Home at last

We are back in Virginia! Oh man, we are exhausted. That was one long cross-country, family and friend filled trip. But it was fantastic! Running around the continental US in two and half weeks may not be everyone's cup of tea but I love it. Hot and ready to go in a travel cup please! Hubby and I got the chance to meet some new family members and catch up with friends we hadn't seen in over 7 months or longer. Today's entry is part one of our journey. I hope you enjoy it.

We started the adventure in Providence, Rhode Island for my sister Chloe's graduation from college.

We are all so incredibly proud of her. She received her degree in Equine Studies. She keeps our Texas Family cred by being the equestrian of the family. lol. Equestrians are people that ride and basically live for horses. She has been riding for as long as I can remember. I still remember going to shows when she was about 8 or 9 to watch her do her thing :) She made a childhood dream come true. Now Chloe is working over seas doing exactly what she has always wanted to do. She hopped on the plane the day after graduation! She is so driven and I admire that so much. Did you notice the horseshoe on her hat? Too adorable. 

We spent a few days in Providence and Boston with my family, including my cousin Bernard who is on the far left of the picture. He had a graduation of his own last month. He is now a doctor with a brand new PhD from Harvard. That's right ladies, and he is single! I love meeting up with my family that I don't get to see often. Catch up on all of the changes and twists our lives have taken since we last saw each other is always entertaining.  

Then it was onto my home state, Texas. 

Hubby and I met in Corpus Christi, my hometown, so we spent some time going to all of the places we used to go to together when we were dating. Yes, we are super cheesy about things like that. Gouda. Cheddar. Brie. Along with our trip down memory lane was family and friends of course!  

That's me and hubby along with my step mom Karen and my Dad at a Hooks baseball game. The Hooks are one of the minor league affiliates of the Houston Astros. If you have never been to a minor league game, get off your booty and head to the nearest park. They are a blast! They are fun for literally everyone. Whataburger Field has something for every baseball fan. Even the little ones that have that five second attention span and can't sit through an entire game. Playgrounds, kickball field, funnel cakes and a water park right next door. Luckily for us, we made it for Thirsty Thursday :) Half off beers! Oh and they have different promotions for every home game. They can be anything from half off ticket prices to ball caps; we got a Nolan Ryan Garden Gnome to take home!    

After family time it was best friend time. That is my best friend in the whole entire world Katie. Yeah she's fun! Check her out DJ skills. Mad-fake-DJ skills. lol. Izzy's is where we hang out when I am in town because they have awesome prices and huge outdoor Jenga and Connect Four. How can you not have fun when your childhood and adult life collide with delicious beer and games? Hubby got to meet Katie's fiance Carlos that night. And we all know what happens when guys hang out together for the first time. Needless to say, Katie and I were DDs that night :) I miss her so much, but I cannot wait to be her matron of honor in October.

These pictures might seem random but trust me, they make sense. These are two of the newest exhibits on the USS Lexington. I used to be a tour guide on the ship when I was living in Corpus. It was an unbelievable experience. I had the chance to be on a historical ship and learn all about her and her stories. Hands down the best parts were when I got to listen to the stories from the volunteers that had served on the Lady Lex. A few served during WWII and one was even at Pearl Harbor when the attack happened. His name is Bob and he is still a volunteer there, go and hear his story. The photo on the left is in the hanger bay (A League of their Own!) and the one on the right is the new galley, complete with food and servers!  

I had to share these. That is my momma with some of her puppies: Max, Jack and Penny. Yeah, I said some. There are two more running around the house too; Tallulah and Lucy. I could not help myself when the little ones surrounded hubby. Sorry honey. I love the one with my mommy and hubby together. I already miss my family and friends even though I saw them such a short time ago. My days are automatically better when I get to spent them with family. To be around people that love you and you love back is a true blessing and I try my hardest not to take mine for granted. 

Until tomorrow!