All Stickered Up

I don't know why they plan to have the county fair during the hottest time of the year!  You can't even enjoy it.  It was in the upper 90s the entire week of the fair.  Not fun in anyway...and there was no way I was going out there.  Good thing I came up with a plan...and a darn good one.

It was sticker day, you can ride every ride for a dollar each.  I acquired 3 stickers while at work so I thought what a great way for BOB to spend his evening!  Before he got off work I dropped Jayke off at his house with the 3 stickers, one for his two kids and one for Jayke.  I then headed home to my comfy air conditioned  house.  I called him a little later to see what they were doing.  He said they were walking into the fair.  He then proceeded to go into a long explanation of how I set him up!  Set him up?  I say I planned a fun filled evening for him!  He said he just wanted to come home from work and stretch out while watching recorded episodes of True Blood but when he got there the kids were, "all stickered up with sad looks on their faces ready to go to the fair!"  He also accused me of dropping Jayke off with 3 days worth of clothes, etc, etc.  I declared I had no idea what he was speaking of.

As we were hanging up I heard him mention doing a rain dance on his way in.  I wished him luck and didn't bother mentioning we are in the middle of a drought and chances of rain were nil.  I then giggled to myself at my stroke of genius as I relaxed on my couch.

More Food...it's Becoming a Learning Experience!

Grilled ginger salmon steak with smashed red potatos, grilled peppers, and grilled asparagus    (and in the chef's own words)   the peppers were chili, not bell. The stuff in the bowl is a ginger-citrus dressing using pureed ginger with a dash of soy sauce, oil, lime, and lemon. That's a grilled lemon (which helps to extract the juice from the pulp). And that's sauteed garlic and spinach on top of the salmon steak.

Not only are my meals yummy now but they are pretty too!  This was from a week or so ago but it was too pretty not to post.  How lucky am I that I have someone who cooks for me like this EVERY NIGHT...and if he doesn't cook he takes me out and has me try new things that I would never try on my own.  For our 2 month anniversary he took me to Outback and spent $90 on our meal just so I could try a couple of new things.  Turns out I really like seared Ahi Tuna...who knew?  Something I would have never even thought to try.  Now I just have to figure out how to eat like that and NOT gain 100 pounds!

The Drama...

My muse...as in my aMUSEment!  Never seen a statue quite like this!

Also a shot of one of the gardens at Minnetrista.  If I use the correct lens you can't even tell that we are in the middle of a drought.  Makes everything look green and lush when really it is brown and barely alive!

The Olloclip...Adding a New Dimension to my Obsession

Bobby got me a present the other day The Olloclip! It is a 3 in 1 lens for the iPhone. It has a fisheye lens, a wide angle lens, and a Macro lens all in one! I love it! I've been wanting it since last winter but was afraid it wouldn't work well and would let me down. I was wrong. It is great! I haven't had much time to mess with it yet and I really need the tripod to be able to use the macro properly (he is getting me that next)but I was able to play with it in the front yard a little bit the other day. I found a weed that was about to explode and was able to catch it before and during the process.

Once I have the tripod I will be able to hold the camera still better and the photos will be less blurry. All I will have to do then is find some bugs that will hold still long enough to photograph! That, and figure out how to get used to having a boyfriend who buys me gifts ALL THE TIME. Lucky!

The Macro Macro lens applies roughly a 10X multiplier and allows you to focus the iPhone within 12-15mm of the subject. The Macro lens is cleverly concealed within the olloclip and can be accessed by unscrewing the Wide-Angle lens that is normally attached to it. Fisheye lens The Fisheye lens captures approximately a 180 Degree field-of-view and produces some striking images. Wide-Angle lens The Wide-Angle lens is great for when you need that extra field of view, approximately double that of the normal iPhone.

LUV this pic!!

A Bed Built for Two!

I got Simon a Bagel Bed from work and there seems to be some question as to whom it belongs.  Nemo seems to think it is his bed.  Good thing they are buddies although Simon kinda looks like he isn't too thrilled about sharing.  Nemo sure loves his dog!

