Thursday Thoughts v.22

You know the drill, friends! Write down a few things you've been thinking about (who doesn't love a random post link-up?) and link up below so that others can read what you've been thinking! 

[one]

It's been incredibly hot here, so in true Southern fashion, we had a crazy thunder and lightening storm today from all the built-up heat. I don't mind them usually, although the loudest thunder crack woke Chloe and me up at 6am. So, that's nice.

[two]

I got to see Mr. Jordan LaBouff on Tuesday and it was amazing (all that was missing was Mrs. LaBouff!). We got to catch up, drink beer, and laugh uncontrollably during way too many inside jokes. I seriously need to move to Maine because I feel like Texas is starting to lack in the friend department.

[three]

I leave for the Dallas/Fort Worth area today for the weekend for Joanna's wedding! I am excited to share in yet another bestie's celebration of love, plus who doesn't love dancing the night away? I've gotta say, although I'm super excited, I'm kind of relieved that this is my last wedding for the summer.

[four]

I know it's only been two days, but I've decided that I don't like not teaching at 8am. Because this is a summer term, my course is from 9:45-11:15am, so by the time it's over, the whole day feels like it's gone! I know that I still have 8:00-9:30am to work on other things, but it just feels wrong. Maybe it will turn me into a noon lunch eater instead of an 11am-er. 

That's all I have today because I spilled my guts on Tuesday! 

What are you thinking today? Link up and tell us!

10 (okay, 8) on Tuesday

Linking up with Lin for 10 on Tuesday, but I could only come up with 8 so that's what you get!

Some randomness for today:

[1] Yesterday, I had a blast at Caryn's house with friends, margaritas, BBQ, and plenty of pool time. There's something about a relaxing, friend-filled afternoon that makes the heart light. 

[2] This weekend was also my bestie Liz's wedding! Such a blast, and I cannot wait to show you how much fun we had. Here's a little preview before I actually sit down and edit the rest of the photos:

Cute details at the Patterson ranch

With some of my favorite ladies in the world:

[3] I just found out that the summer class I'm teaching this year is not at 8am (like it has been for the past two summers) but at 9:45am. It's a little off my usual schedule, as I've taught at 8am for the last 6 semesters, but I'm excited for a little break from the norm.

[4] I just read Mere's blog about how your sunscreen can be bad for you, and used this website to find out that mine is in the "high hazard" range. Et tu, Banana Boat?! Read about sunscreen facts here; you'll be surprised! Check it out immediately and then switch your brand if necessary. Scary stuff.

[5] Today, I get to see the one and only Jordan LaBouff. I'm so excited about this, I can't even describe it. 

[6] I'm teaching a 2-hour colloquium this fall (I'm one of about 30 people, so don't be too impressed) on this book, and I can't wait to teach something other than statistics. The colloquium is part of a larger course where students have to attend six (out of 30; they get to choose what they find interesting) colloquiums (and read a corresponding text) in partial requirement for the Honor's College. Yay for pop neuroscience!

[7] I bought my first MAC product (studio sculpt concealer) yesterday. It was used on me to cover up a pretty large red spot on my face for the wedding and I was delighted with how well it worked. My wallet kind of cried (and I feel like I'm cheating on Covergirl and Mary Kay), but it's thicker than what I normally use for concealer which means it sticks significantly better so I'm hoping it's worth it.

[8] Y'all remember my bestie back in WA Chels? She's been having some major medical problems for the entire year (2012 has sucked thus far for her) and would really appreciate any/all prayers you had for her. Pretty please?

Hope your Tuesday is simply wonderful. Did you have a good Memorial Day? 

My favorite recent YouTube video

Guys. You have got to watch this video. Seriously, I smiled the whole time.

I saw this last night when my friend Josh (aka my trusted favorite pilot) texted it to me and told me it reminded him of something the Lake family would do. Awesome. I had to pass it along because it's too fantastic not to share, plus they're in Portland which is practically home.

You're just going to have to watch it and see for yourselves. And Scott, if you need help planning a proposal...

Thursday Thoughts v.21

Happy Thursday friends! You know the drill: write down a few things you're thinking today, then link up below so others can read what you're thinking! Feel free to save and use the photo above, or use your own!

[one]

I already miss Washington. I'm sure you'll read that enough in the coming weeks, but gosh, I'm back in Waco and I need a little bit of WA love back in my life today. 

[two]

When I come back from a trip, there's a 50% chance Chloe will miss me (with the other 50% being her hating me for leaving her). When I came home last night, she was unsure if she missed me or hated me more, so she would hiss at me, then jump on my lap to be pet. It was adorable. You know what wasn't adorable? The fact that she wanted to sleep so close to me that she kept me up all night. Cat in my face.

