The Best Subs in the World

For the past few months whenever the word subs, or good food, or bread, or gas stations, or just about anything halfway relatable comes up - Martin takes the opportunity to tell us about this amazing sub shop in a gas station and how it makes the best subs he has ever had.

A few weeks ago he even tried to get me one and left six inches in his lunch pail and then ran to the kitchen with me when I got home from work so I could try it. Sadly, the bread was hours old and cold by this point so, while it was good, it basically just tasted like your average sub.

On Sunday morning I suggested we go on a family field trip to try these amazing subs I had heard so much about. It's not super close to our house, but I'm always up for a Sunday drive and this seemed like a great excuse to go on one. So we set out for the Valero on the corner of 63 and 36 (which are both north/south roads that intersect each other - that's a whole other anamoly I can't explain)

And we got The Best Subs in the World. The bread. It's amazing. It's fresh and warm. Absolutely decadant. And the flavor of the toppings and the oil and the mayo and the meat just blend right into the bread in the perfect way. It really was an experience and absolutely amazing.

Aubrey thought it was delicious too!

And then, a cashier came over and gave Aubrey a cupcake! Which Aubrey loved (the girl has a thing for chocolate). As soon as she saw the cashier approaching with the treat her eyes got huge and excited. Then when we set it on the table she approached in cautiously at first, just scooping up a small bit of frosting with her finger. And then finally, diving in and devouring the entire thing.


Anyway.....for the best subs in the world....go to the corner or 63 and 36.

Running on E

On Friday I forgot to bring my purse to work. So when my low gas light lit up early in the day I had no choice but to keep driving.

Me: I've gone 27 miles with my low gas light on so we'll have to get gas before church.
Martin: Ok. Should we get gas in Albion or Medina.
Me: Why? What's the difference.
Martin: Well I don't want to run out before we get there.
Me: Oh, I think it's fine. I was talking to Kate about it and she said she has gone much much farther with the low gas light on.

On the way to Medina

Martin: How far have you gone with your low gas light on before?
Me: I think about 35 miles
Martin: Oh. We're going to blow that outta the water.....by at least five miles.
Martin: How much gas do you usually get in it?
Me: Umm. fifteen gallons. I've gotten sixteen before.

A few seconds later

Martin: How many gallons does your tank hold?
Me: Umm. hang on a sec...

I Rummage through glove compartment for owners manual. This takes a little bit of time because I spend the first couple of mintes looking through a warranty manual before I realize I'm looking in the wrong book.

Me: 18.5 gallons.
Martin:(clearly extremely nervous about the whole situation)  Oh. Man! Nothing like getting the ole' heart pumping
Me: What do you mean? That's so much more than I thought. I bet we could go a lot farther.

A minute or two later. At this point we're almost in Medina

Martin: This needle is waaay below the E.
Me: Oh, we'll be fine. Besides, it's pretty much all downhill from here.
Martin:  I feel like it's dropped significantly since we started.

30 seconds passes. I can literally see the gas station from where we are.

Martin: (with a sigh of relief) Ok. I think it went back up a little bit.

Sunday

Breakfast. Cereal for me. Eggs for Aubrey. Spaghetti for Martin (not pictured) Also, Aubrey got really jealous of Martin's spaghetti and so got some also.

Aubrey went to the farm show with Daddy, Grandpa, and Uncles Alex and Mitchell on Saturday. She came home with this pink steiger.

Martin: If someone thinks she's a boy playing with that pink tractor....I swear.

Me: I'm sure someone will.

Martin: That's ridiculous!

A thermos full of milk for a Sunday afternoon drive.

What is a Sunday without laundry.

Oh Sunday, you're the best.

Smartphone

As I referred to here, Martin's phone is not working properly anymore. Fortunately - he is due for an upgrade at any time.

Martin: So I think I'm going to try to get to the verizon store today to get a new phone.
Me: Oh yeah, whatcha gonna get?
Martin: I don't know. I'm not going to get a smartphone, that's for sure.
Me: Why's that.
Martin: I could just see myself getting really addicted to it and it ruining my life.
Me: I could see that.
Martin: I would figure out how to use facebook on it and then all the time I'd be like - OMG. Eating a ham sandwich in Liverpool!  And I really don't want to see that happen to myself.

