springdellgirl

Kansas City Trip: Day 7

This day was mostly a day of crafting. My mom woke up bright and early and got herself all set up in the dining room doing what she loves to do...create. She was making all kinds of decorations for the wedding...the fascinator for Jordin's hair, tulle covered white lights, flower girl bouquets, the ring bearer's pillow, covered satin buttons to go on the thick satin ribbon that went around Jordin's bouquet...all sorts of wedding-y things. So while the kids played, Tyler and Ramon hung out, ran errands, got pizza, and my mom and I sat at the dining room table and chatted while she worked and we waited for a huge delivery of all the wedding flowers. I did contribute to the crafting. I made the tulle poof for the bride's chair at the reception. I really didn't want to screw anything up and so I left all the serious creating to the master. But that poof rocked if I do say so myself. ;)

Seeing all the flowers arrive via the mail was bizarre. Jordin wanted all calla lilies for most everything...Her bouquet, bridesmaids bouquets, the boutonnieres, table decorations etc. My mom did order a bunch of other white flowers as filler. Because of the bulk amount of calla lilies needed for the wedding they had to be ordered online. It was quite nerve wracking waiting for their arrival to see how they would turn out. But...they were beautiful. Boxes and boxes of calla lilies were put into big buckets and set to rest and open up down in Jordin's basement. The kids were threatened with their lives not to go anywhere near them!!

After a full morning and part of the afternoon spent crafting and cousins-gone-wild it was time to give Ramon and Jordin a bit of a break. Tyler and I loaded up our kids...sans Reilly... who stayed to go to the mall with Jordin for a few more last minute purchases...and we went to see some more sights.

One of my favorite areas is the Country Club Plaza. It is an affluent shopping area that was built in the 1920s with an architecture style to resemble Seville, Spain. It is gorgeous. There is a river walk, fantastic designer shops, amazing restaurants, sculptures and fountains everywhere. Did you know that Kansas City is known as the City of Fountains and is rumored to have more fountains than Rome? Well... now you do. There are some beauties.

On our way down to the Plaza we passed through one of the most beautiful residential areas I have ever seen. It is the Country Club District off of Ward Parkway...a gorgeous wide historic boulevard decorated with statuary and more fountains and miles of the most amazing historic mansions. Yes, miles...of mansions. When we lived in KC, we used to love to drive down there and just drool over all those awe inspiring homes. Yep, it is still inspiring.

On this particular day we came upon a wreck that was in the process of being cleaned up. A once gorgeous black Porsche was completely totaled. I thought Kameron was going to cry.

Anyway...back to the Country Club Plaza:

This was always such a fun area to hang out. I had some very fun dates in high school there. It is also the area (earmuffs and blinders Johnson kids) where my friends and I would go if we were skipping school. I was always terrified that I was going to see my parents on a business lunch or something. I think I did actually see my dad there once...but he did not see me. Whew. This is also where we would all go for Prom and Homecoming as all the best and fanciest restaurants were there. There were carriage rides and luxury hotels for after prom parties. If you were really lucky you actually shopped down there. My best friend, Mary, used to buy all of her school clothes at Laura Ashley down on the Plaza. I thought she was SO LUCKY!! Thanksgiving weekend they have a big lighting ceremony and the Plaza looks absolutely magical during the holidays.

Here are some pictures:

The shopping is still fun down there but now the stores are slightly less impressive since there are so many outdoor luxury shopping areas across the U.S. but back then it was the first of its kind. It has always been a place to see and be seen. It still is.

We also drove the kids past my old church. The one I attended when I became active again. I showed them how far away I had to drive to get to early morning seminary. Far...about a half hour away and mine began at 5:45am. Yes, I did come to seminary each and every morning with my hair and make-up done!! (Many of my fellow seminary goers used to come in their pajamas.) Seminary was so important to me. Since I was the only LDS kid in my high school... seminary each morning was a lifeline. When seminary ended all the kids headed out to 8 different high schools. Crazy.

I laughed to see that the old gas station was still in existence where my boyfriend, Aaron, and I would stop for donuts in the morning...and during Sunday School. Oops. It was fun to get a chance to remember the good times...not just the bad...that occurred during my high school years. So much of Kansas City is filled with wonderful and funny memories of Aaron and all of our high school antics. It was bittersweet though since Aaron has since passed away. He was a lot of fun and I feel so blessed to have known him and shared so many fun times together.


I then showed my family all my high school hangout spots. We went past Brookridge Country Club where Mary and I used to spend so much time lounging around the pool and wracking up a huge tab for frozen tropical drinks and nachos to her dad. Oh those were the days!! I showed them the mall where I used to hang out and the movie theater that reminds me of the Garland here in Spokane. That theater was called the Garwood and to this day I consistently call the Garland the Garwood. 

 

 My ultimate high school hangout. Gojo's Japanese Steak House. My friends and I used to eat there every single weekend. It was delish. We had our "regular" table and our "regular" chef. Weekend after weekend Mary, Jimmy, Penner, Chris, Pat and I would hold court at Gojo's. We had good taste and we were bankrolled by Penner's dad the very generous Dr. Penner. Unfortunately this restaurant did not live up to my memories.

Last Summer

I ate there last summer and it's either gone down hill or I have much higher standards now. But it was a serious good time in high school.

By that time the kids were tired of hearing about me and the dull details of my teenage life...and it was time for...yes...you guessed it. Frozen custard.

When we got back to Jordin's we returned to a packed house. All of Jordin's best girlfriends were there and many friends and family members of Ramon's. Jordin banished Ramon downstairs and tried on her wedding dress with all the accoutrements. She looked beautiful.

(A close up of the fascinator. The British would be proud. It was gorgeous. It tried to talk her into a veil but she was not having it. It turned out really pretty so I am glad she didn't listen to me!! )

Then it was party central. Jordin was with all her best friends getting her hair cut and colored in her kitchen by the fabulous Dianna while the kids were running wild on a pizza high. There was so much excitement and so many happy people. Stacey, Kelley, Elle, and River finally arrived. Details were planned like who was going to walk who down the aisle in the wedding party...there were 8 bridesmaids and groomsmen. I got my brother Kirk. (It proved to be a bad move. Neither of could walk normally. It's harder than you think. It was like two spastic people in a desperate struggle of what foot goes first. It was not pretty.)

And thus ended the 7th day.