Date Night

Every once in a while, you need a date night with your other half. A date night smack dab in the middle of the week.

A few weeks ago, Jeremy and I spotted a new (to us) burger restaurant, smashburger, in the area. After checking out their website, we had to go. Their menu did not disappoint and we ate every last crumb. We'll definitely be back. Especially since we get a free milkshake during our next visit!

Afterwards we headed to the movie theater to see The Dark Knight Rises. Wow, what a movie. I'll be honest with you - I'm not a huge fan of Batman Begins or The Dark Knight but the last film of the trilogy makes me want to re-watch the others and give them another chance. I have to admit...the fact that Joseph Gordon-Levitt had a lead roll made me very, VERY happy. Giddy, in fact. If you can't tell, I have a huge crush on him.

The rest of the night I got to listen to Jeremy do his Bane (the bad guy) impression. He's surprisingly good at it. Apollo didn't know what to think. At first he thought he was in trouble but then he proceeded to tilt his head back and forth with question.

Although the movie was amazingly good, I couldn't help but glance at the Exit door (that was left open the entire time) every now and then and think about the tragedy that happened just a week ago. The victims of the Colorado shooting sit heavy on my heart and I feel horrible for their friends and family. I can't imagine what they are going through and wish them the very best in their recovery.

Although our country is going through a sad time with the shooting, we must move forward and celebrate the start of the 2012 Summer Olympics. The opening ceremony is tonight and both Jeremy and I can't wait. I, of course, love track & field events since I ran multiple events throughout high school but I'm interested to see all of the other sports too...basketball, swimming and gymnastics to name a few. Good luck to all the athletes going for medals out there!

USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA!

Have a great weekend everyone!

The Bachelorette: The Final Rose, Part II

And now... it's time for the finale. America will finally be able to see who Emily chose to be her new baby's daddy. Let's get this party started.

8:00 PM- Standard opening. Whoa... "the most dramatic event of the summer" - really? I think I'd go with the 2012 London Olympics. But whatevs, to each his own.

8:03 PM- Wait... there's a live studio audience to basically watch this finale? Hope they got in for free.

Whoa, is that J.P. and what's her face in the audience behind Chris?!

The couple to the right of Chris' shoulder.

8:05 PM- So we finally begin and they're in Curacao. Surprise, Ricki's here! Emily says she's nervous about Ricki meeting the guys. Guess we'll see how that goes.

The family is here. Is that her sister... or her brother...

8:07 PM- Jef's up first to meet the parents. I wonder if her family's first thoughts were, "he ain't from the south..."

(Oh, it's her brother.)

This episode is moving quickly. Not even 10 minutes in and Jef's already having his one-on-one talk with mom. Man... this is going to be a loooooooong 2 hours if they're already at this point.

Eeehh, mom sounds like a smoker. Like... a pack a day kind of smoker. And how come she isn't wearing a wedding ring.

8:09 PM- I've said it before, jef is good with his words. He does a great job saying the right things confidently.

WHOA - they're all sitting around the table and... actually eating!! Ok... well only her brother was eating so good for him. You eat that slider and you enjoy it.

8:10 PM- Emily's brother is speaking that truth to Jef. Somewhat makes me view everything a little differently when her brother says that she had love and now every guy is having to live up to Ricky (first guy).

Wow... easiest approval talk ever talking to Emily's father.

8:14 PM- Asha notices that Jef was slowly going for "the Arie" kiss (grab the back of the head, have Emily's curls intertwined in his fingers and throw that tongue in there like a fish out of water). I see you playa.

Commercial break: Anyone gonna watch the Bachelor Pad? I need a new show to blog along with, but it definitely will not be that one. I dunno, maybe I should take a break... we'll see.

8:17 PM- We're back. Chris (the host) is playing up the crowd. Gotta get the Arie fans all riled up.

Yo, Arie does have nice eyes. Yeah I said that.

Haha, soooo there's some good editing but um... haha, Arie is rambling. He is vomiting words like a bulimic.  He was doing all the talking, but that's understandable when you're nervous.

8:19 PM- Ooooo, Arie pulled a nice pimptastic move pulling out all of the roses. It was a thoughtful move, not sure how much dad and brother loved it, but I'm sure it said a lot to the ladies - and that's who you're aiming for.

Oh snap, now mom is saying she's in love with both men. These guys are clearly just... too hot for TV. Just too cool for school. Apparently this is like choosing who's cuter - babies vs puppies.

8:22 PM- Dang, brother is confused as well. I'm tellin' ya... babies vs puppies.

Haha, Arie just asked for her dad's blessing. There was a long pause. Speaking from experience man, that's almost as scary as proposing. You can still marry the love of your life and have in-laws hate ya, but it's SO much easier when they like you.

8:24 PM- BOOM. Arie just did "the Arie". Obviously he's the master of this move and he just showed everyone in America how it's properly done.

Commercial break: Um.... what in the WORLD is Oogieloves?! That really caught me off guard.

8:30 PM- Family talk now and Emily seems like she comes from a family full of indecisive folk. No one could pick and now Emily is mad because she's even more confused.

Now Emily isn't sure if she even wants to introduce them to Ricki. I dunno... I think you kind of have to introduce them, right? I mean, I wouldn't want to pick a winner and then find out Ricki hates him.

Man, already on another commercial break. Guess this means I have to go get some dessert.

8:37 PM- And we're back. Chris doing a great job keeping the audience in it. That's the sign of a great host, people.

Man, Curacao looks nice. miiight have to add that to my list of places to go. Anyway, looks like we get a day with Jef.

They're sitting on the beach talking and all I can concentrate on is the crashing waves. I like to listen to it on my iRelax app when I go to sleep. So yeah, I haven't heard much of what they're saying. I'm sure the conversation went a little like this,

Jef: "So... blah, blah, blah I wanna meet Ricki."
Emily: "Blah blah, like... blah, blah, blah... I dunno."
Jef: "Yeah... blah, blah, blah, blah I really wanna meet this kid."
Emily: ... long pause... "yeah."

8:43 PM- So after much deliberation, as shown by my conversation translation above, Emily decides to introduce Jef to Ricki. Jef is really excited about it. I have mentioned before that he was the one guy all season that constantly mentioned Ricki and talked about her. Even if he was just "playing the game" he still knew to say the right things.

