes from the top chefs in the metro.

There's more than 100 participating restaurants and lots to choose from. Check out one blogger's Top Ten List for 2012.

I tend to overlook many of the pricier places on the list or would only opt to go there for a special occasion. Since the hubby and I rarely get out to eat for a nice meal, Restaurant week is right up our alley. With pre-set menus and affordable prices, it gives people like us a chance to get to restaurants we normally wouldn't go. It's quite genius.

Yesterday, a friend and I tried a new place downtown called Snow Co.

She had heard about it from co-workers so we decided to give it a whirl. To our surprise, they were a Restaurant Week participant and offered a great lunch deal: Two lunch combos for $15 that include a salad and sandwich of your choice. Lunch for two, for only $15 dollars? What a great deal.

Before I talk about what we ate, I'll give you a rundown of the atmosphere. Located at 18th and Wyandotte, this swanky spot could easily get overlooked. They consider themselves a "cafe and cocktail lounge" offering only fresh squeezed juices and homemade syrups in their cocktails.

Modern and comfortable is what they are going for and it is definitely that. So much that some people walking by might miss that they serve food. Very open, living room-like atmosphere, with a trendy touch.

Well, the food was superb so I'm helping get the word out! We were the only ones in the restaurant, but our waitress was very pleasant and friendly.

I had the Mayo-Free Chicken Salad Wrap and my friend had the Turkey & Havarti on Ciabatta. We both asked for them hot and they accommodated our request with no problems. We both had rave reviews. I can't wait to get back and try out their drink flights.

So, get yourself to this spot and give it a try. Also recommended is its neighboring eatery: Mildred's Cafe. Great sandwiches, salads and of course, coffee.

Saturday, we are hitting up J. Gilberts for Restaurant Week with friends. I have heard SO many positive remarks about this place. Excited.

About food...typical of me.

What about you? Are you venturing out for Restaurant Week?

Get Your Fix

I'm sulking. Pissed. Disappointed. Drowning my sorrows over the K-State loss today. Three times, seriously Cats? I'm not going to say much else about it, other than I hope the tourney has a better turnout.

Instead, I'll sit here with my glass-o-wine and reminisce the crazy Saturday night I had last weekend.

Since I was out of town on my b-day, some of my friends insisted we go out to celebrate my 27th b-day. Friends and cocktails? Ok, no need to twist my arm.

We wanted to do something a little different than the usual so we decided to go to P&L, a place we don't frequent. For all you out of towners, I'm referring to the Power & Light District, a development created to revitalize downtown KC.

While it may be a sought-after area during the day with an overabundance of great dining choices and hang out spots, by night it transforms into an interesting, trashy, Vegas wannabe (but not even close), classy establishment. Now, this is just my opinion, you don't have to agree.

Do we have fun when we go? Of course we do. We create a party. But what's even more fun? The people watching. I'm talking about pimps, hoochie-mamas, cougars and cowboys people. All in the same place. It's awesome.

We only went to two bars, but that's because our first stop, Howl at the Moon, is like an addiction you don't want to come out of. I mean, who doesn't love singing screaming the lyrics to Midnight Train and watching someone get on stage and make a fool out of themselves?

While we were there, we witnessed some old women make out (I'm talkin' upper 50s), a thug (with a cookie monster hat on) act like a pole while his wife danced on him on stage, some teeny-tiny wardrobe selections, and an old guy in cowboy boots shake his booty on stage (but it was cute:).

We had a blast. I can't get enough of the band (is that what you call them?) and all their hilarious improvisation. And the mirrored wall where you pay to have a message posted. Funny stuff.

Our second stop was PBR. Not the country music bar you would expect. The beer trough girl was dressed like Lady Gaga and had two feet of feathers coming off her head. And you wouldn't believe what some girls hoochie-mamas were doing on that bull. Utter dirtiness I say.

Alright, here's some pics from my 21st b-day. I mean, 27th. Although I did sort of act like it was my 21st.

My dear hubby, who was our DD. Bless his heart.

 There was major war going on between KU and Texas. A guy paid $300 (not kidding) to have the band end with the Texas fight song.

 

Smack shacked at our house. We stayed up until 4:00 am talking and tried to cure our hangovers with coffee and taquitos.

Bethany was excited there was someone shorter than her in the bar. Ha.

I love these joksters.

Shots for my 21st birthday:). Lemon drop, me and beth's fav.

Ha ha. Cole made me sign for my "24th" shot.

At PBR. Taking a pic when all of a sudden...

Beth's beer goes crashing to the ground. She got beer dropped by Mark.

Our friends Scott and Katie were in town from the Ta.

I don't know the random girl who decided to jump in our pic.

And that concludes my montage from our P&L night. Go get your fix. It's necessary every once in awhile. You'll laugh your ass off, that's for sure.