San Fran with My Man

Jon and I traveled to San Francisco, California, last weekend to celebrate his aunt's life. 

Even though I never had the opportunity to meet Aunt Phyllis, hearing anecdotes from her family about her sense of humor, passions for cooking, gardening, and reading, and always providing a "safe haven" in her home for her daughters' many friends gave me a great understanding of the special lady she was, and I'm grateful to have been there. 

Her family put together such a sweet tribute and the whole day was very meaningful. It was great to spend time with Jon's extended family that I had heard so much about, too, and I hope I get to see them again very soon.

Aunt Phyllis' husband and daughters brought many of her favorite books to her memorial and encouraged everyone to choose a book to take with them. Having a love for books myself, I chose a mystery to begin reading on the plane ride home- such a unique way for her memory to live on.  

We made the most of our free time in San Fran, working our way from Sausalito all the way down to Carmel! San Francisco is very crowded and there was so.much.traffic everywhere we went, but the weather was perfect and I loved sightseeing and exploring a new city with my man.

Crossing the Golden Gate Bridge is now checked off my bucket list, and we enjoyed a delicious and romantic Valentine's Day sushi dinner in Sausalito. 

Everyone else took advantage of the gorgeous weather the day we drove to Monterey and explored the aquarium... children everywhere! But we loved the sea otters and sea lions. : )

We had forgotten about the Pebble Beach golf tournament and 17 Mile Drive was closed to tourist traffic, but fortunately Jon is good with navigation and managed to get us to a beach in Carmel anyway. 

Driving along the coast with the sun shining over the beach, windows down with cool sea breeze and the sound of waves crashing holding hands with my favorite person... perfection.

You already know the beach is my happy place, and Carmel's views did not disappoint. I'd like to go back already. 

They aren't kidding about the hills in San Francisco, and Jon and I found ourselves giggling as we drove up steep grade hills near downtown, not really being able to see if there was more road in front of us- very different than being in flat Texas in his truck!

At lunch on our last day, Jon ordered queso, and when they brought this out, Jon had no idea what it was.  I couldn't stop laughing and finally explained to him that this was the California version of queso, or "fundido," to which he said, "I'm ready to go home now."

So, back to the land of "real" queso and frozen margaritas we went. There really is no place like home. Though if someone can figure out how to bring a beach to Dallas, I'd love you forever... seriously.

She's Like Texas

She’s as bright as the Dallas sky.
She always holds her head up high.
She loves the company of her family.
She has faith in God’s greater plan.
She trusts I’m a good man.
And that’s why I’ll always believe
She’s like Texas, and she likes me.

Last weekend, my community group, Adelphe X, headed to Austin for our second annual retreat! 

With each of us living a full life, it is rare to find a time outside of our usual Sunday night gatherings to just hang out, have fun, and relax.  We've been reading through Genesis together and were recently reminded of the importance of rest.  God built us to need it and to remind us that we NEED Him. With this in mind, the retreat came at the perfect time.  

When we went on our retreat last year, we had all just met several months prior, so we were still figuring out how to combine so many different personalities and unique girls into one cohesive group.  Our leaders wanted it to be special and filled our time together with activities.  It was great, but what was even greater was seeing how this year, we didn't need any of that.

We were able to just be together for the weekend, with very little on the agenda, and it was pretty much perfect.  Abby's dad was so kind to let us stay at his beautiful home for the weekend, where we were surrounded by nature and horses and the most perfect fall weather.  Abby's little brother also came down for the weekend, and we have him to thank for such gorgeous photos that we will treasure!

We "hiked" up Mt. Bonnell-- which really meant climbing up a few stairs ; )

We ate really well the whole weekend.  You can't really go wrong with bacon or queso or baked pear and turkey sandwiches or turkey chili from the slow cooker. And we ate every meal outside on the patio by this huge tree that looks like the one from Pocahontas.  Soaking up the sunshine and just talking with these girls was probably my favorite part of the weekend.

A little over a year ago, we did not know each other, and now, these are the girls that I do life with.   

Oh sure, we've been through plenty of ups and downs in the past year and a half.  We've experienced conflict and hurt feelings, losses and sorrows, burdens and letdowns.  But we've also shown one another grace and granted forgiveness, celebrated each other, and shared praises and joy-filled days. And we have all grown closer to Christ and helped bring each other a little deeper into relationship with Him.

Thanks for doing life with me, ladies!

Adelphe X forever

Colorado Getaway

Back in September, Jon sent me an email with the subject line "Wanna Get Away?" that included a whole list of cities with airfare deals, asking me to choose one.

So, get away we did-- to Colorado for a fun long weekend!

A state I've never been to, with incredible scenery and gorgeous weather, with the man I'm head over heels for?  Don't have to ask me twice!

We left on Saturday afternoon when Jon finished class and came home late Tuesday night- just long enough to feel like a vacation before we had to return to our jobs, school for him, and the rest of our normal lives.