Commercial break... I never got my cheesecake so I believe now's the time.

8:49 PM- We're back and I got my cheesecake. I might miss a lot due to it's deliciousness.

So Jef has FINALLY met Ricki. He's so happy, haha. Ricki showing off all of her tricks. It cracks me up we (adults) like to treat kids like dogs and make them do tricks. Again... babies vs puppies.

Jef said Ricki is the most beautiful 6 year old. I disagree. I've seen MUCH cuter 6 year olds at the Y. Like... not even close.

8:54 PM- Jef is doing a good job with Ricki and Emily at the moment. He's doing rule #1 with kids. Just let them talk. Let them control the conversation, it makes everything easier.

Haha, Emily basically just confessed that she didn't give Ricki those puppets they got her.

Well that seemed like a nice 1/2 to the date. Ricki didn't seem to hate him, but they did something fun all day so I mean... I'd like him too.

Commercial...

I'd like a new car. Well, I want my next vehicle to be an SUV or a truck. Which would I look better in? Be honest.

9:01 PM- We're' back and it looks like they're having dinner at... wherever Jef is staying. Did he cook as well?

I feel like a chump. It's just after 9 and I'm already fading. Every Monday was 2 hours and I pushed through it. But tonight... ya boy is struggling. Hopefully Arie can provide a second wind for me. But until then...

9:03 PM- Jef has a present for Emily. It's a...

Book. About Curacao. Yeah, you could've left that at the gift shop. He doesn't know about Arie's rose gift. At least he inserted his "Where's Waldo" pictures.

Wait... ok now I'm just getting tired of this. She came over for dinner... but there wasn't any dinner food. And now she's leaving. I hope at least the camera crew is getting to eat and they're being fed well.

Man another commercial. This is kind of annoying.

Mmm, that cheesecake was good.

9:11 PM- We're back and now Chris is talking to audience members. We... really don't want to hear what they have to say, Chris.

Man, he talked to 3 ladies. at least the last one had a lil' joke.

9:12 PM- Ya know, it's probably really hard having a great day with someone you're looking to maybe marry, then realizing that the next day you have to do it with someone else.

Chris is over for a visit. He's been like... her Yoda this season. Seems like she's had more conversations with Chris than any other Bachelor or Bachelorette.

He's such a good listener though.

That was sarcasm.

9:15 PM- Emily talks all happy about her great day with Jef and him meeting Ricki and then Chris drops the bomb, "what about that other guy?"

And the waterworks begin.

So Emily has just decided that she's officially fallen in love with Jef. Sounds like Arie won't even get to meet Ricki... which is OK if he ain't gonna get picked.

This has potential to be a good scene. Arie could potentially just blow up and start acting like Mr. Ostrich.

"What?! I mean... can you explain this?! EVERY TIME I kissed you, I put everything into it and you go and pick the Mormon in skinny jeans?!"

Commercial break.

9:23 PM - Maaaaaaaaan... they've got Arie looking stupid making a "love potion", but uhh... Emily has already made up her mind.

Hey, is Arie wearing the same clothes he was wearing when he met Emily's family?

Anyway, Arie is gonna look like Doug, haha. I just hope he doesn't try to kiss her in the middle of it. Although, for him it'd be a better move than it was for Dougie Fresh.

9:25 PM- Man, I'm hurtin' for Arie right now. He just doesn't know it's coming... ugh. Emily's breaking down and Arie's all confused. Ladies, watching you cry sucks. ESPECIALLY when we don't really know why.

I think Arie is finally realizing what's happening here. This sucks because he really didn't do... anything wrong. I GUESS this is better than the embarrassment of getting rejected while proposing. But still man... ouch.

9:29 PM- Emily is good at crying without tears actually flowing.

Arie's face is like, "man... shut up." He really doesn't want to talk to her right now, and I can't blame him.

Haha, they hugged and the mic picked up someone's racing heart. that was funny.

Anyway, Arie is ready to GO. He probably got in that SUV and was like, "bro, drive. NOW."

Seriously though, it's probably a good thing that Arie didn't have to pick out a ring and get all dressed up and prepare a lil' speech then get down on 1 knee just for her to THEN say no. Saved a lot of hassle.

Ya'know, this really didn't go like I thought it would. What do we have to watch now since we umm... already know who won?

Hahahaha... the studio audience was deeply effected by this news. It's like... the entire audience was also emotionally invested in what just happened. It was kind of awkward.

Commercial break.

9:38 PM- And we're back with the emotional audience. More talking with audience members and I knew it, that was J.P. and Ashley (aka "what's her face") sitting in the audience.

Who are these other people Chris is talking to? Oh... apparently this girl was on the Bachelor and Bachelorette. And uh... I guess this guy was too.
Oh, and another former person. Man, this is like a big reunion.

Man, that segment was a waste of time. Commercial break...

9:47 PM- We're back. Emily is feeling good about her choice picking Jef. Oh, and now Jef is with Mr. Neil Lane to pick out a ring. Dang, of course those were some nice rings too. He doesn't even know he's already won.

Hmmm... it's a nice dress Emily is wearing, but she's worn better throughout the season.

Why must we take another commercial break? (I know why) Can't we just go ahead and end this? Also, not sure if I can make it through the 'After the Rose' stuff, guys. I missed TrueBlood because of this. The least they could do is end this.

9:57 PM- Finally back and they keep asking "Will Jef propose to Emily?" Uh... they ALWAYS propose at the end. Why would they get the ring if they weren't going to? Then they'd just be... stealing.

Haha, she said, "well..." like she was expecting him to do something. And then we heard the studio audience laugh. It wasn't THAT funny.

I was wondering if she was going to tell Jef that she let Arie go early. Well... she did.

Jef's speech is running a bit long. I stopped listening. I'm sure he said great things like he always does. We finally get to it - Jef proposed (duh) and after about seconds of standing, a smiling Emily says yes.

Ugh... and now we have to go through their moments AGAIN. Who decided it was a good idea to make this 80s montage?

Oh, and there's Ricki. One big happy family. Yay.

I did it. I made it to the end! I had many moments where I wasn't sure I could do it.

