Blog

We made it full circle back to our home in Austin Texas. We managed to get a loaner car from the dealership which has been extremely helpful. We nestled into our 2 week home at Emma Long park right next to the water. I use to live right off this water just a few miles down so it feels like coming home.

These next two weeks are filled with friends, medical appointments, a wedding and eating Torchy’s Tacos!

Since we are from Austin, all our Drs and Dentists are here and we decided to get it done all in one day. So we both had a Drs appointment in the morning, Eye Dr late morning, and a dentist in the afternoon. We spent a bunch of money that day but at least it’s done. Don’t worry, we are both totally healthy and no cavities.

We also visited one of our favorite families in Texas. Ben has a cousin that moved to Georgetown which, since being married, have gotten really close to them. I love their house in the country and their kids are so fun to be around.

Emma Long park was interesting… It was a ghost town during the week, then the weekend would hit and every spot was filled up. I felt a little bad for the workers because there was so much trash left over. Come on Austin!

We Love Friends!

We really wish we could have spent more time with each family we know from Austin, we couldn’t dedicate a full night to go spend with people. So we created a bunch of events that they could come to. For our church ward, we did a BBQ at Summers house which is super cute!

For Bens work contacts, we spent a night at Punch Bowl Social which was fun to catch up with.

I was also able to go on a hike with my good friends Jami and Clair. Thanks for still going even though it rained like crazy!

Wedding Time!

A big reason we went to in April was that my friend Jen is getting married! So happy that these two made it official! The festivities started on Thursday where we picked up our friends Kim and Melissa to drive up with us. We had a fun ride catching up and stopping by Buccee’s (you always stop at Buccee’s).

We checked into our Bachelorette Airbnb which was super nice. We did a bit of decorating and got the photographer ready. Something I have realized in the last few years is that I LOVE planning Bachelorette parties. One of Jens favorite things is to get ready together and take pictures. So I decided to do a Glamor Shot party with the friends and family that were around. It actually worked out really well and was fun crimping hair and wearing ridiculously pick makeup. (Will add final pictures later.)

Friday was the big day! We all got ready then helped with the first look!

Jen actually had her bother dress up in a white dress and a wig to trick her husband Tony which was really funny. Her dress was perfect and so beautiful. You can’t tell in this picture but it has rhinestones on the sleeves which really makes it unique.

The wedding was at the Houston Temple and there was plenty of people there. It was an honor to attend. They are both so happy!

That night there was a dinner with toasts and Torchy’s! We got lucky!

We stayed the night at the Airbnb again, and left the next morning to Austin where the ring ceremony was taking place. It was at Kristy’s house who is a super generous family that lives near Emma Long Park. The decorations were beautiful and it was so fun seeing more people from Austin that we love.

Being in Austin was a good reminder of how much we love this place. The people are so friendly and nice, the weather is good most of the year, and the food is better than anywhere else I have encountered. Hopefully one day, we can call it home.

Easter Sunday

The reception was beautiful, and we wanted to spend Easter with family so we went up to Georgetown that night to surprise the little ones. It was a perfect day with an easter egg hunt, playing with the dog, and eatings some really great food. We both were a little tired from the weekend but it was nice to just relax. This little girl is the best.

Moving On Out!

With mixed feelings we started packing up to leave. It was SO nice being in Austin but we are also excited for our adventure ahead with the US west coast. Today is actually going to be real tricky… let me tell you why.

Remember that whole car situation where we need a new engine? Yeah, the good news is warranty covered it as well as the car rental. This was a huge blessing for us and something we don’t take for granted. Ben and I had to split up which is something we haven’t ever done before. He needed to go down to Kyle and return the loaner car, and pick up ours. He also had to get the car inspected in Travis County and pick up the mail.

I was in charge of getting the dolly tire changed out, and hitting the road. The RV takes a lot longer to drive than the car so we figured after the tire was finished I would hit the road. So we woke up super early and after backing up into the Discount Tire, Ben when his way. I was a little nervous because we haven’t done this before but it went ok. Driving the RV can be exhausting, especially when you can’t switch off with anyone else.

