Nap Time in Naptown: Yogulatte on Mass Ave.

Last night I dreamed in a world of peanut butter and crushed Oreos. 

That might sound weird but if you had visited Yogulatte with me last night, then you would completely understand.

Yogulatte is a frozen yogurt and coffee shop located on one of my favorite streets in Indianapolis: Mass Ave. (Cue Hallelujah chorus.)

It's perfectly sized. Not too big; it's still a local shop that belongs on Mass Ave. Not too small; no panicking like when walking into tiny shops and realizing they only have two and a half seats for 17 customers.

Have you ever done serve-yourself yogurt? Because I hadn't before but now I can't go back. 

In Yogulatte, there is a wall of frozen yogurt machines and a bar of toppings. You pick whatever you want, serve yourself and pay just $.49 per ounce.

They have little taster cups so you can taste each flavor before you decide. (And I tasted each flavor, oh yes I did.)

Cookies and cream. Cheesecake. Tart. Peanut Butter. I wanted to take them all home with me.

And then there's the toppings bar. Half is healthy with strawberries, kiwis, blueberries, etc. The other half is... not so healthy. As in I scooped up Oreos. Clearly the bad half was whispering sweet nothings in my ear.

Next time Madeline and I go to Mass Ave Toys, I can guarantee we'll be making a frozen yogurt stop too. And if I can throw Yats in there too? 

Heaven on a street.

The only thread between Rachel Zoe and Becky Skillman

There are so many things I could discuss here tonight but I'm going to start with last weekend.

I started watching The Rachel Zoe Project and now I just can't stop. I DIE. 

Like, that show is bananas.

I may or may not have watched nine episodes last weekend. I also cleaned the house while it played on the laptop so really it was a win-win for everyone except Taylor.

(For anyone watched the first season, did you like Tay-Tay? Because I kinda loved Her Royal Moodiness.)

In other totally non-happening news, I was on-call for jury duty this week.

When most people heard this, they nodded their head sympathetically and told me such things as "you probably won't get called at all" and "at least now you won't get called for a long time."

People, I've been dying to do jury duty since I was a little nerdy elementary student. I just think it's such a cool part of our country and I would be so honored to serve.

Plus I've also watched Runaway Jury a few too many times.

In my heart, I really did want to get summoned to the City County Building but, alas, I didn't make the cut.

I never got called, the process ended today and now John Cusack will just have to make Gene Hackman squirm without me.

There is no reasonable segue into this next part so I'm just gonna put it out there. 

I spent yesterday afternoon at the Statehouse for a bloggers roundtable with Indiana's Lt. Governor Becky Skillman.

(Totally not what you thought would follow Rachel Zoe and John Cusack, right?)

I got a picture to prove it.

This picture also proves that Becky Skillman has amazing hair. I don't know if your political beliefs align with hers but you can't deny that she rocks the blonde.

Other than the fab hair, she also embodies class, poise and graciousness and the rare ability to give very smart answers AND admit when she doesn't know something.

It truly was an honor to be part of her busy schedule so we could share concerns and pick her (very smart) brain for an hour.

Angie wrote a great post on her experience at the Statehouse and I just love how she captured it all.

So...um...ditto.

Then I spent the evening with some blogger friends. We ate gyros and flaming cheese (WOWSA!), thrifted with the Jedi Master of Thrifting and crammed frozen yogurt into very full bellies.

I truly thought it was midnight when the night was done. Instead, it was only 9:30 p.m. when I was completely spent.

Spring chicken, I am not.

But if I could offer one recommendation? It would be to order the flaming cheese at Santorini in Fountain Square. You're welcome.

Three going on mature

Yesterday, Madeline and I had a couple very chill (therefore, pretty rare) moments.

5 p.m. Quiet house. Addie and August had just been picked up. I settled back in the couch and starting browsing on my phone. Madeline picked up a couple items and suddenly turned into a very mellow college student.

I felt like I was getting a glimpse into the future. 

An older Madeline coming home with a purse slung on her shoulder and a magazine under the arm (probably "People" if she wants to make her mama proud), kicking off her heels and sharing her day with me.

There's nothing extraordinary in these videos but I'm so happy that these two minutes were recorded. If I could, I would bottle this girl up and then eat her with a spoon.

(P.S. The brochure that fascinates her so much with the concert and painting? A brochure from 8 Great Towns. Forget buying books. I guess I just need to share my marketing materials with her.)

(P.S.S. Peter, I'm posting these videos for you. We miss you and know you miss her.)

(P.S.S.S. Sorry for the poor resolution. I started recording on my phone so she didn't even know I was taping.)

(P.S.S.S.S. I just updated my reading list with what I'm reading now, what I'm waiting to read and what I've recently read and loved. I don't have many in the "waiting to read" queue. Any suggestions?

Nap Time in Naptown: Discovery Station at Conner Prairie

I have discovered a new winter haven for moms who need to entertain their cabin-feverish kids. Or moms who need a cover story for leaving the house instead of "I just need a diet Coke."

It's the indoor side of Conner Prairie, and it's awesome.