Oh wait, that after the rose special... crap. They just jumped right into that. I need to make my lunch for tomorrow. They've got me missing my bedtime.

Ok, it's not even about bedtime. I just don't want to watch this. Sorry guys, my bachelorette blogging stops here. IT's been fun. I actually enjoyed watching and getting feedback from everyone. For those of you that always want to comment on the blog, but for some reason it doesn't let you, I apologize. I don't know why it's doing that. I gladly accept messages via Facebook though. Anyway, it's been real. Hopefully I'll find another TV show to blog about so I can do my part with this blog. Asha wants me to blog and TV gives me a reason to.

Alright, enough blabbering. Peace out friends!

The Bachelorette: The Final Rose (and it's about time) Part I

We've reached the end of this rose-filled, emotional marathon of a season and I think I speak for many, many people when I say - it's about time.

Before we get into the awesome way-too-long-just-to-show-her-pick-one-guy-while-the-other-looks-like-a-dummy-getting-rejected-on-national-tv-and-both-proposing-with-rings-they-didn't-buy episode, let's answer some questions from the previous blog!

1. "Who will win the final rose?" - Well, obviously we'll have to wait until the final episode plays out to really know, but I've heard rumors. It's been interesting hearing the guesses of others. From what I've heard, it's pretty split between Arie and Jef. I honestly don't know who I'd like Emily to choose. I just don't think this is the best process to find a father for Ricki. Hopefully they'll do this the right way and make this last. I'm rooting for them.

 

2. "What kind of rings will they pick out to propose with?" - Really, really nice ones. I don't need to see the final episode to know the answer to this one.

*BLING*

3. "How will the guys be in front of Emily's family?" - This could be fairly interesting. I see Jef being a little more entertaining because he's good with saying the right stuff. Not sure if Arie can win over Emily's family with his hair-grabbing, deep tongue, lip-locking technique. But again, we won't get answers until we see it.

4. "Will this reunion be totally lame or deliciously awesome?" - Not gonna lie folks, there was no way I could watch that entire thing. I just couldn't do it. I didn't see the whole thing, but from what I got, it was definitely closer to "totally lame" than "deliciously awesome". I was expecting male divas, but instead I just got a buncha dudes. I never watch reunion episodes though because they're usually disappointing. I don't really learn anything or see anything that was much different than what was shown. MTV's Real World reunion shows just air clips with lots of "beeps" and some blurred out people parts when the roommates run around naked in the house. I just described their reunion show AND the actual season.

"This is totally lame."

"Definitely thought everyone liked my swag.
I don't think they even liked my beard."

5. "Will Mr. Ostrich have a bit of a breakdown at the reunion?" - Again, couldn't watch the entire thing. Someone let me know if he did, but it seemed like a fairly mellow night (for him). They should've showed clips from the date where they wore kilts and had to do the highland games stuff. Ostrich looked like a doofus. Hahaha, I'm by myself and laughed out loud as I reminisced bout how Ostrich shot with the bow and arrow. Should've made him defend himself in front of everyone for that.

He ain't living this down... ever.

6. "Over/Under 2.5 guys crying at some point during the reunion?" - Eh, I didn't see any waterworks. Were there any? Again, another disappointment from the reunion show.

7. "Will Ricki ever get to read/see that letter from Sean?" - Haha, nope. Sean got cut *insert me cutting air-paper with my finger-scissors* Well, Emily could one day let her read it and Ricki react with, "Mom, you should've picked this guy." I wonder how I would react if one day my mom gave me a letter from some random guy. Probably a big difference in reading the letter at age 6 verses at age 27. (Dang, I'm already 27?!? Where did 26 go?!)

Ok, this turned out to be a lot longer than I anticipated, sorry about all of that. Anyway, I hope it was a good prep course for the finale. Oh yeah, I learned that the actual finale is 2 hours long, then immediately following is the "after the rose" show. I can't guarantee I'll continue blogging through that, but we'll see what happens.

Lately

With no Bachelorette post from Jeremy this week (sad, I know) and not much going on last week (for me at least), it feels kind of weird not to blog. So weird that I feel like I must write at least a little something just so I have my blog satisfaction.

Let's start out with the biggest change to the Singleton household for the summer.

We have a new roommate! Reuben, my brother-in-law, has officially moved into our home. I say officially because in the past year he pretty much just stays with us for a few weeks, packs up, and leaves. Last summer, he went back to Boone for summer school and this winter he snagged an internship right after he graduated from ASU. With a degree in hand and a completed internship under his belt, he has moved in to stay for who knows how long. He is looking for a full time job so if you know of anything, let us know!

Pool time with the bro-in-law!

Going from a two person household to three has it's ups and downs. Of course the water, energy and grocery bills go up but it's been nice having Reuben around. He walks Apollo in the morning which is GREAT for Jeremy and I since that is one less thing we have to worry about during the morning rush. He cleans sometimes (you kind of have to ask first) and is willing to go pick up things from the store during the week if needed. I know this won't last forever since he'll find a job soon but I'll enjoy it while it lasts :)

Next thing on my list that I wanted to talk about....

I finally went to our local Farmer's Market in Matthews! I've been on a vegetable kick lately and I wanted to check out what was around the area. Last Saturday morning, my mom, Reuben and I headed out the door to see what our local farmers had to offer. The Matthews market is pretty cute. It's located in Downtown Matthews in a little area behind some buildings. It's a little small but I kind of like it that way because you don't get overwhelmed. Once we left the market, we decided to keep on walking downtown to find PUPPIES! Oh my. SO. CUTE. Oh, and I can now cross Farmer's Market off our list!

NEXT TOPIC!

At the beginning of the month, we decided to make a list of goals. It turns out this list will end up going more than a month because well..we've only successfully crossed off one item. We'd like to get started painting soon but not only will we have to paint our walls, but the ceilings too! The family that lived in our home before us went a little overboard on the paint in my opinion. Just figuring out how much paint we'll need and all the equipment we'll need to buy makes me cringe. I don't want to do it. Someone come paint for me!

I have more on my mind but I'll save the rest for a rainy day. I hope you all are having a great summer traveling, shopping, and you know, just doing your own thing. You'll be hearing from us soon since the finale of The Bachelorette is this weekend! Who will Emily choose? Jef with one F or Arie?!?!?!?!?!

