Families are the compass that guide us. They are the inspiration to reach great heights, and our comfort when we occasionally falter. -- Brad Henry

Friday, December 30, 2022

Christmas '22

 Our card this year..my absolute favorite!

We spent the holiday in Texas visiting family and staying at the farm. 

Since we got in late, my sister was gracious to invite us to her place for the holiday meal. Her sweet family made it truly special with one of the best beef fillets I've ever eaten along with so many side dishes and desserts.

The cousins all ate at one table as if time stood still from when they were younger.

Then they decided to recreate a photo from many years ago in birth order. Precious!

Before we left, Ashlyn wanted to see her godmother's wedding dress since we're now on the search for that perfect style. My sister was thrilled she even asked to see it!

Our vacations at the farm are simply the best. Nothing fancy, just good family time.

It's one large space where we eat, sleep, and relax. When it's cold or rainy, there's always a classic movie to watch (Sound of Music) or card games to play.

When the weather is nice, there's plenty of chores to do...

Exercising to stay in shape...

Skeet shooting....

And fun things like exploring, fishing, or flying a kite.

But wait, where's Ashlyn? Oh yes, talking to Alex again.


There's also a park nearby where we often go to play disc golf, stretch our legs, and enjoy a picnic.


The ducks and geese kept following us around.


Then we headed down south to see Eric's brother on their ranch. On the way, we stopped at a cute bridal shop.


This was one of the highlights as we got the full experience of dress shopping! I'm sorry I didn't post more pictures here, but I can't reveal which one she picked.


Back at the McConnell ranch/vineyard, we learned how to play pickball on their dedicated court. Super fun!


And what post about Texas wouldn't be complete without an armadillo? I spotted this cutie along one of my walks down their country road. 💙