Hiding from carnies.

Despite the threat of rain, Wheat and I paid a quick visit to the Marion County Fair on Monday. Due in part to the rain, the crowds weren't bad at all, so we spent a couple hours wandering around.

We had gyros for dinner, shared funnel cake and deep-fried Oreos for dessert, and rode the ferris wheel.

We also hung out at the petting zoo for a bit, which was probably the highlight of the night for me.

This year, the fair boasts a show called Elephant Encounter. We didn't see the performance, but the image of an elephant chained to an RV in the middle of Marion County was pretty heartbreaking. Oh yeah, he also does rides.

Another personal highlight was that we saw American Idol contestant and Indianapolis native Marrialle Sellars walking around with a friend. I was pretty tempted to stop her for a picture, but ultimately decided against it. This girl is Miley Cyrus.


Josh Kaufman, the latest winner of The Voice, is performing at the Indiana State Fair, so I can't wait to get my music competition stalk on again in a couple months...

Our berry fun time.

Since we've been on a roll lately, Wheat and I decided to keep the fun train moving and cross another thing off the Summer Bucket List on Sunday. After a quick stop for Mexican food, we made our way to Spencer Farm in Noblesville for some berry picking.

By some happy accident, we hit the fruit jackpot and went on one of the rare days when several fruits were available for picking. We started with my personal favorite, the blueberries. Not only do they taste amazing, but they were also the easiest to pick.

Next, we hit the strawberry patch (is that a thing? Strawberry patch?) for some actual labor. Seriously, I don't know what I was expecting, but picking strawberries isn't fun. They are so hidden under the leaves that you really have to dig to find them. Since we went at the end of strawberry season, many of the strawberries were already rotting or damaged somehow. Between the ridiculous heat and the on-your-hands-and-knees toiling (do I sound like a diva yet?), we gave up fairly early, but I was pretty happy with our haul.

Finally, we made our way to the black raspberry bushes. First of all, I was under the assumption that a black raspberry was a blackberry. It's not. I'm not entirely sure how to describe the flavor. They are a bit tart and seedy and desperately try to stain everything you own. Second, we weren't properly warned about the thorns that accompany these little guys. I may or may not have suffered a few injuries.

These were actually really fun to pick because between the thorns and the unripened berries, they presented a bit of a challenge. We were there on the first day of their season, so most of the berries weren't ripe yet. The unripened berries were bright red, so they looked exactly like raspberries, but tasted absolutely horrible. I know this because I sampled everything in sight.

We ended up leaving with $15 worth of fresh fruit and I kid you not - they taste SO much better than their store-bought equivalents. It was a perfect way to spend time together outside doing something different.

That night, we celebrated the U.S. draw against Portugal with our own all-American, red-white-and-blue treat: fresh berries, french vanilla ice cream, and whipped topping. Total game-changer, guys. My goodness.

...and the best part? We have enough for two weeks of it.

Honey, honey. Come and dance with me.

If you know me at all, then you know there is absolutely no way I would miss Dave Matthews Band when they're within a 60-mile radius of me. You'll be proud to know, however, that I exercised a little self-restraint and only bought tickets for the second night of the two-day stint DMB had at Klipsch Music Center this weekend. Small victories.

Before the concert, Wheat and I attempted to go putt-putt golfing, but the course was closed for a tournament. Apparently putt-putt golf tournaments exist. So, we settled for an hour of games in a new arcade instead. Wheat dominated the basketball games, I solved a few Wheel of Fortune puzzles, and suddenly we had 1,500 tickets. Oops.

Unlike most arcades, this place had awesome prizes - the kind that make you feel like you didn't just flush $20 down the toilet. After much deliberation, we decided on a Leonardo figurine and a switchblade comb, mostly so Wheat can do his Fonzie impression with no remorse.

After battling the heat and the long lines at will call, we hunkered down on our blanket in the lawn. Unlike other DMB shows, this tour has two sets (one acoustic, one electric) with a short intermission between them. The format was perfect - no opening band and the best of both musical worlds.

