lately, i've been sneaking away for a while during the days to take long walks and they have been the most transformative, fulfilling, meeting times with God.  many times i've probably been seen by other passersby with either a scowl on my face because i'm a whiney child and i am wrestling with God about something on those walks, or it's been with tears on my face because He gets ahold of me there.  throughout the days i've found myself getting preoccupied with other things, but He gets ahold of me on those walks in His creation.  that time is the most precious to me.  i listen to the whole two beautiful eulogy albums on repeat every time and the lyrics grip me in the heart.  but this one... oh, this one.  my whole entire body is flooded with goosebumps and deep feeling when i listen to this one.

and so now, dear reader, i take you beyond the streets of minneapolis and into the great neighboring land of saint paul for this next addition to my adventure guide.  because whether you've lived in minnesota your whole life or are visiting, you cannot neglect this historic and beautiful city!  just the drive there alone is so beautiful! 

my friends and i ventured to the caves for swing dancing on swing night (thursdays) this week and it was a stinkin BLAST!  i think it might've been especially fun because all six of us were complete NOOBS when it comes to swing dancing (okay, except nicole) so we could all be pretty clueless together.  there's just something cool about friends who are willing to just go anyway and try something new that might make them look silly in the process.  i love friends like that!  and if you're into swing dancing, or even if you're not, this place is the bomb diggity!!  you gotta go at least once!  such a cool and fun atmosphere with a live big band!  and people who know what they're doing when they dance and so friendly and willing to help when you ask! (: and apparently, this place existed even in the 1920s.  it was so fun to imagine what it might have been like all those years ago while i was there.
so, if you're ever in the cities (especially on a thursday), go ahead and make your way over to:


adventure destination 3: the caves
215 wabasha street s, st paul

and bring yo friends or boo thang (: for a good time!

^^^haha this is when chase turned around while i was trying to get a sneaky shot of all of them walking in and said, "don't even try to steal my picture idea, alexi" (: ^^^

^^^ spotted in the middle of all the youngins (: ...gahhh!^^^

psalm 76:4

"You (God) are resplendent with light"

i came across this verse yesterday and my jaw just about dropped to the ground.  are ya kiddin me?  that is the most beautiful verse!  i looove that, He is resplendent with light.  mmh.  tuck that in your heart!




also, look at this stinkin tree.  not edited in the slightest.  just made by a really resplendent God.
#mylovelanguage

and so now, dear reader, in another addition to my minneapolis adventure guide,  i am going to take you to my very favorite place in minneapolis... and definitely top five favorite places i've ever been to... the guthrie.

if you have followed my blog before i started this one, you might remember last summer paige and i went there.  it's always been one of my go-to places.  just a top notch choice.

the reason i love the guthrie so much is because of this room, the dowling studio, featured in the pictures below.  the guthrie is actually a theater, but i've never actually seen a play there.  i just go for this room's unreal view of the stone arch bridge.  it always has quite a knack for taking my breath away!  it is also free (minus the dollar you have to pay the parking meter outside), if you are just going to the dowling studio.  but obviously if you plan to eat there or see a show, you'll pay something.  also, i would recommend going on a weekday, because chances are, you'll have the whole breathtaking room to yourself.  such peace.  my very favorite place.

so,

adventure destination 2: the guthrie
818 south 2nd street, minneapolis

^^^ "marge, are you really going to wear that?" ^^^
just caught talkin to my new friends elsewhere in the guthrie. (:

i happened upon the CUTEST little café that i have ever been to on thursday when my dear friend, nicole, took me there for belated birthday time together.  she couldn't have picked a better place!  i think it's my new favorite restaurant/ eatery.  i just was the happiest being there!  such a fun place with lots of unique dishes (like quail eggs and rabbit liver? umm.. we went with blt sandwiches) haha, but their cupcakes and coffee were enough to just make me wanna do a little happy dance.  (& maybe i did :)) SO fun and such precious time.  and really open and light.

i decided that i can't keep discoveries like this to myself, so i am going to start my own little minneapolis adventure guide.

