Thanksgiving in Missouri

George and I just got back from a wonderful Thanksgiving week in Missouri. We spent the majority of the time in Columbia, the town where I grew up, with my parents and little brother, Brian. And, as tradition dictates, we spent turkey day and the day before in Kansas City (Parkville) at my Aunt & Uncle's house. Yet this year we were presented with a festive surprise - it snowed!!! The picture above is George and I goofing around in the snow at KC.

Luckily the snow stopped long enough the next day for us to safely run in Parkville's 20th Annual Turkey Trot. The run is an easy 5K hosted in Parkville's quaint downtown, with all the proceeds going to the area's parks. Mom and I started participating in the Turkey Trot along with my aunt Laura and cousin Christopher in 2001 - so, this year marked her 6th year, my 5th (I missed last year, because George and I celebrated the holidays in Texas with his family). Below is the beginning of the race - George and I are somewhere in the middle, so as not to get trambled by the serious runners!

Here's my Mom and Dad being cute!

No Husbands Allowed!

This past weekend two of my dear friends from Fort Worth came to visit for a long weekend! Shown above (left to right) at Pier 39 in San Francisco, Emily, Kara, and me. Our other friend, Jeanette, was also supposed to make the trip, but her sweet little boy got sick and she couldn't leave him. We missed you Jeanette!!!

The highlight of the trip was the day we spent exploring San Francisco. Just picture...3 girls, huge city, wrong directions, and pouring down rain! It definitely made for an exciting trip, even if at a few moments it was a little too much! I have to admit, our saving grace was the fact that my car still has Texas licence plates, so I could at least play the out-of-state card! That, and George's blackberry which we borrowed for the day. Kara, shown below, was my patient and encouraging navigator!

But with wrong directions, we couldn't help but get hopelessly lost! I was the not-so-patient, stressed out driver! :)

Still, we survived and had clam chowder, chocolate strawberry crepes, and bargain sweaters to prove it! But by the end of the day we looked a little like the lazy sea lions we saw at Pier 39.....notice a resemblance?!

Happy (belated) Birthday George!

I know that I'm several weeks late with this post, but I just had to share this cute picture of my husband on his birthday! He didn't ask for much, just his favorite cake for lunch and mexican food for dinner! I did surprise him with decorations and a few little extras though. Happy Birthday George!