Oh just try to take the Texas outta this girl

Totally cliché, right? Also, completely and totally true.

As mentioned in this freak out, I spent the week in Austin with Kayla, my very best friend from college. I had a few days of work stuff and a few days of playing around ATX. It was really really fantastic.

Sidenote: Boys are cuter in Texas. Fact.

Now let me tell you a lil something about my BFF Kayla. She's such a big kid. She and her husband just bought a house. Y'all. A real house. Filled with big kid things and all kinds of new big kid responsibilities. It's adorable and lovely and just perfect for them. AND I somehow talked them into letting me crash their happily married homeowner lives for almost the entire week. I now have visitor ownership of the guest room on the right - affectionately referred to by Fordy as "the summer room." Dibs!

Here's the thing about best friends, you just kinda pick right up where you left off. And there are conversations like these that remind you why you are such good friends in the first place --

K: Oh you really need to try the new chicken and honey breakfast biscuit at Whataburger.
LJ: Do I?
K: Ohmygosh Lauren, it's amazing. Like, better than Chick-fil-a. And you know how much I love Chick-fil-a...
LJ: A. Lot.

LJ: Umm, can I just point out that I've had about 4 rather large glasses of water and you aren't even through 1 yet?
K: Are you listening to what I'm telling you?!? Clearly I need this beer more than I need that water!

K: I think they're the Nashville Songs.
Mark: Or the Sounds?
K: Ohhhh. Right, Sounds.
LJ: Bahahaha! What kind of mascot is a Song??
K: Like Sounds is better??

K: When you get moment, please check out the way that this woman 2 rows in front of us chews her gum.
LJ: Whoa! Talk about chewing that gum with conviction!

LJ: Wait, which one is that?
K: The old license plate...see NASA, cowboys & horses, moon...I think an oil rig off to the side there. I mean, what else could it need?
LJ: Ahhh. Also, is that a cactus? Cacti, even? It's as big as the horse.
K: See, clearly a Texas license plate.

A few pics from the week --
please note that I stupidly left my camera at home and was totally bummed out. lucky for me, my co-worker / friend Sam let me hold on to hers after she left so I could have pictures of my trip. thank you Sam! life. saver. :)

Walking around Town Lake

6th Street -- Austin, Texas.


Pecan Street Festival -- On 6th Street. Apparently formerly Pecan Street. Who knew?


El Arroyo -- Cinco de Mayo Texas Style. The sign is always my favorite.


Round Rock Express vs. Nashville Sounds -- Special guest player, Rojo Johnson (aka Will Ferrell) on the mound. And he was hilarious.

I didn't even realize how much I needed Texas until I got there.

I love my life in New York. I'm happy here. Very happy. But being in Texas...I don't know...Being in Texas is just refreshing. There's something about driving down a long stretch of highway, radio up, sunglasses on, warm sunshine and slow southern ways, that make me wonder why I ever left at all.

I guess Texas will always have a way of refilling me. Of making me whole. Even though I don't live there anymore and no matter how long I stay away. Texas is more me than New York will ever be. And I needed it last week. I really needed to feel refreshed. Comfortable. Completely and fully me.

And after spending the week there, I also found a lil bit more of my southern accent. Glad to have it back! :)