The Bachelorette: Wanna go to my fantasy suite?

So I believe this week we get the invites for the "slumber party" with Emily. I talked about this with the ladies at work - women just can't look very well on this show. On the Bachelorette, if Emily invites every guy for a sleep over, she now looks a bit... scandalous. On the Bachelor, a woman is labeled as "scandalous" if she's kissin' up on the Bachelor to win some points.

Unfortunately, it's entertaining. And it gives me something to blog about.

I have plenty more to say on this and our culture's views on entertainment - but that's for another blog. Let's get to the show...
(P.S. - sorry, that wasn't my usual light-hearted intro. That's my bad.)

Oh yeah, I was supposed to talk about stuff a couple of you have mentioned about the show... and the reports of the winner already announced and spotted in Charlotte and whatnot. ABC has to be the worst at keeping that kind of info under wraps. I won't share who has been named the winner, but he's got to be smarter than that. My surprise has been ruined.

8:00 PM- SHOWTIME! Just so you know, I was watching 'BBQ Pit Masters' right before this and it made me hungry... even though I just ate. But my goodness those folks can cook some meat. They've given me lots of tips on my own BBQ, but I"m no where NEAR their level of expertise. I need a slow cooker. Anyone want to get me a slower cooker for Christmas? I'll be your best friend.

Maaaaaaaaaan, Asha just dropped a bomb on me. She told me the finale is 3 hours long. 3 HOURS?!? I don't know if I'm ready for that. I mean... I have to get mentally prepared for 3 hours... That's the length of an NFL football game on TV. Except, they won't be playing any football. They're going to be on helicopter rides and walking on beaches. Sad face.

You remember when people used to be very, very hesitant about saying the "L" word (love)? Seem to throw it around all willy nilly now.

8:02 PM- Man... this place looks niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice. Ricki is missin' out on Curacao being stuck in Charlotte.

Flashback: Sean's first time meeting Emily. Seems like so long ago. We got to watch their love blossom over the weeks. I wonder if she gets to go back and watch some footage because I don't know how much I would remember after "dating" like 20 ladies. I can barely remember what I wore yesterday.

8:04 PM- I want a milkshake.

This sucks. Didn't we already go through this whole flashback stuff with each guy last week? This bores me. I should go make my milkshake now...

8:06 PM - ...making my milkshake...

8:14 PM- Back from commercial AND back with my cake batter milkshake. Yessir.

Ok, first date with Sean rockin' the deep v-neck t-shirt. Still not sure how I feel about those. Anyway, time for a helicopter ride. The helicopter is taking off from what seems to be the rockiest beach on the entire island which means he had to land on the rockiest beach on the entire island. I'm sure the pilot liked that.

8:16 PM- Wow... they're going to a private island. It'd be awesome if Asha took me to a private island.

Whoa, whoa... I wasn't paying attention. They're all of a sudden talking about one of his ex girlfriends? I bet that ex-girlfriend Sean was talking about is feeling all kinds of uncomfortable if she's watching. She's the girl that made him this way dating girls. Seems like ladies often times want to change men. Usually seems to backfire.

8:20 PM- So, Emily wants Sean to finally say, "I love you." I don't know how I feel about that.
1. I probably wouldn't propose to Asha if she never told me she loved me. However...
2. I didn't expect her to say it after a couple of weeks of actual dating.
3. I bet Mr. Ostrich is MAAAAD that this guy is still around even though he told her he loved her. HE TOLD HER HE LOVED HER... I MEAN, I DON'T UNDERSTAND... (that was me acting as Mr. Ostrich)

So, yeah, part of me hopes Sean doesn't say it until he's ready, but I'm sure he's going to say it by the end of this date. But I do understand Emily wanting/needing to hear that before picking a fiance.

Commercial break...

8:26 PM- We're back. Night time walk on the beach looks nice. Sean rocking another deep v-neck shirt. I guess when you have all them muscles, you can wear what you want.

8:27 PM- Emily just called Sean the "Perfect Man". Maybe she didn't notice the deep v-necks... (I'm just not a fan)

8:28 PM- Can we do something about these crickets?! The mics are picking up the chirping too well. It's distracting me. I'm missing this letter he wrote to Ricki. Good move writing it to her instead of to Emily like everyone else did. Think Ricki will ever read it if Sean doesn't win?

8:30 PM- I wish I could go back in time and talk to 2006 Jeremy. I want to know if I would've said these things about Asha after a month or 2 of dating. I'm not the type to get too lovey-dovey, but sometimes I surprise myself.

8:32 PM- My man, Sean got the invite to the fantasy suite! One day, I really want someone to say, "No, it wouldn't be right. It's better I go back to my room." I'd like to see the reactions.

Dang... that fantasy suite is a nice house.

Oh snap... Emily won't be gettin' it on while on national TV. Sending him back to his own room! I'm proud of her.

"Yay, she's not a ho bag :-)" <-- that's a text I just received from a friend also watching the show. That made me laugh.

Commercial break...

How come nobody told me about this new Bachelor Pad where the super fans are on it? That could've been me, man! Y'all just don't want me to see me on TV... I see how it is.

8:40 PM- We're back and it's time to spend the day with Jef. Kind of funny, I always say is name quickly since it's missing a letter. I feel the need to cut it off.

8:42 PM- Last week, everyone reminded me Jef was Mormon (I forgot) and now I can't stop reminding myself he's Mormon. With that said, of all the religions in this world, I think I know the least about Mormons and Scientology. What exactly do Mormons believe and do? Someone please tell me because I don't feel like googling it.

8:44 PM- Man... Jef was pretty good at the paddleboarding stuff. This guy is just full of surprises.

Commercial break...

8:50 PM- We're back and it's dinner time. I can't say I'm a huge fan of Emily's dress. Anyway, let's get this dinner conversation going...

Oh... Jef is gonna get the ball rolling and it seems like he's going to ask questions I've asked about them:
"Where would we live?" - So she plans to go to him. Didn't think she'd move Ricki across the country, but hey, guess I was wrong.