Growing up in Indy meant that I went to Conner Prairie a lot. I always loved stepping back in time in the blacksmith forge, schoolhouse and homesteads. My absolute favorite was (and still is) Headless Horseman. (If you've never gone to Headless Horseman, you must go. Really and truly.)

It's the fantastic experience of walking through "Little House on the Prairie" during spring, summer and fall but I never once thought about visiting in the winter.

So when our friends invited us to play with them at Conner Prairie a couple of weeks ago, I envisioned us stumbling around in the frigid wind before remembering that she wouldn't make me suffer on a random Thursday.

Instead, I was introduced to my new favorite room: Discovery Station.

It's one big room set up as a town, complete with a market, train station and farm. Everything is completely hands-on, from the apple tree ready to be picked to the cow waiting to be milked to the costumes whispering to be worn. Basically, it's a condensed version of The Children's Museum.

 

Now I love me some Children's Museum and will have a membership until Madeline begs me to spend the money on a cell phone instead but it's not exactly the place to go and relax and catch up with another mom.

My favorite part of the Discovery Station is the super comfortable, "wanna take a nap" leather sofas placed throughout the room. 

Mothers of Indianapolis, hear me! I sat on a couch for two hours with my friend and we actually were able to talk while watching our kids play. 

I know!

I should have taken some pictures of Madeline enjoying every nook and cranny of that room but instead, I WAS TALKING TO ANOTHER ADULT.  And I don't regret it one bit.

Admission is just $5 per person and kids 2 and under are free, cheaper than a morning at Monkey Joe's or Recreation Unlimited but way more educational. Our friends have a membership and can visit as many times as they want. (Oops, is my jealousy coming through?)

In the winter, Conner Prairie is only open from Thursday - Saturday from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. - 2p.m. At first, I was a little disappointed that they weren't open longer but then I found the silver lining: a built-in excuse to make the kids leave at nap time.

So go, relax on a leather couch and remember you are doing it for the kids. For the kids, y'all.

Brussels sprouts, cookies and ice, ice, ice

I'm watching the first season of "Castle" right now. Jen told me ages ago that I should watch it but I haven't until now. Which was such a mistake because I'm totally loving it.

Joe is currently watching the Ken Burns documentary, "National Parks." Let us never forget which spouse watches TV for knowledge and which spouse watches for entertainment.

Today was snow day number three. Our front yard is still unbelievably icy. I can't ever remember walking across ice like this before. Madeline thinks it's awesome to slide around the yard and we laughed ridiculously hard while attempting to walk three feet from the car to the sidewalk.

Sometimes I wonder how this can be parenting when I'm having so much fun. We laugh together all day long, every day, and I absolutely love it.

We went to the Home Show with friends and I'm now coveting gray paint on my walls and a giant swing set in the back yard. I just don't want to pay the $48,000 they think is a reasonable price for wood and swings.

We came home and baked the world's best oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. (Have I mentioned those enough recently? Because they are da bomb.)

Then we risked our lives to have dinner with friends whose home sits atop the second highest mountain in Marion County. The icy slickness almost wiped me out for the 30th time today.

The four of us laughed for four hours straight while Madeline drank in the sight of a new dollhouse and fresh toys. Andrea made roasted Brussels sprouts with garlic and it was the first time ever that I liked Brussels sprouts.

I ate three helpings. I wanted more but I thought a fourth scoop would cross into the region of rude.

My mom will be very proud of me for finally liking her favorite vegetable. I feel like I've crossed the threshold of adulthood. Up next: happily waking up at 6 a.m.

And 100 bucks says when I wake up tomorrow, there will still be ice on my sidewalk.

Where I give the word "random" shelter from the ice storm

Ah, snow day number 2. When the fun really gets going.

Joe let me sleep in again because he's awesome. And because the truth is whenever he's home, he always lets me sleep in. 

I repeat, he is awesome and totally knows my love languages. Boggle. Scrabble. Reality TV. Clean dishes. 9 a.m. (or noon) wake-up call.

So I woke up to Madeline watching "Super Why" with a goopy bowl of oatmeal. Thankfully I like that show, much unlike "Dinosaur Train" which soon followed. (Why is it that some kids' shows can just absolutely drive you crazy? I'm not sure what is it but "Dinosaur Train" is my PBS nemesis,  my animated fingernails on the chalkboard.)

But I love this little girl so we cuddled up on the couch and soaked in the morning.

You might be wondering why I'm loving these snow days even though I stay home with Madeline every day. Since the first of the year, I've been watching two little sisters every weekday. 

The older girl is 2 years old and the perfect friend for Madeline. She laughs at everything Madeline does but is also content to play on her own when she wants to. 

Her little sister is 4 months old and the perfect little companion for me. She's happy on my chest in a mei tai and doesn't mind the occasional soap sud in her hair when I wash dishes. Her only fault is that she sleeps 97 percent of the time. I want her to be awake more because she spends the other 3 percent giggling and smiling and wrapping my heart around her pinky toe.

