Meet my better half Matt.

We have been married for 2 years and counting. This man is my rock. He has been loving, caring, helpful and goes above and beyond for me. For this I am truly blessed. I don’t think I say thanks to him enough.

He is always asking how he can make my day better, greeting me every morning with a smile. (yes, because he is a morning person and I am not, and he thinks its funny to see me grumble) Another quality of his I am very thankful for his calming nature. Lately I have been overwhelmed on many levels and he is right there to save me. He will deliver a chai, take the puppy on a walk,  and listen to me talk (well listen to be babble most of the time). God knew what he was doing that day we met in a Karges Hallway.

***Matthew, I love you and don’t deserve how good you are to me. Thank you for putting up with me, being there for me and doing it with a smile and a hug. For you I am truly thankful. I am looking forward to the next 100 yrs.***

What do you do when you are waiting for the wedding party arrive? Pull out the iPhone and be goofy, yes indeed.

This week, and every week this summer I am thankful my CSA share. A co-worker and I are splitting a grande share from Featherstone Farms. Each Thursday we get fresh fruits and vegetables delivered.  It has been such a treat to look through our box and see what is in store. It has really made me realize how much I don’t prepare food as much as I should. I try so hard each week not to waste any of the food, but it is alot to eat. It also makes me proactively think about meals, and has had me try a couple of new things.

My favorites so far have been the green leaf lettuce, red and blue potatoes, onions, strawberries, and the SWEET CORN. Also, I really love this smell of dill. And It is so tasty. This is just a peek of this week’s share. I apologize for the quality, it’s the best the lil’ iPhone could do today.

Meet Dakota. This little princess had the most decked out 1yr birthday party I had ever seen. It was so great! Crystal (Dakota’s mom) did an amazing job with all of the details for this lil’ pumkin. I might have to hire Crystal to plan & decorate all of my future kids party’s(like 5yrs from now :), she was fabulous. Everywhere you turned there was a new and exciting game to play or treat to try. I loved that the whole party had a pink and purple cupcake theme. Even a cupcake pinata and a bubble machine. Dakota was also covered in cupcake details from her hair clips to her shirt and undies. I had such a great time capturing these moments, thanks Crystal & Nick.

Oh did I mention that Crystal is gorgeous! Look at this hot mama!

Now on to the fabulous details. Seriously these cupcake pops (sorry if that isn’t their correct name) were my favorite. From what I hear they took hours of slaving, but they were oh so nummy and beautiful.

Dakota got a ton of fun gifts. A pink lil’ car to drive and my favorite this little pink piano. She loved it and was playing it within seconds.

Yes, I am starting yet another series on the blog. I have a great passion for  finding little hole in the wall places to eat & drink.  I want to share with you a peek of my favorite lil’ places. So, Yummy + Tummy will feature a restaurant, cafe or bar. Also, if you have any favorites send them my way, we are always looking at new places to try. Leave a comment with the details, I would love to hear from you!

First up on the list | Indigo Tea Co.

Now I have to give you a little background on my obsession with Chai. Around 2 years ago after a long fall run,  I stumbled upon a place called Nina’s in St. Paul. I was with my good friend Mitch and we ordered a chai to warm up. What I tasted was absolutely amazing, I fell in love instantly. Nina’s serves Big Train Chai it is a powdered mix that is pretty great. From that fall day on, I never bought another chai from Caribou/Starbucks/Dunn Brothers. It just wasn’t the same. I found myself asking every coffee shop what type of chai they carried and if it wasn’t Big Train I would pass. I became a self-proclaimed Chai Snob. 🙂 I would purposely drive through St. Paul to make a stop at Nina’s, met with clients there, anything just to have people taste this amazing chai. Nina’s also has great organic fresh food. Yum!

Anyways, a friend mentioned Indigo to me and I brushed it off. Nothing could be better than Big Train I thought, I had searched 2 years and nothing could beat it. What got me through the door was that I found out they sold packets of Big Train and so I stopped in. I grabbed my 5 little packets and went up to the cash register and order a Chai. I kindly mentioned (Chai Snob kicked in here)  that I specifically wanted their Big Train chai and the girl behind the counter looked at me like I was crazy. She quickly explained that Big Train was just an instant mix, and that Indigo served fresh Chai daily from the tea leaves. I was skeptical at first, again thinking nothing could beat my favorite chai in the world. But, just look at this yummy stuff.

The Masala Chai at Indigo is AMAZING, UNBELIEVABLE! It knocks Big Train chai right out of the park. If I could start my day every morning with one large chai + indigo’s cranberry scones I would be in heaven. This drink has blown me away, and I have been going to get one as often as I can. Often meaning.. like they know my order and will start it as they see me walk in the door often.

The owners Neal & Annie really have put a lot of work into making this place cute and relaxing. You can also sit on tatami rice mats (or on chairs at tables ) and sip your tea.

I also love that they have decorative pillows on their benches. It’s makes the experience feel like home.  Also, they have all of their teas for sale and you can smell each of them in the sample area. I have never had such fresh tea. It is fabulous. They also serve the famous Bubble Tea.

So take a stop in and try out a tea at Indigo. Check out their website for hrs & directions. I promise you will not be disappointed.