As is often the case in the lawn, the people-watching was fantastic. From dodging the endless supply of beach balls that bounced around to laughing at the half-naked couple grinding near us, we were pretty entertained without having to even look at the stage. We also saw a not-so-discreet couple snort coke on a bench right next to three cops leisurely enjoying pizza, so that was interesting.

DMB was fantastic as always. The setlist was killer and Dave danced around while wearing a scarf and huge sunglasses supplied by fans in the pit. Excellent.

Photo credit to Matt Munson.

Here was the setlist:

Ants Marching
#27
Sugar Man (Sixto Rodriguez cover that Dave prefaced by talking about his life in South Africa)
Recently
Stolen Away on 55th and 3rd
So Damn Lucky (with 'Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin' outro)
Lie in Our Graves
Rye Whiskey

Squirm
Rooftop
One Sweet World
Kill the Preacher
Why I Am
#41
I Need a Word
Spaceman
Cornbread
The Riff
The Space Between
Jimi Thing
Don't Drink the Water
Everyday
Halloween (with an 'Ants Marching' intro fake-out)

Some Devil
Granny
Grey Street

I'm so glad I finally got to take Wheat to a Dave show and share one of my favorite things in the world with him. It doesn't really get better than dancing with the perfect guy at the perfect concert, right?

Hasa Diga Eebowai.

Wheat must have forgotten that it's his birthday (not mine) this weekend because he surprised me with tickets to see The Book of Mormon last week. Of course, I'm not one to complain, so I gladly accepted his invitation and geared up for the perfect date night.

First, we had dinner at Weber Grill downtown and I can tell you - I'm still daydreaming about my meal. I ordered pulled pork and ribs (with cole slaw, cornbread, and mashed potatoes) and Wheat couldn't resist the crab cakes. So good.

After dinner, we made our way to the Murat for the show. When we stopped at will call to pick up the tickets, the box office attendant asked who was responsible for buying them. Wheat hesitantly responded that he was and the guy promptly turned to me and instructed me to thank him later because they were "the best seats in the house." He was right. We were front and center in the first row of the balcony.

I have been fantasizing about seeing this musical since it was showered with Tony awards in 2011 and I must say - it completely lived up to the hype. The music was fantastic, the acting was great, and I laughed the entire time. It was written by the creators of South Park, so you can imagine the language/joke material. But it was absolutely hilarious and you don't have to be an expert on Mormonism to understand the humor.

The musical tells the story of model Mormon Elder Price (originally played by Andrew Rannells) and his nerdy, imaginative sidekick Elder Cunningham (originally played by Josh Gad) as they travel to Uganda on a mission to spread their faith. Needless to say, Uganda and its people don't exactly live up to the preconceived notions held by the sheltered boys from Salt Lake City.

Aside from the humor and music, I love that this musical tackles loaded topics in a way that doesn't feel heavy-handed or super critical. Somehow, Matt Stone and Trey Parker deal with the tough issues of faith (and occasional doubt), the overarching purpose of religion, racial and ethnic differences (and the condescension that often accompanies it), and the plight of some people in Africa (ex. AIDS, genital mutilation, etc.) while making you laugh and leaving you with a sweet, heartwarming feeling.

Don't get me wrong: There were still moments that seemed straight out of an episode of South Park (Spooky Mormon Hell Dream, anyone?) and I loved that. I wouldn't hesitate to see it again, especially with this handsome guy as my date.

Getting wild on our day off.

By some stroke of luck, Wheat and I both had the same day off last week. So, we decided to take full advantage of the smaller crowds and head to the zoo on the hottest day of the summer so far.

Yes, I'm too cheap to buy the real thing.

Let's be real - Any and every zoo is awesome. Although it's not my personal favorite, the Indianapolis Zoo has a lot of really cool things that set it apart. Not only does the zoo house dolphins, but it also features a 20-minute dolphin show. You have to reserve your (free!) tickets ahead of time, but I highly recommend it. I was practically squealing with excitement at the dolphin flips and tricks and it was the perfect brief respite from the sweltering heat.

