Happy 4th of July! If yesterday’s motto was “go-go-go,” today’s motto has been “relax, and take it slow!”

First, let’s back up to last night. Ben and I got semi gussied up and headed out to dinner at our favorite restaurant in the state of Iowa…

Miyabi 9!

Miyabi 9 is the ONLY place to get sushi in Des Moines (if you ask me!) and how fish this fresh makes its way to the middle of Iowa is still a mystery to me.

Owner Miyabi “Mike” Yamamoto runs the restaurant, which is super tiny and inviting. With only 12 tables, and a front row seat to all the action at the sushi bar, there’s not a bad seat in the house.

Here’s my other reviews of the restaurant, including an interesting fact about the owner and the deadly puffer fish!

We got right to work picking out our sush.

Ben struggled…

but I knew exactly what I wanted! Spicy Scallops for my entree,

and salmon nigiri for “dessert”! This stuff is so good, I truly think of it as dessert. YUM!

While our chef’s got to work, we kicked back with some refreshments – Miller Lights.

‘Cause we’re classy like that.

Wheeeeeee!!!! The first platter to come out contained my salmon nigiri, and Ben’s dessert – tuna nigiri.

Plus a refreshing Avocado Cucumber roll, sprinkled with lightly toasted sesame seeds. The best!!

Artsy!

Can we just examine the size of this salmon?! Each piece has to be 1.5-2oz and is the freshest you will ever taste. I swear they have a top secret travel portal in the back of the restaurant, connecting them directly to the docks in Japan.

Next, our other rolls came out. Spicy Scallops for her, and Eel Cuc for him.

OMG!

Fresh, bubble-gum scallops paired with soothing cucumbers to cool down the spicy sauce on top. FYI – I want these as my last meal on earth!

After contemplating ordering more rolls (they were so incredible!) we decided to take a stroll around the area instead. It was a beautiful night. Not too hot, not too cold,

and ripe with mischievous husbands…

There we go!

We actually decided to head back to our place for some quality time on the back deck to enjoy the weather, each other’s company…

and mojitos! Skinny Mojitos, actually!

Skinny Mojito

Print this recipe!

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon sugar

3 mint leaves

1 lime wedge

1.5 oz light rum

ice

Diet lemon-lime soda

Directions:

Muddle sugar, mint and lime in a cocktail shaker. Add rum and fill the shaker 3/4 of the way up with ice. Shake and strain into a glass. Top with soda!

REFRESH!

Having spent some time on the back deck, we decided to give the front porch some love, too.

This,

is the good life.

Today we woke up to grey skies and the pitter patter of rain, which has continued on all day! Shhh, don’t tell, but Ben and I are secretly semi-happy. Sometimes it’s nice to have an excuse to not do anything!

Except smoke, that is.

Yeah! Ben busted out the smoker he got last weekend so we could have ourselves a 4th of July FEAST, despite the rain!

He soaked some hickory chips in water, then fired the beast up,

and hoped for the best.

At least it’s smoking! That’s got to be a good sign, right?!

We’ll know in a couple of hours if it worked. In the meantime, I’ve got some very special beans workin’ away in the oven, and some super fresh corn waiting to get shucked (I just wrote sucked).

I hate shucking corn.

Good thing the results are worth the effort! After dinner we’ll be watching the fireworks from Washington DC on tv. Not as good as in real life, but still spectacular.

Here’s hoping your 4th of July (or your Sunday for our international friends) is going great!

~~~~~

How’s your celebration going?!