Wednesday Nights

On Wednesday night I put the garbage on the road. Often times, Aubrey cries unconsolably for the brief minutes I am gone. This most recent Wednesday (two days ago) I slipped outside while Aubrey was busy playing with Martin and thought it might be a successful run. But when I returned, the crying had begun and could not be stopped until I picked her up for a hug.

Martin: Wednesday's are really tough for Aubrey.
Me: Why?
Martin: Because you have to take out the garbage.

Ok, this second picture actually happened on Tuesday night when we had "make-your-own" subs, This is one of my favorite meals. And also one of my brother's favorite too. When he came over to say hello to Aubrey on his way home from the barn - he saw the spread of toppings on the counter and quickly decided he was going to change and stay for dinner.

Telemarketer

The speaker on Martin's phone isn't working. So he walks around the house like a telemarketer talking on his handsfree set.

Martin and Jenna, 2

.... This is the continuation of the story of how Martin and I met and fell madly in love. You can find the first part here.

...Being the impatient person that I am and dying to talk to this hilarious person on the other end of AIM I started getting onto AIM every evening to talk to Martin about everything and anything. He was hilarious. ridiculous. and amazing. I pretty much could have talked to him forever. But I've still never met him. I honestly have no idea what this person looks like, or sounds like, or really is he even actually a boy. It was all very ambiguous at the time. The entire concept of reality goes right out the window when you are getting to know someone over the internet. Are you really getting to know them at all? Is this even real life? I was very confused and there were a lot of unresolved questions....obviously.

So, when after months of this confusion, Martin invited me to go moonlight bowling with a bunch of his friends while he was home for winter break I jumped at the opportunity. And then I started picturing how awesome our relationship would be. And how we would obviously immediately fall madly in love. And also, how cool I would be to be dating a college student. Yeah, I was in high school.....superficial....no way!

Finally, Saturday, the day of the bowling arrived. Martin was going to pick me up at 9 or 9:30 - sometime around there. Bowling was from 10 to 1. I suppose, since this is the person I ended up marrying, I should remember every detail of that night. And I should have some sort of long winded story about getting ready and what I wore. But I honestly don't remember that at all. If I had to take a guess I would say I was wearing a white Hanes tshirt with a brown sweater over top. But that's only because I went through a solid two year phase when I thought white tshirts were basically the epitamy of looking cool and casually. Totally sexy, yet so simple. I've since revised those opinions, even though I'll still never knock a white tee. And the brown sweater, well it's been my favorite sweater as long as I can remember. I just wore it last week. Like any good wool sweater, it's only gotten better with time. And it's definitely always been one of my go to looks even though it does absolutely nothing to accentuate a figure (that tends to work in my favor though because I'm slightly lacking in the curves department.)

Anyway. Martin came to pick me up and my mom answered the door......

continued next week.

Hurtles

Our babysitter, Elizabeth, is in eighth grade and going to try track this year.

Me: Well, let me give you a tip. If you do hurtles - don't do what I did. I did track my sophomore year of high school and I ran hurtles. My very first race I accidentally knocked over the last hurtle. And, because I thought I would be disqualified if I didn't jump over every hurtle, I turned around, picked up the hurtle, jumped over it and then finished the race. Needless to say - I didn't win. And, by the way, you don't get disqualified if you knock over a hurtle.

Clean This UP, MOM

 Playing Peek-A-Boo in the bathtub, unfortunately the shower curtain is clear.

Oh boy! I'm naked! I definitely should run around and play chase! And don't worry, I'm going to giggle uncontrollably the entire time because I know you'll find it absolutely adorable.

And....a series of text messages between myself and Jennie on Friday night.

Me: So what a good parent am I. I'm sitting on the toilet texting while Aubrey takes a bath. Suddenly, she drops something brown on the floor. I get up to investigate and she just pooped and is picking it up and throwing it out of the tub.
Jennie: That is the most hilarious text I have ever received. Ever!

Disco Ball

*At a Young Farmers and Ranchers Dinner Dance with a bunch of friends last night*

Jennie: (walking over to two rotating disco balls on the stage) Dance in front of these disco balls. It makes you look like ten times better of a dancer. Seriously, check it out. Write about this on your blog.
Me: Ok.
Jennie: Seriously, it makes everyone look ten times better. You're going to write about this, right?
Me: Yes. Definitely.
Jennie: My underwear keeps falling down.