I probably drove Jon crazy with the number of times I said something along the lines of, "Look at the mountains! I love the mountains! The mountains are so pretty! Why don't we have those in Dallas?" The beach has always been my happy place, but I sure did enjoy visiting the mountains.

My favorite part of the trip, without a doubt, was hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park.  We hiked past three lakes, stopping at many points along the way to enjoy the gorgeous views (and also maybe because I'm out of shape and needed to catch my breath- I'll blame the thinner air!).

As we sat on a large boulder overlooking the expanse of forest, the clouds brushing over the tops of the mountains, the sky that stretched on forever, I breathed in that cool, fresh air and tried to soak up exactly what I was feeling at that moment.  Sitting there with someone I love, so content, being reminded of the beauty and grandeur of this world that God created- it was overwhelming and yet so peaceful at the same time.

While we were in Estes Park, we toured The Stanley Hotel, the inspiration behind Stephen King's The Shining.  I'm a fan of historical sites and also scary stories (a fun fact), so touring it was right up my alley.  Being the weekend before Halloween, there were quite a few Stephen King enthusiasts and some... interesting... hotel guests, but I enjoyed hearing the history behind the hotel's founders, the Stanley's (as in, Stanley Steamer), and checking out the supposedly "haunted" spaces- all in good fun, of course. 

   

We took a day trip to Vail, where we saw SNOW.  In October!! Jon has heard "remember when we saw snow?!" at least a dozen times already since then.  The drive from Broomfield, where we stayed, to Vail was just a couple hours and incredibly scenic. 

Side note: We stayed at the Omni Interlocken and had a great experience- we definitely recommend it.

Another side note: Waking up every morning and opening my curtains to views of the mountains was awesome.  My morning commute was seriously lacking in scenery the rest of the week!

We started seeing snow flurries as we got closer to Vail, and by the time we arrived, it was 26 degrees and we were thankful for the jackets and hats we'd packed! Since it was Vail's off-season we were among just a few tourists, and it was nice to wander through the almost deserted streets (which reminded me of somewhere in Europe) through the snow flurries, exploring the shops and enjoying a cozy lunch. 

On our last day, we checked out Red Rocks Park & Amphitheater.  It would be so cool to see a concert there! While walking through the visitor center, we listened to a sweet old lady who told us to check out the trail loop that was short and "barely up and down hill" and that she could totally handle it at her age. It turned out to be a lot of up and down and hotter than we'd expected, and we weren't dressed for it in our nice shoes and sweaters! Jon kept saying, "We're almost there babe, just around the corner," and at some point I stopped believing him! 72-year-old lady, consider yourself in better shape than we are. ; ) 

Thanks for a wonderful getaway, Jon! Now, where are we going next?!

Road Tripping and Wine Sipping: Fourth of July

^^Jon and I missed the memo about going all out in red, white, and blue attire...^^

I love America, and I love three days weekends.

I kicked off the weekend by surprising my parents to join them (and Uncle Craig and Jager too!) for fireworks in Coppell.  It's always fun to just unlock the front door and waltz in when they aren't expecting me- surprises are the best! Coppell put on an awesome fireworks show, complete with live music.

Jon and I set off on a little road trip bright and early on the 4th.  I always enjoy road tripping- good music, open road, lots to take in, and just time to think- and it was made even better by being with him for our very first road trip together! : )

We met up with fun friends from church- some we've known for a while and some we just met this weekend- in Fredericksburg/Hye, Texas, for a wine tour with Cellar Rat Wine Tours.  Our friend Lauren did a great job coordinating everything, and we loaded in a 12-passenger van and headed to three vineyards in the area- Pedernales Cellars, William Chris Vineyard, and Hye Meadow Winery. Having our own wine tour with Clint was the perfect experience, and we enjoyed all three places for different reasons!  We sampled all kinds of delicious wines- I wish I could remember my favorites! But take my word for it that all three places are worth visiting.

^^at Pedernales. As much as I love being near a big city, it's nice to be out where you don't hear cars driving by or airplanes overhead- just silence.^^

William Chris was closed for the holiday, but we got special access because of Clint.  We learned all kinds of things thanks to him-- the anatomy of a grapevine, how to determine which is your "dominant nostril," and what in the world "wine legs"  and a "wine thief" are.  Clearly we were very mature adults the entire day...

The tour ended at the Hye Market, where they let us sample all sorts of yummy bread with oils and seasonings, beer, moonshine, etc.  I brought back a souvenir for dad that I think will be right up his alley... ; )

Jon and I spent Saturday soaking up the beauty of the Texas Hill Country (why don't we have better scenery in Dallas??) and had a yummy lunch at The Oasis on Lake Travis with this incredible view before we made our way back to DFW for dinner with friends. 

Cheers to a fabulous weekend of road tripping and wine sipping, celebrating our great nation!

