Author: Alexis

Hello cloudy cold Saturday.

Hello sweet doughnut and hot drink.

It feels like a soup, blanket Jane Austen kinda day.

Granmoms are the best. Emma had loads of fun adventures with hers…

Mailmen and walks around the neighborhood. And even a backyard to play in! Heaven for a little girl. It’s the simple things.

Swinging in the sun then going on a train. Best day ever.

End the day with snuggling up and reading a book.

 

The city of Austin,TX. It is wonderful.

We were able to visit family just this last week and it was so wonderful. Everything, the food, weather but especially the family time. (Awww) Someone asked me what my favorite part was and it took me a moment to think about all we had done.

But in the end it was staying up till 1am, 2am and midnight talking with my Granmom. L.O.V.E.D. it. *heart

And even thoughI took millions of pictures I never got one with just her and I. Sad. Next time Granmom 🙂

We went on a segway tour throughout the city and had a BLAST! Thank you so much Aunt Donna and Aunt Carol for finding it and making it happen. What a gift!

The State Capitol. With it’s quirky-ness that Travis and I both love. Budda butter anyone?

How about Trav in a helmet on his segway?   🙂

TONS more pictures. Thinking about just making a huge collage to get a bulk out of the way. 🙂

But I’ll end with some advice. Visit Texas, specifically Austin. It’s the best city in the great state of Texas.

Today was Trav’s birthday and he’s going to be able to weasel a few days worth of celebration out of it. 🙂

Happy birthday babe! I am so happy that God put us together. I fall more in love with  you everyday.

Yesterday I asked Trav what kind of cake he wanted for his birthday. He surprised me with saying, “I don’t know. Something different”.

I’ve been making German Chocolate cake for him ever since I’m met him. I guess it was time I heard that.

But it threw me for a loop. After I asked him millions of questions and probably annoying him, he finally said something with chocolate.

This is what I came up with.

The frosting/glaze. Just melted chocolate frosting with peanut butter. Loads of peanut butter. Tons had already been melted into it before this picture- this little bit was the finishing touch.

The bundt cooling.

 

The finished product. Peanut butter glaze with chocolate cookies with white chocolate chips. Everything was store bought. Whipped up quickly juts because I needed to get pictures before the sun went down. Priorities. 😉

 

The top is made of melted chocolate shavings. They looked so pretty as I was putting them on but because I was impatient they melted on the warm-ish cake. Learn from my mistake- let it cool ALL THE WAY. Then you don’t have to worry about decorating it in any way.

 

This post is about Cacti. And oh the many kinds the state of Texas has. These are a small compilation.

*Disclaimer: the names of the cacti below are created by my imagination. I do not pretend to know the proper name of most things, let alone random cacti.

Pretty. Typical. Popular.

This reminds me of what a rose would look like with thorns on the tips of petals. Very pretty. And a pastel green.  So different and romantic. My name for it is: Rosathorn-tus.

Speaking of pastel cacti:

OK, this next cactus reminds me of a painful experience I had as a young girl. I was at a local mall in Kansas City and as we were walking past a florist I noticed a pretty plant. It looked soft and so as I touched it I was pierced with little stinging poking needles from the CACTUS I touched.

Yes, I had no idea what it was and I was in elementary school. Still looking back I can’t believe I was that old (late elementary school) and didn’t know it would hurt to touch it. It”s pictured below:

This next cacti I will call “spideractus” Creepy. Hairy cactus. Gives me the ‘willies’

And lastly this huge, very popular cactus is used for a garden filler. They grow huge and I asked Emma to pose. I thought you would enjoy either the huge-ness of the monster or enjoy her smile. 🙂

Have a great Thursday!

Today I do not feel like myself. Like I’m a car that needs a jump.

I’m getting things packed and cleaned for our trip but I’m just not feeling like myself. And even when a good friend came over I noticed my stress level was already high before I opened the door.

Maybe it’s because I haven’t finished packing and I like feeling all prepared.

Maybe it’s because God’s working on my co-dependent-ness with Trav.

Maybe it’s cause It’s raining outside.

All I know is that I took a hot shower, drank my wonderful sweetened pepermint tea and the lilies Trav gave me are smelling up our house. Good things are happening around me, but I realized I am looking for ‘things’ to make me feel better. Poor choice.

I think it’s a deeper reason I’m feeling this way. Because honestly, packing the day before is no biggie for me- that is being prepared and I like the rain- it makes me feel snuggly.

I’m in dialog with God about this and will see what happens from this.

~ I took these pictures of last night’s sunset. God is so creative. I am amazed how He consistently makes new sunsets. I’m so glad He likes color.

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In any case, I am excited about tomorrow’s flight (even thought it still doesn’t feel real) and can’t believe I’m going to see my family face to face! It feels like it’s been too long. Can you tell I’m a family person? 🙂

Our house is vacuumed and cleaned, library books turned in, two out of 3 suitcases in car, garbages taken out and the dishwasher is clean and empty. All in all, ready to make a grand farewell to our beautiful little home.

And we are ready for the sunnier warmer skies.

Hello to thunderstorms, light scarfs, late night talks with Granmom, Tex-mex, Travis’ brother, laughing with aunts/uncles and cousins, looking through old pictures, taking new pictures, SONIC and light jackets.

Good bye heavy coats, heavy soups, sweaters, cleaning, laundry and light rail crossing alarms. Good bye good friends- I’ll miss you and look forward to hanging out when we get back. 🙂