Todd Family Blog: Cheese, Paint and Pie....and Rowdy...and Hotdogs.

We've had so much fun with friends this summer we are finding we actually have to schedule time to be home! Below are some highlights. Of course, there are always fun things that I don't manage to capture on film. For instance, a spontaneous dinner over at the Metzings which ended with all four of us singing songs around the piano and Ryan's guitar. That needs to happen more often! Also, a great dinner at the home of a high school friend, Natalie (Reynolds), and her husband Tom. And Brad got to see Brad and Tracy Stevens for an impromptu meal at the good ol' Friendly Tavern in Zionsville. I was sorry to miss that, but heard that the breaded tenderloins were fabulous, as always. I can't believe I missed pictures of a recent movie night at Lauren and Jason Brown's. For 2 years we have talked about having a night where we could show Brad The Patriot (random, I know - long story) on Jason's huge Bluray entertainment extravaganza. So fun. And Brad loved the movie. Too bad Mel Gibson has since gone insane.

Enjoy the other highlights below!

A couple weeks ago Brad took a day off work and we went downtown to just have some fun. We started the day at a favorite local market, Goose the Market, for a cheese and cured meat tasting. Then we wandered around the Eiteljorg museum (for those of you who don't live here, it's a beautiful museum dedicated to Native American history and art), wandered around downtown, and ended up at the Indians' game that night. It was dollar night and I made myself sick on CrackerJack. Yum.

Much to Brad's delight, Rowdy did a little show right in front of us. (Brad loves mascots. Strange, I know.)

So strange to see the new J.W. Marriott over the ballpark. It is pretty cool though - reflects the clouds, all blue glass, and you know we love the color blue around here!

Gorgeous day to walk around the canal downtown.

I was missing my dear friends, Elizabeth and Keith. So, I jumped in the car and drove up to Crown Point to see them a couple weeks ago. They just bought a house near the square in downtown and I hadn't seen it yet!

When I got there they took me to a wonderful restaurant on Cedar Lake, The Lighthouse. Definitely a new favorite.

We worked hard the next morning painting the screened-in porch. It's fun to know that I got to help work on their home. Elizabeth's niece, Cassidy, was a great help too.

I love the huge windows in the front of the house, and it's in such a cute, historic neighborhood. I foresee many, many fun visits in our future.

Miriam's and my college roommate, Ashley, came all the way down from Milwaukee for a much needed visit recently. We had a wonderful dinner downtown at Euphoria and then drinks at Nicky Blaine's. Always lovely to catch up in person.

Brad and I discovered Tastings at the Conrad Hotel downtown not long ago. If we ever need a wine tasting fix, that is where we're going to go: Over 100 wines you can taste by putting money on a little tasting card. Really fun!

Jen Rawe and I had a shopping extravaganza recently at the Cincinnati Ikea and also the Pottery Barn outlet. (Who knew that exhisted?!) We definitely shopped until we dropped. The nursery is really coming together!

We're trying to fit in visits to our friends' before we travel to Ethiopia sometime this fall. That meant a trip up to Libertyville (near Chicago) to see Nate and Amanda. We LOVE going to see them. It's always so relaxing, easy, and fun. As Nate toasted at our dinner Friday night, "Here's to friends who might as well be family."

We never have to worry about missing dogs when we are at Nate and Amanda's. Midge and Harley (who is chilling with Brad on the couch) keep us company!

I can't show up empty-handed, so this time I brought homemade blueberry pie because, well, blueberries were on sale. Turns out Nate loves pie! That's lucky.

Probably our only chance to see Nate holding an "Electric Lemonade", which the bartender whipped up for him. (Think she had a little crush, haha.) Pretty yummy drink, it turns out.

The boys wanted to watch the Cubs/Reds game so we went to this sports bar, Austin's. Amanda and I planned ahead and brought her stack of Us and People magazines. Have any questions about The Bachelorette or Brangelina? I'm your girl.