Life on Island Time: St. Thomas 2014

Life moves at a slower pace on St. Thomas.  Arrival times are loose at best, no one seems rushed or hurried or worried.  They take the time to stop and greet you with a proper "good morning/afternoon/evening," and ask how they can help you get where you're going, not expecting anything in return.  And when you lament having to return to the mainland, they simply respond, "Don't go back."  

After a week there, it was tempting to move to this gorgeous island permanently...

We stayed at the Ritz Carlton and had a wonderful experience- I would recommend staying there to anyone! The resort grounds were beautiful and clean and the staff was polite, accommodating, and knew us by name.  Walking right past the pool onto the beach wasn't too bad either, and I could sure get used to raising the flag on my lounge chair every time I wanted to order anything.  Why doesn't my apartment pool have that quality of service?! : )


Source



Rum cocktails, a good book, and this view? My idea of the perfect vacation.
  

As you'd imagine, our days mostly followed this pattern:

1. Wake up admiring the sunlit views of paradise beaming in through our window.

2. Breakfast at one of the hotel's delicious restaurants.  I think I had bacon every day.  Only on vacation.

3. Spend all day on the beach, lounging, sipping, splashing, and trying a water sport or two.

4. Wash off the sand and sunscreen and put on our best beachtown attire for a yummy dinner out, some nights at one of the hotel restaurants and some nights in town. 

5. Go to sleep early.  What is it about the sun that just takes it out of you, even when all you did was relax all day?

6. Repeat.  Rough life, this vacation thing.

We got asked every day if we were twins.  And then, people thought Kristen was the older one.  

As long as I still look young when I'm in my 30s, I think I'm okay with this. 

There were iguanas everywhere.  We watched their feeding time one day and saw more than a dozen!

Okay, so really it was these two who did the water sports.  Successfully, at least. I will neither confirm nor deny that I wound up on the shore of the other side of the island when I attempted to kayak...

We opted to take cabs everywhere rather than renting a car, as they drive on the left side of the road in St. Thomas, and the roads are narrow, winding, and steep.  Dad would have terrified us in a rental car.  But the scenery- it was amazing.  God sure created a beautiful world.  I wonder, if I lived somewhere like St. Thomas, would I ever get used to the views and take them for granted?  

Dexter, the awesome cab driver that picked us up from the airport, decided to detour since it was our first visit to the island so he could show us Magen's Bay.  And wow, was it beautiful.

This has major family Christmas card picture potential.  Thanks, Dexter. 

Thanks to Dexter's introduction, we visited Magen's Bay Beach on our own one day, and it was perfect.  It's a public beach, but hardly anyone was there. If you go to St. Thomas, this is a must-visit, but make sure you go on a day when there aren't any crusie ships docked, otherwise it's packed.  This was the clearest, most calm water I've ever been in. Someday, I will go back. 

We took the Lady Lynsey from our hotel over to St. John one evening to have dinner.  This is fun as long as you don't get motion sick like me and my mother, but I did love sitting on top of the catamaran at sunset with my sister, and under the stars on the way back. 

When we ventured from the hotel for more casual dinners, we had great seafood at Fish Tails and devoured their fried banana cheesecake, which is just as heavenly as it sounds.  Duffy's Love Shack was also a fun find- it's a little bar in the middle of a parking lot, but their food was surprisingly delicious and this lime coconut concoction was the best drink I had all week! 

We spent part of our last day shopping in downtown Charlotte Amalie, where my sister and I snagged silver Cruzan bracelets as souvenirs and we took advantage of duty-free prices and brought back a few bottles of Cruzan rum.  I'm looking forward to some coconut cocktails this summer that will at least make me feel like I'm still at the beach...

 

Thanks for an unforgettable vacation, mom and dad!
See you again one day, St. Thomas!

Lake Getaway

I witnessed this beautiful sunset on a little lake getaway last weekend.  Out there, away from the city and any stress, I allowed myself to relax and be reminded that God is in control.  What more of a reminder did I need than such a magnificent sunset?  It's amazing the peace that you feel when you truly, fully trust your life to Him!

A few college girlfriends and I were staying at our friend Kim's parents' lakehouse in Corsicana, Texas.  Kim is having a baby in September, so it was the perfect "last hoorah" before she welcomes a little boy into the world!  The six of us that were there don't see each other often, so it was great to catch up on all the exciting directions our lives have gone since we graduated three years ago.

 

We spent the weekend enjoying the lake views and venturing into the water, relaxing in the hot tub, sipping mimosas and playing Cards Against Humanity (a hilarious, yet totally inappropriate, "adult" version of Apples to Apples).  Oh, and eating.  Lots of eating.  Funny how that happens when you're just relaxing all day!

It had just rained the night we arrived, bringing a cool front of lower 70s temperatures and a nice breeze off the water.  I just stood on the patio for a few minutes that Saturday morning, breathing in the cool air and enjoying the serenity I felt out there. 

What an incredible view to wake up to. 

Thanks for such a fun, restful weekend, Kim!  I think we've started an annual tradition...