[three]

Aasdlkfjadslfk did you guys watch the Revenge final last night?! Holy moly. Called Victoria, did not see Amanda or Charlotte coming. Still, awesome. 

[four]

I had a window seat on my flight yesterday (I'm more of an aisle girl, so I don't have to inconvenience two people to use the restroom), and had the most gorgeous view the whole way. 

[five]

My bestie Liz is getting married in three days! Eeee!

What are you thinking today? Link up and let us know. Happy Thursday!

Sumerlin's Wedding!

(All photo credit goes to Mr. Blake James Thiess)

One of the main things I was looking forward to during my biannual trip to Washington State was my old boss Sumerlin's wedding. Sumerlin was one of my favorite people to work with in college, so much that when we had "dress up as your favorite person" day, I chose her [I have that photo but I'm going to pretend like I couldn't find it 'cuz I look ridiculous and young!]. She was my Resident Director the first full year I was an RA, so we spent a lot of time together. Anyway, I knew the wedding would be a blast, filled with Lute friends and celebration.

My date was my fellow RA floor buddy/bestie since sophomore year, Blake. Clearly we're excited to be there (note my extra large smile on the bottom picture)! [Also, for some reason these pictures look super bright, because my dress was coral and not hot pink. Probably bad editing on my part; so sorry!]

So sweet, right? Also there was Amber, our RAAD (RA with Additional Duties, AKA the woman in charge below Sumerlin). These two were my favorite; besides being amazing coworkers, they helped mold me into the person I am today. It was such a blessing to be able to catch up with them in person!

Seriously, how could you not love people who look like this?

Also there was Mrs. Adrianne Jamieson, a friend from college (I dated her husband back during my freshman year, which is hilarious now). This is probably my favorite picture from the evening!

Sumerlin also had a camera set up and some props, so we had a good time taking some pictures in between catching up and dancing our little feet off.  

My favorite were the mustaches!

Overall, it was one of the most fun weddings I've been to. There's something about spending quality time with people that you've loved for years that makes the heart feel full and complete. And sometimes, you just need to be with your best friends.

This photo pretty much epitomizes the relationship that we have: Sar, super excited; Blake, happy; Amber, creepy. ;) Just kidding. 

Lucky for you, I'm in two weddings in the next two weeks! First, my bestie Liz (Thanks to the Rosones, Joslin, Holly, Steph, and Sarah for leaving comments on her blog as encouragement! Y'all are wonderful!) gets married on Sunday, then the instigator of the Team Salt Lake train (and Nicest Person in the World) Joanna gets married the following Saturday. It's going to be a blast. 

Have you guys been to any weddings recently?

(All photos belong to Blake Thiess!)

Dear Monday v.34

Linking up with Megan and Meg!

Dear Monday, I'm sad you're here because that means you start the week that I fly back to Texas. Wah wah.

Dear PLU Women's Softball team, Attaway! You're the NCAA DIII National Champions! It's the year to be affiliated with universities Sar's attended, clearly. Lutefisk, lutefisk, lefse, lefse, we're the mighty Lutherans, ya, sure, you betcha!

Dear Nicholas Paul Sandy, I'm pretty sure the mark of a good best friend is letting me cuddle while you sing Jason Mraz's "93 Million Miles" and not commenting while I teared up listening to the line "Just know, you're never alone, you can always come back home." You're amazing, for so many reasons. I'm grateful for your friendship.

Dear Blake James, You're the best wedding date ever. We danced all night, drank delicious champagne, and you didn't even comment when I had entirely too much bread. You're a blast!

Dear Liz, I love that you finally got a blog! I hope you keep it up (blogger friends, go check it out and leave her a comment so that she stays blogging!). Also, do you realize you get married in six days? Eeeee!

Dear Christopher Ryan Hicks, Today marks three years of your passing. Three friggin' years. It seems like just yesterday I talked to you, but maybe it's because you're in my heart always. Know that you're celebrated daily in every breath.

Happy Monday friends! Hope you're starting off your week fabulously.

Starbucks Sunday: Lauren Edition

For today's Starbucks visit, I met up with Lauren, a good friend since elementary school who is one of the most genuine people I know. She's kind of amazing: she takes gorgeous photography, throws ballin' parties, and has a loving relationship with her husband. The girl is steller. 

Lauren's one of those people who you can not see for 6 months, sit down, and talk as if no time has passed. It was a glorious morning full of loving conversation, celebration of friendship, and a lot of laughter. 

Needless to say, my Sunday started out fantastically!

