Colorado State vs. SDSU

 The weather was cold and rainy (thank goodness for covered seats!) and the Aztecs played horrible, but we had a fun night with friends at Qualcomm tonight.

 The poor marching band and drill team performed just in time for the downpour and fans huddled under the overhangs.  

Once the Aztecs were down 50-something to 30-something, we headed for Peterson's Donuts to put smiles back on our faces.  Feliza's family had never been and Wendy absolutely loves Peterson's too, so they followed right behind us.  Delicious!

"FriendsGiving"

Allison hosted a fun event for a few of her friends over Thanksgiving break.

 She got a little bit crafty and made this festive sign and decorated the living room.

 They did a little potluck with turkey/cranberry wraps along with all of the Thanksgiving side dishes.

They used the fancy dishes and wine glasses for apple cider and had a nice time visiting at the table and going out in the hot tub before finishing the night with apple pie!  

Miss Marvelous

Miss Marvelous is one of those events that leaves me feeling truly inspired and smiling ear to ear.  Taylor was fortunate enough to get to volunteer for this pageant again as it gives high school aged girls in our community a chance to shine.  They are all part of the special needs programs at the 3 local high schools and businesses donate dresses and hair/makeup services to put on this amazing pageant.  Taylor worked behind the scenes to get Shilda ready and Nathan and Jake were her escorts. She looked beautiful!

 Jacob danced his way out on stage to escort Savannah.

The girls all had a chance to show off their fancy dresses, but also performed their favorite talent.  Jolie is always my favorite!  She loves to dance and loves to stare at her self on the big monitors the whole time!

The girls performed a group dance with the school's dance team

 and put their dresses on one more time for the crowning ceremony.  

Each girl is presented with a sash, crown, flowers and a bag of goodies and it just melts my heart!

They may not be able to express themselves with words, but their emotions are written all over their faces!

Taylor and Jenner back stage.

Taylor and beautiful Shilda, who won Most Inspiring.  She has endured numerous surgeries and physical challenges, but keeps smiling.

Sweet Jacob

Reanna helped work the lights as part of her ASB class.

Cuteness overload!

So proud of all of these senior volunteers for making this night so special for so many girls and their families!!  I know it means so much to them too!

17

 I can't believe she is 17, but there is no denying she has grown up into a lovely young lady with quite a year ahead of her!  This will be a year full of such celebration and joy, mixed with a lot of emotion, but I'm so glad to have a front row seat!

 I was a little sentimental decorating her door last night, thinking it will likely be the last time I get to do it (at least at this house). I can't help it.  I feel like everything is a "last"!   I'm going to have to find someone to decorate her dorm next year!

I made her cinnamon rolls and a smoothie for breakfast and brought her a California burrito for lunch at school. Unfortunately, she had a busy day with school and Miss Marvelous rehearsal, so we did cake and gifts after a full day around 9:00pm.

She's excited that she gets to drive friends in her car now and is one year closer to being "a legal adult".  Happy Birthday Sweet Girl!

Heading Home

Andrew had 10:00 class this morning, but he had one more place he wanted to take us...Muncher's Bakery.  They have the cutest mini donuts and they were so good!

 Goofy shot!

Cute shot!  

We drove back to campus and spent one last time in the bookstore before saying goodbye to Andrew. This goodbye was easy for them since he will be home for Thanksgiving next week.  He has such pride for KU and I know he loved showing us around.  He keeps saying he doesn't want to influence Taylor's decision, but I'm not sure that's possible!

Taylor and I had just enough time for one more BBQ joint before heading to the airport.  Arthur Bryant's was the name we heard most often so we gave it a try.

 It sits all by itself on this little street corner, in a not-so-nice-looking part of town, but the people were beyond friendly and the BBQ was so good!

 We were there a little before 11am so not a crowd yet which was nice for us!

I got the Burnt Ends sandwich and Taylor got the Pulled Pork. They were both served open face on plain white bread, but it was the perfect pairing!  We had such a great time together and I'm grateful to have had so much one on one time with her.  I only teared up a few times, but I feel our time together slipping away as the months are going by far too fast.  I am thrilled she loved KU and am hoping she will find peace in making her decision.  She has worked so hard and she deserves to find the right fit!!

Kansas City

We slept in a little bit this morning and then drove into Kansas City.  We met Chris, Aimee and Merritt and Union Station.  It is still a working Amtrak Station, but still has a very traditional feel.

It houses a science center, movie theater, gift shop and a few restaurants.

 We sat at Harvey's while Chris and Aimee finished their drinks.  We took a walk to Crown Center

 and walked around the outdoor fountains.

 I was on a mission to have KC BBQ so they recommended Jack Stack right across the bridge from Union Station. 

It was delicious!  We ate brisket, sausage, pulled pork and burnt ends.

 We said our goodbyes after lunch so Chris, Aimee and Merritt could head home and we did a little more touring.  I think they are really hoping Taylor decides on KU and look forward to more visits!

 We continued on with a walk up to the war memorial.  This grass area was the location for the Kansas City Royals World Series celebration last year and is a beautiful backdrop to the city.

Andrew directed us around town and gave us a quick glimpse at the Power and Lights District.  We will have to go back when it is dark sometime.

Our last stop in KC was to Country Club Plaza. It is a really trendy outdoor shopping mall and the weather was perfect for it.  I found a nice park bench to relax while Taylor and Andrew did some shopping. 

On the way back into Lawrence, Andrew showed us Rock Chalk Park.  It is an amazing outdoor sports complex with the soccer field, track, tennis facilities and softball fields just a few miles from campus.

KU Day #2

We were up again this morning because KU's football game was at 11:00am!  Andrew said that's because they save the good time slots for good teams...haha!  We met him at his house and met the cute house dog, Finn.  So sweet!

We walked across the street to join the tailgating and walk around the stadium.  We met up with Heidi and her family at their normal tailgate spot but I forgot to get pictures.  Her husband Dan was so nice and we met several of their friends as well.

 KU only has 1 win leading up to this game, but they were feeling like they had a chance against Iowa State.  It was actually a pretty good game, although KU couldn't pull out the victory.  

I thought it was pretty unique that the stadium was all bleachers and we enjoyed being so close to the field!

Chris and his family only live about 3 hours from Lawrence, so I made sure to tell them we would be in town for the weekend.  They drove up to spend some time with us which was great.  They were waiting for us at Andrew's house following the game.  Merritt was sure happy to see Taylor and quickly fell for Andrew too!

We walked around campus for a while and Merritt got a picture with the Jayhawk at the Student Union after we visited the bookstore.

 Potter's Lake was the perfect backdrop for a few more photos.

 After a quick Starbucks break, we toured Allen Fieldhouse.  Chris hadn't seen the Rules of Basketball so we made sure to stop by. 

Merritt loved playing "the bump game" overtime she had a chance to walk with Taylor and Andrew.  We enjoyed a fun pizza dinner at Mintzy's before Taylor and Andrew went out with his friends and Chris and Aimee headed back to the hotel with Merritt.