Kansas City Curtain Call

Only a few days are left for me here in Kansas City. Then I'll leave this split-level home of six months and begin the journey that takes one month and a thousand miles to get back in Bryan's arms. Of course I'm ecstatic about that last part, but leaving KC will be bittersweet.

Things I will miss about this Midwest home include the adorable 10-month-old who thinks I'm hilarious, the evening neighborhood walks with my preggo sister, the dinners and drinks made by my brother-in-law, the plethora of shops at my city-living fingertips, the Starlight Theater productions, and the nightly viewing of seasons on DVD (currently working through 90210).

Things I will not miss include waiting till naptime to shower, getting my toes crushed by Toby's big paws, and living with roommates who have a higher mess tolerance than me.

I'm sure you're wondering if six months of Flora's cute babyness has convinced this nanny/aunt to give her a cousin as soon as Bryan comes home. The short answer: no. Flora's skills at persuasion have not advanced beyond smiles and laughs. We'll revisit this issue in a few years and see if she can formulate a better argument by then.

Coffee Shop Blogging

Today is my day off Flora duty, so I am here enjoying a 12oz cup of joe and an almond croissant. According to my punch card, this is my eighth coffee here so my next one is free. I have about a week and a half to redeem my free coffee before I begin my journey back to the North Carolina coast. I am so SO excited about moving back! This morning I called the housing office on base and found out that we've moved up on the wait list from #34 two weeks ago to #22 today. Once I'm there it won't be exciting at all because I'll still have a few weeks to wait before Bryan arrives. Those last few weeks will be comprised of the longest days of my life. I wouldn't wish a prolonged separation on any married couple, but the homecoming is so exquisitely exciting that I wish everyone could know the joys of it.

Last weekend my college friends and I had a little reunion in Denver, Colorado. You girls are great! Driving several hours through flat and boring Kansas was slightly redeemed by the ginormous white windmills, fields of sunflowers, and signs for the world's largest prairie dog. Our trip was highlighted by an interrogation of Hannah's new boyfriend, pedicures by a woman who took two dozen pictures of us with my camera, three goofy girls sharing a small fitting room in Macy's, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, and... well, you really don't need to know about the best parts. ;)

Crafting with Flora

Per your request, here is a picture of Flora in her "I Love My Nanny" bib that I designed for her. Another project recently inspired by my boredom was to make the letters of her name to hang on her wall. I first traced and cut the letter shapes out of styrofoam. Then I used hot-glue (the duct tape for women) to wrap the sides in white fabric.


Finally I filled the exposed styrofoam with artificial flowers, courtesy of Joann's 70% off clearance bin. The result is very colorful and fun, but it still hasn't quite made it to her wall yet!

An Off-Broadway Review

Tonight I joined my sister and two other friends to see a Broadway-style production in a large outdoor Starlight Theater. The show was called The Drowsy Chaperone and even after reading the programs we had no idea what it would be about. It turned out to be a really great show and a very fun night (despite a first-act margarita that pushed on my bladder for three hours).

I'd love to show you pictures, but unfortunately cameras were not allowed. Basically the show is about a modern-day man using a record-player in his home to listen to a 1920's musical comedy called The Drowsy Chaperone (ie, the drunk maid of honor). The entire jazzy musical proceeded to take place in his living room with occasional exclamations and explanations from the "man in chair"—as his character was called. I was delighted to recognize two actors from tv and film: Georgia Engel, Robert's mother-in-law in Everybody Loves Raymond and Georgette in The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and also the "man in chair" himself, Jonathan Crombie who graced the Anne of Green Gables movies as Gilbert Blythe. Georgia Engel's best line with her softly delicate voice: "Poooooop." But my favorite line was Man in Chair's "Is this the person I'm supposed to pee with for the rest of my life?"

I'm so glad that live theater has survived the 20th century and not suffered the same sad fate as its doomed sister, musical films. I'm a big fan of choreographed tap-dancing, exaggerated expressions, and the philosophy of why say it when you can sing it? The cheesier the better. I'm looking forward to next month's production of High School Musical. (Seriously. Really excited about that one.)

Blogging, Writes, and KC Life

There are other ways of reading my blog besides coming to this website. You can subscribe to the RSS feed at the bottom of the page, or I can add you to a list of people who will get my new posts emailed to them. I know several of you received emails when I updated my Xanga blog, so I thought you might like that option here, too. Just send me your email address and I'll add you to that list.

I just thought of another great name for my blog: Writes of a Military Wife. Too late to change the name though. And after next year I won't have that military angle to my blog anyways. That's right, we only have about a year left with the Marines!

I wish Bryan could share all my Kansas City experiences. He said I should send him photos of everything I do and everywhere I go so he can picture my life here. (too easy pun) So today Flora and I went out with camera in tow and documented the following places that I frequent: two coffee shops within two miles of the house, a drive-through with the best frozen custard ever, the closest post office which happens to be in a strip mall, my new bank that I chose based on its attractive exterior, the convenient Quick Trip that highlights many a weekend with coffee and donuts, and the slightly overpriced hometown grocery store. It's not too exciting, but that's pretty much the extent of everything I do in KC. Eventually I'll have to get a picture of the Apple Store for him because I'm definitely dragging his PC booty into one of those. Maybe I'll call ahead so they can have an intervention prepared.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame David Cook!

This ranks as my best Kansas City experience so far. Yesterday American Idol finalist David Cook came to KC for his big "hometown visit". We all got tickets to the Royals game so we could hear him sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame". I came prepared with my mental lists of Do's and Don'ts. DO ask David Cook to marry my friend in Africa (per her request). DON'T flash David Cook (per my husband's request). And DO take lots of pictures (because you wouldn't believe me otherwise).

Here are the occupants of Section 319, Row G, Seats 10-12. Not pictured: Chris Borkert.













I thought it necessary to also document that Jim Halpert is leading a double life as a professional baseball player.









Then came David Cook! Yaaaayyyy! Wait a minute, David what are you doing to your baseball cap? David, no! Nooooo...

Flora was definitely the most excited about seeing David Cook.










He sang. We screamed. I forgot about my mental list of Do's and Don'ts. It was the best 7th inning ever.

Eight Months in Iraq=Eight Months in KC

Kansas City. It's frigid. Avee and I do not like the cold. But I really enjoy living with my sister. I'd like it even better if Bryan were living here with me. Then it'd be like that cheesy spin-off of the Brady Bunch when Marcia and Jan lived in a house together with their husbands. But a sit-com life would be much better than a war-movie/Odyssey life. The role of Penelope is way overrated. More than anything though I'm really enjoying being just five minutes away from a Quick Trip. I get coffee there a few times a week. In the evenings we all watch American Idol or the latest season on dvd that my sister brought from the library (right now we have McGyver, Saved by the Bell, and Home Improvement). And on very special nights we all play Scrabble and drink Hard Mike's. Well, it really doesn't take a very special night to break out the Hard Mikes. I haven't done much shopping. Hopefully Stef and I will go to the plaza this weekend. I've been to their church twice, and I know I should be totally immersed in a ministry by now, but I'm not. I have no good excuse for that. I'm quite the sourpuss at church b/c it makes me miss Bryan a lot more. Maybe I'll volunteer for the nursery sometime. Kids are a lot easier to befriend than grown-ups.