What He Does

Not that I completely understand it myself but I'm including a link to a website that Bobby built. He did all of the coding and created the logo. I'm not going to attempt to explain any further what he does because I'm sure I won't say it properly. You can look at the website and pretty much figure it out on your own. Safe Guard Inspection Group ....and then you can also go to his business website... Inspector Mobi to see the product he developed

Smarty Pants

Bobby and I decided that we are going to start trying different wines. I've never really been a wine drinker (probably because I don't know what I'm doing when it comes to wine)but I do know that I prefer white. We made this decision and last night and followed through with it. I had seen a post on Facebook by someone who liked this certain wine called Middle Sister. Cute name with a cute concept. We were in Target and I saw they had it. We started reading the labels and decided we would try it. We got a Pino and a Chardonnay. We both ended up liking the Chard best, although the Pino was good too.

Go check out their website  Middle Sister Wines  ...all the "sisters" have different names.  The Chard was Smarty Pants (I found it fitting that this was the name of my new favorite wine)  The Pino was Drama Queen.    Think we may have to go get a new one to taste tomorrow night when I don't have to work the next day!

Smells like 
…lemons, pears and honeysuckle
Tastes like 
…pear and citrus in the beginning, with baked apple on
the finish
Yummy with
Crabcakes, Grilled Chicken Caesar, Corn Chowder,
Smoked Cheddar Cheese...or Bobby on the back porch!!  LOL

Yea...It is Amazing

That I took this caliber picture in downtown Muncie, of all places.  I really love this one...totally frame-able.

As I was posting this I was thinking of all the stuff my mom misses that I post on all of the social media outlets.  I KNOW she would want to see everything so I am adding some links.  Over there---> on the right I've added a link to my Instagram photos.  You can click on the link to go to my Statigram account and see all of the photos I post to Instagram without having to create your own account.  Instagram is ONLY an app so this would be difficult for you technology challenged older folk.  I made it easy for ya cause I know you don't want to miss a single thing we do!! :)

I may get a link on here to my Pinterest account as well.  If I do, it will be over there in the list.  I'm SURE you are dying to see what I post to my Pinterest boards.  I went back and looked at one tonight (haven't looked at them in months) and was shocked at what great taste I have!  Think I should probably share!

Yummy!!

My new favorite summer drink!!  Can be found in convenience stores...highly recommend the Black Cherry Lemonade flavor!  YUMMO!!

Casa Del Sol

Dinner...ther is never a dull moment!

Togetherness...Not so Much!

Jayke and Bobby are spending a lot of time together this summer.With Bobby working from home there is no reason for Jayke to HAVE to go elsewhere during the day.  I think all of this time together is starting to bug them.  I received this picture while at work the other day.  Note the provisions piled next to the bean bag.  No reason to have to go in the house what-so-ever!  Not sure whose idea this was but I think they both enjoyed it in the end.

Reminds me of a Southern Attorney

I don't know why it reminds me of that but every time I see this photo (it is my work desktop theme) I think of the attorney from the movie Sweet Home Alabama!  I know it's just the hat but still...

Bobby needed some new shorts so Jayke and I were killing time while the Metro Sexual was in the fitting room.  The Boy is always willing to slap a silly hat on and let me take his picture...I'm sure that will be ending soon, especially now that he has his own Facebook account and can see everything I put on there!  LOL

It's What's for Dinner

Tonight's dinner...Pierogi with ginger/garlic sauce, steak thinly sliced garnished with cilantro, and grilled peppers.  Yum!  The pierogi is my favorite.  Hadn't posted any #foodporn in a while so I thought I'd share.

Thought I Was Kid Free

....for a week!  Turns out...I still have a kid with me.  Went to Meijer to buy reading glasses because he is going blind due to his advanced age and next thing I know I find this...

....and this...

So much for my week off from babysitting!  LOL!!  I fully expected him to need to buy one of these to wear with his blow dart gun!  Oh well, he will either keep me young or turn me grey (er)!

Aging

Someone had to get reading glasses today.  An admission of his age...LOL.  He handled it well.  Took FOREVER to decide which pair he wanted.  Would have gone a lot quicker if he had just taken my word from the beginning since he ended up with the pair I told him to get.  They look pretty good!  Haven't seen him wear them once since he got them though!

