Is Summer Really Over?

 It is officially back to school season, and for must of us, it marks the unofficial end to summer. Pools start closing, late weeknight movies are moved to the weekend, and the sun starts going down a little early in the evenings. Yep, summer is unofficially over.

With all the being said, as I look back over our summer, I have to say it was pretty fantastic! Every summer, every season actually, we create a bucket list. Some things we do every summer as tradition, some things are new to us. I like to make it a mix of things that I've read about, heard about from friends, or simply have wanted to do for years but the timing never seemed right. This year we focused mainly on things we do every summer, but I tried to turn some of the focus to local business. The best ice cream/milkshakes in town, DOP Donuts in downtown Overland Park, and supporting one of my favorite community theaters just to name a few. Here is the run down. 

Our hunt for the best milkshakes turned into just ice cream in general. We visited Ice Cream Bae in Park Place where you can add your favorite childhood cereal as a mix-in to vanilla ice cream, PopCulture in downtown Overland Park where you can sample gourmet popcorn after you've finished your cone or cup, Martin City Ice Cream Co in Martin City, MO with its revolving menu of fun flavors, and Summersault Ice Cream in Prairie Village where they serve up homemade and soft serve ice cream, and finally, your general run of the mill chains. 

We tried the biggest shake of all, the chocolate Winstead's Skyscraper! Talk about an epic moment! It serves up to four and four of us tackled and finished this enormous shake! A chain first was a Wendy's Chocolate Frosty. Would you consider a Frosty an ice cream or a really thick shake? It's a mixture of both, no? All in all, we loved all of the ice cream joints. My favorite would have to be Martin City Ice Cream Co. Not only was it a great mix of creaminess, thickness, and flavor, but the atmosphere of a small walk-up trailer, with ever changing flavors combined with outdoor seating at wooden picnic tables, made it so quaint. 

Have you been to DOP Donuts in downtown Overland Park? Located in an alley way off of Sante Fe Drive, this darling airstream serves up cake like donuts on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings. McKinley and I had this spot on our radar all summer and finally got our turn on a Friday morning! He woke up early just for the occasion. That's the thing folks, get there early because they are only open until they sell out and you never know when that might be! While there, take a selfie along the colorful "Eat More Hole Foods" wall! It's so cute! As are the colorful table and chairs placed on the forever green AstroTurf lawn! It was a definitely a highlight of our summer!

McKinley suggested pool time and he wasn't kidding! We were at the pool so often that I finally said, for the first time in my life, that I needed a break from the pool! We purchase an Overland Park pool pass every summer which means we can get into Stonegate, Young's, and Tomahawk for free. Unlimited times a day! And we would spend roughly four hours a day at the pool! We more than paid for our season passes this year! I personally love Stonegate because it's a stones throw from our house. We can walk there! However, McKinley fell in love with Young's. Their water slides were his absolute favorites. Tomahawk is technically still open evenings during the week dayand normal pool hours on the weekend through Labor Day. It's the largest of the Overland Park pools so it can handle the last of summer patrons that are getting their last rays and laps in for the season. 

In addition to the Overland Park pools, we spent an afternoon at the Prairie Village pool off of Mission Rd. This pool was expansive! There were four pools, including an adult only pool, one pool designated for their two slide options, and one pool for their diving boards and one additional slide. It was costly to get in, $10 a person, but it was worth a day of fun. 

Speaking of water fun, our season passes to Oceans of Fun did not go to waste! We spent at least five full days throughout the summer riding waves, tubing, sliding, and taking spins around the lazy river. And we aren't done! They are open through Labor Day as well and McKinley has personal plans of visiting at least two more times before they close. Worlds of Fun, which is still open until early November, has been on rotation as well. However, because our summer was so incredibly hot, we didn't visit as many times as we usually do. But don't worry, we will totally make up for it come September and October. McKinley is working up the nerve to ride Timber Wolf and this year might be his year.... Check out our Oceans of Fun reel!

We attended a Monarchs game on the coldest day of spring! Seriously, by the time we left, we were frozen! Late May and we were in coats, hats, gloves, and under blankets! And we could have used even more layers. It was cold! But we stayed for the end because their firework shows are so good! Last year, our first Monarchs game was in June and we were puddles of sweat by the end. But again, fireworks! Maybe one day, like Goldie Locks, we will hit the weather just right! 

If you attend a Monarchs game, then it's only fair you head to The K for a Royals game and that's just what we did a couple of weeks ago. We played the Red Sox, where Eric Hosmer had just been traded to earlier in the week, and he played his first game back at Kauffman stadium since leaving in 2017. The warm welcome that the Royals fans gave him was amazing! And why wouldn't we? He was part of our World Series team in 2015! But even better then seeing an old favorite, was the fact that we went on to win the game! Hooray! My Royal blue heart was bursting!

While continuing to look for hearts, we had a picnic on the lawn of the Nelson and then played the Art Course. I am loving this summer tradition! They added a new hole this year, brought back the bicycle hole (where McKinley got a hole-in-one), and I just love being on the lawn of this extraordinary place. After we finished playing, we walked around the exterior of the museum and checked out the sculptures that are all along the grounds. And, we were able to check off two more hearts before they were removed and auctioned off for charity. I believe were just shy of 70 hearts by the time all was said and done. Not too shabby!

