First of all, I did a terrible job taking pictures. I’m real sorry.

The hard thing about traveling in the summer is that you always end up missing weddings. I missed two that I would have LOVED to go to [three cheers for Mason & Hannah and Adam & Molly!], but Texas was already on my heart [and the flight was already paid for …], so the only marriage I experienced this weekend was between my stomach and legit Mexican food.

Going to visit my bestie Betsy in her hometown was so much fun. For years, our Nash-crowd has heard stories of family, friends, and locations around Wichita Falls, TX, but I was the first to actually see it. I can now confirm that yes, there is such a place and yes, we know people who live there.

Here’s Betsy, me, and her Dad.

What I would like to do now is show you the watercolor portrait of Betsy from when she was 8, but I haven’t exactly asked Betsy if that is okay so I better not. But I want to. But I won’t. But it is awesome. Visiting friends’ parents’ houses is always a win.

Here are my summaries/thoughts/responses from a weekend…..

Let’s start with the thumbs down list.

Stereotypical Texas things I did not see get to see:

  1. Tumbleweed
  2. Cowboy
  3. Bull
  4. Cowboy riding a bull
  5. Cowboy riding a tumbleweed

I also never heard one person sing “Home on the Range” nor did I see a single Texas Ranger or one sign leading to a Dude Ranch.

Dear Texas, if you’re gonna have stereotypes, I’d like to see them when I visit please.

Now, for the thumbs up list.

Things I got to see but forgot to photograph:

  1. Lots of fun people!
  2. Wichita Falls in all it’s glory. And glory it is. Such a beautiful place… compared to other parts of Texas apparently. [That’s for you, Steven and Mary Alice.]
  3. Dallas
  4. Breakfast tacos
  5. A Mavs game [now I can pretend like I’m legit… “Yeah, I cheer for the Mavs. I was in Dallas when they won Game 2. Did you see that one?”]
  6. Heat waves rolling across the desert

…. that last one is not true. Sorry. But it was very hot in Texas. That is true.

And in the continuing series of crazy colors I paint my nails, I present to you my Dallas Manicure. The picture poorly reflects the sparkle to this color. It’s a purpley-gray glittery thing that looks like something the Little Mermaid would wear.

So of course. I love it.

Obviously, this was also a highlight of the trip. Homemade strawberry shortcake? Very Texas, I think. Very Texas.

And the piece de resistance, my only picture of the Texas prairie land–

I’ll give Texas the benefit of the doubt… there could be a cowboy riding a tumbleweed back there behind those trees. I’ll pretend as such.

Overall, I salute you Texas. What a great weekend with such great friends and lots of laughs and I wish I could do it all over again. Thanks to Betsy and her dear family for hosting me and showing me around!

Now, on this Monday [that is TOTALLY a Monday], I head off to skype with possible roommates in Scotland. Better go put some make-up on… don’t want them to see my natural beauty quite yet. 🙂

Finally, I think this is an important question. I was told that cicadas and locusts are the same bug. Is that a fact? Can someone help me out?

Also, I think this is an important question. How was your weekend?