Tiny adventures so far: 103
07.06.25 | Jurassic World Rebirth
I can be real enough to say that my chief interest in this movie was Jonathan Bailey. I have not kept up with the Jurassic Park films, although I have certainly seen the first one. The plot in this new movie was interesting enough, and though I would have liked more from the ending, I’m not mad at it. The music in these films always gives me all the feels.
07.05.25 | Painting with a Twist
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Bob Ross’n with my sister and my cousin at Painting with a Twist. I am not a natural, but I am trying to embrace all of my happy little accidents.
07.05.25 | Mario Kart
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I haven’t played this (or any) game in years - since before I started driving. I had hoped that as a now-experienced driver, my skills would have improved. They have not - LOL -but I had fun all the same.
07.04.25 | Barbara Walters
Watched the new Barbara Walters documentary with my sister tonight. It felt a bit like a stroll down memory lane - seeing all those familiar faces from a time when television and journalism were something else entirely. I appreciated hearing Barbara’s story for many reasons.
07.03.25 | Partenope Ristorante
I’ve been hearing about this restaurant for well over a year, since we got one in Richardson. Today I finally went, and I was not disappointed. I had the Penne Di Parmigiano e Funghi with chicken (an upcharge) for lunch, and the Torta Pistacchio e Ricotta for dessert. Delicious. And the ambience was perfect - quiet, cozy, aesthetic - even the bathroom (the tile floor in there is gorgeous). Partenope is officially on my Richardson Lovelist.
07.02.25 | Bluebonnet Reading List
As part of a unique professional development experience, I’ve signed up to read at least 5 books from the Texas Bluebonnet Award List and select a favorite. It is a wonderful opportunity to earn PD credit for doing something that I enjoy and to come across new titles to add to my instructional library or suggest to students. My top pick so far is The Liars Society - a fun and intriguing mystery.
07.01.25 | Sonic Picklerita & Tots
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5-minute drive-in adventure at Sonic. These pickle-flavored summer features were interesting.
06.30.25 | Potter's Wheel
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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.
06.29.25 | Hosting My First Poetry Book Club Meeting
First time hosting my Pages & Poetry Book Club meeting at Bibliobar. We had a small but mighty crew for our first meeting. We read lots of sad poems and a few happy ones, and connected in that special way that book clubs and poetry allow—looking forward to the next time.
06.28.25 | Car Craft with Liam
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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.
06.27.25 | Sand Art with Liam
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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.
06.26.25 | Sushi Tacos @ Oishii
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 distant neck of the woods (Forney). Honestly, on the right day, I’d make the trip just for this delicious dish from Oishii Ramen & Bar.
06.25.25 | Adventure Challenge Book
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Finally tried a few challenges from my Adventure Challenge book, which I bought in 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.
06.24.25 | Trivia Night @ Lockwood
Tried my first trivia night tonight at Lockwood I was a little nervous about going it alone, but I had a great time, and I managed to win a prize, even though I didn't earn the highest score. Not a bad way to spend a Tuesday night. Thanks for a fun time @lockwooddistillingco!
06.23.25 | Cos-no-politan Mocktail
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New summer mocktail recipe, compliments of my friend Cami.
06.22.25 | Medium Rare Steak
The least Texan thing I do is order my meat well done, because I want to know that the cow is all the way cooked, and that little pink streak sounds like mooing to me. Today I tried a medium-well steak - pink streak and all. And I lived. I won’t do it again, but it was not bad, and I could even understand the appeal a bit.
06.21.25 | Impromptu Cover
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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.
06.20.25 | Bourbon Cream
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If I say I’ve had a cold one after work, I mean cream soda. Otherwise, juice is my jam, but now and then I try a grown-up beverage. I haven’t tried many that I’ve liked, but here’s an exception.
06.19.25 | Newborn Nephew
I’m officially an aunt! I held my nephew for the first time today. Just wow.
06.18.25 | Smores Bouquet
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Tried my hand at a Smores Bouquet. Not mad at it, but I definitely have notes for next time.