Oh no he didn't...

Me (to Mike): You know it's time to get really serious about exercise and healthy eating when you're walking through Target formulating your response to the person who might say "When is your baby due?" and you aren't pregnant.

Mike: Amy, no one's gonna think you're pregnant...(isn't he sweet)...You look too old.

I think he might want to sleep with one eye open tonight.

Frags on wheels

Today's installment of Friday Fragments is inspired by wheels. That's been the theme of the week around here this week.

First, there was the Suburban we rented to go to Amish country last weekend. I only drove it for about 30 minutes, but I did not enjoy it. I'm too short to drive something that big. Felt like I was driving a semi. BUT...I did love riding in it. There was so much room. Everyone had plenty of space. There was no "she touched me" or "I'm squished" whining. I could get used to that, as long as Mike does all the driving.

Then on Wednesday, we got to spend 4 hours tooling around Indianapolis in the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. Frankly, it was bunderful! (I know, so bad!) I wonder if I can get one of those from CarMax?

Last night, we went to Lucas Oil Raceway where they were racing stock cars and midget cars (apparently the word "midget" is socially acceptable in reference to automobiles). I am really NOT a racing fan, but we had a great time. Going to the race track is like going to the movies with someone you don't like. It's ok because you don't have to talk to each other. I need to make an appointment to get a hearing aid now.

And next week, I'm taking some friends for a limo-chauffered girls' day, courtesy of one of my tourism contacts!

Finally, in the category of "spinning my wheels," I have had a heck of a time getting a uniform skirt for Annie to wear to high school. It's a long story that she probably doesn't want me to share all the details about, but let's just say that $45, 3 yards of fabric and umpteen phone calls and e-mails later, she is still skirtless. At this point, she might be showing up on the first day of school in a plaid sari.

In need of more fragments? Wheel yourself on over to Mrs. 4444s's place to hear what she's got to say today!

I wish I rode the Oscar Mayer wiener (and I did!)

The e-mail came from Dyl-icious Dylan, asking if I wanted to hop aboard the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile and show him around Indianapolis. Frankly, he didn't have to ask me twice! I told him I would relish the opportunity.

Dylan and his partner, Ketchup Kylie, are in Indy for the week and had some down time. They were looking for someone to introduce them a bit to the city. So Dylan googled "Indianapolis bloggers" and came up with me. Hot diggity dog!

It turns out that Kylie was feeling a little under the bun, so Dylan pulled up to my house by himself. There is nothing quite like seeing the Wienermobile driving down your street.

The boys wasted no time running out of the house and taking their seats in the hot dog on wheels. I'm just glad Clifford the big red dog wasn't around to chase down this treat. Dylan, being a very conscientious Hot Dogger, insisted everyone buckle their "meatbelts" before we headed out. I decided to ride "shotbun" so I could help Dylan navigate our way to our first stop.

We headed to a nearby shopping center where Annie and about 29 other teenagers were due to return from a day of service at a camp for kids with disabilities. You should have seen how excited these kids were to see the Wienermobile, get Wiener Whistles and stickers that said "I saw it!"

I'm afraid, for these kids, any other surprise just won't cut the mustard after they've experienced the Wienermobile. And it wasn't just the service day kids. People came out of stores, pulled up in their cars, and followed us into the parking lot just to get close to the legendary Wienermobile (which is actually one of 6 Wienermobiles on the road around the country). 

We had so much fun spreading hot dog smiles that we decided to take the smiles across town to our friends at Joy's House, an adult day community. For security reasons, the guests at Joy's House couldn't come outside to visit the Wienermobile. Instead, Dylan pulled up along the dining room windows, so the guests could relish the view from there. Then we all got out and went inside to visit with the guests and hand out Wiener Whistles and I saw it! stickers.

Of course, we took some time for a few photo ops:

Laura & Tina at Joy's House -- What you might not be able to tell from this picture is that Tina was about to strangle Robbie if he blew his Wiener Whistle one more time.

Once she took the shotbun seat, we weren't sure if we were going to be able to get Tina out of the Wienermobile. 

