Hot Chocolate 15k - St. Louis

My dad, Mark and I went to St. Louis over the weekend.  Dad and I ran the Hot Chocolate 15k.  The whole family was supposed to go but with predictions of snow and very cold temps we decided to leave the kids behind with my mom and brother.  It was so cold, they wouldn't have enjoyed themselves anyway. Mark was a trooper and stood outside taking our pics, etc. Here are some pics from the weekend.

We have arrived!

The Expo and packet pick up

Landry's - where we ate on Saturday night.

We stayed at Union Station, which has nothing on KC's Union Station.  Nice place to stay but not nearly the amount of things to do as the Union Station in Kansas City. 

We had just arrived at the race.  It was COLD!

Santa was there and so were his sugarplum fairies

This was about 2.5 miles in

Same, about 2.5 miles in

About 5.5 miles in.  I am the one on the far left

Home stretch ... just about to the finish line. I placed 10th in my age group.

Home stretch for dad.  Just about there.  He placed 2nd in his age group. 

Icicles hanging from the hat 

9.3 miles done.  Posing with our finisher's mugs

A few departing pictures of the Arch on our way out of town! 

Christmas Program, Limo Ride and More!

Practicing for the Christmas program

Ready for the Christmas program. 

Waiting patiently to go up and sing!

Twirling in her dress after her class sang their songs

Kohen is the camel on in the back on the far left

This was last weekend - I guess you know it is cold when your sweat is instantly turning to ice while you are running.  I looked down half way through and noticed my legs were covered with frost/ice where I had been sweating.  It was a cold one! Don't mind the way I look ... I just couldn't believe everything on my face was turned to ice!  There wasn't a cloud in the sky so that is not from snow or sleet! 

Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree ....

Limo ride to see Christmas lights. Thanks, Uncle Ben!

Korinne was very partial to this margarita bottle!

Union Station

Union Station

Still has that margarita!

And still ... She loved that bottle!

Sweet girl fell asleep in front of the tree.  She just laid down and decided it was time, I guess!

Kohen's school had a little holiday shopping area set up for them to buy presents for family and friends.  Looks like we made out like bandits for Christmas!  I've always wanted an alien bouncy ball ... I wonder how he knew?!

Kansas City Chiefs Moms Football Safety Clinic

My sister-in-law and I went to a Moms Football Safety Clinic put on by the NFL and the Chiefs.  It was really interesting. It was held at Arrowhead, at the training facility.  

They had us run several drills.  Here I am practicing a "safe" tackle. 

It's horrible, but I can't remember who this guy is.  He is a former Chiefs player and was my group's coach.

Roger Goodell (NFL Commissioner), a neurologist (can't remember his name), Smithville High School Football Coach, Clark Hunt (CEO of the Chiefs), Christine Golic (Mike Golic's wife) and Diane Long (Howie Long's wife)

Me, Eddie Kennison and Kim

Black Friday, Visit to Santa and some Misc thrown in

The kids and I decided not to fight the shopping crowds on Black Friday. So, what better way to spend Black Friday than getting some pancakes at Perkins?!

Karlee's yummy pancakes

Kohen, would you like some pancakes with that syrup?!

Full tummies and ready for the next adventure!

Union Station was the next stop ... a favorite stop in our household. It was all decorated for Christmas.  We went specifically for the trains and found much more along our way!

Practicing a little yoga

The pirates were even decked out in Christmas attire!

This picture is very blurry but that is probably a good thing.  That way, you can't see the look of horror on Korinne's face.  I sat her down and she instantly started crying about being on the same seat with that pirate.  Actually, you can still make out the look of horror on her face.  I had to snap it quick before she jumped off the bench!

Time to see Santa!

On our way and boy was she excited!

 It was quite a long wait to see Santa at the Bass Pro Shop.  Luckily, they have quite a bit to do while you sit and wait for hours!

Roasting some marshmallows

Marshmallow time!

Finally, we made it to see Santa!  Korinne was not happy at all, much like the picture above with the pirate! And after all of Karlee's excitement early on, she decided when we were about two from the front of the line that she no longer wanted to see Santa.  She definitely wasn't sitting on his lap!  She agreed to see him only if Kohen saw him with her.

The tree is up and we have one little obsessed baby!  She can't seem to get enough of looking at it, pulling ornaments off the tree, wiggling the branches, etc., etc.

Misc Pictures 

Sweet little girl

Korinne loves to ride her ladybug and has recently started trying to ride sans hands!

Ready for gymnastics!

Kohen was at Children's Mercy a couple weeks ago. He tried to stand up one afternoon and out of nowhere said he couldn't walk.  We thought maybe he had fractured something.  

They took some x-rays and 4 1/2 hours later we found out he had inflammation in his hip joints from a virus he had previously had at some point.  This was great news that there were no breaks/fractures but he still couldn't walk and he wondered how we would get the wheelchair in the car so he could take it to school the next day!  Luckily, by the next morning he was able to put weight on it and had no need for assistance of any kind!  He loved that wheelchair while it lasted, though.  He had me wheeling him all over the front lobby while we waited to be called back.  He thought of all kinds of things he needed to see in that lobby!