Happy Independence Day!

Fourth of July celebration.  Spent with friends both at the casino and then downtown for the fireworks display.  It was a good day!

Mission Control, Geek Station, Man Cave

....whatever you want to call it.  Bobby's office.   He is beyond excited that he now has 3 monitors (2 computers) to work from.  He has even given me permission to come in and use the one on the end with him...LOL.  Please note the Star Trek themed background wallpaper he has on the screens.  Just to add the finishing Geek touch.  I think I will really flip him out and add my laptop and iPad to the mix.  Or even Jayke's Netbook.  A lot of computers for one house!  I fully expect him to make us rich now that he has the set up to do it!

Not Amused

Someone thinks they are funny.  Bobby made this picture of me and posted it to my Facebook wall.  I attempted to take it down but didn't get it removed before my friend, Laura, reposted it to her wall.  Now it will never come down....sigh.  I'm glad they have been entertained by it.  I'm not amused(actually I was, pretty funny stuff)

International Brunch

He called this an International Omelet when I asked what it was.  I don't care what it was called, all I know is it was damn good!  Cheese filled omelet with a sort of salsa on top.  He used Pace Picante(my favorite) and added some sauteed ham, olives, bacon, onion, and I don't know what else.  Topped it with fresh cilantro.  I do have to say he comes up with some pretty weird concoctions.  Things you wouldn't think to put together but they are always really good.  Part of why I love his cooking (other than the fact that it's not me cooking)is that it is not repetitive...ever!  I was so sick of eating the same things all the time.  I don't think he has fed me the same thing twice in over a month!  Lots of organic and all fresh food too!  I think my body is saying, "what the hell is going on here?"

The Diamonds

We went to watch Bobby's niece, Liv, play softball today and who did we run into?  Ian.  One of Jayke's best friends.  We run into him every where and they are always so excited to see each other.  They hung out the entire time we were there.  I'm going to let Jayke have him over sometime soon or take them somewhere together.  I can just have the kids over and put Bobby in charge now!  LOL

Car Washin

Walked out front and found this...Jayke and Bobby with the car in the front yard. Scrubbing it with Jayke's underwear. We only have one sponge so we had to improvise. Jayke's underwear seemed the most logical thing to me. He was embarrassed that he was washing the car with his underwear...I was not to get them in the picture! They were listening to a little ACDC, Highway to Hell while they were working...I'm sure the neighbors appreciated that especially since yesterday there was an incident with a blow dart gun. Two of our neighbors now have homemade blow darts stuck in their roof...and it wasn't from Jaykeb. I have instructed them to put that toy away for a while. I'm sure they will come up with something else that I will have to take away!

Thank You!

Bobby's brother, Tommy, took his daughter to Disneyland last week...they brought Jayke a t-shirt back.  He was pretty excited about it and made us drive him out there to get it right away.  Of course, once Tommy handed it to him he got really shy but as you can tell by the smile on his face, he was thrilled!

Instagram Profile

Father's Day...Sort Of a First

Love this picture...don't exactly know why.  I think it is the color combination and the lighting on the water. 

Went to Dad's for Father's Day and the "boys" pretty much floated around in the pool all day.  Jayke was pretty much chillin' in the above picture.  Lost of swimming and some interesting grilling techniques pretty much filled the day.  Convinced MJ's grill only has two settings...off and burnt!  I've never seen so much smoke come off of one grill!   

We went from the pool to the pond.  Apparently my boss (Oma's next door neighbor) has bought a big purple boat.  And parked it (yes, parked) at Oma's dock.  He has also given us all permission to use it.  I'm thinking he may want to rethink this after what I heard happened the other day.  Oma and Jayke took the boat out for a spin.  It was really hot out and mom was too lazy to go back in the house to get a hat...so...she improvised by wearing a plastic flower pot she snatched up out of the yard.  Now please take a moment to create this mental image..............got it?  I do and that is why I can totally sympathize with Jayke when I was informed that he was absolutely mortified!  Just picture it!  Oma and Jayke in that big purple boat, paddling down the pond, Oma wearing a plastic flower pot on her head!  I think I need to call her and ask what color the flower pot was so I can truly appreciate the ridiculousness of it all.

