I spent most of today flying to Indiana. Well, not Indiana really. More like Illinois, with a drive over to Indiana. Andy dropped me off at the airport, thankfully without the drama of last time.

Every time I come out to Indiana, I eat my meals nearly exclusively at the local Panera Bread. I'm not nearly as obsessive with Panera at home, eating at a local Panera once with Mike. Come to think of it, I eat at Panera regardless of where I travel, if I'm able. Something about tasty salads, delicious sandwiches and free wi-fi just lures me in.

Last time I was out, I really wanted a Panera salad after my travels, but, because I had to wait an hour and a half for a car, I arrived too late.

Jessica remembered my lamentations from last time, because she's wonderful, picked up a salad for me as I was travelling. Shining beacon of light wonderful, I might add. Yay, Panera! Yay, Jess!

After dinner, I was told we were going fairy hunting. Turns out, Blake, Jessica's niece, had seen a fairy recently, and Gabby wanted to see one, too. The two of them feared the local fairies might be in trouble, as evidenced by the spots on the leaves of various trees around the yard. We were to head out around the (eight year old) house to look in the (not so very old) trees and shrubs around the house, looking for fairies.

Pretty much like snipe hunting.

So, off we went, Jessica, Gabby, Blake and I, two flashlights in the kids' hands, and Jessica and I yakking away about silly adult topics.

Our first fairy?

Looked like a frog.

Gabby has pretty much no fear of frogs, pretty much no worry about warts with this girl. She just reached down and picked it up, dropping it late in the jar she was carrying, then out again.

Me? I was squealing in (semi-) disgust.

We didn't find any fairies, per se. The girls said they heard fairies talking to them when they climbed a tree in the front yard. Jess and I smiled, and tried to distract them with other "fairy sitings," also known as "light through a garden bauble".

Didn't work very well. The two small ones were completely convinced the trees were where the fairies were.

Gah. Why didn't I learn last time?

I can't believe I was retarded enough to rent this week's car from the same rental agency that made me wait an hour and a half for a compact car last time I was here, only to give me a mid-size car when the line of people waiting for cars grew to five people, all of us waiting longer than 45 minutes.

I am not happy with my choice.

I have discovered Bella's superpower.

It is "being unbearably cute." The cuteness simply overwhelms her victims.

Did you know if you Google for Andy Crews with no space in between Andy and Crews, you get my blog as the first hit?

Yeah, I didn't know that either.

Andy told me about it today. I have to admit I'm a little embarrassed about this.

But not too much.

Well, maybe more than that.

Since I won't be around here for my birthday, Kris allowed me to have a small birthday celebration tonight. Andy came over after practice, as did Mark, Megan, Mirabelle and Meter. We ordered in food. Andy and I went to pick it up. After consuming, we all drove California Carpool style to Coldstone for ice cream. My birthday ice cream.

I (unsurprisingly) brought my camera. After walking into Coldstone, I lifted up the camera and said, "Smile!"

This is what I received in response:

Megan? Quick on the draw.

Andy? Not so much.

Mirabelle? Well, she knows how to smile and laugh. Oh boy!

The whole trip was fabulous. Like Coldstone would ever be anything but fabulous.