Texas Tour 2014...

Oh my...  Where do I even begin?  Just returned home from a whirlwind of a Texas Tour.  Over 2,001 miles of pure bliss.  (We added up the mileage yesterday on our LONG drive home somewhere between Shreveport and Alexandria - There isn't a THING out there.)  But it was worth it!

We started our Texas Tour two weekends ago in San Antonio.  We had a QUICK trip to see our friends Lisa and Cole and Brad's mom Debra.  Lisa and Cole are moving to Alpharetta, Georgia (outside ATL) very soon, and we wanted to see them one more time in Texas.  (We are very excited that ATL is just a SHORT plane ride away from NOLA - See you this fall!)  We ate some AMAZING Mexican food and loved visiting with my sweet mother-in-law.

Sweet Kendall greeted us with cheese and fruit tray!  'Hostess with the Mostest' just like her mother who refused to take a picture.  Kendall told us that she snuck some grapes upstairs on our nightstand for a "late-night snack!"  We didn't believe her, but she sure did.  Brad and I had a good laugh over the arrangement of grapes at midnight!

I left on Thursday, the 26th, spent the weekend with my family in Hereford, then traveled to Lubbock and Wichita Falls, and lastly to my favorite Texas city of Dallas Wednesday to enjoy the duration of my stay!  Brad flew in Thursday afternoon and it was a whirlwind of a July 4th weekend.  We were able to see so many friends and my new favorite babies, but missed some friends.  IT just wasn't long enough to fit everything in.  

 First leg of the trip....  It said it would take 10 hours 14 minutes, but this girl made it in 9 hours 32 minutes with one only stop in Shreveport!  It's amazing how quick you can get somewhere without the hubs (He loves to stop).  This girl - Pedal to the medal all.the.way...

I picked up the two cutest co-drivers for the next leg of the drive; my sweet Knox and Rescue!  Only a 4 hour drive northwest to my parents' house.  If I had a $50 dollar bill for every time I heard.... "Well, how do you know?", I swear me, nor Brad would have to work another day EVER.  Retirement here we come!  It was a lively car ride that is for sure.  Love my lil man and how inquisitive he is.

Look who we found!  Marlowe looks terrified...

We celebrated Marlowe's 1st Birthday in Hereford!  This was her 2nd birthday party.  She was not feeling 100% that day, but she and her sweet Momma were troopers!  

 The Hodges Family of Three!  

Bob and Knox!  It is a MUST to have Bluebell Ice Cream with birthday cake...

And when you are in Hereford...

The adults sometimes chalk the drive-way.  

You go swimming at the Country Club.

Eat Bob's homemade donuts for breakfast.

Kid's Size Slip-N-Slide in the backyard...  Even the adult guys (minus Dad) decided to partake in the water activities.  I won't even tell you that one brother might have gone with or without his swimsuit.  Wow...  Frightening!

Enjoying Bob and Bebo's beautiful backyard.

And...riding cars, golfing, going grocery shopping with a perfect toddler-size cart, and pushing Briggs from the big oak tree!

On to Lubbock to see some of my favorite friends.  Laughed and laughed with these girls.  Some of my best years were in Lubbock at Texas Tech University and then Brad and I were married there.  Lubbock will always hold a special place in my heart.

Love these sweet friends!

Sweet Campbell-best flower girl ever and lil Jentri!  She looks terrified to death.  Sorry sister!  So excited to finally meet this sweet little baby!

The 2014 Babies!  All of their birthdays are within a month!  Sweet Jentri, Tess, and Charlie.  

One last stop before leaving the LBK.  Taco Villa....  Oh DEAR.  If there was one here in Louisiana, I would be in serious trouble for sure and would have to be at the gym 4 hours a day!  I could live on this stuff.  Every.day.  Bean and cheese burrito, with extra red sauce, add sour cream AND this girl is in complete euphoria.  Taco Bell, Taco Bueno - GAG!!!  It is NOT the same.  If you are ever in West Texas, please do yourself a favor and stop!  You'll thank me.

Texas scenery.  A smidge different in Louisiana where all you see are beautiful trees.  

Dallas Girls...  Love, love these ladies.  Trying to recruit them in moving 8 hours to the southeast - the state next door!

Precious Charlie and me with my eyes closed.  Oh well!  Sweet boy that is for sure!

Brad and I literally ate our way through DFW...  That is no lie!  The new Liberty Burger in Lakewood, What-A-Burger (Brad's fave), Babe's Fried Chicken, and Zoe's!  

 Fun dinner with our dear, sweet friends Chris and Jaylen!  These two are complete greatness.  Bonded over Mambo Taxis and brisket tacos.  Yum!

Friday we had a great day staying with the Smith's!  We lived in the pool all day!  Kapua cooked some amazing meals and we loved visiting with them.  Such a great family.  Brad and lil Ethan definitely bonded.  

 What a fun day with the Smith's!  Love you guys...

 Dinner with the Renfroe's and Kneis's on Saturday and this was the only pic I got!  The dang, loud Mariachi band.  Haha...  Oh well!  A fun time was definitely had...  Thanks Joe and Danna!  

Now, back to reality...  Lots of laundry, cleaning, and getting mentally prepared for the school year that is upon us.  Teachers officially start August 4th/ Students the 7th...  WHERE has the summer gone!?!  

