and i celebrated by doing what i do best: repeating history. so when spring hit and blossoms bloomed, a group of friends and i decided to drive down to dc an see the cherry blossoms in our great nation's capital.
and also cafe rio.
even with a four hour drive that turned close to six, crowds that made times square feel quaint, and cafe rio that let me down, it was still a great trip. the sun was out, the magnolias were bright, the monuments all glistened, and the photo opportunities were ripe. so i was happy. me with my selfie stick and narcissistic need to document everything.
to those with me, you're welcome. to those who find it annoying, well...you're about to hate this blog post.
these magnolias are my favorite. like, these in particular. because they photograph so well. and also magnolias = steel magnolias = "drink your juice, shelby" = shelby = me = #hairtoss
my photographer didn't really understand the crucial role he had in making it look like i was touching the tip of the washington monument. amateurs. ps i love playing tourist (shocker, i know). but why not have enthusiasm for the place you're visiting? what's so embarrassing about doing stupid things for the sake of having fun? can you ever actually be too cool for a monument mind trick? no, no you cannot. you just need to choose your photographers more carefully. 
these girls. we may act crazy, but these girls totally keep me sane. the one real mystery of the universe is how have we only been friends for less than a year? not to get all sappy, but let's get all sappy: i can't imagine life without them. just like i wouldn't survive long car rides without them. and i go crazy when i lose them in crowds. and also all my regrets about this trip revolve solely around not getting more pictures with them. because, hello, look at us. the world needs more of this. 
mirror selfies are the best selfies. ask anyone. add a sunset and it's basically a masterpiece.
even in dc we have to stand our ground. cuz, sorry, dc, imma let you have your blossoms, but new york is the greatest city of all time. all time.
so there you have it. another dc adventure ripe with fruit snacks and cafe rio and...a lot of 40s music tbh. i got loaded up on vitamin d. my selfie stick got a good work out (not a euphemism). and life was literally all sunshine and flowers.
i'm really grateful to not be wearing down coats anymore, running from indoor activity to indoor activity, freezing all the while. i'm glad to feel the sun on my skin and hopefully begin turning a less frightening shade of white. i like being young and wild and free enough to think a day trip to dc sounded like fun. i feel #blessed to have the friends i do. and i'm more than fulfilled by the amount of dogs i saw on this trip. so huzzah for springtime / summer. i feel better already.
