after a tumultuous week with lots of ups and downs, i met my family in oak cliff last night for dinner at la calle doce, a charming old home turned into a mexican seafood restaurant.  the food was excellent, and we all needed the time together after such a chaotic week.  i love them.

brother bear came back to dallas with me after dinner so that we could have a sleepover!  my beertender and arrested development made for a fun night, along with our chats about college and life and stuff.  he’s pretty cool to hang with. :)

this morning, we went to brunch at bread winners, my favorite breakfast place in dallas.  coincidentally, it is also an old home converted to a restaurant.  the weather was warm [this was before the fierce cold front blew through!], so we sat in the little courtyard.  i couldn’t believe how pleasant it was – i didn’t even realize we were outside at first!

they gave us a little plate of breakfast bread to munch on.  mike ordered the pomme de terre bayou sausage casserole [i’ve had it and it’s amazing], and i had hot tea and a smoked salmon bagel.  everything was delicious, as usual.  then mike headed home, as he had to drive back to austin this afternoon.

i met up with ashley, our new friend angelica, and some of her friends at the dallas museum of art to go to a posters of paris exhibit.  it was relaxing and nice to have some girl time.  at the end of the exhibit, they have a big table set up where you can make your own “posters of paris.”  there are these boards with different layers of plastic sheets, and you can trace cutouts of the paris posters with dry-erase markers onto the different layers of plastic to create your own picture.  they photocopy it for you in this little room and hang one on the wall, and give another one to you to take home.  it’s really a cool idea.  the bright colors and creativity that covered the wall were inspiring, i thought.

after the art museum, ashley and i headed back to her apartment, and ended up walking to gloria’s for dinner and sangria.  i feel like i’ve been going straight from one meal to the next this weekend, but the important part is that i’ve been with friends and family, and i couldn’t be happier to spend time with them.
i’ve been reflecting on a lot of things these past few days, and it’s the people in my life that make it what it is for me.  i’m thankful for each and every one of them and the impact they’ve had on my world.  the times we share are precious, and i don’t want to take for granted a minute of them.

i hope you are all having a happy weekend.  still another day left!  xoxo