"Why are you still single?" - Ok, he asked why hasn't it worked out, but still - Emily can't quite describe the "it" factor that the men she's dated don't seem to have. For Jef, he hasn't been able to see the end goal up until Emily. I think his other dates weren't on a show where the goal is to win.

"Do you think I (Jef) am a good fit for Ricki?" - Emily's thought about it... so far no definite answer. So she pictured making a sammich for Ricki and saw Jef there. I'm guessing Jef is just on the couch chillin' watching cartoons.
She didn't answer the question. Think he's a good fit for Ricki? Yeah, he's fun and cool or no, he's not ready.

8:56 PM- now Jef is doing what I've wanted someone to do. But... it doesn't have the same shock value since the first round went the way it did.

Ha, she didn't get to turn him down.

8:58 PM- I like this fantasy suite better! It doesn't look like just a nice house. Looks like... somewhere else.

Man, I am so close to going on a huge rant about all of the noise from these crickets. It's like no one else hears this. It's like I'm taking crazy pills! It's bugging the crap outta me.

Commercial break...

9:05 PM- We're back. She made Arie run cuz he was walking too slow. From his little trot, he doesn't seem like the athletic type.

Have you ever swam/done anything with Dolphins? It's AWESOME! They're pretty cool animals.

9:08 PM- Now Arie and Emily are reminiscing about their times together. Somewhat interesting to hear his favorite moments since he's been the front runner for most of the season. Oh, and of course his favorite moments involve kissing.

Hey, shout out to Veronica (follow her on twitter: @VeronicaHump, she's funny) - I talked about Arie's overwhelming tonsil hockey with Emily. Veronica saw it differently which is apparently how Emily sees it too because she loves lockin' lips with Arie.

Commercial break...

9:14 PM- Dinner time. It looks like they have a fancy dinner, but we won't know anything about how it tasted because we never see them even try the food.

We're talking about regular Arie now. He does seem... regular, haha.

Hahahahaha, Asha just told us a funny story but I won't share them because it won't be nearly as funny if I typed it out.

9:17 PM- Anyway, it seems as if Emily is more than ready to move away from Charlotte. I understand wanting the fresh start, but for Ricki's sake, I hope whoever she picks it lasts if she moves to wherever he is.

9:19 PM- Arie thinks he needs to be Ricki's buddy before being her dad. I get what he's saying, but I don't think parents need to be kids' "buddies". A bit different when you're stepping into a kid's life, but if he wins, I hope he understands he's there to eventually be a father and not a big brother.

Haha, Emily didn't trust herself. Didn't even give Arie the date card. He must make her horny. Hey, can't blame her though.

Commercial break...

9:28 PM- it's about to get real up in this piece.

Does she have some "that's not your real hair" in? aka weave. Just seems... cut very straight along the end of her ponytail. (Ponytail... people still say that? Is that still a term used? I feel lame)

9:30 PM- I must admit, Emily seems to actually think about and care about her decisions for the rose ceremonies. She's becoming very emotional.

I feel like my blog is really missing Mr. Ostrich and Ryan. They provided much more entertainment. I hope they bring the drama on the reunion.

Commercial break...

9:38 PM- We're back and opening up to a teary-eyed Emily. Now she's watching the video messages from the guys. I don't think I'd be good at this. I've done a couple of video messages to Asha and I just felt stupid, haha.

Ya know... I think I'm going to get Jef to write my message for Asha next February 14...

9:42 PM- Emily is so emotional right now watching these video messages... except... at times she actually looked angry trying to hold her tears back.

By the way, I'm glad there's a casual dress code for the rose ceremony. Seems like it might be too hot to throw on the suit.

9:43 PM- I wonder how long these guys had to wait outside for Emily. The editing made it look like it was a long time.

Dang it, now they're making me wait... commercial break...

I just remembered I'm missing the Home Run Derby right now. Not that I really wanted to watch it, but watching it allows me to hold my man-card for at least a little while.

9:48 PM- We're back and it's intense!

Oh yeah, Asha and I noticed Chris (host) isn't wearing his ring. Funny he got a divorce...

Whoa... did Emily's boobs get bigger?

Moment of truth... First rose goes to............................................................................................................................................................such anticipation...............................................................................................................................................................................................................killin' me.........................................................................................................................................................................seriously, c'mon.........................................................................................................................................Jef!!!! I'm a lil' surprised he got the first rose.

Finally... last rose goes to..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ugh..................................................................................................Arie!

Whoa... Sean looked the Hulk was about to emerge. I think everyone is scared right now. As they should be. See, now Sean is gonna go back and be like, "SEE! THIS IS WHY I DON'T TELL GIRLS I LOVE THEM OR FALL IN LOVE WITH THEM BECAUSE THE JUST CRUSH MY HEART LIKE IT'S A LITTLE BUG!!"

Poor guy.

Uh oh, Emily broke down and started crying. Sean's holding back his tears as well.

Haha, there are some funny noises happening in the background. Dogs barking, the ever present crickets and bugs, and some sort of... beeping-like noise.

Now for the sad car ride home. Will Sean break down and start crying his eyes out? Nope, he's silent and he looks confused. He finally began speaking and he's hurting. Seems like he already had the future planned out. That's how I felt after every job interview I didn't get back in the day...

Haha, this reunion has potential to be entertaining. They called this the "most emotional season ever." That was the nice way of saying there was a whoooole lot of crying.

Wait a second... next Monday is the reunion... and then the finale is Sunday the 22nd? They're gonna make me work on a Sunday?!?! Maaaaaaaaaaan... y'all suck.

Hahaha... Arie uh... struggled with the video message.

Ok, this episode is finally over. I'm close to being burnt out from this show, but I can see the finish line. I've started this, so I must finish this. Anyway, it's been fun blogging this season of the Bachelorette and sharing some thoughts with you guys. Anyone have any suggestions for what show to watch next? Please let me know!

Who will win the final rose?
What kind of rings will they pick out to propose with?
How will the guys be in front of Emily's family?
Will this reunion be totally lame or deliciously awesome???
Will Mr. Ostrich have a bit of a breakdown at the reunion?!?!
Over/Under 2.5 guys crying at some point during the reunion?
Will Ricki ever get to read/see that letter from Sean?!?!?

We've got a lot to look forward to! See ya next week!