The zoo also has an interactive shark-petting pool, which I can't believe I enjoy.

At the center of the zoo is the brand-new Simon Skjodt International Orangutan Center, the actual reason I wanted to go. The exhibit is a three-level atrium with several different rooms and places that the orangutans can go whenever they want. Surrounding the building is a treetop-level trail that the orangutans can access by climbing through caged tubes. Once up top, they are free to roam from platform to platform using the cables that connect them. The best part? There are absolutely no cages or nets between the people on the ground and the orangutans on the platforms.

Eventually, there will be a monorail-type ride that will take visitors alongside the platforms to see the orangutans at eye level, but it isn't open yet. At first, none of the orangutans were using the outdoor platforms, but as we were leaving, Wheat spotted one high above us. We actually ran to catch up with it as it climbed back down the ladder and into its room.

We posed for pictures with the animals, checked out the aviaries, sent web postcards from the orangutan exhibit, and tried to counteract the heat with some ice cream cones.

Another highlight of the day was this tiger that randomly walked right up to us. It was just the two of us at the exhibit and the tiger just stared at us for a minute before pacing back and forth along the glass. It was absolutely the closest I've ever been to a wild cat and I was more than a little freaked out as it practically salivated while sizing us up.

Before leaving, we stopped in the conservatory to admire the butterflies and took a stroll through the beautiful park as it began to sprinkle.

After the zoo, we drove to Batesville for a quick, but wonderful Mexican dinner with Mommles and LP. I can't believe he was home for two weeks and I only got to see him for a couple hours. Ugh.

Of all the wild animals I spent time with that day, I'd have to say this devil dog was my favorite.

Confessions of a lazy blogger.

I confess that I absolutely hate coffee. In fact, I don't even like the smell. With the exception of the overpriced baked goods, I totally avoid Starbucks and have never even had a tiny sip of a pumpkin spice latte. They even manage to ruin smoothies by loading them with bananas.

I confess that I know way too many One Direction songs to be a 26-year-old adult. I suppose the real confession here is that I can name every member of the group and might have the slightest crush on Harry Styles. Come on - I'm convinced he is actually Mick Jagger's love child.

via

I confess that I hit the snooze button on my phone for at least 30 minutes every morning. Sorry I'm not sorry.

I confess that I'm not the best at staying in touch. I have so many awesome friends and family members that I wish I could see and catch up with on a daily basis, but I'm not very good about picking up the phone or writing an e-mail. Fortunately, it's easy to pick right up where we left off with most of them.

I confess that despite my dislike for the phone, I still call my mom every single day...sometimes more than once.

I confess that I've seen Dave Matthews Band in concert 18 times. By summer's end, I will have seen them 20 times and I think it might be time for an intervention. If I do my math correctly, that means I've shelled out over $1,000 in ticket fees alone to feed my habit. When I factor in the gas money, parking charges, food and drinks, and hotel costs for concerts out of town, it almost makes me feel guilty. Almost.

DMB Caravan 2011.

I confess that I've been walking around with chipped nail polish all week.

I confess that I'm not a pet person. *ducks and hides* Every now and then, I find myself wanting a dog, but then I remember all of the responsibilities and expenses that come along with pet ownership and promptly talk myself out of it. I can barely take care of myself, folks.

I confess that World Cup soccer is not my thing. Of course I'm rooting for the U.S. and yes, I'd love to physically be at the games, but I just can't get into watching guys from Honduras and Ecuador run around on some grass for 90+ minutes. Between this admission and my hatred of seafood, Wheat is seriously reconsidering our relationship.

I confess that I'm actually worried you will judge my confessions. Perhaps I worry too much.

Snapshots of June.

||Cottonwood fluff||

||Mischievous Dad gives unsuspecting Mom a wet willy||

||'The Works' at the Strawberry Festival downtown - fresh strawberries, ice cream, shortcake, and whipped cream||

||Lakeside love in Wisconsin|| 

||Riverside hand-holding in Indy||

||Photo booth fun with the ladies of the family||