And despite the fact that the heat was beginning to ketchup with Robbie, we piled out of the HDOW (hot dog on wheels) to pose for a family picture. I'm pretty sure I'm going to send this one out in our Christmas cards.

By the time we were wrapping things up at Joy's House, we were getting pretty hungry. Despite the fact that you're driving around in a giant hot dog -- did you know the Wienermobile is 60 hot dogs long and 24 hot dogs high? -- there's actually nothing to eat on the Wienermobile. So, where do you take the Hot Dogger who is graciously driving you around town in a grilled fiberglass hotdog? To a hamburger joint, of course!

After a dinner at Boogie Burger, we decided to introduce our Hot Dogger to the hottest dawgs we know -- the Butler University bulldogs.  We pulled up outside of legendary Hinkle Fieldhouse and snapped this postcard-perfect picture:

Just as we were getting ready to leave Butler, there was a knock on the side of the Wienermobile, which Dylan said is a pretty common occurrence. What was uncommon about this knock, however, was it came from the father of Butler Blue 2. They (Blue 2 and his pop) had been following our tweets and knew we were on campus. So we introduced Butler's hot dog to Dylan and the Wienermobile. Even our seasoned Hot Dogger was impressed. 

First Blue 2 checked out the Wienermobile -- that's just mustard. Blue 2 was perfectly behaved. 

Then Dylan tried out the Blue 2 mobile.

It was a mutual admiration society. 

By that time, we were all getting pretty tired. So we rolled on home and said goodbye to Dylan and the wiener on wheels. But before he drove away, Dylan left me with my very own beanie weenie -- a stuffed Wienermobile!

Of all the things I've gotten to do as a blogger (and there have been plenty), I think my afternoon in the Wienermobile has been the best yet. (Even better than flying upside down in an airplane!)

Stay tuned for an exclusive interview with Dyl-icious Dylan, the Hot Dogger and Wienermobile driver.

What a difference 3 years makes

Three years ago today, I started this blog. I called it the 4th Frog out of desperation and sheer lack of creativity for anything else. But in those three years, I've grown into the name.

I've become the 4th Frog. I answer to the name on Twitter. But I've stopped short of getting vanity license plates and decorating my house with frog figurines.

Three years ago, I clicked over to Google Analytics several times a day to see how many people had read what I'd written that day. Now, I check out my metrics about once a month. I felt like it was my duty to make people laugh when they visited this blog. I still like to make people laugh, but I feel more duty-bound to be honest because that's where the real connections happen.

I thought 2008 was going to be the launch pad for my first book -- grown out of this blog. Now I'm not so sure what I've written here is book worthy, but I do feel like I've found a voice here that could also find a home in a book or two if I choose to take that path.

Back in the day, I was afraid if I didn't post every day (or nearly so) that I would lose followers. Now I know that if I don't step away from the blog from time to time, even if its just a for a few days, I'm in danger of losing perspective.

In 2008, I was worried about attracting followers. Now I blog because it brings me friends.

I'm older now. Maybe more cynical. Hopefully a little wiser. But the most important thing is, that on this, my 3rd blogiversary, I am still here and you are here and I'm happy about that.

Laughs from Amish country

We took a little family vacation to northern Indiana last weekend. Our destination? Amish Acres in Nappanee.

When I was a little girl, I read every book about the Amish I could get my hands on in the Richmond, Indiana library. I was fascinated by their different way of dressing and their mysterious-to-me ways. In more recent times (like in the last 6 months), I've harbored a secret desire to embed myself with an Amish family for a couple of weeks. Totally disconnected. Work my fingers to the bone on something other than a keyboard.

So when the marketing manager for Amish Acres invited our family to come visit, I didn't think twice. Despite the fact that we had the kids convinced that we were going to assume the Amish lifestyle and customs for the weekend, we actually stayed in a modern(ish) hotel and were limited to learning about the Amish culture from our visit to the Amish Acres farm.

You know that transplanting a family of tech-heavy, suburban folks into a slow-paced environment where technology is not embraced is going to produce some laughable moments.

