Strawberry Days

There exists in a nearby city a fun little festival called Strawberry Days.

(Yes, this sign says "Straberry Days" instead of "Strawberry Days,"

but I didn't create it, and it was the best I could find.

You're just going to have to deal with it.)

I've heard that, every year, they give out free strawberries and cream,

but this year I learned that the cream is magical. 

Naturally, we decided to check it out.

On a pleasantly cool Tuesday evening, 

J, M, and I headed out to get some free strawberries and magic cream!

and also enjoy the free concert in the park.

The event started at 7:30, and we arrived around 8:00.

The band performing the free concert in the park was none other than The Beach Boys!

Just kidding.

They were probably about the same age, though,

only this group was performing other artists' music.

They were decent, but not worth the trip.  

No, we had come for the strawberries and cream.

Let's be honest - I was pretty much there for the cream.

There were approximately 1,000,000 people there, 

and as we followed the crowds to the strawberries and cream line,

we passed many people enjoying their magic dessert.

Then we got in line.

Only it turned out not to be the line for free strawberries and cream.

Unfortunately, it was the line for watching the crew clean off the tables,

for sadly,

all the strawberries and magic were gone.

After half an hour.

Wouldn't you think that a city that apparently produces enough strawberries to host a festival named after them would have enough that they'd last half an hour? Perhaps 45 minutes?

Alas. 

So we chose to skip out on the free concert and head over for some ice cream,

since it's probably close to magic cream.

J and I recently discovered a Maggie Moo's by our house

(and I loooooove Maggie Moo's, partly for nostalgic reasons and partly because it's delicious),

and that's where we went to satisfy our craving for magic.

When we arrived, we saw this taped to the door:

Was everything conspiring to keep us from achieving magical status?!

It was really quite disappointing.

I love Maggie Moo's.  Aside from the fact that I wanted ice cream, I was also really sad that this business I'd been so excited to see wasn't actually there.

We ended up settling on Coldstone, where I discovered Oatmeal Cookie Batter ice cream.

Although it was no magic cream,

it was still pretty good.

And it was a fun night spent adventuring with my husband and brother.

We'll probably try again next year. :)

All Rhodes lead to Rome.

We're going to a family's house for dinner tonight, and I'd been meaning to make rolls for a while anyway, plus one of our friends who moved recently left us with a whole bag of Rhodes rolls, so I thought I'd give them a shot.  

I'm not sure they worked.

They were supposed to double in size, but they're small enough I could enclose one in my hand.  I think so, anyway.  Right now they're burning lava hot so I haven't actually tried.  How is it that I can make homemade rolls excellently well but can't manage the frozen variety?  

Oh well.  Who said Greek chicken wasn't good with mini baby-sized dumpling rolls? :)

P.S. Yes, I know that Greece and Rome aren't the same place, but we're having Greek chicken for dinner, not Roman chicken, and have you ever heard anyone say that all roads lead to Greece?  Me, neither. 

a real live Corner Gas

Okay, so it's not quite as cool as Corner Gas, but it is pretty cool.

 

I discovered the coolness of Tesoro gas stations a couple of weeks ago as I was driving home from my student teaching.  Not only do they tend to have cheaper gas than all surrounding gas stations, but they also pump the gas for you!  And clean the front and back windows (and other ones, too, if you ask them to) while it's pumping!  It's kind of fun, especially because they offer and think you're crazy if you say no - you don't have to ask.  And because it's nice when it's freezing cold outside.  I always am left with one question, though.

What are you supposed to do in the car while they're working on the outside?

free food

here

 I just wanted to let you all know that I got free breakfast today in my class.  After I already remembered and had time to each lunch.  Now I'm set for lunch!

Free Christmas Music!

You all know I'm a sucker for free stuff - well, here's a link for free Christmas music! from People.com.

https://www.peoplecmg.com/countryplaylist/

Enjoy! 

**I downloaded them but haven't actually listened to any of them, so I don't actually know if they're any good.... but hey, they're Christmas! :)

free stuff

I got a free razor in the mail this week!

VocalPoint

I have not written on my blog in approximately a week.  I didn't actually check my last posting date, so I don't know for sure how long it's been.  A week is just my guess.  I just haven't really had much to write about.  Today, I decided to share with all of you faithful readers one of my most favorite websites:

 www.vocalpoint.com

Why do I love VocalPoint?  Well, they're pretty cool.  VocalPoint is a website that will you send you free samples of up-and-coming products if... 1) You will go on their website and review it after you use it, and 2) You will tell people about the product you tried.  Neither of these takes much time, and telling people about the products isn't hard at all, because they're usually REALLY AWESOME.  Plus, they also include high-value coupons for the product so you can buy it again!   And, coupons to give to your friends when you tell them about it!  I haven't been very good about handing out the coupons yet, so if you want a pretty high-value coupon for fruit snacks, Kashi cereal, or Pantene Pro-V shampoo (the new kind), let me know.  I think that's all the coupons I currently have sitting around to be given out...  

In the last few weeks, I have received these awesome things from VocalPoint:

1 box of Kashi Heart to Heart cereal, plus a coupon for a free big box.  (I didn't take this picture, and I don't know how that person got four free sample boxes.)

Some coupons for fruit snacks. 

(Sadly, I didn't actually get the item that time.  But, on the plus side, those fruit snacks are supposed to help me learn my letters and numbers.)

A full-size bottle of this shampoo.

 A new product by Tide, called Swash.  This is probably my favorite thing I've ever gotten from VocalPoint.  I will probably buy it, even though it's probably a little pricey.  "It's like an iron in a can, AND IT WORKS!" - Joel

This size of Caress body wash (2 oz), only the dark brown "Evenly Gorgeous" kind. Looks like liquid brown sugar and smells delicious.

Two of these sheets.  Another one of the coolest samples I've ever tried.  I would probably buy this if I had a little more money.  I'm definitely buying a package with the coupon.  Actually, now that I think of it, I'm not sure if I got this sample from VocalPoint or from somewhere else... but it's still a cool sample that I've gotten in the mail...

I don't really remember anything else, but I'm pretty sure I've gotten several other things.  I really love this website.  They don't ever send spammy emails, just emails to remind you you've gotten a sample and don't forget to review it!, and emails suggesting new samples just in case you're interested in them.  Anyway, if you're interested in getting some cool stuff for free and coupons to get more cool stuff for pretty cheap, hop on over to www.vocalpoint.com and check it out.  It's pretty sweet. :)