Took a little trip to Tampa.

Hey friends. 

Last weekend we drove down to Tampa 'cause the boys had a show to play! I had been on the fence about going (see also: my entire week had been full of feeling really behind in my school work and mini emotional breakdowns), but I decided that I needed a weekend away to clear my mind and settle my heart down a little bit (see also: that's really good for grad students to do from time to time). I knew that I would be able to see a handful of dear friends I hardly ever get to see anymore, so that incentive won me over in the end. 

If you follow me on Instagram (@kaitlynmeanspure) then you've already seen most of these photos. But, here are a few fun ones from the trip!  

Florida rest stops can be quite exotic. It's one of the many quirky joys of traveling through the state. And my favorite moment from this particular stop? This HUGE billboard photo op. 

When we arrived in Tampa, we got to eat at the Taco Bus with my old roommates, Allie & Skyler. The wait was insanely long, but the tacos were really yummy. I had a shrimp taco with fresh pico and a spiced butternut squash tostada. Ole!

The show turned out to be festival, which I hadn't realized, so it was a long afternoon/evening of hanging around younger kids and reminiscing about growing up around friends who were really into "different" kinds of music. Some of my best memories are tied to growing up around a subculture of people who express themselves through music (all genres) and learning about choosing things that I liked because I liked them, and not necessarily because they were cool. I feel like music really helped me begin to grow up and become more of myself when I was a teenager. It really is fun to still feel so tied to it because of the guy I'm dating. 

Our drive home was slow and sleepy. We said goodbye to our good friend Jason and sent him back to Destin with hugs. Then Harbor and I spent the evening at our friends' home for a Super Bowl party, but ended up having a dance party on the front porch for most of the night. 

Now life is back to its cozy pace. No loud music or endless hours in the car. Just me and Matilda, a hot cup of tea, and a pile of homework to work through. I can't say it feels quite as heavy as it did last week, which I am really grateful for. 

Happy new week, everyone. 

K