We started our Father's Day celebration a little early this year.  We gave Bobby his gift on Friday night.  Jayke had come to me a week ago and asked if we could get Bobby a Father's Day gift from him.  Of course we can!  Especially considering this was the first time ever that Jayke had asked to buy a Father's Day gift for ANYONE!  It was made even more special by the fact that Bobby hadn't recieved a gift of any kind in many many years.  A big moment for all involved. 

We went a little overboard...shocking, I know.  We got him new knives for the kitchen since he cooks so much.  Really nice knives.  We also got him a bamboo cutting board and a holder for the knives.  We were only going to get the knives but Mom told me to get him a shirt too.  I got two because we couldn't make up our minds which one to get.  I don't think anyone has ever appreciated a gift I gave them more than Bobby did.  Nice change.

Brand New

Midwest Metal just built this big new facility, which is where I work.  It's nice to work in a brand new clean building.  The only problem is they should have had me decorate it instead of Bart!

Pop...Circa 1965

Happy Father's Day, Old Man!  Please note the resemblence between my dad and Jaykeb.  Everyone has been pointing it out since I put this picture on Facebook.  Crazy....I thought he looked like my mom, now I'm just confused!

Kohl Foo!

Can't take them anywhere!  Went to Kohls to get a couple of things for the house.  We are having to update my kitchen tools...ie. pans, knives, utensils, etc, since I don't cook and now we have cooking going on everyday.  I was looking at the silverware when I turned and saw this!  Jayke loves it ov course.  I ended up sending them to the car to wait for me.  We made it to the check out and I had had it.  Bobby could tell by the look on my face and went willingly...but not without laughing the whole way out the door.

Here's the picture that caused such an uproar with my friends on Facebook.  GASP!!  Bobby and I wer hugging.  OMG.  The Horror! Our faces are touching.  My family might see it on Facebook, Oh No!  Wow...get over yourselves.  We were sitting on the couch hugging and I held my phone up and snapped a pic.  We thought it was cute and he asked me to put it on Facebook.  I will tag it to my DAD'S wall just to prove that MY FAMILY is perfectly okay with my relationship...as is Jayke...as am I.  Too bad that's not enough for everyone else.  Good thing what everyone else thinks DOESN'T effin matter!!

Asian Fusion

THIS was my dinner tonight...Asian potstickers, grilled asparagus, zuchini, and carrots with fried noodles and grilled chicken in a homemade ginger garlic sauce.  Yea...you can be jealous now, it's okay.

Didn't See That Coming

Foot massage for an eight year old?  Yea...doesn't work very well.  Too much giggling and wiggling from it tickling!  It was comical though.  Bobby rubbed his feet then rubbed some of the extra lotion on his legs.  Jayke asked why he did that and Bobby said, "cause your legs are dry."  Jayke then said, "Well my butts dry too!"  I laughed so hard I almost cried.  Its his delivery.  Not sure where he was going with that but the massage ended at that point.  LOL.

Note:  I had my foot massage first and like everything else he does, he is great at it!  (yes,  I just ended this with a preposition...get over it, BOBBY!)

It's Over...At Least They are Still Smiling

Our travel season has come to an end...mercilfully.  We lost every game we played.  Most of them by a huge margin.  I felt so bad for our little guys.  They tried so hard and never gave up...even when the score was 20-0.  They looked beat but they kept trying.  Jayke was very discouraged about half way through the season.  He would say he didn't want to go because they were just going to lose.  He had to go though because without him we didn't have a sub.  Our little team only had enough players to fill the positions on the field on any given day.  Sometimes, if we got lucky, we would have one sub to give the kids a break throughout the game.  Pretty tough for those little troupers considering the teams we were playing against could sub out their entire team at one time!

Even though they lost every game this season I think they all improved and gained confidence.  I think next season will be better for sure.  Jayke loves soccer and doesn't want to give up.  He now has someone to help him with his skills too so that makes it all better.  More confidence.  We will win a game next season!