I saw fireworks from the freeway

Do you like how I snuck Jason Mraz's first radio single onto the blog as the post title? I couldn't help it. It was a perfect fit! :)

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July! Our plans changed a gazzilion times but we ended up having a pretty awesome day. We went from going to Charleston to not, to going to a local family cookout to not, and from heading uptown to watch fireworks to not. We both took half days at work and saw The Amazing Spider-Man instead. It was indeed amazing. Go see it!

Even though we didn't see any fireworks on the 4th, we were able to catch some the night before. We've made it a Singleton tradition to go to The Whitewater Center and watch the fireworks overlooking the rapids. It's always fun to bring Apollo along for the ride since people LOVE him and can't resist to pet his gigantic slobbery head. I'd want to pet him too! He IS pretty awesome and was very well behaved all evening. I'm sure he enjoyed all of the attention.

Once the sun was low in the sky, the temperature felt amazing. I'm pretty sure I could have fallen asleep  on our blanket right then and there. With free Edy's ice cream in my tummy and my man by my side, it was sure to be a good night.

Ya know, every time Jeremy and I visit The Whitewater Center, we always say we need to actually go whitewater rafting. I think it needs to be added to the bucket list to make it official. What do you say, any of you up to joining us? Just let us know and help us check it off the list!

Photo A Day June

It's time to say goodbye to June. It was such a lovely month. It started out just right with our one year anniversary and a trip to Florida. I have to say that it's ended quite nicely as well since June has turned out to be a surprisingly laid back month.

Well you guys, I'm still keeping up with Photo A Day and loving that I am reminded to snap a photo each day of the topic at hand. It was fun being able to expand my horizon and take photos somewhere else for a change while vacationing in Florida.

Anywho, let's get to the photos!

1. morning. It's funny to think that my morning drive used to start with the sun rising. The sun is now high in the sky before I even get out of bed at 6am.

2. empty. Day 2 was of my empty suitcase. I always wait until the last minute to pack. I was super excited for a vacation but sad to leave my beast. I would have packed Apollo if I could!

3. on your plate. A day full of driving through 3 states was on my plate on the 3rd day of June. Jeremy did a great job driving!

4. close-up. Day 4 was the first full day of our vacation (and anniversary!) and it was spent relaxing at the pool. Jeremy was wearing some aviators that showed my reflection.

5. sign. Ah, this day was spent on a swamp tour at Black Hammock. Let's just say there were many many signs about the gators.

6. hat. Yup. I was back at the pool. I had to show off my giant hat! I like to think that I can pull it off.

7. drink. I wanted to have a fruity drink by the pool but when I found out those suckers were $9 a drink...yes $9!!!...I passed and had water instead.

8. six o'clock. Oh how I miss the Florida outlets and malls. At six o'clock, we were at one of my favorite stores, H&M. We need to get one in Charlotte!!!

9. your view today. Stormy clouds and palm trees are the normal view for Florida.

10. best bit of your weekend. A spontaneous helicopter ride overlooking Orlando, Florida.

11. door. This was fitting as we were finally home from our vacation.

12. from a low angle. This was as I was sitting in the car waiting for the light to change.

13. art. We don't have much art hanging in the house (we should probably change that) but this will always be a favorite piece of mine drawn by Jeremy.

14. time. Time to go! This photo was snapped as I was leaving Food Lion for the day.

15. yellow. One of my favorite colors!

16. out and about. This was taken over the weekend and each weekend Apollo gets one long walk. This happened to be the only time I left the house that day. It was a very good day.

17. in your bag. A card for my Dad and Father-in-Law on father's day!

18. something we don't know about you. I played clarinet for 8 years and was in the marching band (it was mandatory) for one.


19. imperfect. My kitchen was diiiiiiirty. It was definitely time for a clean up. 


20. fave photo you've ever taken. I love a trip to the zoo! And who doesn't love giraffes?! This photo was taken a few years ago at Riverbanks Zoo in South Carolina.


21. where you slept. Next to a handsome fellow, my husband.


22. from a high angle. A view from the roof!


23. movement. This was our first trip to the pool in our neighborhood. I was beyond excited.


24. on your mind. How good this breakfast that my wonderful husband prepared was about to be.


25. something cute. My adorable nephew Keegan in his new shades! 


26. where you shop. What girl doesn't love Forever 21??!?!?!


27. bathroom. I didn't exactly want to snap a photo of the toilet so I opted for our bathroom lights instead.


28. on the shelf. Books and DVDs ranging from Twilight and True Blood to Laguna Beach and Parenthood. Don't judge me :D


29. soft. Apollo's big head is soft, especially his ears. 


30. a friend. My life wouldn't be the same without my three best friends; my sister Nickie, my childhood friend Sairy, and my college roommate, Chelsea. 


Alright July, let's not get TOO hot shall we? I will be continuing my Photo A Day journey and snapping photos here and there with my handy dandy iPhone. You should join me and play along! Happy Birthday America and have a great 4th of July!

Bachelorette: All in the Family.

Welcome back to our weekly live blog of the most riveting, educational program on television - The Bachelorette!

I have to admit, this has been pretty fun. It's nice making the show more enjoyable for myself by blogging. What's also nice is seeing how many people are actually reading and giving me feedback! I love the feedback too. Who knew it would be so fun discussing the Bachelorette of all shows. Some of you have given me your predictions for the finale as well - all smart guesses pretty much involving the same bachelors. So please, keep sharing and discussing.

I'm actually in front of the TV on time this week. Feels good to catch the show from the start.

8:00 PM- Showtime! We got hometown dates this week! I always like the hometown dates.

Hey, we're back in Charlotte!!  Hm, she walked up to her house and the door was apparently unlocked. Yeah, I'm sure that's safe for Ricki.

8:05 PM- I get the feeling Ricki is up past her bed time.


8:06 PM- Flashbacks showing Mr. Ostrich. I must admit, he's played the game pretty well... I just don't like him. And, he is a TURRIBLE (said in Charles Barkley voice) dancer.

And now we're on to Jef. I like Jef... but I don't think he wins. Seems to be more interested in being the "cool dad" more than being a father. Just think it takes time.
P.S.- I know I'm going to be an AWESOME dad... just in case you were wondering.

