The Christmas Decorations Are Up!

... and it took less than 4 hours to find this. These boys are adorable.

Gwyn just loves what she calls "Gwyn-sized trees!" She wanted her picture with them. And yes, it is cold out, but she didn't want to wear tights in the house.

Halloween 2014

This year both boys wanted to be boys for Halloween. Which pretty much means that they wanted to dress up as some kind of death. (This was a bit awkward when they dressed up to see my grandma at her nursing home.) At first Gwyneth was going to be Santa Claus, which was my favorite. Then she was going to be a pirate, and then finally settled on Tangled. (Which is really Rapunzel.) I should have known it would be Tangled, and I honestly did and almost bought the costume back in September, but I guess I was still hoping for Santa Claus.

Halloween was freezing this year. It was so cold. The kids had to bundle up. At least the boys could still wear their costumes on the outside, but Gwyn cried about having to wear long sleeves under her dress. And I remember being little and having the same thing happen. It ruins what you thought you would get to dress up as. I felt bad for her, but she came around once it got closer to collecting candy.

Gwyn made it around one court this year! It is much better than the 1/2 house she made it to 2 years ago, and the 3 she made it to last year! Afterward, we hung out in the house with my mom while Kevin took the boys out. After about an hour the boys returned to drop off candy and head out again, but they never left the house after getting warmed up.

It was a successful night!

Gwyn wanted a sickle, just like her brothers.

Dress-Up Day At School

Kevin and Colin had a day where they could dress up like the profession they want when they grow up. Colin did not care to dress up, but Kevin did. He wants to be an engineer. Luckily, we had a polo and a belt for him to wear to school. But his favorite part was the badge. It even had a real Boeing lanyard!

Cakes 106-108

My mom watched the kids when Kevin and I went to Chicago a few weeks ago. They got three more cakes! (All downtown and within walking distance from DTG's place.) We have another hunt scheduled for next Sunday with Uncle Tony, so hopefully we can get more before the end of the year!

Missouri Athletic Club

The Arch - I am so glad they finally got this one!

National Blues Museum / MX Complex

Cakes #91-105!

I am still loving this cake thing. And the kids like it if they are not hangry. I don't know why Kevin doesn't like it, as it gets us out of the house for hours so he can do school work!

Here is the update on our cake collection from the past 2 weeks.

Youthbridge Community Center - We went out on a Friday night for dinner and cakes. (I think Kevin was out with friends.) This was a re-shoot of a cake from a few weeks before. I took the picture with my phone, but I can't retrieve the picture from my phone. So we just redid it. Obviously, this was still when Colin was following the "one-picture" rule, where we take the shot one time and that is the picture!

United Hebrew Congregation - Next, we were looking for this cake and another nearby. The other one was not there, but the signs said it was 6 miles east. We drove and never found that one.) So only 2 cakes that evening.

St. Louis City Hall - The next weekend Kevin and I went to a charity even downtown and walked past this cake!

Soldier's Memorial - Later that same night, with Jessica and Gail. Our charity event was right next to Soldier's Memorial, so no kids in the picture. But I count it anyway.

Express Scripts - This one is right next to an UMSL cake, but it only went out a few weeks ago! We stopped after visiting my grandma one Wednesday. I wish there was more light so you could see Gwyn's face better!

Taille De Noyer - This starts a cake hunt day! Last Saturday we went on a cake hunt with my mom, DTG. This was the first cake and is located just a couple blocks from the house Kevin grew up in! I tried to get the house in the picture, but the glare from the sun was too much.

General Daniel Bissell House - There was a parade in the way of this cake, but we found a way! (I think it was a homecoming parade.) If Colin is not in the picture, he is probably taking the picture. He took this one!

Old Chain Of Rocks Bridge - I have been wanting this cake! This was the bridge cars used to cross the Mississippi decades ago. Now it is a open for cyclists and pedestrians. We tried our hardest to walk all the way out to the middle where the bridge bends/turns, but it was just too cold. No one was excited about being out there but me.

Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing - I have been wanting this cake for months! This commemorates crossing the Mississippi with the Underground Railroad. This required us to park the car and walk a short distance to the cake. There was a rest stop for cyclists open, which was wonderful since Gwyn needed a restroom. We also saw 3 different cars on the trail, which was weird. One car was getting a warning instead of a $500 ticket. (The cop played that one well, since the lady's really didn't know. Apparently there was supposed to be an event at the crossing about the same time we were there. The other cars were on their way as well until we stopped and warned them.)

Grand Avenue Water Tower - This was on the way to Crown Candy for lunch! (We have that cake already.) Colin was hangry and didn't want to be in the picture. Shh. He didn't know he was in it! This so far has been the most dangerous as well, and I am standing in the road to get the picture, and the road you see had a 35 MPH speed limit and was being used. (Luckily, no cars went all the way around the water tower, so they were not speeding past the kids.)

Griot Museum of Black History - This is our 100th cake! This was right after lunch, so Gwyn and Colin were full and tired. They stayed in the car. Kevin surprised me with bunny ears.

Fairground Park - Kevin took this picture. Gwyn was trying to pose in a snuggly way, so contrary to what it looks like, she wanted to be in this picture. I love Colin's pose. Also, we saw another car driving on the trail for people and bicycles! If anything, my kids learned that day NOT to drive on trails!

Anni Malone - At this point, all the kids were tired and hungry. But we were in the Ville and I was going to get the cakes! Colin at least got out to take the picture.

Sumner High School - Kevin was the only one who would get out of the car. It had been a long day, though. This was a cake I wanted, so I am glad someone was in the picture!

The next day my brother Tony came over. We wanted a bigger cake hunt (like last time, when we met him in Illinois) but there was an afternoon soccer game. So we only made two cakes, but I think one might be my favorite!

Old Saint Ferdinand Shrine - We met another cake hunter at this cake. (This happens all the time.) She was on cake number 217, and had started about 6 weeks ago! We shared stories, and gave tips on finding cakes. I love meeting people along the way! I also love how Tony is only a head and two big feet.

Fort Belle Fountaine - This was THE BEST CAKE! One reason is that the picture was fun to take, with Tony falling over, Kevin being goofy, and Colin taking the picture. His shadow is there! He now takes pictures nonstop. So I had about 10 pictures of us with the cake, and then 4 of me running to get the camera from him. I can tell when he is taking a lot of picture since he gets giggly.

About this location - I never knew it existed! The fort was built in 1806, and Lewis and Clark stayed here when they returned to the area. There is a great view of the Missouri River, but I wish I could have seen the fort from a boat. That view has to be great. This was the top level, and when we looked over the wall, you could see more of the fort. Kevin is convinced we will return for a picnic one day. I have more pictures of the rest of the fort.

This is what we saw when we looked over the wall. All the kids hiked down and up!

One of the fountains looked like a mini-cake. But the best part is the subtle photobomb.

Here is my picture from down at the level nearest the river.

Here is a professional photograph. Much better. And this is from the level of the road. There is an old road, mostly gravel, at the bottom. It goes into open passageways in the trees on either side. It is kind of creepy and awesome at the same time. I would like to see this from a boat on the river!

There was one more cake we had planned on getting, but it was dinner time. We parted ways with Tony and headed home. But a while later I got a text from him - he got the other cake in West Alton! And then he went and got the cake I really want in Illinois - Robert Wadlow! Grrr.... I will get those cakes with him in the future, so I refuse to post them until someone is in the picture with the cake! How dare he taunt me like that!?!?!?

Cakes 86 - 90 - Another Hunt With Another Grandma!

The boys did not have school on Friday, so they went on a cake hunt with Grandma! They found 5 cakes.

Kevin says that it was really fun, and they found fun cakes. They also found the largest acorns he has ever seen, which he still has. (He says he hid them. Somewhere. Where I will not find them. I am guessing they are in his room, but who knows.)

