I took off work on Friday, March 12th so that we could surprise Mason with a fun day. His spring break was the following week and we weren't traveling this year (saving vacation time for some bigger trips this year). So, we wanted to kick off spring break week with a fun day for him. He had no clue where we were going and was so excited! We only had to hear "where are we going" somewhere on the side of about 37,000 times that week! ha.
Our first stop was....LEGOLAND!!!!
For a while now, I have been wanting to renovate our chicken coop and get chickens. I knew that it was probably a big undertaking because our coop was in bad shape, so I kept putting it off. After we had chickens the last go-'round, we had a miniature donkey back there. He wasn't so gentle around the coop and tore it up. Well, on Saturday, March 6th we had a friend over with his tractor to till up the garden and do a few other things around ours & Nate's parent's properties. We were out working around the coop and I mentioned to Nate's mom that I wanted to renovate the coop & get chickens. She was excited and gave me just the amount of encouragement I needed to get started. I told Nate I was ready and that's all it took...
It's hard to believe that just a few short weeks before we were under a winter storm and experiencing below zero temps. And then BAM! Jeep topless weather. That's Texas for you! Mason and I went to grab a snowcone for an afternoon treat and we took all the backroads to/from. It was too pretty of a day to not get out and enjoy it!!
I love that it's that time of the year when God shows off in big ways with the most amazing sunsets!!! Sunsets are such a beautiful gift and I pray that I never take a single one for granted. I am so blessed that 9 times out of 10 when I ask Nate to go chase the sunset with me he is down for it! I mean, who would want to miss views like this one????
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. - Psalm 19:1
Back on February 27th, one of our favorite Jeep clubs had their one-year club anniversary Jeep meet and we got to attend. It was at a brewery/restaurant close to the lake and made for the perfect location. I love that this group is such a tight-knit group...more like a family! Some of these people are our dearest friends and we are so thankful for them!!
Mase and I were out running errands and on the way back I told Mason I would like to get some Jeep pics down at our lake. Normally he despises pictures and it's a hard no for him. However, this day he actually obliged. I gave him the remote and let him go to town with taking pictures.
During the snowpocalypse, Nate and Mason watched videos on airsoft guns/tournaments. They also played a little with what they had here at the house. It wasn't long before we were buying new (better) airsoft guns at Academy and visiting a couple different airsoft supply stores.
I love that it's a hobby they can do together and right here on our property. Although, Mason would like to complete in tournaments one day. We have a big Airsoft park (I guess that's what you call it) not too far from our house. They offer free play as well as host tournaments. They are really looking forward to playing out there one day soon.
I don't think anything could have prepared us for this storm! We live in Texas and do not see temperatures/snow like this very often. The snowstorm started on Valentine's Day and continued through 2/19ish. We had below zero temps, ice, snow, and more ice/snow. It was definitely a February to remember. A Texas Snowpocalpyse...
Valentine's Day looked a lot different this year...and for once I am not talking about Covid! It just happened to fall right around the time Texas was expecting the biggest snow/winter storm we have had in years. It was also different because it was just Mase and me at home. Nate had to go into work the night before (and sleep over) to prepare the plant for the storm (more on that later).
When we go on trips we like to find unique souvenirs! One of our favorite things to get is a geode. They are always so neat and it gives us an activity to do once we are back home. Mason has quite the stone/gem collection from all of our trips and mining adventures. He wants to pass them down to his children one day (so sweet, right?).
I always take video footage of any trip and compile them into a video for memory's sake! I love having these videos to look back on. Our time in New Mexico was so special to us.
On our fifth day at the cabin, we woke up to the most beautiful Winter Wonderland!! There were several more inches of snow all the way around the cabin!! And all of the trees were covered. It was the most beautiful sight!!! There is just something so magical about snow in the mountains. I felt like I was living inside of a real-life snowglobe!!! Or a Hallmark movie.
Day four of our trip {January 18th} was my birthday! We had a fun adventure planned for the day and couldn't wait! We tried to sleep in as much as we could so that it would be closer to time for our adventure, but that didn't work for me. I woke up naturally around 7 am every day of the trip. I did hang out in bed for a while, though!
We just hung out at the cabin for the first part of the day. We cooked breakfast, opened birthday gifts, and then got all of our snow gear ready! It was finally time for...
S N O W M O B I L I N G!!!!!!
On day three, the rest of or group wanted to go check out Taos. On the way there we went through Eagle Next and then to Angelfire to show the Moores the RV Resort that we stayed at a couple of summers ago! It was one of the nicest RV Resorts we have ever been to!
I am pretty sure I could get used to waking up in a log cabin!! Every day feels like a vacation and who doesn't want to feel like they are on vacation every day of their lives? I made a note to "buy a log cabin in the mountains" in my phone! Goals, for sure!!
