bags for bethesda

last saturday, jana and i sweated our little tails off to watch T and michael compete in 405 brewing's bags for bethesda cornhole tournament. the event helped raise awareness and funds for an amazing organization that provides care and resources to families and children of sexual abuse. what a great way to bring people together for such a great cause!

[team red, white, and bro practicing]

T and michael were one of the teams up to play in the first round. they fought a good fight, but sadly, didn't make it to the next round. they did however, provide some awesome energy pepping others up, and cheering on another friend who was still playing. 

[wives club showing support]

[cheering on their fellow bro]

thankfully, we had tasty popsicles to help keep us cool aka epic pops to the heatwave rescue!

[mid-tournament break]

[cute sandies and pops]

once the winners of the tournament had been announced (congrats to the winning team!), there was just one last game to play. team red, white, and bro challenged team 405 brewing to a match. the terms (hilarious nailed down via ig): should T and michael win, they would get to name a 405 beer, to be brewed. should T and michael lose, they would get an ice bath. honestly, both teams viewed it as a win-win since it was crazy hot out. 

after a rousing back and forth mixed with some great smack talking, T and michael won the game. to say they were excited/us wives relieved would be an understatement. either way, it was a great day supporting a great cause in our community. 

awesome & awkward

[all about that ramen life]

awesome:

• for some time, T has been requesting frozen custard to be on the ice cream to-do list. it was hanging in the wings, waiting for it's chance to be next up. but, i am happy to report, that time has finally come! i know it won't hold a candle to dairy queen, freddie's, or ted drewes, but i'm hoping it will be delicious just the same. 
• after my last pasta 'ventures post, i've been upping my pasta making game. recently on the rotation has been pappardelle with freshly made basil pesto (omg!), perfecting our ravioli recipe, and next weekend, we will be tackling an elusive pasta shape (post to come).
• the current season has been such a treat, but i am already getting excited for our upcoming fall plans. does that ever happen to you? here's what i'm looking forward to: our 2nd annual themed dinner party, celebrating T's birthday weekend on the beach, boogieing to two of our long-time favorite bands in october (one on our anniversary!), celebrating our 3 year wedding and homeowner anniversary, and general fall holiday fun.

awkward:

• last week, i stopped by a party supply shop to pick up a birthday balloon for a co-worker's office celebration. after paying, i walked towards the door when the shop staff stopped me to lend a helpful reminder about the intense heat in cars. i guess i didn't realize how close my balloon was to me because when i turned to hear what she said, i smacked myself with it right in the face. i know she noticed because it made a distinct bounce noise, and i looked surprised it happened. i'm pretty sure she giggled quite a bit after i left.

[street construction + me with my real life groot]

[it's rib-o-clock]

[all the heart eyes]

[those tomatoes are for us, right?]

peach festival

last saturday, my mom and i made our annual trip out to the porter peach festival. the first stop on our road trip was to our favorite local orchard to load up on those delicious peachy treats. while there, we also happened to witness the most adorable father-son moment in the peach trees. the first time for a little one to go to a farm really is the cutest. 

[riding into town]

next up on our trip, the peach festival. since last year's guiness world record for biggest peach cobbler made, the festival grew quite a bit. there were loads more vendors being featured, treats to snack on, and a seriously impressive bouncy castle city. if i were five, it would have been a dream come true. 

after the parade, my mom and i snacked on fresh peaches with ice cream while we people watched just a little longer before heading out. 

[momma-daughter trip]

before leaving the town of porter, my mom took us by the peach barn to taste some mini peach pies. her and my dad had been not long ago, and were in love with the crust and filings used. so, i, of course, couldn't wait to try them. 

we brought back a few peach pies to eat with my dad and T later, but sampled a freshly made blackberry pie. and i am happy to report my parents' reviews were true! that crust, that filing, and those fresh fruits...oh my, yum. 

can't wait to see what treats i come up with, with all of these mouth-watering peaches! 

elk mountain

a couple of weeks back, T and i loaded up the pups for a day hike out at the wichitas. we decided we'd check out a new (to us) trail out at elk mountain. thankfully, there was a storm that passed through the night before so the boys had loads of mini pools and mud to play in. 

