Ice Storm

03.19.1403.16.14 - Melody 1 Comment

Texas had it’s fair share of storms and ice in February and March. We narrowly missed the first one and were so.close. to having the daycare close. Alas. But nay! March rolled around and kicked Texas in its hot rear and slammed us with ice on a day nobody expected it. We closed Monday and almost closed Tuesday. Our area was shut out of power for three or four days. Fun times! It actually was. Being forced to unplug from literally all power was a nice and unexpected refresher. I was a little bummed when we were invited to stay with my aunt until our power came back on. I say a little bummed because I finally got to take a hot shower again. 🙂

Everything was so cold that night and the next day but having the day off unexpectedly made everything a little more magical. We made toaster strudel on our camping stove, had a fire going all day, grabbed all the blankets and napped on the couch.

Snow days are the best.

Camper

03.18.1410.4.19 - Melody

Processed with VSCOcam with g1 preset

top: H&M, vest: thrifted, jeans: Old Navy, flats: Target, headband: Forever21

My sister’s birthday was on Saturday and she turned fifteen. FIFTEEN. YOU GUYS. WHAT. She had over 15 teens and it was nuts. They were too cool to eat the homemade slider burgers my mom made and all the popcorn and snacks and were content sitting shy on the couch flirting and watching scary movies and screaming when the girls got scared.

This is what I wore. Comfortable and cool enough to let the kidz know that I was totally not a square. Nailed it.

I’m going back to work this week after having been off for five days. I had a gorgeous vacation: family dates, sleeping in, junk food, and peace. It was calming and refreshing. Just what I needed. I feel great going back to work! Here’s to hoping I’ll still feel this way after being back a week. 😛

Happy Tuesday!

Rudy is Fifteen

03.17.1403.16.14 - Melody 1 Comment

Last Saturday was my sister’s fifteenth birthday. It was nuts. I can’t believe she’s fifteen now! I’m just getting used to her being fourteen. She had a lot of friends over and they made noise and ran around and hung out on the front porch that we never go out on because it’s so small. For her present, Shel and I filled a basket full of candy and makeup and cash; three of her favorite things. That cake? Yeah. That’s an ice cream cake that was the best cake we’ve ever eaten. Thanks, Mom!

#rudy15

Love you, Ruby! 🙂

#SBSW not #SXSW

03.17.1410.4.19 - Melody

You guys. If you ever get a chance to go to South By So What?! you should so go. My primary reason for going was to see Taking Back Sunday but they didn’t play til 8 on Friday night so I browsed the set list and found several new bands to love and even MET one of them! OH MY GOSH it was amazing. But I always feel so weird after meeting a band I love. I gush and gush and they’re so sheepish and grateful. Didn’t hurt that they were super handsome, either. 😉

South By So What?! started seven years ago and is a 3-day music festival featuring lots of locals and lots of popular bands. There was a lot of screamo on Friday but we had a freaking blast, and even though I’m not a fan of screamo I came to really like We Came As Romans! (Look them up! They put on a crazy cool show.)

The line to get in looked insane but once we got inside the baseball stadium venue it wasn’t nearly as crowded as I thought it would be. The weather was perfect all day and there was ample shade in the stadium seats. Perfect.
On Saturday, though, I heard they had to cancel a couple of the headliners due to severe weather. Mike Ziemer, the founder, was pretty broken up about it but let all the people that went Saturday get in Sunday for free with their ticket. Pretty cool guy.

Those teeny tiny people on that stage are Under Dog House. Two of the dudes my friend Kait and I went to college with and are super cool dudes. I’m a big fan of their music so you should czech them owt! Plus they’re coming out with some new tunes soon! I’m super proud that they got to play this festival. So awesome.

Oh and apparently this is the drummer for We Came As Romans. My friend’s boyfriend was freaking out but too shy to take a picture so I sneaked one. You’re welcome, Don.

If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook you’ll know how much I’ve been freaking out over Everything’s Gonna Be Alright by Mike Mains and the Branches. WELL LOOK! THERE THEY ARE! They.Were.Incredible. I was too embarrassed to go and meet them afterward but I downloaded three free songs off the back of a sticker they gave me. LOVE THEM.

