[five things]

Okay, so apparently I took the entire summer off from blogging. Whoops! Getting inspired again... bear with me.

 1//Some pre-dinner snackage on pineapple

This week, I started my second part-time job: now I've got TWO. Sounds a bit daunting, but it's only 10 hours/week at each place, one of which is with my husband, so I'm really excited about the flexibility I will have. Compared to a classroom job that I was used to for 5.5 years, I'm excited to wake up when I want to, eat lunch with my husband, and plan my days accordingly.

I was inspired by Emily at Cupcakes and Cashmere to start posting "five things" on Friday that happened during the week or things I have been enjoying. Sound fun? Read on!

 2// Enjoying some nightly truths via She Reads Truth (available online and the app store): daily devotionals and bible readings for women. Plus they have super-cute scriptural/hymn wallpapers for your phone, and daily images (like above) that you can share on social media.

 3// Emily's blog: have you read it? Fashion, food, travel, beauty. Plus she's written two (I think?) books that I want to snatch up!

4// Have you heard of KEEP Collective? It's a branch off of Stella & Dot, where you can host parties and earn rewards, and sell it yourself as your personal business. My friend Jen hosted a party at her house on Tuesday and I ordered a rose gold/saddle bracelet with a "faith" key (what they call the variety of charms) to go on it. It's like a charm bracelet, but a flat version. Check out their website: it's fairly new and the fall line just released... gorgeous! (I don't sell it or anything, I just think they're cute!)

5// Y'all, it is HOT in Texas. I am ready for fall, which really arrives around end of November/December here... bummer. So when I found this article on Pinterest, I got pumped (via Stylishlyme). What style of boot do you like?

Happy weekend!

[life] I Can't Live Without... Small Town TX and its Quirks #2

I'm linking up with Katie at "...for Lauren and Lauren" for another "I Can't Live Without" link up!

This week, I'm sharing about my deep admiration for small town, TX. I'm not talking Dallas, Austin, Houston, or San Antonio (although all those places are lovely as well). I'm talking about the small towns you will have NEVER heard of, even if you're a native Texan, unless you've vacationed there or driven through.

These little gem stones are what make our great state so... well, great! Texas is stereotypically known for horses, cowboys, boots, spurs, and all things western. Yes, many of those things exist. No, they do not exist everywhere nor does every Texan partake in them. For example, I haven't "ridden" (I use that term loosely) a horse since I was 7-8 years old. I have never been to a rodeo. I just bought my first pair of cowboy boots back in August '14 (mainly because we were attending a wedding in a field... in the summertime... and I feared bugs!), and I have never seen someone wear spurs in real life.

These small towns in TX and a few quirks of TX are so near and dear to me. Anytime you visit one or see a quirk, you can't help but smile. The wide skies, the rolling hills... seriously. There can't be another place like it! Check out my favorite gems below:

Galveston, TX: Texas has some pretty okay beaches! Nothing like Mexico or the Bahamas, but our great state has a wide variety of areas (desert, mountain, plains, hills, and beaches).

Warrenton, TX: A teeny tiny town that comes alive during a huge antique show that occurs twice a year. Beautiful skyline, beautiful scenery, tons of JUNK.

 

Round Top, TX: This town has the cutest square! At a population of 90 (yep: 9-0), there isn't a wide variety to do... but stop by the quaint church, eat some yummy Mexican food, or grab a pie at Royer's and you'll be set.

Wineries: Did you know many of the smaller areas in TX have wineries? Small town wineries are amazing because you get to know the owners, they are almost always never crowded, and you create a sense of community and belonging with the people you frequent the establishment with. Plus the landscape is gorgeous!

 

Bluebonnets: Excuse me, but did you know that the Bluebonnet is the state flower of Texas? These beauties pop up all over the fields and highways in mid March-April. They are only here for a short time, so snag your Bluebonnet pictures quickly! The red flowers are called Indian Paintbrushes (they tend to grow alongside Bluebonnets).

Hidden architectural gems: Throughout Texas, many beautiful sights are to be had that are off the beaten path. Nate and I were driving to a larger city one afternoon and just so happened to drive through this miniature tunnel. We were fascinated with it! 

Fredericksburg, TX: This town is known for its Main Street, antiques, wineries, and yummy food. It's a bit larger than the other places I have mentioned, but it is such a fun and relaxing place to visit and wind down when wanting to escape the big city life.

Bastrop, TX: Again, another small/big town in Texas, Bastrop is starting to blossom with big-chain stores such as Academy and Hobby Lobby. It is near Austin, but still far enough away to have a small-town feel. This town also has an adorable Main Street with great food and fun shopping (plus, who can resist a Mom/Pop ice cream shop?!).

Did you enjoy your lesson on TX today?! Ha! I am a born and raised Texan, I have never lived in another state. Does your state have as much "pride" as Texans have for TX? I have always wondered! Do share, and if there's a special place(s) or quirk your state has, leave it in the comments below. Nate and I are always up for a road trip!

[love] Anniversary Recap

Sorry for my lack of posting: the past month has been crazy! After our anniversary weekend, Nate was admitted to the hospital! Crazy, I know. He had appendicitis and had to get his appendix removed, which knocked him out for about a week or so. He couldn't lift over 20lbs, so I had a LOT to do around here, especially since we were leaving to go to the beach for the week with his family. Crazy! So we had the appendix episode, we were at the beach, I had GT training for 5 days, it was the 4th of July and we were out of town, and then I've been in my classroom basically all week trying to get a head start on setting it up (I got new carpet this summer so my room was a wreck)! I know, these are ALL excuses. BUT here's a post that was meant to go live the day before Nate's appendix... whoops! I have missed y'all!

 
To see my review of the hotel we stayed at during our anniversary weekend, click here.

Nathan and I were excited to spend our five-year anniversary weekend in Austin, which is only 1.5 hours from our home. We felt less pressure to "do" everything and "eat" everything we wanted, simply because we can go back anytime. It was so nice! Here's a recap of the things we saw and ate (of course!) during our weekend. I'll let the pictures do the talking :)

A snippet of the times we had in Austin: such an AMAZING city and there is plenty more that we want to see and do! Thankful that it is a short distance away. Everything we ate was delicious (as you can tell from the pictures above) and the stores/shops we visited were so fun. I highly recommend a trip to ATX if you have never been!

Happy Sunday! And here's hoping that a regular posting routine will soon commence...

P.S. I am taking part in a Scavenger Hunt with the gals at BlogHoppin, which is a teacher blog: if I get at least 105 points between now and Aug. 6th, I will be entered into a drawing to win some FAB prizes, which include a Canon Rebel camera!!!! So, sorry to be blowing up y'alls Instagram feeds, but #sorrynotsorry ;) Have a good weekend!