bon voyage! {and a Blowfish Shoes giveaway winner!}

when y’all read this, i will be in london, dreaming of the warm texas weather.
i’m kidding, i’m kidding.
i wish i could say that i’m a cheery person when it’s cold and rainy {even if i’m oohing and aahing over ancient roman cities or london fish and chips} but…i’m not!
i can’t believe chad and i are finally embarking on this grandiose adventure.
as i sit here in the hotel room awaiting tomorrows departure overseas, i’m kicking myself over forgetting to upload ALL of the outfit photos i took to post while i am away.

shaking my head. 

oh well. i have a few fun guest bloggers {including one fun giveaway!}, maybe an outfit post or two up my sleeve, and a very exciting memorial day surprise.

now onto the blowfish shoes giveaway winner from last week! congratulations holly! i will email you for more details!!

okay, folks. stay tuned.
i promise fun things will be happening around here while i’m gone.
i will note that i have been slow to answer emails, and will be even slower over the next few weeks as we will have spotty internet service. but i will get around to them, i promise!

and really, i just want to enjoy a european vacation with my ginger love.

bon voyage!

xoxo 

dress: target
wedges: c/o lulu*s
cuff: forever 21

an outdoor adventure

another beautiful day here in texas.
another summery dress.

we just had one of those morning ”sunshine rains”.
i love those.
it’s as though the clouds get confused and accidentally spill the rain from the sky.
and the sun just keeps on shining.
and then it’s over in a matter of minutes.

makes days like this really hard to stay inside and work.

i want to go outside and explore! or read a book in a hammock and fall asleep with the sun warming my face. or canoe a lazy, winding river.
there isn’t a lure greater to me than the lure of nature.
it’s such a peaceful place.
god’s beauty is everywhere, and everything just feels momentarily….simple.

but i will just continue to longingly peer over my shoulder out the window at this gloriously sunny day. and be happy that i get an hour at lunch to tan these leggies of mine.
if you’re reading this from somewhere chilly, you should hop on a plane for a visit.
texas springs are heaven sent.

dress: forever 21
bag: c/o savoir faire
shoes: c/o lulus

a hill country getaway

chad received a phone call friday afternoon for a last minute audition in austin.
so instead of being bummed about our weekend plans being ruined, we packed up our bags and made a mini road trip out of it.
{remind me, when i talk about babies, that mini road trips will be a thing of the past.}please. and thank you.

so we spent saturday afternoon in the heart of austin.
we strolled through soco holding hands, laughing, and popping in and out of thrift stores and antique shops. we enjoyed some quality people watching. which, in austin, is quite entertaining. we grabbed lunch at one of the food trucks, and ate our goodies to the sounds of wild, shirtless {and surely unbathed} men singing from atop their cars.
{swoon city. seriously, why is austin so cool and dallas so lame?!}

oh, austin. you quirky thing you. you have stolen my heart, yet again.


one of the greatest parts about the hill country?
chads parents live there.
we left the city and drove out to the ranch where we enjoyed a long walk.
{i love exploring there. where else do you have beauitful oak trees and cacti in the same spot? deep in the heart of hill country. thats where}
afterwards, the men sat down to enjoy a cigar.
followed by dinner. conversation. and a good nights sleep.
and then it was back to dallas. back to the real world.

until next time, austin.

 

okay.
and just a little fun fact.
after chad and i met, we went on a week long first date!
{i know. sounds crazy. but he lived in LA and we had to get creative}
so on that “first date”, we sat on this red tree swing at his parents house, and he told me that while he enjoyed my company, he just couldn’t imagine dating someone who lived so far away.

{thats the sound of my heart breaking}

i put on a “oh yeah. totally” face. and agreed. sadly, but understandingly.
but by the end of that week long date, as we sat on the lakehouse dock staring at the stars, he asked me to be his girlfriend.

and that cabin down below? that cabin is about 100 yards from that little red tree swing. and just so happens to be the place that he proposed to me less than 8 months later.

i just love that story. and also reminding him of how quickly he ate those words he said to me on that little red swing. and how quickly we fell in love.

{great memories were made there}

 

bon voyage!

 flights are booked.
anticipation and excitement are at an all time high.
and we are so ready.

{image via rifle paper co.}

in just a few short months, chad and i will be hopping on a very long plane ride {okay, maybe a few long plane rides} and will be travelling to the beautiful city of London. Then its off to the romantic city of Paris for a few days. Then a hop, skip and a jump over to my favorite european destination…Italy. where we will spend time in both Rome & Florence. and last, but not least, we will end our trip in norway (we both have norwegian heritage {thats where the name “signe” comes from} and so we are thrilled about being able to explore this beautiful place!)

i am specifically excited to be back in Florence, and show chad around the city. i studied abroad there my junior year of college for several months, and it feels like a home away from home to me.

there will be many gelatos and crepes eaten.
many pictures taken {and fun outfit posts!}
lots of love and laughter
a few “getting lost” moments {those are the best}
lots of crazy adventures
and many unforgettable memories will be made

we are so, so excited to have this opportunity! we have wanted to go on a great adventure together, and this will be just that!

if anyone knows of any fun places to eat, visit, or see in any of the destinations i listed, please tell us! we have been researching, but i find that personal experiences are much better.

now its time to brush up on my italian!

ciao!