YMCA comes on.

Christian: This is definitely a wedding soundtrack.

Jennie: Look at me. I'm going to pretend I'm an aerobics instructor in front of these disco balls. It's going to look great.

That is when I made a quick bolt off the stage to find my phone in the coat closet so I could give myself a quick reminder of this goldmine of conversation. And it's a good thing I did, because until I noticed the note, I had completely forgotten about those precious moments of hilarity.

A Few Quick Highlights

Aubrey discovered brownie batter on Valentine's Day.....she's a big fan.

Alex also discovered brownie batter on Valentine's Day and after getting a taste of it, went home made an entire bowl of brownie batter and ate the whole thing for dinner.

We went to Salvation Army this morning and Aubrey got really tired so she slept in the cart while Martin, Gabe and I looked through tshirts and cassette tapes.

But she woke up in time to enjoy a Mexican lunch.

Lobster Tuesdays

Alex: Has Aubrey ever had lobster before?
Me: No. She's only one. It's not like lobster is something you have on a random day.
Alex: My buddies and I used to go out for lobster all the time.

the next day.

Alex: Oh! Yesterday was Valentine's Day?!
Me: Yeah.
Alex: I was trying to figure out why you were making lobster, because you said it wasn't something that you just had everyday and I was thinking that a Tuesday seemed like a pretty random day for lobster.

Takin' A Cruise Three Years Ago

*Scene: Martin is on the computer looking at Google Earth*

Me: What are you doing?
Martin: Oh, just cruisin' around
Me: Oh yeah. Going for a Sunday cruise on the computer.
Martin: Yeah. Just cruisin' around seeing what was happening three years ago. Look at all these fields that are grown up!

*a few minutes later*
Me: Are you almost done cruisin' around
Martin: You mean cruisin' around three years ago? Yeah.

Martin and Jenna

Although you read the story of Martin and Jenna are madly in love (and have hilarious conversations) on a daily basis, I haven't really ever told the story of Martin and Jenna meet and fall madly in love. And I have decided that yesterday would be the perfect day to begin the telling of that story, unfortunately, I'm a day late.  Bear with me, I'm going to tell it anyway.

Part of me wants to just cut through a few chapters and get right to the wedding (our wedding was amazing) .... but I also love to relive the tingling, ears on fire feeling of being newly in love. And also, I'm long winded, so I'll obviously start at the very beginning.

Here we go...

This story, like most of my stories, starts about five chapters before you would expect. This story starts waaaaay back in 2003! when I was an awkward senior in high school and Martin was a young college stud. This story starts waaaaay back when people used to use AOL instant messenger. Remember those days? Ah, those were the days.

So, here we are in 2003 and I am a senior in high school. My life was fairly consumed with normal senior things and while I wasted a lot of time talking complaining to my best friends (whom were all in relationships) about my single status, I didn't really do anything to change this situation and even if I did have the motivation or the attention span to commit to one crush at a time, I didn't really have the first notion of how to actually make the jump from crush to boyfriend. So...yeah...me...17...single...awkward. And did I mention my two best friends (I'm looking at you Amanda and Caton) were in long term relationships all the time. I guess we can safely add 3rd wheel to my previous list.

 Mildly embarrassing side note: During junior year when Caton started liking the boyfriend whom she was dating my entire senior year they would for obvious reasons spend a lot of time walking together in the hallway between classes. I, because Caton was my best friend and because I have a lot of stories to tell, would spend a lot of time walking with them between classes. From a storyteller's perspective, the best place to tell your story is in the middle of the audience to allow for all listeners to attend to the story with equal raptor. So, this is where I often stood when walking through the hallway telling my stories to Caton and Mike - right in between them. After a few weeks of this Caton actually had to pull me aside and politely ask me to please stop cutting in between her and Mike every single time I saw them because they kind of were dating. Whoops!

When my mom came to me one night and asked me to "get on the computer thing and ask Andy Beach a question" She didn't actually say ask Andy Beach a question there was an actual question in the spot, but 9 years later that has escaped my attention, something about cows or the fair. Andy Beach and I showed cows together at the fair so I can only assume that is what I was asking him about. Possibly show halters??? I said sure, and logged onto AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) to ask Andy said question.