And this Sunday will be the Wainscott's 1st Year Anniversary.  HOLY COW....  Married for a year?  Cannot believe it.  In some ways I feel like we have been married only a month and then sometimes it feels like it has been 10 years!  Haha....  He would agree.  Don't worry!:)

Have a wonderful week all!

Love,

~H

Happy Father's Day...

Happy Father's Day to all the fathers out there, but especially to my Dad, aka "Bebo" as he is known around our family these days.  

I cannot say enough about my Dad.  What a selfless man he is with a servant's heart as big as TEXAS!  He would give anyone the shirt off his back.  His unfailing love for his family, friends, community and the many organizations he supports is easily recognized.  He is not perfect, but I couldn't be more blessed to call him not only 'Dad', but my friend.... 

Thank you for loving me...

 Door to door insurance salesman, are we?!:)

5 Favorite/Quirky Things about My Dad:

1.  This Man has some SERIOUS cooking skills.  He always has his cooker fired up and ready to roll!  Brisket, ribs, sausage, steaks, you name it! Steve-O can cook it...  And when he cooks, it is an INSANE amount of food.  Let's say, he is cooking for our family of 11 - there will be enough food for 20!  There are always left-overs, even enough for the whole block!  

2.  His undying LOVE for food.  This man can eat some food.  And, we all wonder where in the heck it goes.  In all reality, he should weigh at least 400 lbs, maybe more.  His metabolism must be TO DIE FOR.    We all poke fun at him because when everyone else if finished with a meal, Dad has barely started.  Not the fastest eater for sure... And the snacking - It's like something I have never seen; Famous Amos Cookies, celery filled with mayonnaise, Chex Mix, Pink-Iced Animal Crackers, etc...  Whatever it is, it's certainly not a fruit or veggie, unless you have some butter or mayo to put on it.

Snacks on the beach with his lil buddy.

3.   He has a slight obsession with taking out the trash.  We all joke with him because, (I am not even lying), he takes the trash out at least twice, sometime three times a day (And it's just him and my mom).  In my hometown, we have dumpsters in the alleys behind our houses. He will gather all the trash receptacles throughout the house, and haul it out to the alley (morning, noon, and night).  It doesn't matter if it is one Kleenex and a gum wrapper....  Those suckers will be thrown away an hour after they hit the kitchen trash can.

4.  His "Mo Betta" hat.  So, so many ask me about this hat and I truly have no explanation nor have no idea!  He ADORES this hat.  And don't worry, this isn't his first one.  I think he had to track down the company and order more.  Not to be morbid, but Dad relayed to us that he will be buried with this cap on his head.  It's like a "Steve Trademark".  I really don't even notice anymore. It's like a permanent fixture, other than his cowboy hat. 

"The" Cap...

 

 The other alternative

5. But my all time favorite thing about my Dad is the way he treats people.  He is the kindest man I know.  He gives and gives without expecting anything in return, ever.  He has a hard time saying "No" sometimes, but that is what makes my Dad so special.    

Here are my other favorite two Dads.  They are simply amazing Dads to K, B, and Miss M.  What a great example of unselfish love and dedication those three precious children see every day!  Love you brothers...

Happy Sunday Everyone!  Have a great Father's Day!

Love,

~H

Hodges Family Vaca...

Well, back to reality this week.....  What an amazing time we all had together in Watersound!  It was the PERFECT location, nestled right between Seaside and Alys/Rosemary Beach.  What a quaint place this was.  Beautiful sand, water, people, shopping, and everything you could want.  A fabulous 7 day trip it was full of sun, sand, relaxation, pure glutton and tons of laughter!  

Thanks Mom and Dad for a wonderful week...

The Florida Panhandle... IF you have never been to Watersound, Seaside, Rosemary Beach... GET THERE FAST!

 72 Yacht Pond Lane....  Our sweet digs for the week! 

"We made it Selfie!"

SO excited to be at the beach!  

 Early morning walk... Sans hair and make-up!

Love the speed limit in our neighborhood...

Picturesque view...  Can we move here?!

Local Farmer's Market in Rosemary Beach

Twins with their babies and popsicles!

The longest 80 minutes of my life.  Ummmm....  Not a bike rider I found out.  And didn't know I would be riding bikes with Lance Armstrong Wainscott.  Sigh...

 Alys Beach.  Classy, white, and very swanky; Perfection...

Ice Cream and Glowsticks.  What more could you want?!

Ampitheater in Seaside.  So fun!

Grandparents with their grandbabies...

Knox loved his Uncle Brad!

We loved riding in the golf carts...

Spent quite a few nights here!

Loved our plunge pool at the house...

SWEET Marlowe loved the beach!  Briggs especially loved the snacks on the beach, but he bravely conquered the water the last day:)

Flying kites...

And being buried alive...

Feeding the troops...

There was some work going on...

Night time beach trip...

We had a professional photographer come take our pictures Wednesday evening on the beach.  I cannot wait to see all the final pictures when Katrice gets finished.  This proof was one of my favs!

What a week full of memories we will have forever.  

I sure do love these people....

Happy Summer Everyone!  

Love, 

~H