We actually met up at our destination RV park. We both were exhausted and just went to bed. We had another long trek the next day.

We knew going into this week it would be exhausting but we want to get this milage behind us. There isn’t much between Texas and Arizona (sorry NM) and we want to enjoy the national parks.

We are stopping in Carlsbad Caverns so that will be fun!

This little gem is about an hour west of Austin in Spicewood Texas. I don’t know the full story but from what I know, a family decided to make this spring a public attraction with multiple swimming holes, and places to camp. We wanted to park the RV here for a week and have our friends come out. The weather has been really nice but the water is still pretty cold. We even managed to get in a hammock date. That pretty much means we hang out and read in a hammock for a few hours. It’s lovely.

We started out the week really slow. I wasn’t feeling well and we just walked around the springs a bunch. The wildflowers are gorgeous this time of year. The springs are beautiful and there are not many people around. I am actually kicking myself for not taking any mermaid pictures.

Some of our friends came out to camp with us over the weekend. One couple brought their little baby girl Lucia who was so fun to have. She was really content the whole time and just wanted to hang out with everyone.

The activities started on Friday night with dinner and smores. The next morning it started raining a little bit but that didn’t stop us from heading to Hamilton Pool. It was a little crazy getting there because I was under the impression we could bring two cars in. We couldn’t and had to leave one at a park close by and take two trips in. It was worth it. The falls were big, and the water was refreshing. We spent about an hour and a half hanging around, then headed back before any more rain fell.

On the way back to Krause Springs, we went through a dip in the road that said the water was about 6-8 inches. We thought we could make it and… couldn’t. We got stuck and luckily these guys were able to push us out. After the water had drained out of the exhaust pipe, we were able to start the car.

We enjoyed listening to conference, catching up, and eating lots of food. It was nice to just hang out inside the RV and listen to the rain. Between sessions we went down to look at the springs and they were totally covered in water! Crazy!

We had an amazing time and were so grateful to hang out with good friends and listen to the church leaders speak.

Time for things to get interesting…

The next day we headed out and the ground was wet. We haven’t experienced this with the RV so it made me nervous driving through but we made it out ok. We need to get a state inspection for the RV as well as the car so we headed to a place where we could do both (so we thought.)

This is when things started to get interesting. We get there and I guess the guy who inspects went to the dentist and wouldn’t be back for an hour, so we decided to take the car and grab some much needed torchys only to have our car break down as we were leaving the mechanic. The good news was, we were close, the bad news is… our car isn’t doing so hot. We think some water got into the engine and hasn’t evaporated yet. The mechanics changed the oil, and replaced the filters. It’s running better but still needs to get looked at.

We are doing our best to figure out how to make things work. Ben went down south to hopefully get this taken care of. Fingers crossed we can. Yikes… what a day.

After New Orleans, we had a long ways to go back to Austin Texas. We stopped in Beaumont for a few days then stayed 2 weeks at a Thousand Trails campground for free. These free campsites are getting scares and we really wont have another one until we get up to Oregan state.

While in Beaumont, we stumbled upon the old McFadden house. This is a historical mansion from the early 1900s. Worth stopping by if you are in the area.

Columbus Texas is right in between Austin and Houston. The country is beautiful here and the wild flowers are popping up everywhere.

We are staying right along side the Colorado river and these little hikes are amazing any time of day.

Blue Bell Factory

You read that right. About an hour north there is a Blue Bell Ice-cream factory we went and visited. It was ok, but I would say only make the trip if you are passing through. You learn about the history of the brand and can see the factory workers work, but that’s about it. Before we left, we enjoyed some ice cream!

NASA

Being so close to Houston was nice because we traveled and visited some close friends in Spring TX who also do RV stuff. While there we went to NASA for the day. To lead up to our visit, we listened too, and watched The Martian.

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We are also toying around with the idea of owning an RV park… This is just an idea for now but we like the idea of getting a house as well as a business all in the same purchase. Also, we like the idea of land and possibly waterfront property. We saw a place for sale near Spring that had some great reviews that was for sale. It was WAY out of our price range but decided to go talk to the guy.