Centene Corporation

Kirkwood Train Station - the last time the boys were here we were taking the train to Kansas City for a McWeekend!

St. Joseph's Academy - Grandma had been subbing here since the start of the school year until recently. I am glad she got this picture with the boys since it is a school they know because of her!

St. Louis County Courthouse

The Magic House - Just looking at Colin should tell you how magical this place is.

The boys were excited about the cake hunt! I am glad they still like it. I am having fun with it! We just went down to Jefferson Barracks last weekend, and I can not believe that I didn't look for cakes beforehand. We missed 3 cakes in the two areas we were in. I am out of my groove with school starting back up. But no worries - I am looking for times to go before and after soccer games in the next month!

Cakes 76-86 (With 3 bonus cakes!)

This weekend, we found 10 more cakes! I also found out that there are 2 or 3 bonus cakes as well! (Don't ask me why.)

Kevin had a Boeing picnic on Saturday, and as Gwyn and I were walking to the truck she spotted a cake. It was a Queeny Park, which I knew did not have a cake, but the museum in the park had the cake! (I am out of my groove. I didn't even think to check.) Afterward, we drove around for about 30 minutes to let Gwyn nap before dinner, and we found another. (I knew where that one was.) However, that picture is on my phone, and I don't know how to text it or email it so I can upload it. It may take a while to get that one.

AKC Museum of the Dog in Queeny Park

Kevin and I went to the Cardinals game on Sunday because Kevin's dad (Pappy) threw out the first pitch. (Much more on that later when I have time for a longer post.) The kids spent time with my mom and went on a cake hunt! They found 5 cakes in a short loop around the city.

America's Center (Cervantes Convention Center)

Citygarden - I can't believe it took this long to get this cake. This is one of the kids' favorite spots downtown!

Edward Jones Dome - I don't like that this cake is inside. This is where the Rams play. I think you need a ticket to get in. The Rams were playing in another city and the place was closed anyway. But I do love the picture of the kids looking in at it!

Kiener Plaza

The Old Courthouse - Construction around the Arch is in the background!

After the game, we planned on going to dinner with my mom at Crown Candy. Even though it was closed (That lying website!) we found a cake there and a block away! So on our walk to Range for dinner, we found a third cake! I have no idea what is it yet, since it is not updated on the map yet. I will let you know when I find out.

Crown Candy

Old North St. Louis

Mystery cake at 10th and Locust. It has to be new, my mom hasn't seen it before and she lives a block away!

Kevin Turned 8!

On August 30, Kevin turned 8 years old! When he was born, we lived in Wichita, I taught elementary school, Aunt Kelly lived in Colorado, we relaxed by watching movies, (once we watched all the extended versions of the Lord Of The Rings Trilogy for fun. Those were the times.) and we thought we knew what tired was.

I asked Kevin what the best part of his birthday was, and he said "family," but then added "my cake and presents." The second best part was "talking to Aunt Kelly." The most fun part was go-carting.

We had family over for cake and ice cream on Friday night. On Saturday, we went go-carting. Kevin kept saying that the most important thing is family, but I reminded him that it is okay to want to have fun at the same time. Here are a few pictures.

The birthday boy!

His Transformer cake!

All 3 kids on Saturday.

Kevin driving with daddy.

When Gwyn was not riding in a cart, two of us waited with her. When she was riding at the same time as one of the boys, the other boy waited alone. Each kid was able to ride two times! The boys were not old enough to drive alone at this track.

Gwyn's face on the go-carts. I love it! She was the only one I drove when I had the camera. But the boys do not look like this. Kevin likes the speed and calmness of it. Colin likes the sharp turns, and talks the entire time.

On Sunday the kids all pulled weeds in the rocks. They actually like doing this, and asked if they could! And of course the boys took off their shirts. So Gwyn did too. I debated whether or not she could, but I think 3 is a safe age.