It was a great end to the weekend, full of friends that I haven't seen in a while. Friday night, I drove to my friend Sean's condo in Bellevue (maybe one day when I have a Big Girl job, I'll have as nice of a place as him) and spent the evening reminiscing about college. Then Saturday, I visited Shayla (Shay, Lauren, and I used to play softball together!) and had a blast seeing her home and catching up. After Shayla, I met up with Shannon (Dakota's her radio name, she's kind of a big deal) and her boyfriend Matt in Seattle to chat for a little over an hour, which was wonderful. Then I went to Ivar's Salmon House to meet up with my bestie Clyde and his girlfriend Anna while consuming the greatest white clam chowder the world has ever known. Seriously, it was such a blast seeing a bunch of old friends! 

Sumerlin's wedding was last night, which deserves a blog post of its own! I'll post when Blake post-produces his photographs (he has a super fancy camera, so of course I let him take care of the photography of the night), but know it was so beautiful and filled with love! Plus I got to see a bunch of college friends and dance the evening away, which of course I love.

Hope your weekend was similarly awesome! 

Thursday Thoughts v.20

Happy Thursday friends! Hope your week is rounding out to be quite fabulous! You know the deal: write down a few things you're thinking about, then link up so others can read what's on your mind! Right click and save the photo above to copy it, or use your own!

[one]

I love being home. If you follow me on Twitter, I'm sure that you've seen the copious amount of photos I've posted of Washington. It's just so beautiful here! I feel like I always forget the beauty of the west coast (the best coast) when I go back to Texas...probably for survival reasons. 

[two]

On that note, gorgeous Washington weather means that I get to take my dad's convertible out and enjoy the wind in my face! We took a drive earlier this week to Point No Point, an old lighthouse that's now a state park. I posted an iPhone picture earlier, but here are the photos that me and my dad took:

(If you look reeeaaaally closely, you can see Seattle on the horizon about 1/3 over from the left. You can also see Mount Rainier in person, but it was hazy so it's hiding in the photo.)

[three]

Home also means an incredible amount of mom-time. Yesterday, we took the ferry over to Edmonds (Seattle-ish) and had lunch with my Aunt Heide (who should start a blog but doesn't have one--yet). We had a blast, as my mom and Aunt Heide are probably the funniest people I know, and my Aunt took this photo that is now my favorite picture of me and mom:

My family rocks. 

[four]

Tonight I get to see the one and only Nick Sandy, and this weekend I get to see Lauren M, Blake James, Sumerlin, Sean, and a ton more PLU people at Sumerlin's wedding. Seriously, it's going to be the best weekend ever and I cannot wait.

[five]

On a scale of 1-10, how happy are you right now? I'd rate mine at a 19.3. 

Happy Thursday friends! Hope today is full of possibilities. Link up your thoughts here:

2012 Seattle Color Run

Warning: Picture-heavy post!

Last Sunday, my family and I participated in the 2012 Seattle Color Run, a charity 5K that travels around to different cities. Nowadays--thanks to Pinterest--most people have heard about this gem of an activity, but pretty much you start in all white and then end the race drenched in colored powder all over you. Seattle actually sold out the quickest out of all the Color Runs, which goes to show how much fun everybody anticipates it to be. Let me tell you, it did not let any of my expectations down! I had a blast with my family exercising and getting messy!

The day started out with a 6:20am ferry from Bremerton (where my parents live) to Seattle, which would have been horribly early had I not had my favorite Baylor supporter with me for the ride. Sic 'em!

We registered as a team since it was cheaper per person and mom titled us The Great Lakes since we're awesome and our last name is Lake. ;) To be even more fantastic, I made us matching t-shirts (don't be too impressed; they were puffy painted) for the day. Considering we needed white t-shirts and we were unsure if the color would wash out, we figured cheap matching shirts wouldn't be a bad idea.

The fronts:

and backs:

(Ava's nickname was "Puddles" and she was 1/3, Kayden was "Mud Puddles" and was 1/2). 

We met up before the 5K with my parents' besties, Larry and Cheryl, and their daughter/son-in-love Amanda and Chad (you may recognize Amanda from her blog!). 

Sandra's awesome photography at work: here's my brother practically dying at the end of the race. To give him credit, I don't think he's ever run 3 miles before and he stuck with me the whole time. We finished in about 32 minutes, which is about a 10 minute mile. Impressive, right? Way to go, Scotty!

How I felt after the race:

Seattle's always gorgeous, but it's even prettier decorated in color. 

Tons and tons of color!

After the run, we met up again with the Rodgers to take some photos. Ava is not having it, but the rest of us completely enjoyed the messiness!

My fam, all nice and messy.