I haven't mentioned the girls yet because, as shocking as this might be, not every parent might want their child mentioned on a blog as sophisticated as this one. But their parents gave me the OK so you'll probably hear more about them in the future and maybe, just maybe, get a glimpse of their amazing curly red hair. 

As much as Madeline and I love having them over, I do miss time with just her. So, to wrap it up, that is the really, really, really long explanation as to why I've been loving these snow days. 

Y'all, I've never once promised brevity around here.

Joe took off for work at 10 a.m. because as much as he wanted to stay home, it was actually possible to brave the streets of Indy.

Madeline and I did crafts together and I drew what might be the scariest drawing ever of two children and Jesus. She colored this picture at church on Sunday and asked me to recreate it.

This is my attempt. I shall call it Exhibit A: Why I'm Signing Madeline Up for Art Classes.

Disturbing and therapy-inducing, I know. I'm pretty sure Jesus is snarling, the kids are conjoined twins and all three are way too hairy.

After I was done, she exclaimed, "Oh I love it Mama!" I love her innocent, ever-loving heart. She is such a "glass-half-full-and-on-the-verge-of-brimming-over" girl.

I packed the car with emergency gear like cell phone chargers, blankets, "Madagascar" and Madeline's Rapunzel doll and headed over to my parents. Because it stopped feeling like a snow day when Joe walked out the door to be a real grown-up.

I promise you this: nothing says snow day like spending the afternoon at your parents' house, curled up in a chair with Coke, green olives, sweet pickles, smoked Gouda and lemon meringue pie. We talked, played Scrabble and watched an episode of "Little House on the Prairie" which made yesterday's post feel like a total prophesy. It was an episode where Laura's horse is sold so Ma can buy a stove and that little girl cried buckets of tears. It truly was a hard-knock life back then.

My parents got a new puppy last week, another miniature dachshund. Now, I'm no expert but I would guess that he weighs about - 2 pounds and scores pretty dang high on the adorable charts.

They named him Mr. Darcy so... yes. I got to spend the afternoon listening to Madeline yell, "Go, go go, Mr. Darcy!" and "Come here, Mr. Darcy!" and "Awwww, you're just so cute, Mr. Darcy."

My nerdy, Jane Austen-loving side was bursting with joy.

We came home and watched Joe attempt to clear the ice off our sidewalk. God bless him because I see that project as the equivalent to trying to keep me away from The Dollar Spot in Target.

It just ain't gonna happen without divine intervention, folks.

The real downfall of all these snow days was that I couldn't remember whether today was Tuesday or Wednesday. We realized too late that "Modern Family" and "The Middle" aired tonight.

TV FAIL.

Seriously, what did Laura, Ma and Pa do before full episodes on the Internet?? It just boggles the mind.

What Katie does with a freebie day

I don't know if you've heard or not but the weather kinda ain't great right now. Icepocolypse '11 is moving through Indiana and has practically shut down the city. 

And by shut down, I mean I can't get to McDonald's if I get a sudden hankering for root beer.

It's been a great day at home. Joe didn't go to work. I stayed in my PJs for most of the day. Madeline changed into nine different outfits. Bliss.

Joe got up with Madeline and I slept in until 9 a.m. 

We spent the entire morning watching the funeral service for Officer Moore. I cried my eyes out while knitting.

(I started knitting last week and am now addicted. It might only stick for a few more days or I could be a granny who knits in a rocking chair and makes baby booties for her great-grandkids. Who knows but for now I love it.

I always thought knitting had to be meticulous and required things like math and concentration. But really it's the perfect activity when my brain is being used in difficult ways like viewing "The Bachelor" or "Modern Family." It is so easy and mindless. 

I even thought I would have to read a book on how to knit but instead I learned with You Tube tutorials by The Knit Witch.

Oh Knit Witch, how much you helped me. I totally picture you as Professor McGonagall with knitting needles.)

Anyways, back to today.

My sister-in-law sent two great weather-related pictures which you can't view without wanting to share with everyone you know.

By 2 p.m., I finally decided to change out of my pajamas and take a shower. Honestly, I didn't want to be that productive but I did it out of fear of losing our power and having to show up at my parents as a smelly mess.

Then our neighbor braved the icy street and came over with a plate of warm cranberry and blueberry muffins. We played Scrabble and ate breakfast for dinner. Egg and cheese biscuits, seasoned potato wedges and a bottle of Shiraz.

Apparently I felt like we deserved a lot of carbs due to all the intense knitting cardio I did today.

After she left, I got on Facebook for the first time and read about 477 status updates about the weather and who has power and who doesn't.

Now I'm contemplating giving myself a manicure and pedicure. Or I might just go to bed. Decisions, decisions.

About eleventy million times today, I thought about the early pioneers and how they survived ice storms like this without heat, running water and texting. And about eleventy million times, I wondered how in the world they did it.

But at least Laura Ingalls Wilder could go out in the snow with Pa and collect maple syrup to put on the snow. Do you think it would taste as good with Mrs. Butterworth's?

But they can't bake the world's best oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Take that, Ma and Pa.

Everything is closed tomorrow which mean we get to do this again. Hopefully more eyebrow plucking will be involved so I can call it a productive day.