I most likely started the conversation with Andy by getting straight to the point of my question. I don't really remember, but that seems like what I would probably do. However, "he" got me off track with "his" witty banter for some thirty to forty minutes before revealing to me that "he" was not Andy, but his college friend, Martin. (ok, he might have told me who he was somewhere more in the five mark range, but we definitely continued the conversation for a while)

I could have talked to this mysterious person hiding behind Andy's screen name for hours, but eventually he had to go and left giving me his own screen name and telling me to IM him sometime soon.

stay tuned next Wednesday for the continuation....

Back to Back Platinum Albums

Martin: Joe sent me some really important news last night
Me: what was that?
Martin: Whitney Houston died.
Me: (obviously uninterested) oh.
Martin: is that not good enough news for you?

A few minutes later during breakfast
Martin: you know,  Whitney Houstan had seven back to back platinum albums.
Me: are you just telling me this so I'll be more interested in your news.
Martin: yeah. Pretty much

Ten on Ten?

I tried to take ten pictures on the tenth. Well...if we're being honest I completely forgot until the 11th. And I'm just getting around to uploading them now....on the 13th. Hey, but at least I'm in the right month! That's  a huge improvement from last time I posted a ten on ten. ....Ok...AND I just realized there's only NINE.

1. Intent at work.
 2. BUBBLES!
3. Please don't eat the bubbles. Blow
4. Coffee! Very milky and sugary coffee - the best way.
5. Playing with St. Patrick's Day beads at Grandma's house (yes, we're aware St. Patrick's day is a few holidays away)
6. Giving Grandma a hug before she leaves on vacation.
7. Cuddled up with Mommy and Daddy. Sidenote: notice those crazy bangs on the side of my head. Yeah, that was an impulse decision a week and a half ago. Umm, maybe give me some sort of side swept wispy bang thing. Now I'm just counting down the days until they grow back out. They are so tempermental. I spend the majority of my days looking like a 7th grader trying to grow her bangs out and when I finally get a good bang day I quickly develop a sense of false hope thinking that maybe they just needed a few days to grow into themselves - only to find them doing their own thing again the next day.
8. A little snack during How I Met Your Mother
9. Homemade pizza for dinner.

Fresh Tomatoes

On Thursday evening/afternoon I was home for a few hours to regroup, do some laundry, and grab a quick dinner before heading back into work around 5:30. I was making myself a ham sandwich with swiss cheese, tomato, and fresh ground pepper and after taking the first bite was completely blown away by how much the tomato really made the sandwich. Seriously, it was amazing, the best sandwich I've had in a while.

This epiphany reminded me of a conversation Caton and I had on the way to our Sushi Making Class on New Year's Eve.

Caton: I hope the have the freshest cucumbers. Like really fresh cucumbers
Me: I think it's pretty safe to say that the vegetables will be fresh.
Caton: Fresh vegetables are really important. It's like tomatoes; they can really make or break a sandwich. You know when you have a really great sandwich but the tomato is just not fresh and it completely ruins the sandwich. That's why I never get tomatoes on my sandwiches because it's just not worth the risk.
Me: You know how you have a theory on something that you think is really good and you've pretty much perfected it so you have to seize every opportunity to slide it into conversation...
Caton: Yeah! That's kind of what that tomato one is.
Me: I know, I've heard that speech from you about tomotoes already.
Caton: Really? It seems like that one doesn't really fit into conversations very often so I really need to take advantage when it does.

Sea Turtle

On Saturday night we went to a charity bowling tournament. Martin's mood improved a lot when he learned that a "no tap tournament" does not imply that the tournament is dry and he has since declared that he is going to start going to a lot more charity bowling tournaments. My bowling skills are seriously lacking and I regrettfully report that I didn't even break 100. Martin managed to break 100 in two out of the three games despite his first four rolls going straight for the gutter and a few wasted rolls on tricks between the legs that also, headed to the gutter.

Aubrey came with us and spent the majority of the evening trying to walk down the track. So I spent the majority of the evening chasing after Aubrey and scooping her up before she could get onto the bowling area. Martin said she was like a sea turtle who just keeps going back to the sea no matter how often you pull her away. As we were leaving, a band was just starting to play and Aubrey was mesmerized. She stood inches away from the players, not losing concentration and clapping her hands and shaking her body to the rhythm.

