food

A Few of My Recent Adventures

Some times you are just too busy living life to document it.  A double edged sword for someone like me, but here is a quick recap of what I have been up to:

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Some beer garden action in Ann Arbor for a dear friend/aunt’s birthday. What an amazing night. The weather was beautiful, the food was amazing, and the company was second to none.

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Date night with Paul for Lansing Restaurant Week… the day after restaurant week ended…

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This is his best pose…

We were all excited to go to the Wrought Iron Grill in Owosso for restaurant week, only to realize that restaurant week had ended the night before.  AMAZING food was still consumed, and I would highly recommend this charming spot if you are ever in Owosso, MI.  Although, I am not sure why most people would be.

This dinner alone should have its own post, because it really was like a  bad (or good) Seinfeld episode.  

Let me just start with, our waiter was super cool, after we broke him in, and the food was really really delicious, but the service was terrible!  We opted to sit outside on the patio, but regretted that decision because our waiter was a little too lax.  We didn’t even get greeted or get water for 15 minutes (first world problems, I realize, but this is all going to show a point).  

Our waiter offered us “coke products”, to drink and we had to snag a beer list from him (that never happens… turns out he didn’t think we were 21… thank you?). When Paul asked what was on tap, the waiter said, “it’s all crafty stuff” as if we would not recognize anything they had.  If you know anything about Paul, you probably know that he is obsessed with craft beer.  It is his hobby, his passion.  We asked for the beer list, and got it 10 minutes later.  The first world problems continued when we ordered our beers (a snifter, not a pint, the waiter asked) and it was given to us in bottles…. typing this all sounds so ridiculous, but again, I am just making a point.  Beer like the one we were drinking tastes different in a snifter (all 12% of it), and really needs to breath.  But, 10 minutes later we got our snifters.  This was all happening, mind you, while the waiter was fawning all over his buddies at the next table.

Me, being the nice person I am and not wanting to offend the waiter, told Paul that we should move inside.  We had already been there about 35 minutes and hadn’t even ordered yet (not due to us not knowing what we wanted, I assure you).

When the waiter came back, who really was a very nice guy, I told him that we wanted to move inside because I was getting cold.   He said, “oh, no problem, I can just turn on one of these heaters”, pointing to the massive propane heaters they have on the patio.  I looked to Paul for support, and he just laughed at me and kept on drinking his beer, (he loves to see me in awkward situations).  So the waiter drags this massive heater over to our table, and it won’t start.  The tank is empty.  All I could think was, “God is going to make that thing blow up to punish me”.  With no luck, the waiter picks up ANOTHER heater and drags it over to our table, which still wont light.   This goes on for a good, awkward, 5 minutes or so.  I finally just told him not to worry about it, feel free to spit in my food and thank you so so much.  (Yeah, I totally looked like that high maintenance bitch).

This finally cracked the guy and he decided he liked us.  It was almost like we had to prove ourselves as cool for him to want to serve us.  After that he was great.

And then, toward dessert, Paul decides to have a serious talk… about our aging dog.

I am not a crier, but he just said the words, “so, while things are good and he is healthy, I think we should talk about what the plan should be for when Max dies.”

I immediately bust out into sobs, tears running down my face, and I can’t even form sentences.  The poor waiter came back, who we had just gotten to like us, and looked at us like Paul had hit me or something.  It was a smart move on Paul’s part, really, because I told him what medications to feed me and what to do with Max once that does happen, because I will be incapable of taking control of the situation.

I continued to cry the whole way home… the ENTIRE 40 MINUTE DRIVE…poor Paul looked like he had just set off a bomb on a school bus full of kids or something.  My crying only stopped once we got home and I got to snuggle my puppy (my aging, 10 year-old puppy, who is in perfect health, btw).

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Puppy and me the next day, living the life 🙂

Ok, so that was that adventure…. moving on…

The next day, Paul and I headed to the Tiger’s game with my BFF, Liz, and her husband.  I am not going to lie, I don’t remember much after the ball park margaritas started flowing, but I do know that it was a very fun time, and my sweet sweet man bought me everything that was requested from my drunk mouth (a soft pretzel, nachos…) I mean, why else go to a ball park?

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This weekend, I have a half marathon coming up, a family function (pseudo family, but I have adopted them), and more adventures to follow.

I always aim for my summers to be full of adventures, but this one really has been.  I have spent time with so many great friends, made new friends, and done a lot of cool stuff.  And August is only going to be busier!

