Art's and Entertainment in Kansas city

Wow! for one thing

I cannot believe another week has come and gone...

Last week was a great week exploring
some of the Art's and Entertainment experiences in Kansas city.

Tuesday Nathan and I 

went to a Counting Crows concert at the local Starlight theatre.

It is a great outdoor venue!

So pretty, clean, and organized.

I don't think you could have a really bad seat... 

Last minute we bought the least expensive tickets we could

 and our seats were great!

Friday 

we joined the "First Friday's" Festivities 

in the Crossroads district, downtown KC.

Every first friday of the month

 local art galleries open their doors for the evening

Plus there is live music and entertainment throughout the streets.

The Streets were filled with people!

The crossroads is an old KC neighbourhood, 

Lots of industrial buildings now turned into fashionable lofts and gallery's.

Side note: 

There is SO much brick in downtown KC...

It ALWAYS makes me think the developers must have read

  'The Three Little Pigs'

(we are in tornado valley after all)

We will definitely be back next "first friday"

Since it was a long weekend in Canada

Many of our Canadian friends had visitors, 

so we enjoyed festive gatherings and ended our 

week-end adventures with a 

BBQ picnic in the park

Michelle, Devon, Nathan

Other than that...
Nathan has been busy with his clinical rotationsand

I have been organizing my/ our next adventures:

At the end of the month 

I am heading to the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon 

for orientation into their Nurse Practitioner program.

But the really exciting part is that

 on my way 

I am stopping to visit my friends Anne and Joel in Winnipeg!

And 

on my way back 

Nathan is meeting me in Denver, Colorado!

We are spending the long weekend in the Mountains!

I am also continuing to make very slow, painful, but steady progress on my paperwork 

to maybe, eventually, get a job in this country...

Slow and steady wins the race right?

All for now!

Camping: Smithville Lake, MO

We spent the week-end camping!

This was our home for two nights

Neither of us wanted to travel very far, 

so I searched for campgrounds close to Kansas city.

I found Smithville lake, it is about 40min north east of Kansas city

Like many of the lakes in Missouri it is man-made.

Supported by the construction of a damn. 

This explains the odd, spindly shape of the lake 

and the large dead trees located in some areas.

Remaining evidence that this was not meant to be underwater

However, 

there were also many beautiful parts of the lake 

and it is very popular in the boating world.

Plus the highlight for us was the fantastic biking trails around the lake.

We biked 54 kilometers Saturday!

We had a great time camping!

Although, It wasn't exactly the forest (Nathan was hoping for)

The weather was perfect, the biking trails were great, and

we had a fantastic view of the lake and sunset.

Plus despite the drought we were still able to have campfires!

awe*

Nathan and I watching the sun go down or as he says:
 "Here you have to wait for it to rise in China"

Oh and of course 

we made good use of the BBQ Nathan's parents

gave us, while they were visiting.

Kansas city and the St.Onge Family

Well, 

I am back in

Kansas city!

Downtown Kansas City

And

It is HOT, HOT, HOT!

(about 40 degress C every day)

My first few days back in the Mid-West

have been filled with exploring, sightseeing, and shopping. 

As Nathan's parents were here for a visit.

Here is a quick look at our adventures:

We walked and shopped on the country club plaza:

Nathan and I with Cathy

Nathan and his parents Cathy and Mike

Walking on the Plaza

Cooling down by one of the city's many fountains

 We also explored downtown KC:

I finally got to see the Community Bookshelf!

These beautiful big books 

make up one wall of the downtown library's parking garage:

I heart Charlotte's Web!

It is the nicest most inspired parking garage I've ever seen!

We explored Union Station

A beautiful old train station:

Fun Fact: It was 10 years ago this week(ish)

Nathan and I met on a train :)

Captivated my model trains inside Union Station

And 

when you travel with a retired RCMP 

you can be sure to hunt down

a few criminals:

We visited historic sites related to Jessie James.

Jessie James was an infamous bank and train robber around the civil war period.

An icon of the wild west.

A sight of a bank heist by the Jessie James Gang

Liberty, Missouri

The Jessie James Farmhouse and Museum

 It was "Mikes" day

So we also explored the National World War I museum 

It is a beautiful building and offers a very interesting  history lesson.

Plus the location of the museum and the Liberty tower 

provide amazing views of Downtown Kansas city.

National World War I Museum

Even without going up the tower

(which is included in the museum fee)

you can see great views just by visiting the outside of the building!

Cathy and I

Cathy and Mike On top of the Liberty tower

View from the liberty tower

To complete their tour of Kansas city and the Mid-West

We topped off their visit with some infamous Kansas city BBQ

Getting hungry waiting in line at Oklahoma Joe's

We hope they had a fantastic time,

We sure did!

Good times in the Maritimes: Part 3

I had a Great trip home 

to Nova Scotia, Canada!

My Brother Chris and I 

The weather was fantastic!

I got to spend lots of quality time with family and friends.

Weddings, BBQs, long sunny days, Shopping with momma, 

walks with Riley dog, 

camping, and music festivals 

Filled my days:)

I had SO much fun I hardly took a photo...oops

However,

I have a few pictures of Halifax, Nova Scotia

which I would like to share to entice our friends, from afar,

 to come visit us 

(when we return, of course)

Halifax:

Citadel Hill and Town Clock

The Halifax Waterfront:

Tall Ships:

My favourite ship:

Theodore the Tug Boat!

Harbour Views:

Once again

It is Farewell to Nova Scotia.

This is bittersweet,

as I am sad to leave my family and friends 

(and the coast)

But very excited to be reunited with Nate-dogg!

Kansas city, here I come!