utah: instagram.

to start off this week of utah posts [yes, it is going to take an entire week] i will give a little preview with the instagrams that were taken. feel free to tune out for a bit if you don't want to hear about how much i love my family and utah for the next week.

my first time leaving texas since i got here // baby david is so tall and it is depressing

the couple that pedicures together, stays together // city creek is kind of the best

track's face. that is all. // morning bagels in bed on the big day

getting my bridesmaid ensemble together // mr. and mrs. olsen #lookatalltheperfect

snowbird is my happy place // david playing with children's toys again

my last meal in utah. endless french toast heyo // my on flight read back to dallas. love this lady.

insta lately.

texas cold front. // ducks and turtles at the mall whaaat?

hung my own curtains. what up. // my new phone who i love dearly.

my love wall. // pancake breakfast before general conference.
leather plus florals equals my fall. // sunday night walk.
got a comforter. #heyo // glitter pumpkins. it's a thing.
living the ghetto fabulous life. // deep thinking and the dallas skyline.

austin: the departure.

yeah. there were three parts to this austin series. who knew. [not you].

we made two food stops in round rock before continuing the journey back to dallas. hannah's mom demanded she bring back donuts from round rock donut so that was stop numero uno. and wouldn't you know it, they had the biggest donut i have ever seen. appropriately named 'the texas donut'. [everything is bigger in texas, remember?]

after we had our fill [which i didn't have due to the no sweets deal. next time!] we went to the salt lick, which was supposed to have the best bbq around. i didn't have any but the sauce was way good and may i say they had the best potatoes i have ever been privileged to put in my mouth. really. so good. i also had a nice large salad and more bread than i am willing to admit. i regret nothing.

 

a vegetarian's paradise.

also. do i even need to say it? battle born today!!!

awake is better than asleep.

i have been listening to battle born streaming through itunes [still can't own it until the eighteenth] and it is almost too good to be true. i am actually sad that i have to go to bed because that means i can't listen to them anymore and it might not be there in the morning. how have i made it all these years without this? and how will i last until tuesday to have it all for myself? i honestly don't know. i have so many feelings i don't know what to do with myself.

one of my favorite lines right now:


i saw you in a restaurant the other day
instead of walking toward you
i ran away

from here with me


why. why must they do this to me.

insta + killers.

basically nothing new but everything great.

a bunch of mormons hanging out at yogurtland

this is what sunday school looks like.

thought i had a cookie sheet. nope. just a pie pan. #makingdo

it is definitely possible to eat entirely too many dried mangos and it still not be enough.

pretty stained glass at a favorite local mexican restaurant.

and remember that time i posted way too many killers videos?

neither do i.

their album is coming out next week and when i saw this i may have yelped and i love brandon and he talks a lot more than usual so i watched this a few times and it's fine.

you know i will be live streaming that allllll night.

and then i bought myself a texas t shirt.

yep. still not blogging about austin yet.

but can i interest you in my brand new texas t shirt that i bought for myself from tj maxx because  maybe i am acquiring a bit of texas pride and i tried on like three different texas shirts? i mean, have i ever in my life owned a utah t shirt? nope. not even a california t shirt. [let's ignore the fact that i love and live in my five dollar new mexico sweater for a second.]

texas is known for its state pride and most people hate on it, myself included, before i decided to change my ways. but do you know why it is such a prominent attribute of this state? because it is so fun. to have something you just go crazy over, and not just you, but everyone around you. it is ridiculously fun and i have decided to revel in it while i am here.

plus it is way cute. huzzah.

unleashing instagram.

getting my tennis on after watching the olympics // fact: golden corral is the worst. [minus the rolls.] [i had three.] [or four.] [i don't know.]

my friend fed me and i got to eat off this plate and it was wonderful // pb toast and reading in bed

this cute girl could not get enough lip gloss in church // hazmat training brings out my creative side

these chocolate covered berries are my absolute favorite ever. ever. // my first pink berry. i approve.

my mom sent me a care package because she is the best // my last meat slash fast food meal. #innnoutftw

new sparkly shoes. did i mention my mom was the best? // ombre fruit plate for my coworker. delish.

me taking a picture of my prep outfit and posting it on all my profiles. word.

lone star.

i like texas, guys. 

true story.

and i really really really want a rangers hat.

just sayin.

insta lately.