We kept seeing that dude in a suit walking around the venue all day and thought he was super profesh and then realized it was Mike Mains himself. 🙂

FEVER.DREAMER. I freaked when they took the stage. Month of Sunshine has been the only song, besides the Mike Mains song, that I’ve listened to this last month and a half and it was so cool to hear it live. I worked up the courage to go up and meet them literally right as we were walking out. I gushed and gushed to the handsome gentlemen and they told me their album is coming out in the next month or two. I WILL BE THE FIRST TO BUY IT. PS. Hi Zack and Cody. (Am I creepy, yet?)

And Taking Back freaking Sunday. Put on the greatest show known to man and I felt 14 again. It was beautiful. And apparently Adam Lazzara, the lead singer, lived in Tyler! Small world. I love them so much. I hope to see them play again one day.

SWAG. On our way out two girls in a hardcore Red Bull Mini Cooper said, “Hey guys! Want a Red Bull?” And we were like, “Yeah, okay.” So I got a blueberry Red Bull which was actually delicious. It hyped us all up for ten minutes then we crashed. But hey, SWAG, right?

I had the best time. I’ll be going again next year! And hopefully SXSW too!

You Can’t Ever Leave

03.12.1410.4.19 - Melody 2 Comments

Sunday was grey and moody just like the rest of the weekend. It just so happens to be my favorite kind of weather. I could live in rain and snow for the entire year and never see sun and I’d be happy. Maybe I should just move to Seattle…

blouse: H&M, dress: Target, tights: Target, wedges: Target

I swore up and down that I would never jump on the dumb sneaker wedge trend. Every time I thought of them I pictured white Keds wedges and I just didn’t get it. Until these. I bought this pair, a tan pair and I’ve got my eye on a chrome pair. 🙂 Somebody stop me.

We’re going to celebrate my sister’s birthday with my grandparents tonight even though her birthday is Saturday. She’s getting her bottom braces tomorrow and won’t be able to eat (haha) so we’re eating early! Everyone wish Rudy a happy 15 birthday Saturday! (yikes. 15.)

I only worked Monday and Tuesday this week and took off the rest of the week. I’m so glad for a mini vacation with a road trip to South By So What?! on Friday with my best friend and her boyfriend! WOOHOO! I am so.excited.

Bands I’m looking forward to seeing:
Taking Back Sunday
Mike Mains and the Branches
Fever Dreamer
Bryce Gilbertson
Hrvrd
The Used

Are you going? I’m only going on day one! If you’re going come find me!

Happy Hump Day!

“We’re going to Jefferson.”

03.11.1410.4.19 - Melody 2 Comments

My best friend came over Friday night and we hung out until the early hours of Saturday drinking pear ales and talking about everything that popped into our heads. I finally went to bed at 2:30 with all the hopes of sleeping until noon, but my sister came in at 10:30 telling me to get up because “we’re going to Jefferson.” Cool.

***

If you don’t know east Texas, Jefferson is arguably one of the most historical towns in east Texas. According to my dad, the town was booming around the Civil War. The river was high and Jefferson was the furthest any boat could get into Texas and still be able to turn around. Boats would bring in goods and beach themselves at the turnaround on the river and then unload them at the warehouses on the beach and then load back up with cotton bales. They’d turn around, trek out of Texas and take that cotton to any number of places in the world. Then one day, Jay Gould decided he wanted to bring his big trains into town to undercut the river and boating business that made the town so successful. He hired some guys to blow the dam upstream successfully lowering the river and destroying the boating business. He ultimately destroyed the town, but hey! He got the railroad in town!
The turnaround is still there and has been turned into a park of sorts. It sits underneath the old and new railroad tracks with new sidewalks and trees and gardens being planted. We picnicked there one year!

***

I eventually got up and got ready and grabbed all my camera gear. And by gear I mean my camera and my Fuji Instax. Saturday was misty and gray, perfect light for pictures all day actually. We got into town and pulled right up to the Hamburger Store. So. Delicious. Although it was a little awkward that the family that “drove 7.5 hours for a hotdog” complained about the hotdog “not being cooked” the entire time at the table next to ours and the poor waitress doing everything she could to make them happy.

After I ordered the biggest burger they had and ate all of it, we drove around looking at all the gorgeous hundred year old homes and slobbering all over ourselves at how beautiful they are. Then we drove back by the railroad tracks and spent the rest of the afternoon thrifting. My kind of day.