Things.

Things I'd rather be doing than working right now:

*cooking Pioneer Woman recipes. Specifically this or this.

*repinning pretty pictures on Pinterest.

*reading my favorite blogs.

*eating a Big Mac. Yes.

*playing Super Nintendo with my lover.

Things I'd change about my life right now:

*I want crisp fall weather and chilly snow days, not this 110+ degree junk.

*I want more time to study the books I found at the library about where I'm from. What a nerd, I know.

*I also want more time to read magazines.

*And, I want more time to go to the gym or do yoga, too.

*nothing else.

Journaling.

I'm terrible at keeping a journal. And believe me, with all the opportunities, excitement, drama, and craziness that's come along during my 21 years of life, I should have been keeping one. I tried buying pretty, fancy journals, but I'd only write in them once or twice and then retire them forever. I tried keeping a personal blog, but that didn't work either. I tried writing little snippets of what I did each day on my calendar, but somehow, that even seemed to take too much time.

I'm a writer. I plan to spend my life writing for a living. I love to write. So it doesn't make any sense that I haven't been keeping a journal all these years. And I really, really wish I would have.

Right now is the start of a really big year for me. I'll be 22 this Saturday (eek!). I'm starting my final year of my undergraduate degree. I'm working as an assistant editor for a newspaper. I'm only a few months from entering the real world, getting a real job, buying a house, doing grown-up things. Things are about to change a lot.

On that note, I'm going to attempt to blog regularly, at least 3 or 4 times a week, even if it's just a picture or a quote or a few words detailing what happened that day.

But not this week! I'm leaving town tomorrow to celebrate my birthday all week... Look for me next week! ;)

Happy birthday, Arkansas!

It's no secret that I love Arkansas. I've traveled all over the country and in a few other countries, too, and nothing compares to this place I call home. No, I don't believe Arkansas is the prettiest place in the world (although parts of it are absolutely gorgeous), and I know it's not the most exciting. But it's my home state, and no matter where I go, my heart will always be with the people and places I love so much here.

Today is this beautiful state's 175th birthday, and to celebrate, the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism released a list of the top ten places to visit here. I read this list, and while I agreed with part of it, I decided to make my own list.

Here are my top 11 (I couldn't narrow it down to just ten!) favorite sites in the state:

My very favorite: Sunset Point on Mount Nebo in Dardanelle. Two of our best friends live at the base of this mountain, so we're able to go there a lot. And that makes me really happy. Sunset Point makes me happier than just about anywhere else on this earth.

Downtown Eureka Springs. There's nowhere in the world like it. I especially love the Flat Iron Building.

Bathhouse Row in Hot Springs. Most of the bathhouses are no longer used, but it's so fun to think of how packed this place was in the early 1900s when people believed the springs had magical healing powers!

Mount Magazine in Paris. It's the tallest mountain in the state, and it's my favorite place for long drives in the fall.

Walton's Five and Dime. Aka the original Walmart! This is in Bentonville, where I live. This place is so cute and old fashioned. Living in the same town as the Walmart Home Office means lots of opportunities to meet all the celebrities who are always in town. That's my favorite thing about living here!

Twin Falls in Jasper. There are just no words for the beauty of it.

Thorncrown Chapel in Eureka Springs. I adore this place! It's so peaceful and gorgeous.

Arkansas-Texas state line in Texarkana. Taking a picture in front of that sign never gets old.

Petit Jean State Park in Morrilton. The history of Petit Jean is so rich, and the views from the mountain are breathtaking.

Haw Creek Falls in Fort Douglas. I have so many wonderful memories of picnics with my Nanna and Poppa here. It is lovely.

The State Capitol Building in Little Rock. Oh, it's pretty!

And here is one to grow on (that makes 12, oops!):

The University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Old Main is my favorite (and the most famous) building on campus. And there's nothing like Razorback football!

What state or country do you live in? Have you ever been to Arkansas? If so, what did you think of it?

*Photo credits: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.

Summer via my iPhone.

Hydrangeas. Weddings. Coffee smoothies/iced coffee (I might have a coffee problem). Night swimming. Sweet tea in Mason jars. Lemon meringue pie. Flea markets. Road trip planning.

I'm enjoying this summer so much already! ♥♥♥

This week:

I rode roller coasters and waterslides with my love and some friends and got a major sunburn.
I had the privilege of attending a keynote address given by the Dalai Lama. It was amazing. More on that later.
I planted some things: basil, parsley, and pink zinnias, to be exact. Let's all cross our fingers and hope they grow (unlike those pretty gerber daisies I killed last year).
I had breakfast early in the morning with my Nanna. She made chocolate gravy and biscuits, and all felt well in this world.
I got to spend an entire day with my oldest sister. This rarely happens! It was so fun.
I realized that I need have to stop drinking so much caffeine. But that will have to wait until next week when Starbucks no longer has half price drinks. Eek!

*Photo of my little sister Hali on her 10th birthday last month. See, caffiene addictions run in our family!

I like where I live.

I love it here. I love sitting on top of the mountain with Richard, drinking coffee and planning our future together. And that last picture? That's the view of our favorite mountain from the other side of the river. We think it's beautiful.

Oh, and I love fresh flowers, too.

*Even though we got a fancy camera last month, I still love taking photos with my iPhone. ♥

The border between Arizona and Mexico

This cracks me up. Oh, how times have changed...

{via Kenza}