Hello June?

Apparently I am only checking in about once a month here.  I really cannot believe it is almost July!

It has been 100+ degrees here everyday for at least the last three weeks.  Outside, it feels a like a hairdryer blowing on your face.  Therefore, the only two comfortable places to be are indoors (but not too much air conditioning, please) or in water.  I will also add a third place- the top of a mountain where we finally felt a cool breeze again this past weekend :)

What is one to do when it is super duper hot?  Go further into the desert, of course! Although it sounds counterintuitive, ‘Headin’ West’ (I couldn’t help myself :)) was just what we did.  Why?  Because about two hours west of here are beautiful desert mountains and the most gorgeous and refreshing natural spring pool that I have ever been in.  We have taken trips before to the Davis Mountains since it is one of our favorite things in this area.  We took Greg’s sister and her fiancé there last January. 

On this trip, we stayed at the Indian Lodge, which is nestled directly inside the state park and right beside a trailhead.  Given the fact that I am pretty comfortable camping, I felt a bit wussy for opting for the lodge instead of “roughing it” in a tent.  However, a few things made me come to peace with this:

1. Air conditioning

2. A private shower where I didn’t have to wear flip flops

3. A comfortable bed

4. A quiet place to set up the travel crib

and 5. We got to see loads of nature from the walkway since we were in the middle of the mountains.  Sitting outside of our room, we saw a fox, an enormous raccoon (that literally chased me inside of the room), an owl, and three javelinas. 

We only had time to photograph the not-pigs (but look-a-likes, yes.)

 

Here we are on our hike.  Wanting a little extra exercise, I *begged* Greg to let me wear the toddler ;)

Remember the cool breeze that I referenced?  It felt lovely.

Ahhh… The view.

There was something so awesome about sharing a hike with Geneva.  She was a real trooper as we climbed up rocks and ducked under thorn bushes. 

Here she is being silly in the car on our way out of the park.

Since the weather was right for it (i.e. meltdown city), we also stopped at Balmorhea State Park on the way home.  There, we chilled out in the 72 degree water, fed fish, and the older set of us even took a leap off of the high dive.

Out in the deeper area (up to 25 feet deep), the water was the bluest I have ever seen fresh water. 

Here you can see a black catfish, whose species only lives at this spring-fed pool.

Geneva became fast friends with an older lady who showed her how to throw bits of Fritos into the water and attract loads of little fish.

Greg was the first to make the dive.  He was much braver than I.

I was much more timid as I slowly crept to the edge and finally jumped in feet first.

So, TA DA!  That was our fun weekend out (further) West!

(By the way, this is Geneva’s current go-to pose when she is modeling for the camera).

My Brother’s Texas Wedding

I’ll be honest here.  I LOVE TEXAS.  I know it is a cliché because it seems like everyone from Texas is very annoying vocal about how much they love it.  I mean, its just a big piece of land that borders Mexico, right?  Yes, but also so much more.  Texas is the state in which I was born and have now lived again for seven years.  Texas is where I went to grad school, have lived in two cities and one town, worked in three school districts, where I vacation, and where my brother lives down the street from me.  Texas is where my brother got married to his West-Texas born and raised bride AND Texas is where many of my family members came from Illinois and Virginia to celebrate this marriage.

A Hike Before the Wedding

To share a little bit about what I love about Texas, I took a group to the top of Enchanted Rock in the morning before the wedding.  We were in a bit of a rush since myself (a bridesmaid) and the best man (brother Nate, left in this photo) were due back to primp for the wedding photos.  Besides these three handsome young men, also accompanying us was my grandfather (a prime example of healthy living and wonderful physical shape), father, uncle, and two students from Asia (Hong Kong and Vietnam).

The wedding was a real family affair.  Geneva was one of two adorable flower girls, I was a bridesmaid, and Greg was a groomsman.  We are blessed to be so close to Tracy and Clarissa and honored to take part in their special day.

After the Wedding

Here is Geneva, me, and my mom after the wedding.

 

This is the very excited little flower girl on the way to the wedding reception and the promise of dancing.

It was so neat to see my little girl having fun with her sweet and spunky older cousins.  These three wonderful children make every family gathering more fun and I thoroughly enjoyed having them in Texas with us.  These babies were in my wedding nearly five years ago.

A flower girl in my wedding, Audra was the ring bearer and flower girl wrangler in Tracy’s wedding.  I was the flower girl in her mother and father’s wedding, 21 years ago.

Geneva was a dancing fool and begrudgingly indulged a few of us as we swung her around the dance floor.  Otherwise, she was all too content to dance to her own rhythms.

    

Geneva loves her “aunt CC” and “uncle Trae Trae”

   

Here is the beautiful couple.  They performed a perfect two-step for their first dance.

 

My mother and brother shared a sweet dance.

My beautiful grandmother and handsome grandfather also showed off a few moves.

Here is my dad and I, reliving the song that we danced to at my wedding.  Sweet :)

I finally had to pluck this hot, sweaty flower girl from the dance floor at 9:30.  Despite being shoe-less, I believe she would have gone on dancing until she either dropped or got trampled.  She was asleep before we got back to the hotel.

The Texas-shaped waffle is all I need for proof and remembrance of how most of my family made the trip to Texas for my brother’s wedding.

Even better than Texas was having my family here and sharing Tracy’s wedding with them.

Congratulations Tracy and Clarissa!