5-minute drive-in adventure at Sonic. These pickle-flavored summer features were interesting.

Tried Adult Wheel Night at Quiggly’s Clay House. One of the best things I've tried so far. Hadn't thrown on the potter's wheel since high school, and it was just as enjoyable as I remembered. Already looking forward to next time.

Kid crafting with my cousin, Liam. Painting is always fun, no matter what your canvas is. Today, it was little wooden cars, and we had a great time making our own.

Kid crafting with my cousin, Liam. We had lots of fun making our sand art, and we even had a bit of science talk, like why does the glitter take longer to fall than the sand, what is course and what is fine, and what is sand? Perfect for kids, fun for adults too.

Sushi tacos are a level of food creativity I didn’t know I needed. My sister introduced me to them at a restaurant in her distance neck of the woods (Forney). Honestly, on the right day, I’d make the trip just for this delicious dish from Oishii Ramen & Bar.

Finally tried a few challenges from my Adventure Challenge book, which I bought since January of this year. In my defense, I’m a teacher, I work 12-hour days, and I was wrapping up my MFA. Now that I have some time back, I can’t wait to dig into more adventures.

New summer mocktail recipe, compliments of my friend Cami.

This impromptu cover with my little brother was such a gift. I used to sing with my siblings all the time, but in adult life, that happens a lot less, what with time, distance, and all the other things that get in the way. This occasion is especially wonderful because Isaiah is in the military, and he hasn’t been home for about 2 years. He only came for a short visit to meet our new nephew, but he managed to fit in some time to sing with me.

If I say I’ve had a cold one after work, I mean cream soda. Otherwise, juice is my jam, but every now and then I try a grown up beverage. I haven’t tried many that I’ve liked, but here’s an exception.

My sister and I decided on Lobster & Shrimp Grilled Cheese at Fish City Grill. It comes with cheddar, jack, American, queso blanco, thick-cut bacon, sriracha, and green onions, on grilled sourdough. Why did it take us so long to try this? Delicious. We also tried the FCG Sampler, which includes calamari, fried pickles, shrimp, and crab queso. No notes. Except maybe, please include more chips for that queso…

This cute little maze is a well-loved feature of The Children's Adventure Garden at The Dallas Arboretum. It’s an easy maze with several hidden gems inside. My students had so much fun, and I enjoyed the experience too.

This PB&J Burger from Lazy Dog seems a little strange, but it’s worth a try. As it often is, the bacon was the best part!

This Dallas event for creatives to interact and be inspired is hosted so deep in Dallas that I almost didn’t attend. The drive was well worthwhile for the chance to connect with other creatives, especially writers (who seem especially hard to find in the wild).

After years of resisting plant-based milk alternatives, I finally decided to give almond milk a try.

Tried this fun craft with my sister, Kerissa. We poured and blended colors over tiles, then arranged them inside our panels to create a beautiful stained glass aesthetic for our lamps.