 

free slurpee day, cherry coke please. // i got to see my wonderful friend adam ruri! it was magical.

himym with valentina. using a cardboard box as a coffee table. classy. // ihop. yum.

it was my beautiful mother's birthday! i miss her so.

'twelfth night' shakespeare in the park. // guys i got yogurtland twice last week. #worthit

tgif shoes. // got crafty with ryan. took notes from emma.

the haps in instas - part two

another set of my dallas life in instagrams. almost finished playing catch up...

1- waffle house wednesday. it's a thing and it's happening. i love the waffle house. it's so southern and i love feeling like basically every movie i have seen with a diner in it is correct. it's amazing.

2 - one friday night i went with some friends to fort worth to see the fort worth symphony play in the fort worth botanic garden. that night the theme was star wars and beyond. needless to say, it was kind of incredible. it was my heaven. picnic, trees, music, summer, fireworks, even a laser light show. i was in awe at my life that night.

3 - i bought and cut my first watermelon last week. it was quite an exciting experience. it probably took me an hour to cut and has lasted me a while. new snack i love: cold watermelon and kettle corn. just do it. you can thank me later.

4 - saturday we had a ward pool party and bbq. with the 99 degrees plus humidity, it was a good way to spend the afternoon.

the haps in instas - part one

my singles ward here in dallas is extremely social. there are a lot of new people like myself who just want to meet others and have a good time. it's been super helpful in making new friends and discovering things about texas. i've taken instagrams of most of these occurrences so i'm just going to recap in a couple posts of these haps...

1 - tacos are a big thing here guys. like, taco shops are everywhere. taco shops in dallas are like froyo shops in provo. but they are delicious and i had my first experience at the rusty taco my first friday night with a group of friends. they were awesome and cheap and the good company didn't hurt either.

2 - the next morning i helped clean the church and then we all went out for brunch at breadwinners. which was a winner. i had some amazing french toast and it was in uptown dallas at this super hip and busy place. i love living in a city.

3 - that night i went with a group of friends to six flags. and it. was. AWESOME. it was my first time to six flags ever. ever ever. i love roller coasters and superheroes so i was kind of in heaven and extremely giddy. it's only a half hour away so we all got season passes and you know we will be making it a regular summer occurrence.

4 - dallas is crazy green and i absolutely love it. i eat lunch behind my office building sometimes and the trees are tall and full and the bugs are loud and it is kind of perfect.

deuces.

today was my birthday.

and it was amazing.

more to come.

photo credit: alexiss memmot

clear eyes full hearts can't lose

so i live in texas now.

and i love it.

more to come soon. 

as soon as i get internet. 

[saturday]. 

[i don't want to talk about it].

goodbyes: part my boys.

i've spent a lot of time with the boys at the capitol house and it was hard with me to part with them. they knew me, loved me, accepted me, and the realization that i have to make new friends is frightening. i got pretty needy in the end...

big shout out to bob and clark for putting up with my incessant questions of 'what will you miss most about me?' and making them promise to never forget me. and for being incredibly supportive as i was getting my stuff figured out.

clark making cookies.

 bob playing with google. and letting me draw on his arm.

love you guys.

collected.

a little leftover instas from april.

super cool nails.

leftover pizza and golden spoon yummm.

general conference with the nan.

sometimes i watch zac's face all day every day.

duck pond with the kiddos.

running from romania.

open gym!

center street lunch with niki. love.

cookie dough ice cream with melted peanut butter? yes please.

ten years time.

last yogurtland run with the roomies. sad face.

finally got some bare minerals and i love love love them.