Kansas City With My Other Family

I got off the plane in Dallas/Fort Worth on Saturday and hopped into the mini-van on our journey to Kansas City.  I'm spending the week with my best friends Renee, Mike and their amazing yet stubborn son, Lino.  Renee's grandma, Gigi, was in tow as well.  The trip was an 8 hour drive; I hate long road trip, but at least I didn't have to drive.

When we arrive at Renee's sister's house they inform me that they've ordered my favorite flavor pizza, chicken and pineapple and they have cold Dos XX's on hand.  Yay, I LOVE MY 2ND FAMILY!  For those that don't know me, the smallest this will make me feel special.

Fish Fry:  Renee's dad is an amazing cook, usually he throws down the BBQ, but this time it was a fish fry.

Upon request, I made my pudding shots, dirt worm and a new variety that was cookies and cream.  All it is a large instant pudding mix (cookies and cream or chocolate), mixed with alcohol (1/4 cup vodka and 3/4 cup Irish cream or 3/ cup Kahlua), then beat with 16 oz cool whip.  We some without the liquor for the kiddos.  Renee's niece helped us smash up the dirt aka oreos.  You shove a worm in and throw some dirt on top, then freeze.  The cookies and cream variety were served without the worm and dirt.  They were decadent, and there were enough for two nights. 

Renee's dad, Rocky, fried up several varieties of fish: buffalo, perch, catfish and tilapia.  They were coated in a cornbread seasoning.  

As it turns out, right in the middle of the fish fry it was fantasy football draft time, BOOO!  Oh well, it only took about an hour.  I'm so not a sports fan and this league isn't even for money, what's the point?

Lino is helping daddy with his draft picks.  He gets confused because he like The Chiefs, The Jets and some of his friends at school try to get him to like The Cowboys.

The most amazing buffalo chicken dip ever!  It's the standard Frank's recipe that you can find on their website.  We use a rotisserie chicken, mozzarella and ranch.  This time we double batched it and it still got consumed.

After dinner it was water balloon fight time!  I'm pretty sure my team whooped butt, however we were all equally wet.

Day 2: The adults went to drive go-karts.  With us though, it was more like bumper cars.  Renee is a beast!  It was a blast; we did two races.  I wish the cars were a little faster, but still a blast especially when you have Renee there to spin out Mike.

TT (Lino's Aunt) married the ketchups, you don't know how happy that made me.

The following day Rocky brought over some smoked tilapia, and Renee proceed to make out with the fish head.

Mike making his families famous vodka sauce, we had to make a special trip to the store to get shallots, and pecorino (which is freaking hard to grate might I add) and prosciutto.  

Gigi made a delicious peach cobbler, this took two trips to the store looking for a spice called mace that none of us had ever heard of.  She refused to substitute with nutmeg like the google suggested.  I'm sure the mace made it that much better and you don't argue with an 85 year old lady!  During and after dinner, Mike, TT and I did the five bottle challenge and failed miserably.  This is when we try to consume five bottles of wine.  TT gave up really quickly, then Mike got sleepy eyes, so I was left to finish but couldn't do it.  I finished my book and went to bed.

My souvenir from Oklahoma.  Now I officially have a collection (only two) but a collection nonetheless.

This family is obsessed with K-State, I had to shower looking at it, wipe my feet on a K-state mat; purple everywhere!

And a classic Mike pic, wouldn't be a trip with my bff's without it.  Eight hour trip home but totally worth it because we stopped for fajitas at Uncle Julios.  The most amazing fajitas ever known to man, no joke.

I hope everyone had an amazing holiday weekend, I know I did.  I have so much more fun to come.