so,

adventure destination 1: the copper hen
2515 nicollet ave, minneapolis

you won't be disappointed.  and bring someone that you love with you!

and gosh, just look at my stinkin cute friend, nicole!  she is the most encouraging, kind, artistic, God-fearing, adventure buddy i could ask for!  seriously, sometimes when i think of my friends, thanks to God doesn't seem to be enough.  but, ohh i do thank Him!  what a gift each one is.  and this one is a forever friend!

i'm so thankful for friends who send me music recommendations.  seriously, it's one of the ways i feel most loved.

this duo recommendation is brought to you by my good friend, justin.  enjoy.  and enjoy the sunny day, friend.  i know i will!

these pictures below were a part of this hilarious texting conversation between my cousins, sisters, and i.  (and our aunt wendy, too, but she wouldn't give us a selfie:)) & oh man, if only you could read the captions/hashtags we each put with our selfies! haha, this was a conversation that will go down in the books for sure (:

(from left to right): emily was at home and said #iwokeuplikethis (:, taylor took hers while at work in mpls where she works for the twins, i was home and sporting my savers overalls for the first time of the summer (that made me miss becca a whole bunch!) and made sure to include my sister's senior pic on our fridge in the background (;, my sisters paige and sidney were in class at school, those sneaky moms, and snuck a pic together, and there's paige at the end flyin solo in class.  haha, these pictures just made me too happy not to share! (:

in other news, since my last diva moment, i have found TWO MORE SPIDERS in this house...

and lately, my very favorite thing has been driving my dad around to different high schools for his work (he always lets me drive!).  i've been tagging along to schools around the cities to help him a bit with his graduation business (he sells/ delivers caps and gowns and other graduation products) and those car rides have blessed me a lot.  have i ever said that i love my dad?  well, i really do!  also, i've been laughing a lot.  i think i'll always have a soft spot in my heart for his humor... and just for him in general.

i guess that's all for now!  more later!

rest well tonight, friends.

i opened an etsy shop! 

i'm dipping my toes in the water a bit with this but it's something that just brings me a lot of joy and i hope it might bring you some, too!


so, if you'd be so kind, you could mosey on over to my etsy site and take a peak at some creations i have had the joy of working on these couple of days!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/whateverislovelyy

^^^

...

.........

....................... shoot.  how am i s'posed to sleep now??

okay, diva moment over, but that has been the THIRD spider i have found in our house in the past twenty-four hours.  yuck-o!  alexi is not a fan of those grody things.  i've felt bad about that in the past, because it is one of God's creatures and yadayada, but i don't know, i actually don't think He's that offended that i don't like them.. also, i just saw the new spider-man movie (i loved it!) with my sister yesterday, too, so a lil too much spider goin on around here these days!  but i'll keep you guys posted if i wake up as spider-woman. ...you all already know i wake up as phyllis diller (: so who knows?!  ...that'd be a frightful sight!

in other news:

the new coldplay album came out today!  i've only listened to "always in my head" but oh man, guys, it's good... that one was enough to just make me go nuts!  gosh, i think they are in my top five favorite artists of all time.  so much incredible talent!

so i got a car today!  under my name!  put my john hancock down a few times (you have to sign a lot of things when you grow up) and there it is!  we found a great deal & now the fun grown-up payments start! but that's okay, it's still pretty darn cool.  i owe, i owe, it's off to work i go...

i think mint green is just the prettiest color!  wow!  yellow is still my favorite, but oh my!

i really really love to sing and am so thankful to be doing it so freely these days.  the song i just can't seem to ever get outta my head is holy and anointed one, but i'm really okay with it..  the lyrics get me right in the heart..
your name is like honey on my lips, your spirit like water to my soul... mmh.

i'm convinced my sister, sidney, is probably the coolest fourteen-year-old there ever was.  or maybe just the coolest person there ever was, in general.  seriously, i didn't think you could be that cool when you were fourteen..

this rain has made everything the most life-filled, vibrant green color and i'm really grateful for it!

i have found SO many chapsticks in the process of transferring my stuff into my closet at home for the summer.. how does a person even acquire so many chapsticks is what i want to know?

i miss my friends.

that's all.