[boba finding his first pool to lay in]

sadly, there were too many hikers out on the trail to let the boys run off leash, but T easily kept up with their energy...it made it all the easier for me to snap photos of all the sights :)

[just shy of half way up]

[my mountain man]

the first half of the hike (going up) was pretty intense, mostly due to the tricky terrain, incline, and weaving of the trail. that being said, it was really cool seeing our mountain-side views changing the further we went up. plus, we were greeted by an eastern collared lizard, and fresh elk droppings (guess that's why it's called 'elk' mountain - eep!). 

the second half of the hike (going up) was much better. there was a good amount of shade throughout, and the terrain was a nice switch from the first half. then, the wind picked up which was a sweet reminder of how close we were getting to the mountaintop.  

[pup pool with a view]

[taking a breather and catching the views]

it was a memorably sweaty hike that was well worth pushing through. it's probably why i love to hike when we can. being able to push through what your mind says you can do to reap such gorgeous rewards with your favorites makes it all the better. 

here's to the next hike! but, maybe we stick to early morning/late afternoon hikes ;)

new (to me)

in the past few weeks, i got to try a few new (to me) food spots that had been on my radar for a hot minute. does anyone else get excited when they get to check a place off of their 'food list'? or, i guess the real question is, does anyone else have a 'food list' log they keep? for those who don't, anytime i hear of a place that interests me whether it is local, out of state, or out of country, it goes on the list. and believe me, my list is pretty extensive. 

as far as the okc metro area goes, eischen's had been on that list for a loooong time. if you haven't heard of this spot, they are primarily known for their tasty fried chicken and okra. i'd been trying to get out to this place for awhile, but usually weather wouldn't permit it. but, i finally got to go, and it was well-worth the wait. seriously, finger-licking good, and we will be back. 

next up, the first on my list of onion burgers to try in the area, tuckers. i'd heard about tuckers for awhile, but hadn't gotten a moment to try their burgers. not only were their burgers and shakes extra tasty, but i've never seen T not finish a burger (it was too big!). 

[checking out his burger-to-be]

lastly, i met up with a couple of gal pals for a little catch up, and dinner at urbun last week. think yummy steamed bun concoctions served with freshly made fries and unique dipping sauce combinations. from top to bottom (on the right side of the above photo): soft-shell crab, pork belly, and fried chicken. 

[matcha soft-serve with toasted coconut]

holiday weekend

happy monday everyone! i hope you all had a great holiday last week. T and i savored an extra long weekend enjoying the things we love most - great food, and great company. unsurprisingly, i felt a recap was well in order. 

[T's favorite snow cone stand]

friday, T and i took a road trip out to okarche to try out eischen's fried chicken. more on that 'venture in another post, but trust me when i say it was delicious. afterwards, T took me on a trip down memory lane through his old stomping grounds in okc. 

saturday, we went to a cookout at a friend's house where we played giant jenga, lit up sparklers, snacked on treats, and were treated to a backyard viewing of the sandlot. 

sunday, T and i mostly lounged about aside from a mini cookout with mike. the pups got to see their favorite dog friends, and we got to hang with one of our favorites. 

monday, i snuck up to my favorite juice bar to say hey and grab a couple of fresh blends. later, T and i got to work on our own little barbeque. with the 4th being on a tuesday, it kind of threw off our normal daytime celebrations. so, we decided we'd do the classic cookout the night before. 

[chef T]

it was T's first time to make ribs. but as good as they were, you'd have no idea...i still have dreams about them!

[pup patrol]

later that night, i got to catch up with one of my favorite gal pals over wine, cheese, and a netflix marathon. 

tuesday, T and i took the pups out to elk mountain (post to come). it was a hot, sweat-drenched hike, but absolutely worth it to get to the top. plus, the pups love any chance to get as dirty as possible. 

once we got back, and got cleaned up (that shower was life affirming), m+j and my brother came over for mojitos, 4th of july cheesecake bars, and a fireworks show at the park. 

[yum]

[bike gang]

we had such a blast all weekend (and week) that we spent the second half of the week getting some much needed r+r :)