Our Moving Journey Journal : It's Getting HOT!

Wow, it's been a HOT minute since I've last updated my blog. I started a new job in Texas that has been keeping me pretty busy. While I'm on the topic of work... I am now working for National American University, a national online university, as an Admissions Advisor. If you or anyone you know is interested in furthering your education and changing your future, I am here to help! You can contact me at VJSmith@national.edu or leave me a comment with how I can reach you. It looks like we will be staying in Dallas longer than originally planned. We are really hoping to stay here long term since we enjoy Dallas so much!

Now back to Dallas! As you can imagine, it has been getting REALLY hot here. Almost everyday is now above 100, and it is miserable to be outside for long periods of time. The only way to beat the heat is to relax by the pool. Luckily our apartment complex has two pools, and I've definitely been utilizing this amenity this summer.

Hello, welcome to paradise

All my pool necessities

All I need is a good book and the water

One of the things I've really been wanting to do since getting to Dallas was to go to the Dallas Zoo. I've always loved zoos and aquariums, so before it got too hot we made a day trip to the Dallas Zoo. Tickets were $12 each and parking was $7 so it wasn't really an expensive day. My favorite parts were the elephants and the giraffe feeding. The zoo was over crowded with screaming children and really hot, so we only spent a few hours here. If you decide to go, I recommend going early in the morning when the park opens since parking was difficult to find. Also, by mid-afternoon it gets too hot for the animals and the humans :)

An albino alligator

"There's a tiger in the bathroom"

Elephant fountain just like the one at the Philadelphia Zoo!

Real elephants

Hello giraffes

The giraffes eating lunch

Sleeping lion

Welcome to the Dallas Zoo

We've also been going to a few FC Dallas Soccer games. I am not a real big soccer fan, but a friend of ours always gets free tickets. The stadium is only about 20 minutes from our apartment, so we enjoy going to get dinner and watching the game. Parking is free and tickets are usually pretty cheap. During the week, the stadium is pretty empty, but it gets busier for weekend games. It's a really fun way to spend a night out of the house with friends. The energy inside the stadium is awesome! I think this video pretty much sums up what goes on at the FC Dallas games.

Pretty empty during the week

Weekend games have a lot more fans!

I've been so blessed with the most amazing and supportive family. In May, my Mom made her first trip to Dallas to spend Memorial Day Weekend with me and my boyfriend. I had a great time showing my Mom the Dallas area, but more than anything I enjoyed just spending quality time together. She is my best friend, so being away from her is really hard. Although we only had one weekend together, we did a TON! We went to Reunion Tower, Fountain Park, the Asian Art Museum (free and free AC), JFK Memorial, and Villa-O for Sunday brunch. I've blogged about most of these places in the past. One new place we went was to the JFK Memorial in downtown Dallas. It is a high traffic tourist attraction with a couple different fun things to do. You can go into a museum and see where the shots came from that killed President Kennedy. More than anything I loved all the conspiracy theorist around the memorial who have some pretty solid evidence that things did not go down the way the government said they did. I am a sucker for a good conspiracy theory! I'm so happy my Mom got to see where I live and I can't wait for her to come visit again soon!

Reunion Tower with my Mom

This view never gets old

It's a long way up

With my baby

Dallas on the ground

Back at Fountain Place

I wish the fountains were actually on :(

Momma <3

The 3 of us

I love you

Walking around Downtown Dallas

I <3 water. It is a serious addiction

Pretty flowers

When walking around DT Dallas, you'll need the free air conditioning... GO HERE!

With the Buddha

My Momma

In the origami hall

Getting a quick drink :)

Where JFK was shot

X marks the spot

Stopping traffic

The window where the shots came from... depending on who you ask

Sunday brunch

Mom

My favorite people

After my Mom came to visit the fun didn't stop! Next my step-mom, Nana Joy, and two sisters made a stop in Dallas! I hadn't seen my sisters in almost 6 months so I was dying to see them. They grew up so much in the short period of time that I've been away. I hate missing watch them grow up everyday, but it makes the time we have together even more special. I got to show my family the Dallas area and even had a sleepover at our apartment with my sisters. We went to Fountain Park (free), Perot Museum, and Klyde Warren Park (free). If you are coming to Dallas with kids you have to make all these fun stops! They all are kid friendly attractions and even really entertaining for adults too. I miss them so much already and can't wait to see them next month for our vacation in St. Maarten!