We watched two pretty interesting documentaries about how the Amish came to be and how they choose to live in the world and not of it. Amish today reject the use of most technologies, though they will use gas lanterns and gas washing machines in their homes.

After learning several of the customs of the Amish, Annie said to me, "Mom, I think you could be Amish with benefits."

"Amish with benefits?" I asked.

"Yeah, you could be Amish as long as they let you have a computer."



* * *

On a tour of a restored Amish home, we approached a small building with a crescent moon cut in the door. Robbie asked what it was. I told him it was an outhouse and explained what an outhouse was used for -- that people had to go outside to go potty.

Without skipping a beat, Robbie said "I wish Daddy used an outhouse."

* * *

On Saturday afternoon, Annie and I went to see "Plain & Fancy," in Amish Acres's Round Barn Theater. The Broadway musical about a New Yorker heading into Amish country to sell some inherited farm land to Amish neighbors has been performed at the Round Barn Theater for 25 years.

Before the show began, the announcer came over the loudspeaker and reminded people that videorecording and photography was strictly prohibited during the performance.

"If you use photography," said Annie in a very serious voice, "you will be shunned."

Sandwich Showdown Giveaway

Dagwood Bumstead.

Shaggy and Scooby Doo.

My husband.

Lots of people love sandwiches. And in the summer heat, they're a perfect go-to meal when you don't want to heat up the kitchen by using the stove. At home, I'm pretty much a PB&J girl. But I do enjoy a good made-fresh-for-me deli sandwich -- don't forget the banana peppers!

(It always comes back to food with me, doesn't it?)

Eversave.com is hosting a "Sandwich Showdown" in several markets across the country today. In Indianapolis, the deal is $5 for $10 worth of yumminess at Stars Sandwich Market. Similar deals are likely available near you, too.

What's better than 50% off your lunch? How about a FREE lunch?! 

That's right, one lucky 4th Frog reader will get:

• Today's Sandwich Save (in your market)
• An extra $5 in Save rewards to be used on a future purchase

What if there's not a sandwich save in your area? No problem. You'll get $15 in Save Rewards!

How to enter

If your mouth is watering just thinking about a freshly made, tasty sammy, enter by simply leaving a comment on this post telling us your favorite flavor combo when it comes to sandwiches. Get detailed -- what kind of bread, meat, veggies, condiments, etc.


For a bonus entry, tweet the following: I want to win a sandwich showdown Save from @EversaveIND and @4thfrog! and leave a comment letting me know you did.

I'll use Random.org to select the winner tonight. Please come back here or watch the 4th Frog Facebook page for the name of the winner.


If you want to be certain to get a sandwich deal, go ahead and purchase the Save for yourself.  If this is your first Eversave purchase, you'll get $2 off the Save and I'll get credit for referring you.  The nice folks at Eversave gave me Save Rewards for hosting this giveaway as well.

Stalking the ice cream truck: my interview with Smiley's armpit

Generally in the mornings on my way to work, I listen to the Smiley Morning Show. Today, Smiley and his co-host K.J. had commandeered an ice cream truck and were driving through the city giving away free ice cream to beat the heat.

Well, you know how I feel about ice cream. Combine that with how I much I enjoy the SMS and of course I had to go find them. Locating them was pretty easy. They were live broadcasting from the ice cream truck. So I found them at Monument Circle downtown, rolled my window down and thanked K.J. as she handed me an Astro Bomb Pop Jr.

 

After I drove off, I snapped the pics of the pop and thought, "I should totally blog about this!" I decided to drive back around to take a picture of Smiley and K.J. handing out the goods. But when I got back around to where they had been parked, the ice cream truck was driving off. 

Because I will do anything for this blog, I followed the ice cream truck in hot pursuit. About 4 blocks later, they pulled over in front of an office building. I pulled over too, hopped out of the car with my trusty iPhone with the intention of taking a few pictures. Which I did:

Then I remembered that this new phone has a video record feature. Suh-weet! So when Smiley started to interview me live on the radio, I switched the camera to video mode and recorded the encounter, too. 

I am not a professional videographer, as evidenced by what ultimately turned out to be my interview with Smiley's armpit: