Category Archives: Blog Series

Bill’s 30th in Austin

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Over the weekend of May 11th, I headed down to Austin to catch up with some friend’s and celebrate Bill’s 30th Birthday. Bill is a friend who I use to work with in Vermont, who moved to New Jersey after I moved to Texas. His friends from New Jersey moved to Austin last year and well here we all were reuniting! Seriously, some of the best people to hang out with!
In honor of Bill’s 30th, we enjoyed some of the best things to do in Texas!
This time in Texas is phenomenal. I’ve mentioned the wild flowers but photos do no justice. They lined highway 35 from Fort Worth to Austin. Also along the way, well everytime I travel down that way, I see this old farmstead off the highway. I actually took the access road this trip to make sure I got a picture. It reminds me of the farm in Second Hand Lions. (One of the best movies of all time!)
Stop Number 1: We floated tubes down the Guadalupe River, just south of New Braunfels and Gruene. Obviously, I didn’t take my camera. I wasn’t taking a chance with my clumsiness. The camera would’ve made it in the water before I would have. I will tell you, that it was one of the MOST scenic and beautiful places I have ever seen. As soon as our trip down the river was done, I was ready to do it again just for the view! Old, large trees were coming out of the water banks, beautiful homes lined the river and at one point there was a huge rock scale that went hundreds of feet up along the river bank.
Stop Number 2: Just down the road from the river is the small town of Gruene. One of my favorites and another place that I can check off the list for visiting twice (because once wasn’t enough). We had dinner at Cantina del Rio which is pretty much tucked away next to Gruene Hall. Fish tacos and a sangria margarita (voted best in the county) are the way to go! (And the prices were very reasonable!)
We then walked around town and checked out some local shops.
Donkey’s – they’re so cute!
I was beyond excited about these chairs. Dad – we’re going to make some!
Stop Number 3: It’s amazing we still had energy for this. Saturday night was spent out on 6th Street in Austin. Rooftop bars, closed off streets and we even got the birthday boy to ride a mechanical bull!
Adventures always carry into the next day, right?!
The Salt Lick
Good BBQ, live entertainment, a vineyard in the backyard and most importantly, good company.
You can’t go wrong!
By the way, the musician sounded just like Willie Nelson. I was a little excited!
Happy 30th Birthday Bill! I hope you were able to enjoy every moment and have memories that will last a lifetime… you old man!

Blog Everyday In May: My Struggle

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Obviously, I haven’t been blogging everyday in May but I remembered seeing this earlier this month and thought it would be fun to join sometime this month, especially since I’ve wanted to blog a little more about me. I say that because I am blogging about trips and destinations all the time BUT at the same time, I want you to know me and where I’m coming from and who I am. I think that makes a big difference when considering what you’re reading.

So I’m sitting here on a Sunday evening asking myself, “I wonder what I can write about tomorrow, I want a day’s break from my trips / expeditions…” then I remember seeing this post and head on over to the website. In a weird twist of faith, it’s asking me to talk about something that’s weighing heavily on my mind.

Day 20, Monday: Get real. Share something you’re struggling with right now.

Good gosh. My biggest struggle, I think I’ve talked about before. Should I stay or should I go.

I moved to Texas five years ago. Now, I’m in a completely different place in my life. I’ve had a lot of recent change. In the last six months, I’ve really pushed myself to travel across Texas as much as I can and have seen a great deal (I don’t think I’ve spent one entire weekend at home in the last two months). I’ve realized how big my support system in Texas is and the opportunities here for my blog (which is what I truly love and am passionate about). I love the western/Southern lifestyle, two stepping, Texas country music, the country livin’, and the food. Yoga – I’m completely addicted to my yoga classes that I attend. Addicted. I even have a friend here who I went to high school with which is so awesome. It’s like home comfort.

Now for the con’s – I have zero family here. My job is a job, I have no passion for it and it’s just paying the bills. I’m over living in the “city” and hearing the airplanes. Don’t get me going on the traffic and the other drivers. I think what bothers me the most is that I’m blessed to check out events for my blog and am always up to try out something new but it seems incredibly hard to find someone to go with me to some of these things. Everyone is getting married, having babies or busy with everyday life – you know the deal. I don’t mind traveling by myself but who really wants to do that all the time. In addition, everyone I know is centralized in the Dallas / Ft. Worth area. Finally, I would be lying if I didn’t mention this, I just went through a bad break up (five years) and am working my way out of that. It hasn’t really been fun.

Now, Vermont. My entire family is there. In addition to family, I have friends that I’ve known since I was five and are my rock. It seems like no matter where life has taken us, we’ve always come back together like we didn’t skip a beat. I have a one year old niece at home that I don’t get to see except when I visit a few select times during the year and a new niece/nephew due this November. Country living at it’s finest, dirt roads, peacefulness. I have friends throughout New England and the east coast (so if I was to check out something for my blog in a different state, I could, hopefully, meet up with one of them). There’s a lot friends that I can’t wait to see again (some I haven’t seen in 5 years). My love for the outdoors could really flourish and focus more on nature, hiking, canoeing, fishing and I can finally have a snowboarding season again. Canada / Montreal is just north and provides entirely new opportunities to blog and reunite with hockey season (go HABS!). Finally, maple syrup… need I say more. Job wise, I would love to try to get this job into a full time gig (what better way than to live with mom and dad… right mom… or just trying to get crafty and refurbishing furniture, starting a yoga business, photography business…. I’m going to be the woman with 300 jobs). Have I mentioned snow and mountains?

Cons – Jobs are a little harder to come by but not impossible. Is there even great Mexican food in Vermont? I think I may have withdrawals and that’s before I even mention BBQ. The events in Texas are weekly and never a dull moment… Vermont they may be fewer to find and farther to travel to. There’s no cowboys but there are dairy farmers. I’m going to be honest and say this… there’s a lot fewer people in Vermont which leads for much fewer options to find a husband. Call me vain or whatever really but I mean… I’m not getting any younger folks. I’ll have to open my own yoga studio. I’m pretty nervous that I’m not going to have as many blog opportunities…yea pretty nervous. I don’t want to take a step backwards in the blog world. I’m going to miss my Texas friends like I do now with my Vermont family.

My Texas friends say “stay”, my Vermont / New England friends say “come home”. I’m about 95% sure on my decision. I say that instead of 100% sure because there’s always that thought that crosses your mind asking if you’re doing the right thing and leaves you wondering. Does anyone have any history making a decision like this one?

Exploring Nature at the Hyatt Lost Pines

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Recently, I told you about my visit to the Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa. It’s absolutely amazing but what really got me was how nature really embraces you. In honor of Wordless Wednesday, I thought I would share some of the sights that I saw outside on my trip.
There are hiking trails throughout the entire resort, so you could probably walk all day if you wanted to. The next few pictures are from the walking trails along the river which also leads to the walking trails at McKinney Roughs Nature Park.
Need a break? Directly outside the rooms, you will find two gardens filled with wildflowers and benches to sit, relax and soak it all in.
The landscaping is absolutely amazing. Just imagine being able to literally step outside of your room and be exposed to all this.
 
And at the end of the day, is this not the most perfect spot in the entire place? How were these chairs even empty?!
Today I’m linking up with The Paper Mama, Jenni From the Blog and Project Alicia for {Wordless Wednesday}.
Disclaimer: I was not compensated but did receive one night’s stay at the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa in return for this post. All photos and opinions are 100% my own.