I was pretty glad my face didn't end up too messy, until I took off my sunglasses and realized that I had orange everywhere that made me look like a bad self-tanning user. At least I'm happier than the lady behind me, right?

And that's the story of the Lake family's experience at the Seattle Color Run! Of course, as per tradition, we had to take a jumping photo. Special shout out to my mother who participated in her first jumping photo in years after getting her hip replaced in February!

Have you ever participated in a Color Run? I'm telling you, it's probably the easiest 5K ever because you forget you're running (although Scott's memory of the Seattle hills would disagree).

Dear Monday v.33

Linking up with Megan

Dear Monday, You don't quite feel like a real Monday considering I popped up at 6am for no apparent reason, took a run before 7, and was out of the shower and ready for the day by 8am. I love that you're so good to me.

Dear Dad, Some of my favorite times with you are when we get into the convertible and drive with no rhyme or reason. Today, we went to Point No Point, a park that used to be a Coast Guard lighthouse. We took off our shoes to walk barefoot in the sand, took jumping photos, and just enjoyed each other. I'm grateful for you!

Dear Seattle Color Run, You were so much fun! Nothing screams perfect more than family, gorgeous scenery, running, and a ton of color. (More pictures to come tomorrow.)

Dear Family, I always love you guys, but I forget how hilarious you all are in person until I come back to visit.

(Scott's quotes are usually inappropriate for blog readers and Twitter friends alike.)

Dear Twitter friends and Instagram followers, I'm sorry that you will all be bombarded with photos of Washington State this week. I can't help it that it's prettier than wherever you are. ;)

Happy Monday friends! Here's hoping that you're having a similarly wonderful May. 

How's your day going?

Happy Mother's Day (Color Run Edition!)

Happy Mother's Day mom! Thanks for being the coolest mom ever, signing us up for the happiest, most colorful 5K to celebrate your day. 

Before:

After:

Thank you for inspiring me, teaching me, guiding me, lying to me to make me eat turnips, and being my best friend.

I love you!

Home!

I'm back in WA and look what I woke up to: 

Amazing, right?

So far, Mom has given me the best hugs, a backrub, is making me a smoothie, and we're going to take a walk this gorgeous morning. Awesome.

Home is where the heart is, and my heart is here!

Thursday Thoughts v.19

It's Thursday, friends! I have no idea how quickly it has become Thursday, but I'm not complaining since I get to fly home tomorrow night! You know the deal: write down a few things you're thinking today and then link up so that others can read what's on your mind! Right click and save the photo above, or use your own!

[one]

I ate something last night that didn't agree with me, and I was up all night with stomach pain. From now on, I'm never eating food again. (Okay, that was dramatic, but you get the gist!)

[two]

Apparently Washington (State) right now has an outbreak of whooping cough ("The Great Whooping Cough Outbreak of 2012") and my mom keeps harassing me and my brother to get a Tdap booster shot. It's kind of cute, really, because I keep getting text messages or picture tweets like this:

[three]

Y'all remember sweet little Lucy Goosey (usually called Princess Pants but Trent told me that was an unacceptable name for a dog)? She's getting so big! I insist you stop growing now.

[four]

If you missed it in the intro, I get to fly to Washington to visit my fam for two weeks tomorrow! Not that I'm super excited or anything, but considering I only get to fly home twice a year, this is my favorite time ever. Let's just hope I don't get whooping cough without the booster... ;)

[five]
My dissertation prospectus document was reviewed by my professor and his comments were minimal (which never happens). I get to start some pilot data later this month and hopefully will be ABD (all but dissertation) this summer. Go team go!

[six]
My mom, dad, brother, and I (with our three favorite cheerleaders Sandra, Kayden, and Ava) are running/walking the Color Run 5K in Seattle (along with Shauna, Amanda/her fam, and a ton of other people). I'm totally psyched, which is weird because it's just another run. Still, awesome experience as a family for the win!

Happy Thursday friends! What are you thinking today? Got any fun plans for the weekend? Link up and tell us!

That one song you can't get out of your head...

One of my besties (in real life, if you can believe it!) Lauren always does a Tuesday Tunage post, sharing her musical loves to all who read her adorable blog. I never link up because, well, I listen to the same thing over and over. (95% of the time, you can bet I'm listening to Jason Mraz, most recently his new album.)

My friend Trent just gave me a copy of one of his favorite albums however, and I cannot stop listening to this song. It's a mix between The Shins, most songs on the Garden State Soundtrack, and a little bit of folky Of Monsters and Men.

It's kind of an odd music video, but it makes my heart happy.

The Head and The Heart: Cats and Dogs. Enjoy!