Back in November or early December Nate's mom started texting him asking if we'd be interested in a cabin/mountain trip for my birthday in January! Nate didn't even have to ask me. He knows that if the question is mountains that my answer will always be a YES!! So then the search for a cabin began! She found one that fit our family and the time frame that we needed. It was so cute and dreamy! Seeing pictures of the cabin surrounded by snow made my heart so happy! However, when we got there we had to switch cabins!! More on that later...
So, a few days ago I shared our New Mexico post by numbers and then I ghosted this space! Again. I guess I was a little too confident in getting blogging done on top of catching up on work, all the house stuff, and a new semester of school! Hopefully, I can get it done soon because I have tons to share about the trip! But in the meantime, it's time for the Currently link-up with Anne in Residence. This month we are sharing what we are currently loving, reading, remembering, sharing, and wishlisting.
We just got back from a dreamy vacation in Red River, New Mexico! Nate's parents planned a trip for my birthday and it was the best time!! I love to recap a trip by numbers, so that's what this post is dedicated to. I think it's such a fun way to look back on a trip! Maybe I'm just a numbers person?!
IT SNOWED!!!! It freakin' snowed in Texas. Sure, we knew there was a chance, but when you live in the Lonestar State that chance is more like a 'haha fat chance' type of thing. Texas is a really big tease if you didn't know. We woke up to a light drizzle but saw the temps were going to drop and that drizzle would turn to snow. Still, it was an "I'll believe it when I see it" kind of morning! Not too much later, Keri texted me and said that they were getting snow at their house only about 25 minutes away! This is when I started getting excited! A bit after that, Keri texted me again and said she was getting snow in town. Her work is only about 8-10 minutes from my house. This is the point where I started checking out the door every five minutes! I'm sure my behavior echoed that of a child on Christmas morning! There is just something so magical about a snowfall (especially in Texas) and I pray that is never lost on me. Finally, a very light snowfall started. Nate and I had a couple of errands we needed to run and decided to do it early just in case the roads got bad. Again, we live in Texas and all we know is ice. We took the Jeep and I asked Nate if we could get some pictures of it in the snow before we got home. Of course, he is amazing and obliged! We drove down to our private lake to capture some photos.
Nathan's birthday is just five very short days after Christmas. Usually, we are out of town either camping or up in the mountains playing in the snow. However, this year, we are heading to the mountains a few weeks later than normal. Nathan actually worked a full day of OT on his birthday. His company gets Christmas shut-down for a couple weeks around Christmas, but they are invited to work if wanted/needed. Nate was invited to work some of the shut-down. Triple time? Yes, please!
I've made it to our last and final Christmas post {I think! ha}. The Saturday after Christmas we celebrated with my family at my parent's house. We did a "pajamas and pancakes" theme and it was amazing!! We not only had pancakes, but we also had every other breakfast item that you could think of. Pajamas and breakfast foods just happen to be two of my favorite things!
Time for my favorite link-up!! Currently with Anne in Residence! This month we are sharing what we are currently beginning, feeling, organizing, resolving, and wondering.
After we finished opening gifts at our house, we went around the corner to Nate's parent's house. It is a tradition to spend Christmas Day/evening at their house. It is usually us, Nate's parents, Nate's middle brother and his family, his younger brother and his wife, Nate's Grandmother, and Nate's Aunt. We were so grateful that NeNaw (Nate's Grandmother) was able to join us this year. There was a recent Covid positive resident at her assisted living and they had been on strict lockdown. Because of that, we weren't sure if she would be able to join us. We are so thankful they let her come! Just to be safe, we all wore our masks the entire time she was with us (unless eating). It is so special to be able to spend Christmas Day with her. What a gift!!
The first few hours of Christmas Day are always spent at home! Just me and my boys!! We usually try to sleep in as long as Mason will let us, but this year we were up and at it at 8 am. And not by Mason's choice, but mine! I was already awake and ready for him to see his gifts. I just couldn't help it. Plus, I knew that we had to be at the Halls around 10ish so I wanted him to have plenty of time at home to actually see and open everything.
This Christmas Eve was probably one of my favorites yet! All three of us were home and made the sweetest of memories together. And, we were able to stay home in our pajamas for most of the day. That's a good day if you ask me!
What a blessing it was to be able to see the Christmas Star this year! I kept reading about it on Facebook and knew that I couldn't miss it!! I didn't get that great of pictures because I was so busy just soaking it in!
For Christmas this year, Nate's brother and wife bought us a Magnolia tree! How sweet, right? It was such a thoughtful gift and we love it. I have been wanting more trees around our home and this was absolutely perfect. All of the trees on our property are all at the very back of our land. Anyhow, when Mason saw our tree he said, "Can we name her Maggie the Magnolia?" So, meet Maggie...
