Southern at heart. ♥

This weekend, Jake and I both decided to go down south on vacations that we've been waiting for all summer.

Jake is taking a diving trip here:

{San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico}

And I am in one of my favorite places ever:

{Jake and I, 2009}

North Carolina!

As we flew in over Raleigh, I swear that looking down at the landscape was like seeing a land sprinkled with stars. The lights of the small city twinkled through the trees, and it was almost like Disneyland when I walked out into the cool air with it's perfect vegetation. 

Everytime I come here I'm reminded that I'm Southern at heart.

Hopefully I will be able to post pictures of mine and Jake's adventures, and then I can help you fall in love with this adorable little state as much as I have.

Haboob.

The night started out great.

I got ready at my pace, Jake picked me up and we headed off to Red Lobster for our first date this entire summer! I was so excited.

I had the always delicious popcorn shrimp, Jake had shrimp and chicken, and we enjoyed conversations by romantic florescent light and lobster tank smell.

Our waiter comes by to refill our drinks, and says, "that's definitely not rain."

It's funny how the itsy bitsy-est things can interrupt a very rare date night..

{via}

And by itsy bitsy, I mean the biggest dust storm in Arizona in 20 years.

The ride home was the scariest ride of my life. Scarier than Tower of Terror. Seriously.

We couldn't even see 3 street lights in front of us.

Someone almost hit us while they were trying to turn right.

I was so mad I didn't have my camera.

Want to know a fool-proof way to know if a storm is coming?

Ask Jake if he's washed his car that day.

Independence day.

I'm not exactly used to being in Arizona for the Fourth.

I'm usually with my Washington family, watching my step-dad and brother light off amazing fireworks for hours and listening to my baby brother say "boom!" after every explosion.

This year, I stayed home and spent the holiday with my best friends and Jake's wonderful family.

We spent the day the way I guess all Zonies spend it, playing volleyball in the pool and eating icecream cones.

This year was the first year we were able to light off our own fireworks, and it was fun to see how excited everyone was to light of the "real" fireworks I've watched for years from my mom's backyard.

I love the freedoms that we get to experience on a daily basis, and you never realize how wonderful it is.

Long story short, I love this state. And I love my country.

Happy Fourth of July!

I can't sit still.

A few days ago, my friend Ashley posted a sweet little post about her mom and dad's song.

She ended by asking what her follower's songs were.

And I don't know why, but I've been feeling like I should post mine. And by mine, I mean me and Jake's.



I know it's a cheesy video. But if you listen to the lyrics, they are beyond adorable.

One day, sophomore year, a bunch of friends of mine were hanging out. Since Jake didn't have a car, we picked him up on the way there. I had a CD playing that Katie had made for me, and when this song began he asked me what it was. I nonchalantly told him, and continued singing along.

Flashforward a couple months, and Jake and I are hanging out before I go away for the weekend. Same car, same CD. We sit in the car for a long while talking and listening to awkward silences. When the song comes on, Jake begins to sing. At the chorus, he turns to me and says "this song reminds me of you" and leans in for our first kiss.

Moral of the story?
16-year-olds are awkward and cheesy, but those are some of my favorite moments.
Those moments where you can't sit still because you know you're with someone, not just anyone.

What's your song?

Pajama Party!

I think it's pretty obvious by now that my friends and I are serious dorks. I remember my step-dad actually laughing at me one time because I said I had a Christmas party, where everyone came over and we decorated cookies while watching the Grinch.

He told me that is not a party, and that I was lame.

So, to continue on in my lameness, my friends and I decided to do something just as silly.

We had a pajama party.

Since Katie and I are awesome, and the boys decided to take 57 years to come over, we decided to make a pizookie for everyone! Basically, they were the best pizookies this side of Mesatown.

I'm so glad I have friends to be lame with.

Here, your dreams are sweet

and tomorrow brings them true. Here is the place where I love you."

So, I'm just sitting at home, watching some HP, waiting for Jake to come over, when I get this crazy feeling.

Some may call this feeling a craving, but all I can think about is the salty, buttery goodness of movie theater popcorn that I will get watching HP on that silver screen of dreams in a couple weeks.

So I text Jake, working my charms, and demand that he bring me what I want, or else.

He says, "but I only have bread."

"I want popcorn!" I whine and textually punch Jake for not succumbing to my wants.

And he says, making my heart melt,

"But I'm just the boy with the bread."

*Quote from The Hunger Games.