This Made Me Smile on a Thursday Evening

Martin: Go to work quick and then come home so we can snuggled and spoon on the couch and watch How I Met Your Mother and be in love. I mean we're in love all the time, but.... we'll be especially in love then.

You're A Donkey

Now that Aubrey is really becoming quite a sponge you have to really be careful what you say around her or it might become her new favorite word to say. Luckily, doggy is stilling reigning champion as her number one word to chant over and over again, but without a little conversational self restraint, it might quickly be replaced by something a little less cute and more inappropriate.

Gabe: random talking....shit....
Martin: Hey, you gotta watch what you say. We're really trying to cut the swearing out.

....

Martin: random talking....ass....
Me/Gabe: Hey, watch it.
Martin: I don't think that's really one of the bad ones.
Me: Yes it is. It's one of the really bad ones.
Martin: Well what happens when she finds out what a donkey is?
Me: She'll call it a donkey.

....

Gabe: You're a donkey's donkey.

Bestowing Blessings

Last Sunday morning we were driving and it was lightly snowing. A car blinked their headlights at us to remind us that our headlights were not turned on.

Me: Oh, you're headlights aren't on.
Martin: Ugh. You know there was a time when this type of anti-inclement weather wouldn't mean you had to turn your headlights on. There was a time when everyone would be driving without headlights in weather like this.
Me: (rolls eyes)
Martin: But.....because it's Sunday I say...Thank you kind sir. And I bestow happiness and blessings to you and your family.

Superbowl

The superbowl this year was fairly anticlimatic. I don't really know much about football, but until the last three minutes of the game I thought it was a pretty boring game. Things really started the pick up when the Patriots let the Giants score a touchdown and the Giants were really trying all they could do to not score but fell into the endzone.

For the most part, I just really enjoy the company and the food. My sister-in-law Megan came over with her to adorable daughters. My brothers, Alex and Garrett, joined us. Gabe stopped by to cheer against me. Matt Fry stopped in and Kerri Mckenna. A nice full living room, which is all I really wanted anyway. Aubrey and I both wore our Buffalo Bills jerseys to show our support for the home team.

And the food.....gaucamole.....chicken wing dip....buffalo chicken fingers....salsa.....chips with a hint of lime....and shocktop.

Wagon Rides

Hmm. So after having this phone for OVER six months, I have FINALLY figured out how to post from my phone!!!! (Cue exciting music). Anyway.....get ready for real time photo updates. Or possibly not, please don't hold me to that promise. In the meantime, here's a couple pictures of Aubrey from this morning. I had to work late so went in a little late. This gave Aubrey and I plenty of time to go for a wagon ride and to play in the swing this morning.

Boom Bamity Boom Boom

Martin has been really into floor hockey lately. Well, Martin and all of his friends. They play every Monday night.....and Martin has the bruises on his legs to prove it (including one serious welt that is dangerously close to making future children out of the question) Last week he broke a blade and then shattered a stick. Needless to say, a new stick is a crucial purchase for tonight's game.

Martin: I think I'll just go to Dick's on Sunday and get a stick
Me: Well. I don't know if you're going to have time. There's that meeting after church and then our superbowl party.
Martin: It's....what...forty minutes from here. I think I could make the whole trip in an hour and a half.
Me: (looks at Martin with skeptism)
Martin: What! I'll be in and out of the store like boom bamity boom boom.
Me: (continues to look with skeptism)
Martin: I know you don't think I can move quickly, but I can do it.

Lights

Our stove has a light function in it and it's one of Aubrey's new favorite pasttimes to watch whatever happens to be in there bake.

Dancing Queen

Me: I tried to take a video of Aubrey dancing today. I only caught the tail end of it. It's so hard because you never know for sure when she's going to bust a move and she won't do it on command.
Martin: It's so funny when babies dance because you figure anything a baby does is a complete instinct and you wouldn't think dancing to music would be an instinct.
Me: Yeah. And it's funny to watch because they aren't worried about what anyone is thinking, it's just what feels good.

Caught

Garrett refuses to let me take ANY photos of him. Not even in the name of preserving his wonderful relationship with his niece in photographic form. After six months of owning this phone, I've FINALLY figured out how to turn off that little click noise when a photo is taken. That feature has really helped my in my stealth photographer abilities. If Garrett knew these photos existed he'd probably attempt to burn my phone.