We visited the newly renovated Kaleidoscope in Crown Center. We loved this place pre-pandemic, but once Covid hit, this creative space closed. And while they were closed, they took advantage of the time and revamped the entire space. It is so cool! It appears so much more open, thanks to a more industrial feel, and the individual kids creative spaces were much more spread out. You do need a reservation in order to attend, so make sure you head here to secure yours. We used every minute of our 50 minute reservation and could have used another session! McKinley was definitely in his element. Creativity runs through his veins! Get all the details from an early post here.

Lastly, we attended not one but two shows at Theater in the Park. This was McKinley's first park outing and I have a feeling it won't be the last summer we attend. I've seen shows here for years, even performing in one many summers ago. We saw Descendants the Musical followed by School of Rock and McKinley thoroughly enjoyed them both. I'm secretly hoping it will give him the acting bug and he'll finally want to sign up for a summer theater camp. If not, maybe he'll just be my plus one to shows in the future. 

We didn't finish the whole list. Summer was hot this season! However, we can still fit in an outdoor movie night before Labor Day and McKinley could break in those roller blades before his first skating party next month. He won't be an expert, but maybe he'll get his footing. 

And now it's time to start the Fall Bucket List! There are so many more things we can and want to do. Join us once the list is finalized! Peace out summer!

XO,

Andrea

Family Fun - The Johnson County Museum

 Are you a local to Johnson County or a transplant like myself? Did you know that this county is steeped in history? Like that the Johnson County Arts and Heritage Center is located inside the beloved King Louise bowling alley? If you lived in Overland Park, or its surrounding suburbs, then you more than likely bowled a frame or two here or took a spin around the ice skating rink located on the lower level. And now that lower level is a hub to all things Johnson County. We have visited this museum a handful of times, but every time we go, we learn something new. It's truly an in-depth overview of Becoming Johnson County.

It starts with an overview of how Johnson County began. For instance, do you know the story of Thomas Johnson, the namesake behind our county? Based on historical data, his time as a missionary, and pro-slavery stance, made him very controversial. Charles Bluejacket was a native of the Shawnee tribe who was able to integrate himself into white society while staying true to his native tribe. He owned a successful farm in present-day Shawnee, and as a tribal leader, became an interpreter during treaty talks between the federal government and the tribe. There are so many other smaller details to read regarding the women and men who were integral in creating the county we call home. 

 From there, you are introduced to Kansas and Missouri and how the Border War truly got its start. Here's a hint, it began during the Civil War, not over MU/KU football or basketball. I love how they created a split wall between the states and then lined the floor with where our current cities would have resided during that time. Pick a state and learn about which side of the war they were for. Were they Union or Confederates? Did they believe in pro-slavery or freeing them? And where do you fall in your beliefs? Would you have fought for those beliefs along side others? The fight was fraught with bloodshed and raids, the largest massacre occurring in Lawrence in 1863, killing between 160-190 men and boys. The town was burned as well. Do you know who ultimately won the war between these two states?

A new story begins for Kansas in 1870. The prairie became farmland and market towns grew with the railroad. We soon became suburban communities like we know them today...well, sort of. As you walk through the museum, take note of the tools and machinery that was used by our community ancestors. How similar are they to things we use today? Could they be used today? How sufficient are they? 

As you continue to walk through the museum, you are introduced to entrepreneurs that made their mark in our county. Meet women who paved the way, forging paths for us to take. Look at how the housing market grew with the assistance of the FHA. Take a look at the blueprints of a model home of the 1950s. They were designed as "dream homes" for middle-class families allowing them to take ideas when building their own suburban homes. 

Our favorite part is the model home located inside the museum, which is in fact, my dream home! I love visiting it at Christmas when it's decorated with aluminum trees and vintage ornaments. Ring the doorbell and step back in time! A time I dream about living in. The Mid Century Modern furniture is fabulous, the home decor is spot on, and there are so many pieces in my own home that resides in theirs as well! And I love that the mannequins outside the home are currently dressed in 50s inspired swimwear. But come back at Christmas where they are dressed in their cocktail party best! And definitely get a photo opp with the vintage Bel Air! It's a stunner! 

I also love all the artifacts behind glass or freestanding in the room. Did you use any of these as a child? Do your children have a clue what they are? I love talking about these small pieces of history with McKinley. I was born at a time where I'm on the cusp of old vs new. I remember rotary dial phones, record players, hot rollers, and more. Our kids will never know what these things are if we don't discuss what helped us get to more modern conveniences. 

The last leg of the journey is a more current view of Johnson County. What iconic business do you remember? 

Make sure that you check out the small Overland Park section on the upper level. There are so many special pieces with so much of my childhood in this room! Pool patches to get into the local Overland Park pools. Seats from the Glenwood Theater. The Metcalf South Mall sign, a place where I spent every Saturday as an early teen. And so much more! It's truly a treasure chest!

If you are looking for something fun to do this weekend, check out the Johnson County Arts and Heritage Center. There truly is something for the whole family to learn when looking into the past. 

XO,

Andrea