Colts Training Camp 2010

Both Brad and I have always wanted to go to Colts Training Camp. Now that they are holding it at nearby Anderson University it is an easy drive. So, we went to the 8/11 evening practice. I highly recommend going sometime. It is amazing to see the players up close in a tiny college football stadium. It's also really fun to watch the warmups and scrimmages.

I couldn't believe how many people were there. They were expecting 5,000-8,000 people and it definitely seemed like that many had shown up, despite a recent thunderstorm. Maybe the funniest/coolest/most interesting thing was how everyone watched the practice with absolute reverence. That's the only word I can think of to describe it. I was expecting people milling about, yelling, talking, but everyone sat, analyzed, cheered and seemed generally overjoyed to be watching football (as was I). Just like going to the games, I'm always amazed at how educated and serious people are about watching every play. We may have some bandwagon fans, but these are not them!

The starters looked awfully good at the first preseason game Sunday! As they said on Sports Center, more like mid-season play than preseason play.

Some fun highlights from practice:





Colts fans are hoping for an improved running game this year. This looked pretty good, even as a scrimmage:


Peyton (18) and his back up, Painter (7), running some TD passes. Hopefully, we will see a lot of this when the season starts! Note Reggie (87) receiving.


Loved this play to Garçon. During the season we often see the favorite back of the end zone pass, but this looks like a fun option - front corner!


Naturally we want Peyton to complete everything, but gosh it is good to see Bob Sanders back on the field. (Someone knock on some wood!) Great play by him:


Awesome, awesome play with Dallas Clark showing his running skills.


Okay, granted, no pressure in this practice play, but Peyton is great under pressure anyway, and it's still a good throw into some traffic. Good ol' Peyton.


Another good looking one.


And this is why we love Peyton. One of the first to practice, carrying his own pads, signed autographs for quite a while, and then was the last to leave practice as he worked with Dallas Clark after it was over. Such the professional.


Go Horse!

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.

There happened to be an art fair going on in Libertyville. Amanda and I racked up the Christmas gift ideas.

Mmmmm. We couldn't leave before having a Chicago-style hot dog. Love it. "The works" is definitely the way to go.



On more thing: Want to know what to do with cucumbers you don't pick in time and are overgrown? Cheap dog treats.

Gracie


Cal

Luke


Luke has decided to use his bed more as a recliner.

Meagan's Cabin Initiation and Other Stories

Though I have known Louis Sowinski since 2nd grade when we started riding Bus #5 together, I feel like the evolution of our friendship is now complete. For years I’ve heard about his family’s famous Michigan cabin and the hilarity that inevitably ensues every trip. It’s always been one of Brad’s favorite spots for a guys’ get together. A few weekends ago we realized that we all just happened to be free (a miracle), so we met at the cabin – wives included this time! It was everything I was promised it would be. We are so blessed to have such wonderful friends. As you will see below, it’s a true shame that we have no fun together.

Most of the crew (this was the second night, after Chad and Kate had to take off with Little C). Brad and I brought a special bottle of wine to toast the weekend.



One of Brad’s Purdue friends, Keith, asked after reading the blog last month, “Do you guys ever do anything except eat?” Fair question. Louis and I, who are kindred spirits in our love of cooking, had way too much fun feeding everyone.

Great food started the first night with Louis’s steaks cooked over the fire and cucumber/jalapeno salad from my garden.



For night two, I brought corn and green tomatoes, which I fried up with Ethiopian spices!, from the garden. We had an all finger food dinner with the FABULOUS bbq Louis cooked up for us. Oh, and I discovered that Amanda and Heather are great sous chefs. Thanks, girls!







The only time we left the cabin was on Saturday for lunch by the river.

The whole crew was there this time: Brad, Nate, Kyle, Chad, Heather, Louis, Kate, Amanda and me (behind the camera).





Little C (that would be Christopher Jack) came along with his parents, Chad and Kate. Basically, that means that he is 32 years ahead of me in making his first appearance at the cabin. Bob and Bonnie sent him a giraffe toy that was a huge hit.




Not only did we eat a ton, but there may have been some dancing that weekend. Forgive me, all, for posting these. They were too good to pass up. I know, we have no moves.




All the boys had fun trying on the various hats that were available around the house. Kyle had a couple different looks going, and then Heather caught a fabulous shot below.





Blue steel. Some of you may have seen a similar picture around Christmas time last year. It’s a good look for us.



General merriment





Heather and Amanda are ridiculously, annoyingly, photogenic.




Half the fun was reliving the weekend via pictures and video. The morning before we all left we gathered around Louis’s computer to go through them and laugh. Great, great weekend.



The garden is going strong into August. As some of you saw on my Facebook posts, I picked 100 cucumbers one week. Yikes! As you'll see below, pickles were in order. And everyone I see has cucumbers shoved upon them.




It's also been tomato time. Yay! I wait for this every year. There is literally nothing like an Indiana tomato - red all the way through, no need for salt, pepper, olive oil, anything. Just perfect.



Always have to include a couple dog pics. Luke has been especially cute lately!

Luke cuddling with his "brother", Cal:

Luke hogging the beds below. Gracie doesn't seem to mind.


Okay....I still have more pictures to go! I'm going to start another post to cover those. If you made it to the bottom of this post, you are too kind.