Mason's elves brought him a Gingerbread cookie decorating kit on the morning of 12/20/2020. Nathan worked overtime that day but got home early. So we decorated the cookies together as a family. We had the sweetest little time!
A few Saturdays ago my sister in love invited Mason and me to coffee at a new shop in town! My mother in love and brother in love also joined us. Nate wasn't able to come because he was working overtime. We went to Vita Coffee House, which is owned by a friend from high school! It was so delicious and decorated so perfectly. I loved the Boho farmhouse-ish vibe of the place.
Silly as it might be, putting these antlers and Rudolph's nose on the Jeep makes my heart so incredibly happy! I love to see the reaction of little kids when they notice it. It's the best! And it just looks so dang cute!!!
We had our annual ladies' baking party on December 13th. This is a night where all of the ladies (well, a lot of them) on my mom's side of the family come together for a Christmasy night! We eat, we bake lots of amazing treats, we play games, we exchange gifts, and we have a blast! Circumstances almost kept us from having this party this year, but we were able to work it out! I'm so glad that we did. It never disappoints. Actually, it's one of my favorite Christmas traditions!!
On Friday, December 11th I met my coworkers in Arlington to celebrate Christmas. We ate at Cane Rosso and had some delicious pizza. Then we walked right down the road to Board and Brush. This was our second year in a row to do Board and Brush. In previous years we have taken cooking classes and did Painting with a Twist. We always try to plan some kind of activity and I love it.
Our Elves {Max & Millie and their pet, Cubby} made their 2020 Christmas season appearance on December 1st. They brought Mason all the things needed for a North Pole style breakfast and brought him a Funko Harry Potter Pop Advent calendar! Mason was so excited to see his favorites!!
Hands down, the Christmas season is my absolute favorite!! With that being said, this post serves no purpose other than to publish some of the photos I took over the season! I love the coziness of the Christmas decorations and the twinkle lights. And, enjoying a nice cup of coffee by the glow of the Christmas tree is my absolute favorite.
We finally broke down and bought Nate a new truck. He's been needing one for quite a while, but we wanted to take our time and do our research on what we truly wanted. We knew that we needed something that would be able to tow our Jeeps, was a diesel, was roomy and comfortable for travelling. We finally settled on the 2020 Ram 2500.
If you've been around this blog for a while then you know that the Polar Express is an annual tradition in our family! We love making a weekend out of it and camping and doing all things Christmas. Like I said in the Grinch post, it was a little different this year but we still made the most of it.
I'm sure it goes without saying {this is 2020 afterall}, but our trip to visit the Grinch's Lair looked a little different this year. We had to purchase tickets in advance as they were only letting so many people in at a time. We had 11 in our group so we were basically in there by ourselves. They checked our temperatures at the door and everyone had to wear masks. Also, the Grinch stayed stationary this year instead of running around the lair. Even with this, we had a great time visiting our favorite Grinch's Lair.
On one of our days in Tennessee, we spent time exploring the area. Visiting Reelfoot lake was always a staple for us when in the area, so we had to introduce the newest members of our family to it. They have a nature center, a boardwalk, a gift shop, etc. We used to love coming here as kids!
Part two of our Thanksgiving was spent in Tennessee visiting my dad's side of the family! My Grandparents (dad's parents) live in a tiny town in the northwestern corner of Tennessee. It's a little over a 9-hour drive for us, but certainly not a bad drive. When my siblings and I were younger we used to go a couple times a year to visit, but now that we all have families of our own it's harder to get up there that often. Before last week, it had been 5 years since we've been to TN. That's way too long if you ask me!
Let me preface this by saying our Thanksgiving this year was just amazing!!! We got to spend time with both my mom's side and my dad's side of the family. It's been YEARS since that has happened. The core of my mom's side of the family is here local, but my dad's side is pretty spread out across the globe! While we were missing several, we did enjoy the time we got to spend with those that were able to make it! We just missed Thanksgiving with the Hall side. We missed them terribly! It's so hard to be with everyone during the holidays.
Our first Thanksgiving was spent with my mom's side of the family on Sunday, November 22nd. We all gathered at my aunt's house for a fabulous feast and amazing fellowship! My dad gathered everyone for a family photo...
It's that time...time for the Currently link-up with Anne in Residence. I've failed at keeping up with the blog once again, but tis' is life at the moment! This month we are sharing what we are currently baking, decorating, gifting, hoping, sending.
Hi, I’m Crystal — daughter of the One True King, wife to my high school sweetheart Nathan, and Mama to our 15-year-old son, Mason. I’m a proud hockey mom, homeschooling adventurer, wannabe homesteader, and Texas girl through and through.Around here, I share our life...the messy, the meaningful, and everything in between. From chasing dreams and thrift store deals to traveling this beautiful state (and beyond), to finding Jesus in everyday moments... this is our story. Welcome to Hall Around Texas!! I’m so glad you’re here!