march march march.  it’s sort of running together with february and april these days [partially because i’m LATE on this post], so in some ways, it was just another wonderful month that fit into this wonderful year [so far].  i don’t know – i’m just loving 2016.  i don’t have anything bad to say about it, honestly!  and march was the same as the other months have been – fun times with family and friends, good vibes all around [and some beautiful weather and beautiful flowers too!].  i don’t mean to sound like miss gag-me rainbows and butterflies [nothing’s perfect, as we all know], but you gotta enjoy the good times while you can, you know?  life is just happy right now.  here are some photos from march:

{first off, turning the page of my cities calendar to march made me so happy, having just visited tokyo for the first time a couple weeks prior!}

{first popsicle of the season, woo!  in other news, i voted in the primaries on this day, and i didn’t get a sticker!  i just expected a sticker!  i was disappointed, but took a selfie anyway.  and then went and got a popsicle.  i know, i act like a 5-year-old at the doctor’s office, but whatever.}

{at the TGIF world bartender championship!  this was a super fun night.}

{i went home to celebrate mike’s birthday and priscilla was able to come home too!  on the left, making beer!  i love my family.  we’re calling our brew company “kojder & ko brews.” ;) and on the right, mike opening his presents…our family room looks like it was completely ransacked thanks to shiner.  he must be lucky’s brother!!}

{happy birthday to mike!}

{making a wish!  and i think mimi blinked in this one but it’s still a cute photo…}

{the view from my hotel room in the tiny town of pipestone, minnesota, where i went for a work trip.  i felt like i was in someone’s backyard!}

{this is probably what you would call a “one-horse town.”} 

{downtown sioux falls, south dakota.  i checked another state off my list!}

{random selfie plus a pup who loves to go for car rides!}

{so what else is new?!  once a cupcake lover, always a cupcake lover!  i think i was about 4 in this one.}

{i love my city.}

{mom, mimi, and i went to flea style in dallas and i was completely in my glory…}

{me with my best shopping buds, doin’ our thang.}

{there were some food trucks at flea style, so we lunched at the easy slider truck aaaand we sat outside on the curb to eat because HELLO SUNSHINE.  i got the roadside [angus beef, bacon, tillamook cheddar, grilled jalapeños, french-fried onions, and truck-made BBQ sauce] and the sweet & lowdown [angus beef, bacon, goat cheese, and strawberry jam].  delish.}

{already counting down the days until the next flea style event!}

{after flea style, we met up with dad and all went to try a new restaurant in town called wayward sons.  we really liked it!  this was bundt batter bread with raspberry preserves, plus alexana pinot noir [from the willamette valley, so you know it’s good!].}

{mom, mimi, and i all ordered the parsley root gnocchi with roasted mushrooms and braised artichokes.  very rich and very good.  and there on the right is president obama taking off!  the only reason i knew is because i’m with my dad and he recognized the plane.  apparently he had been in austin for south by southwest.}

{you know that you’ve been slacking in the laundry department when you can make a pile of laundry of every damn color in the rainbow!!}

{took a random vacay day in the middle of the week to get some things accomplished at home and it felt SO GOOD.}

{i see you, spring!}

{it looks like i’m wearing some kind of weird clogs, but really it’s just some black tights with gold polkadots and black ballet flats.  i decided to go all out for st. patrick’s day!}

{mike and i celebrated st. patty’s day at idle rich pub.  we shared an order of corned beef & cabbage and the fish & chips, and had some beer of course.  and believe it or not, these plates in the picture are the halved portions!  the corned beef & cabbage was alright, but the fish & chips was surprisingly amazing.  it was perfect battered/breaded – really light and delicious.  now i know where to get some good fish & chips if need be!}

{i got the coolest little kits in japan to build these famous japanese landmarks out of paper, and here they are, completed!  they were time-consuming to build – extremely tiny with a ridiculous amount of detail [it’s definitely a tweezers-and-toothpicks-type operation] – but the instructions made it so easy and the building process was surprisingly fun and therapeutic!}

{here’s a photo of them side by side.  the one on the left is the fushimi-inari shrine in kyoto that i have great memories visiting with my friend karen in our kimonos!  it leans slightly to the side but i love it anyway! :)  on the right is senso-ji temple, with a mount fuji backdrop.  i gave this one to my boss since she lived in japan for a few years when her kids were young and they have fond memories climbing mt. fuji.}