8:09 PM- BOOM, Emily just said it... it's way past Ricki's bedtime! I KNEW it!

Arie time. He had the early lead and was probably the favorite for the majority of the show, however, the other 3 remaining definitely caught up.

And last but certainly not least, big Sean. Didn't know he was the first out of the limo. Bet that was a good start for Emily, haha.

Commercial breeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaakkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk....


8:12 PM- We're back and in the Windy City with Mr. Ostrich. Let's see what he has "planned" in Chicago.

Mr. Ostrich just revealed that he's Polish. Anyway, they're now alone in a little... bar, rehashing the last rose ceremony and Mr. Ostrich interrupting everything.


8:15 PM- Man, he looks like he has on a ton of make-up right now. Like... it makes him look kind of... gay. Also, I never realized how much of a top lip he doesn't have.

Man, it sounds like I'm just hatin' now.


8:16 PM- They didn't eat ANY of their food. I'm tired of all this food going to waste on these dates. Don't they know there are starving folks in Charlotte, NC that would absolutely love to have that food?!

Commercial break: Apparently they have an app to let you know areas with high crime rates to keep you safe. There's an app for everything...


8:22 PM- We're back and Mr. Ostrich's folks have a nice crib. Seems like everyone on this show is at least upper middle class/rich.

Haha, that was somewhat of an awkward toast... probably due to the accent.
His sisters seem very... excited.

8:25 PM- One-on-one chat with Mr. Ostrich's dad... who doesn't look like an ostrich by the way.
Is Mr. Ostrich ready to be a dad - I'm not sure if his dad reeeeeally answered the question. Said he liked kids and has family support... and that's about it.

8:26 PM- Just realized Mr. Ostrich is the only son. Kind of explains some of his actions in previous episodes. (very emotional, talking too much, somewhat of a fake tough guy...)


8:27 PM- One-on-one talk with the blonde sister. She seems to be the one who brings the tough questions and be skeptical.

Time out - Ostrich's dad said Emily told him she's falling in love with him... that part didn't make the final edit so I don't know if I believe him.

Man, we really didn't get much from the one-on-one talks with the family members. I'm a bit disappointed. No drama... didn't even have much happy talking.


8:29 PM- Ostrich just told Emily he's fallen in love with her. And now there's a big Polish party! He's MUCH better at Polish dancing than... any other type of dancing. Although, it looks like you're basically hopping up and down as you move in a circle, but still, he was better at it.

Ostrich's brunette sister got ZERO camera time. She must've been super boring. Her one-on-one talk didn't even make the show. I'm just going to assume she's the black sheep...

Commercial break: Ad for Katy Perry's movie/pepsi. Is  anyone I know actually willing to pay money to see her movie? Just asking cuz I would rather see it on VH1.

8:36 PM- We're back and now in Utah with Jef. Emily pulled up in the black Suburban and uh.. it looks like they're in the middle of nowhere.

Oh, ok - they're on a ranch. Oh wait... is this HIS ranch? Daaaaaaang, I see you, playa!

Jef is way countrier than I expected. My man is shootin' like a pro. Emily hit the clay shoots as well. I wonder how much editing was involved during that portion.

8:41 PM- Shootin' is done. He definitely represented for the skinny jeans-wearing dudes out there.

Hey, Jef just said his parents are in South Carolina doing charity work. Last time he didn't even say that much so I guess it's cool we got a lil' more info this time.

Hey, they just pulled up to the picnic area to meet Jef's family. The first thing I noticed was how great that grass looks. I'm impressed. Anyway, I think Emily was a little overwhelmed by all of the people there with Jef. We'll see how this day goes.

Commercial break... I don't have anything to say about these commercials, haha.


8:48 PM- We back and it's time to eat at the picnic table. Didn't seem to take long to get to the one-on-one talk with Jef's older brother. He seemed to have very legit questions and concerns and seemed very... realistic about this whole process.

During these talks, I always wonder how much "interview" talk is happening. I get the feeling everyone just says what they think they should say.

Uh oh, now Emily is in the hot seat with the sisters. By the way, all of Jef's sisters seemed to get more camera time than Ostrich's. Point - Jef.

They're asking way more questions (shown) than Ostrich's family. Also seemed like some good convo.


8:53 PM- Didn't seem to be any real doubts from anyone.


8:54 PM- Uh oh, Jef is pulling a Ryan and pulling out the multi-page letter expressing feelings for Emily. This one, however, is 10x better than anything Ryan probably has ever written. He definitely won points with that one... but... I just don't think anyone can have THOSE deep feelings of love for someone on this show. I just... don't believe it, haha.

Going into commercial break... I can't wait to see Arie's mom speak some other language haha. And what does Sean have to reveal? The anticipation is killing me!

I must confess, I'm really tired tonight, guys. I hope this blog doesn't suck due to my fatigue. If it does, I apologize and I'll be sure to really bring it next week.

Do you guys follow Asha and I on twitter? @MrJSingleton and @LittleAsha_S. I bring that up because I shared a pic of some deeeeeeeeeeeeelicious shrimp tacos I made tonight for dinner. I was very proud of myself for that one.


9:01 PM- We're back and now in Arizona at a race track to meet Arie. It kind of amazes me how different NASCAR and Indy Car racing is.

Emily is now riding with Arie. I wonder how fast they're going... I imagine that being similar to riding a roller coaster... but a lot faster.


9:04 PM- Emily seems a lil'... over-dressed for this date. Her tight black dress ain't exactly appropriate attire for this little picnic they're on.

Arie is nervous about Emily meeting his parents. Apparently they're very European. What exactly does he mean? Guess we'll find out.

9:06 PM- So... as Arie and Emily kiss on the blanket, that big... fountain thing just randomly shot out water like 100 ft. in the air. I'm just gonna leave those jokes alone. I'm sure y'all know what direction I was headed in with that.

Commercial break: anyone going to see Neighborhood watch? I'm sure it's funny, the cast is too good for it to not be funny - but I don't really know if I want to see it. Someone convince me.

9:12 PM- Yay, Arie's family. Hey, he has brothers... that are twins. Haha, they love her southern accent. Gets on my nerves sometimes, haha.

