summer's end

school starts soon.

the summer has flown.

i know i say that often,

but i feel blindsided by this summer.

it's been wonderful, and oh so quick.

we spent a day at the waterpark, 

after we'd had a crazy cold front,

and the temps were in the 70s.

it was heavenly.

and then we spent another day at the waterpark with good friends,

when the temps were in the 100s,

but it was still a really fun day.

we rode to dallas with our sweet friends,

and checked out klyde warren park.

i forget how crazy and busy dallas is.

it almost gives me whiplash.

thanks for driving, shelley.

this park is built on an overpass,

over maybe the busiest freeway in dallas.

it is a really cool place.

you'd never know there are cars zooming by,

underneath.
 

 we ate from the food trucks,

which is one of my favorite things to do.

i had my first banh mi sandwich, 

and now i'm dying for another one.

 and we had the cutest mini cupcakes.

the kids played the piano, played tag, got wet, dodged all of the pigeons, and had a really good time.

 we have had some good meals and visits with memaw,

and spent some time with my mom, lala, at her house.
boyd got to see his great grandma too, which always makes him happy.
when boyd rides in the golf cart with me and lala, he likes to punch the gas,
which makes us all scream.

and,

 i heard something on the radio the other day, that the pope just said, 

and i'm paraphrasing...

technology and social media are wonderful, 

and they are gifts from god.

but this short and precious life that we've been given, 

it's the biggest gift from god.

let's not waste it by being so tuned into social media, 

so plugged into technology all the time.

too much time on social media distracts from what is really important. 

and that's really got me to thinking.

you know when you hear something and it stays with you,

and it really strikes a chord...

i think that's when you sit up and listen.

so, i'm listening.

love,

nicolle

the last few days

Kevin was out of town, in San Antonio, most of last week.

Boyd kept us safe.

He spent the rest of the time looking cute.

{and wearing me out}.

My mom came over on Sunday night to hang out with Boyd, and I slipped away {as fast as I could}. 

I was so excited to be having dinner with my friends Megan, and Cindy....who just flew into town Sunday evening. I've known them both through blogging for a couple of years now, and adore both of them. A couple of months ago when Cindy told me she'd be coming to Dallas, I was so thrilled. 

When we saw her and her husband pull up to the restaurant on Sunday, I almost knocked the table over getting up. True story. {too much margarita}.
Plus, I was just so happy to see her.

We had a great dinner, lots of good, easy conversation and laughs.
It was an extra bonus to meet Cindy's husband. I've been drooling over his cooking, from afar.
They brought us some homemade pepper jelly, and I can't wait to try it.

It was such a good night.

I picked Cindy up today, and we went to the West End, downtown Dallas.

I'm sad to say I took very few pictures. 

I was too busy talking.

We walked over to Dealey Plaza, to see the old Texas School Book Depository.

 We had lunch at Ellen's Southern Kitchen.

It was scrumptious, and I think I'm now officially full for the next week.

I'm pretty sure I could have sat there for hours and talked to Cindy. 

She has the most easy going spirit about her, and I could learn a lot from her.

We finished lunch and I took her back to the hotel, and made my way back home.

 God has blessed me with some sweet and beautiful and true friends, near and far.

I am so thankful.

love,

nicolle

dallas farmer's market

Boyd and I drove over to Dallas this morning, to visit the Dallas Farmer's Market.

I have never been, and it's been on my list of things to see for a while now.

I think I made Boyd nervous with my driving, and I'm so thankful for gps.

At one point Boyd said, 

mom you don't know what you are doing. 

I did get a little lost, but we found it.

My sweet baby boy.
Sometimes I just need a day like this with him,
and it was so good.

Lots of cute pumpkins.

There were so many pretty fall flowers everywhere. 

 We went to check out a bbq place that had been on the food network,

but the line was at least 100 people deep, probably more.

So, Boyd had some ice cream.

I bought some peanuts to snack on,

and I had one of the pears that I bought,

along with a sample of watermelon and pineapple from the vendors.

I loved these murals, although I believe they are still a work in progress.

It was a good day.

It was nice to take a little last minute road trip,

{Dallas is like a road trip to this Fort Worth native},

take some pictures,

and explore something new.

We had just left downtown Dallas and were about 10 minutes into our drive,

when Boyd said to me, 

mom are we back in Texas yet?

Dallas is such a great city, 

but I will always be a slower paced, Fort Worth girl.
 

..............

I made this broccoli recipe last night.
I also left out the basil and pine nuts like she did.
It was really good, and a nice way to do something different with broccoli.
Thanks Whitney S. for telling me about this.

  ..............

Happy 29th
{40th} 
birthday to my sister, today!
She will tell you she's 29, for the 11th year, but I'm telling on her today.
we love you.


have a good weekend.

love,

nicolle

dallas {dealey plaza}

We've been having fun being tourists in our own area this week. Today Boyd, Kevin and I went to Dallas with Kevin's dad, aunt and uncle. Although I've been by Dealey Plaza where JFK was assassinated, I've never walked around and toured it. It was a really unique place to be.

This is the former Texas School Book Depository, which now houses The 6th Floor Museum. You can see the window on the 6th floor right side, where Lee Harvey Oswald allegedly stood and fired.

I'm standing on the well known grassy knoll, looking out onto the street where JFK was shot, as he was coming down the hill.
There are 2 x's on the road where bullets hit him.



Our group, minus me, walking up the grassy knoll.


We did go into the museum, but cameras are not allowed. I was tempted to pull mine out though.
I did sneak Boyd a capri sun and some snacks in the museum.
{I'm a rebel}.


Dallas is a lot of fun.
And there is a lot of traffic.
That is why we rarely go over there.
Aunt Dianne and I clutched the seats a few times on the drive.
{Kevin was looking for Hooter's}.



We had lunch at Y.O. Ranch Steakhouse.




Kevin's uncle is holding our appetizer plate of venison wrapped in bacon, a quail breast, and a piece of wild boar sausage.
I loved the venison.
Kevin wound up with my quail, and his uncle had my wild boar.
At least I tried it.
I think everyone else enjoyed it all.


I had a delicious burger.
And a bite of Uncle Larry's buffalo steak, which surprisingly I loved.
I've always been a little afraid of trying buffalo.


We walked around and did some shopping.


Kevin's dad, uncle and Boyd trying on cowboy hats.


It was a great day with family.


Oh my gosh, I'm tired.
xo.