{flowers in the cemetery}

{and these!}

{just the usual views…}

{here are some photos of my neighborhood since i haven’t posted any in a while…this is bread winners and quarter bar…}

{these two buildings have been a million different restaurants/bars and i can’t even keep up.  hopefully they’ll start being successful!}

{urban taco and hook line & sinker}

{uptown pub and west village}

{more of west village}

{a few of the pretty homes in the state thomas neighborhood, where i like to run.}

{shiner boy, burying his bone under his pillow!}

{girls night with these lovelies!  we went to waters in fort worth and it was wonderful.  also, i can’t believe that we unintentionally matched again!  i swear that we don’t plan it.  we all just showed up wearing this coral-y orange color and were like what in the worlddddd?!  it really is the funniest thing, how often we do this.}

{this was the best ever… the “i can’t decide” seafood trio, which is a sampling of three of the most popular fish items on the menu [AND their sides]:  creole-blackened redfish with tomato & andouille stew, jon bonnell’s dirty rice, and haricots verts; grilled arctic char with lemon herb couscous, cucumber fennel salad, and paprika yogurt creme; and pecan-pesto-crusted trout with crispy polenta cakes and balsamic cherry tomatoes.  i was SUCH a happy camper.}

{also, for the table: lobster mac ‘n cheese, and chocolate mousse for dessert!}

{when you don’t have the guys with you, you can do things like run over to anthropologie after dinner.  and sometimes you like what you’re wearing more than what you try on, and that’s okay too. ;)  [although i actually did score a super cute sweater on major sale, so i’ll consider it a win!]  and shiner hopes that someday he’ll be tall enough to reach the keyboard!}

{isn’t that photo on the left simultaneously hilarious and frightening?!!  it’s mom and me in some beauty masks that i had brought back from japan.  we must have laughed until we cried after taking this photo and sending it to dad!  and on the right, just a little breakfast at home with my mama.}

{i posted the photo on the left earlier in the month in honor of brother bear’s birthday…it was from his first few weeks of life and my first few weeks into my career of being a big sister.  he’s so tiny and cute and sleepy and then there’s jess…chubby-cheeked and desperately fighting for attention from her grandparents! ;)  on a more somber note, that picture on the right gets me.  how has it been three years since papa went to heaven?  making sweets for him was my favorite thing.  i sure do miss both my papas very much.}

{in my BTHO ou outfit.  i had alllllll my lucky charms on this day!  [i’m a dork, i know!  ha!]  unfortunately, they didn’t work as well as i’d hoped.}

{twenty-six and twenty-three years old and we still get easter baskets!  i’m not complaining a bit!}

{we love our mama!  and we were missing dad on this day because he was flying.  more pictures from easter and with mimi are here!}

{these two!  so cute!}

{mom and i made our first naked cake for easter dinner!  i think it turned out better than we both thought it would, so we were thrilled about that.}

{the gang’s all here!  and everyone has a name.  let me introduce you to the family!  in the left photo from left to right and top to bottom:  ladybird, madeleine mae, quincy, winifred [winnie for short], and pablo escobar.  on the right we have the older, more privileged children that live indoors:  aunt hattie and winston churchill.}

{on the left, i was at pappadeaux for a work lunch and had immediate plate envy when i saw this sashimi that one of my coworkers ordered.  i tasted it and i’m definitely getting it next time!!  and on the right, i know they’re not pretty at all, especially when sitting right next to that luscious, colorful sashimi salad, but i made these quinoa stuffed bell peppers with some red quinoa that i had on hand and they were really, really good.  if prepared a little more neatly, arranged a little more artfully on a pretty plate, and topped with some fresh cilantro, this is a great healthy meal to serve as they were super flavorful and surprisingly really good.}

{one evening i took a different route on my run and stumbled upon this gorgeous neighborhood tucked away beyond turtle creek.  there were hills and trees and a little bridge over the water and some narrow dead-end streets with ZERO cars, plus the most perfect cottages covered in vines…it felt like i had stepped into some kind of enchanted forest.  i could have sworn that i was somewhere far, far away from dallas, TX.  it made me so happy just to be there…i think i found a new running route!  i’ll just pretend i live there.}

{dreamy.}

{running outside in the neighborhoods – especially in spring – is my favorite thing ever.}