Wow, they're talking about going to Charlotte. His mom's first time in the United States was in Charlotte, NC. That's... funny.

Oooooook... now they're speaking Dutch. Guess that's what he meant by "very European". SUPER awkward for Emily. One-on-one chat with mom now. I hope she speaks Dutch the entire time, haha.

Mom had a legit question - What happened after the show?

Word of the day: fundamental. Emily has dropped that a couple times now when talking about the final 4. Anyway, this one-on-one talk with mom is actually going pretty smoothly. A lot of head nodding from mom, but they have a real connection being ladies within the racing industry.


9:18 PM- Now we're at the father-son talk. Dad is much better at English than mom.

Didn't get much camera time from Arie's siblings. Guess the talk with mom took up most of the time... or they were boring.

Commercial break: man, this episode feels like a marathon. I'm ready for the rose ceremony.

9:24 PM- Now we have Sean's day and look, he has dogs! Glad someone has dogs.

I wonder if Emily is tired of going on picnics since everyone (except Mr. Ostrich) had a picnic with her.

Uh oh... slow kissin' between Sean and Emily. And boom... there's the tongue. Scandalous.

9:30 PM- Wow, it sure sounded like Sean's niece was calling him "daddy"

WHOOOOAAAA... Sean's niece (Kensington) has a life-size... play house. Like... a REAL house. Everything IS bigger in Texas, my goodness.

WHOOOOAAAA... another bomb... haha, Sean still lives with his parents. Hahahahahahahaha... this has to be a joke. Sean is... apparently a gigantic momma's boy.

Ahh, Sean's a big jokester. I wish that was all true though. See, it wouldn't have been TOO bad if he was living there cuz, he may have had something come up in his life. Plus... that's a nice house and there's a mini house in the backyard!


9:35 PM- Quick father-son talk. His dad seems like a nice guy. He talks with his hands a lot. Seems very genuine though because nothing he's saying seems fake.

Haha, he just... haha, he's... emotional.

9:37 PM- This seemed like the easiest time spent with family. I'm sure it gets a liiiiitle bit easier the more times you do it, but still, seemed very comfortable.

Do you see their house? How does everyone have a huge house? This neighborhood looks nice.

Oh Lord... he wanted another kiss so this fool ran after the car. Too much, man. It's a good thing you're in shape. First you run around Prague (or wherever they were) looking for her, now chasing cars like dogs.

Commercial break: Any of you ladies seen 'Magic Mike' yet? I wish I could remember the tweet I saw, but basically it attributed the next baby boom to Magic Mike and Fifty Shades of Grey. I laughed.

9:44 PM- Now in Beverly Hills and we're creeping up on rose ceremony time. A little one-on-one chat with Chris (host).  How much you think Chris makes from hosting this show? I'm sure he's doing very well for himself, but I wonder where he ranks among reality tv show hosts. Is he catching up with the guy that hosts Survivor?  I'm all kinds of off track now.


9:48 PM- You guys remember on the Bachelor when one of those girls' family basically ruined her shot with Ben on their hometown date? I was hoping for a train wreck on this as well but alas, I can't get everything I want.

9:49 PM- I have no clue who she's going to let go. Let's ask Asha and see what she thinks.

Asha thinks Mr. Ostrich is going home. I told her not to get my hopes up.

Commercial break...haha, that butt-chin guy (Kalon I think) is gonna be on the Bachelor Pad. Not surprised. I'm ready for this ceremony.

9:54 PM- It's go time. Hey, everyone put on their Men In Black suit for tonight. They look good, however, Sean... you could've put on a tie for the occasion, bro.

Boom - Arie gets the first rose. To me that says he's still in the lead.

Next rose goes to... Jef! Asha just said the same thing I was thinking - can't help but think Emily is going in order of who she likes.

The final rose. Haha, "at least he's not bobbling" - That's what Asha said about Mr. Ostrich. She makes me laugh.

The final rose goes to Sean. Asha was right and really... you could kind of see this coming. Ah man.. there are going to be some tears in this limo ride...

Mr. Ostrich is getting defensive. He wants an explanation. I knew this was coming. He's upset. He told her he loved her!! Does that not count for anything?! (No, cuz just about everyone said that.)

He thought she loved him back. And she didn't. At least not like how he loved her.

Yo... I am SHOCKED this guy isn't breaking down and crying his eyeballs out. Like... c'mon, man. How'd this happen?! Give me my meltdown, man!

Haha, he said he's 10x the man the other guys are. Yeah... no.

Ok, I can confess now - this episode was kiiiiind of boring. Felt like the longest episode ever too. Oh well, it's over now.

Previews for next week's episode made me realize how close to the end we really are. Looks like a lot of tears and kissing for next week (nothing new). Not surprised by the final 3, but I'm clueless on who goes home next week. Any guesses?

Ok, another good episode. See you guys next week!

Get to the Chopper!

It's time to wrap up the Florida blogs and talk about our last adventure in the sunshine state. During our week stay at Star Island Resort we cruised up and down the main road numerous times and continued to see a sign for helicopter rides that just spoke to us. It was just asking...no begging us to go in and check it out.

So we did.

We decided to go for a chopper ride on a morning where it finally wasn't pouring down rain. As we pulled up, the first thing that caught our attention was how small the helicopter actually was. Not sure what we really expected, but nonetheless, it wasn't as big we imagined.

The folks inside at Sunshine Helicopter were very hospitable. The staff there displayed some great customer service asking us questions and just making us feel very welcomed. After they quickly and easily discovered it was our first time ever riding a helicopter, it was time to strap in and get a bird's-eye view of the area.

Now we totally understand why they always do a helicopter ride on the Bachelor.

Our ride overlooking Orlando gave us awesome views of Epcot, downtown Disney and local resorts.  As we cruised through the air, it also felt pretty bad ass to wear the headphones and whatnot on the chopper. Kinda felt like a movie as we spoke to the pilot and each other through the headsets. The chopper ride presented a very high level of "cool".

It only took one time, but we're basically addicted to helicopter rides now. Jeremy is actually looking into flight lessons because apparently, it doesn't take quite as long as we thought. We'll keep you updated if that actually goes anywhere.

If you're in the Charlotte area and happen to own a helicopter, we'd be happy to join you for a ride!