It wasn’t the type of RV park we are looking for but was fun to spend time with a local.

We are excited to get to Austin and see some of our friends! See you soon ATX!

Any preconceived ideas of what you think Mardi Gras is all about, throw it out the window. Seriously.

A couple of years ago we came to New Orleans over Labor Day and had a blast. During our time, we went to Mardi Gras World learn about the festival and how the floats are made. During that time, we learned Mardi Gras is really family friendly except for a few certain nights in certain parts of town. But other than that it’s very safe and very tame.

I was still skeptical, but Ben really wanted to go. While we were in upstate NY, we met a couple that served here in New Orleans and said it was super safe and even the missionaries were allowed to go. If it’s good enough for them, then it’s good enough for me!

We met some members and hung out with them in Uptown area and had the best time. The floats were so big and intricate. Ben and I are both minimalists, and we live in an RV so why were screaming for people to throw us stuff we can get at the dollar store is beyond me! It was just so fun!

Between parades, everyone in the neighborhood was hanging out playing, talking, and even barbaquing on the side of the road. Everyone was in such a happy mood. I would do it again 100%.

The locals didn’t mind the visitors at all! At one certain parade, someone said “You need some glitter on your face,” and I couldn’t agree more! Thanks random lady!

Watch Out For Alligators!

The members here were the best! Super friendly and welcoming. I am sure they are used to visitors but we felt right at home. Something they recommended to us was the Barataria which is a natural preserve hike where you can see alligators in the wild!

It was a decent “hike” through the bayou, and the walkway were boarded because of the soft swamp land. We saw about 12 alligators hanging out right by the walkway!

They are mainly nocturnal so not much movement but still really fun to see.

French Quarters

Last thing we did before heading out was visit the French Quarters. During the day it’s totally fine. It’s filled with artists, buskers, food, and tourists. We walked around the shops and looked for our badges and stickers which we collect from each city we visit and then headed out after eating some lunch.

Thanks New Orleans! You treated us well.

Also, this guy is the best travel buddy. Love you so much Benjamin XO.

We have heard about Destin FL for a couple of years now. There is actually a really cheap flight from Austin to Destin (which we never took) but as our RV adventure was going through, decided to spend a week in Destin on our way to New Orleans.

We stayed about 40 minutes from town in a park right next to the river. We even saw a live alligator in the water!

Good news!

We decided to extend our RV trip until January 2020! We did a mock route to see where we would be at what time of year. The more we researched it, the more excited we got. SO! We are taking on the west coast as well as Utah national parks. We decided it’s all about chasing the good weather. If it’s cold, you don’t want to go outside which gets old.

Because we decided to extend there were a few repairs to attend to. First up, the roof! Ben works full time, so it was up to me! I really don’t mind working on the RV. It feels really rewarding when I can fix something. It took two days without rain but it worked! Now we don’t have to worry about the roof leaking throughout the next year.

The weather was slightly colder but we did make it to the beach one day. It was in the 70s so not super warm but good enough to throw a football and work on our handstands.

My attempt to work on a handstand…

I am always the one to instigate selfies to try and capture life, but Ben isn’t always on board as you can see in this picture. He looks like he is in pain while I am having the time of my life.

The beaches were really nice. I would like to come back and spend more time here. Preferably a warmer month.

We headed south west to Tampa and settled in a place about an hour north of the city. I wanted to come here because there are a lot of mermaid stuff happening.

I actually went to a mermaid meet up at Alexander Springs and had a great time meeting other people and doing an underwater photo shoot!

Before I went there I had a huge fear of alligators but come to find out, they are really shy and only attack at night when they are startled. There were two alligators there but we left them alone.

We were also able to visit Eric and Candy with Mertailor! They are amazing people and it was nice to put a face with a name. They genuinely understand this community, and really good hearts. They work hard for what they do and I wish them the best of luck!

Other than Mermaid stuff, we just caught up on work and enjoyed the nice weather.