I hope everyone is well 🙂 Happy last day of July!

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The Send-Off of 28

Last night, on my birthday eve, I decided a glass of wine was in order to celebrate my last night as a 28-year-old… or a bottle, as it were.

A few sheets to the wind later, as Paul and I were enjoying trashy TV night, (Bachelorette, I love you), I was greatly disturbed by a commercial for “one-swipe eyeliner”.  

“BULLSHIT!”, I yelled, jumping off the couch and grabbing my makeup bag, mirror, and planting my butt where I do my makeup in the living room window.

“One-swipe eyeliner?! I will show you what happens when you try to “one-swipe” your eyeliner.”

Paul, not being shocked any  more by my uncontrollable outbursts, sat patiently as I haphazardly ran liquid eyeliner across my top lids, screwing up the second eye which caused me to yell, “SEE! here’s swipe 2, and 3, and whoops, missed a spot!  Eyeliner deserves the respect of more than one-swipe!”

This escalated quickly, and I just kept going.  “Wanna see drag queen makeup?”… who was Paul to say no? The wine sure as hell wasn’t, and it was my birthday eve…and it went downhill.  Downhill fast. 

Three layers of lipstick, blush, more bronzer than a real housewife, drawn in eye brows and blue eye shadow out to my temples later, it had officially turned into Hott Mess Monday.

I sent a few slefies to my bestie for proof of my playtime: 

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look at those brows!

Am I turned on? Am I pooping? Only Paul and my carpet will ever know.

I am happy to report that I had the good sense to wash my face before I passed out on the couch, completely missing who the Bachelorette sent home, and apparently a very sweet good night from my beloved who dragged me off the couch and tucked me into bed.  He had to repeat it this morning to me because my only response was a grunt, and I am pretty sure a majestic glint of drool coming out of the side of my  mouth.

Oh the adventures of loving me… sorry, honey 🙂

This morning, I woke up refreshed and ready to take on 29!  Wine helps you sleep like a champ!

I had a hearty birthday breakfast: 

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Sprinkles on waffles!

And was welcomed by vegan treats in my office from co-workers and my work wife 🙂

It is only 10:30am and this birthday has been amazing 🙂

I hope everyone is having a wonderful day as well!  And fear not, I will have something deep to say about getting older later 🙂

Please, excuse my absence…

It has been a while!  I guess that is what happens when you are busy having fun 🙂

I will do a quick recap of what life has been handing me, using mostly photos:

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Classically AWESOME!

I can’t even remember where I left off, so we will just start with this awesome car that we stumbled upon outside of Home Depot one Saturday when my bestie, Julie, was in town.  That whole weekend was fun, complete with shopping, drinks in the sun, waffles at the City Market, just good times had by all.

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Julie, being cute and stylish 🙂

Paul and I have been cooking up a storm:

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Vegan Pot Stickers and Orange Chicken (Gardein brand… not a fan of imitation meat, but we went for it)

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Kale-Quinoa Salad, compliments of Runners World magazine

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Tempeh Sloppy Joes… I had forgotten all about this childhood favorite

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Baked apple chips: because only a fool doesn’t like snacks

There was a cool benefit in a barn with beer and music!

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It was a double date with my Uncle Tom and Aunt Janice

 

ImageI took a tour of the magnificent Michigan Capitol, and it was AWESOME!

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The dome

Took a day trip to the Upper Peninsula for work allowing me to cross something off of my bucket list:  hiring my brother to fly me somewhere 🙂

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Big bro doing is thing 🙂 So proud of him!

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Leaving Escanaba, flying over Lake Michigan, heading back to the lower peninsula

I took a moment after a meeting to stop and appreciate the world:

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Red Cedar River on Michigan State’s campus

Received over 90 pokes for my allergy test… and am allergic to everything! (and should also never get an upper arm tattoo:

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I guess this is the mark of my tribe…?

Loved on my kids:

ImageWent to a Detroit Tiger’s game with our best friends, and my true boyfriend:

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This was his first pop ever! We had to keep reminding him to call it “root beer” and not just beer

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We stopped in Greek Town for some pre-game food:

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From some angles, Detroit doesn’t seem so bad

Then headed to the game where we witnessed a Tiger’s loss, but still had a great time:

ImageImageLife has been busy, but things are good!  I am excited that summer is finally here!

This weekend, we are going camping, so cross your fingers that it goes well.

What have you all been up to? 

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Tuesday meeting at the Capitol