[life] I Can't Live Without... the Texas Rangers #3

I'm linking up with Katie at "...for Lauren and Lauren" for another "I Can't Live Without" link up!

 

Now I know I have quite a few Texas readers/subscribers, but I'm not sure of how many other states and countries are represented. Also, I am not sure of how highly you may view your area sports teams... but at our house, we BLEED Jesus and the Texas Rangers! 

Since Nate and I are both native Texans and lived in North Texas (me)/East Texas (him) for the majority of our lives, we have been bred into the Texas Rangers fandom. We both remember attending games as children and that devotion hasn't withered into our adult-age.

If the game is on TV, we are either watching it live or recording it to watch later. I am not a big "sports aficionado", but Nate has been an excellent instructor, teaching me the ins and outs of the game. I have always known the gist, but to know plays and positions... I feel pretty professional! 

My parents live about 10 minutes away from the Ballpark in Arlington (it is now called "Globelife Park", but throwback Rangers fans will ALWAYS know it as the Ballpark), so any time we go to visit my family and the Rangers are in town, we make a point to attend the game. So much fun! Baseball really is America's Pastime and I love the history, class, and nostalgia that goes along with a good ol' baseball game. Plus the food... you MUST indulge in ballpark food when attending a game! My go-to's are always a bag of cotton candy and some garlic Parmesan fries. Delish!

So what about you? Are you as devoted to your hometown team as we are? Where do you live, and what team(s) do you support? We also BIG HEART the Dallas Cowboys (football), and of course we support the Dallas Mavericks (basketball) and Dallas Stars (hockey), but we don't avidly watch those two sports as much as we watch baseball and football. Oh, to be Texan :)

[life] I Can't Live Without... Small Town TX and its Quirks #2

I'm linking up with Katie at "...for Lauren and Lauren" for another "I Can't Live Without" link up!

This week, I'm sharing about my deep admiration for small town, TX. I'm not talking Dallas, Austin, Houston, or San Antonio (although all those places are lovely as well). I'm talking about the small towns you will have NEVER heard of, even if you're a native Texan, unless you've vacationed there or driven through.

These little gem stones are what make our great state so... well, great! Texas is stereotypically known for horses, cowboys, boots, spurs, and all things western. Yes, many of those things exist. No, they do not exist everywhere nor does every Texan partake in them. For example, I haven't "ridden" (I use that term loosely) a horse since I was 7-8 years old. I have never been to a rodeo. I just bought my first pair of cowboy boots back in August '14 (mainly because we were attending a wedding in a field... in the summertime... and I feared bugs!), and I have never seen someone wear spurs in real life.

These small towns in TX and a few quirks of TX are so near and dear to me. Anytime you visit one or see a quirk, you can't help but smile. The wide skies, the rolling hills... seriously. There can't be another place like it! Check out my favorite gems below:

Galveston, TX: Texas has some pretty okay beaches! Nothing like Mexico or the Bahamas, but our great state has a wide variety of areas (desert, mountain, plains, hills, and beaches).

Warrenton, TX: A teeny tiny town that comes alive during a huge antique show that occurs twice a year. Beautiful skyline, beautiful scenery, tons of JUNK.

 

Round Top, TX: This town has the cutest square! At a population of 90 (yep: 9-0), there isn't a wide variety to do... but stop by the quaint church, eat some yummy Mexican food, or grab a pie at Royer's and you'll be set.

Wineries: Did you know many of the smaller areas in TX have wineries? Small town wineries are amazing because you get to know the owners, they are almost always never crowded, and you create a sense of community and belonging with the people you frequent the establishment with. Plus the landscape is gorgeous!

 

Bluebonnets: Excuse me, but did you know that the Bluebonnet is the state flower of Texas? These beauties pop up all over the fields and highways in mid March-April. They are only here for a short time, so snag your Bluebonnet pictures quickly! The red flowers are called Indian Paintbrushes (they tend to grow alongside Bluebonnets).

Hidden architectural gems: Throughout Texas, many beautiful sights are to be had that are off the beaten path. Nate and I were driving to a larger city one afternoon and just so happened to drive through this miniature tunnel. We were fascinated with it! 

Fredericksburg, TX: This town is known for its Main Street, antiques, wineries, and yummy food. It's a bit larger than the other places I have mentioned, but it is such a fun and relaxing place to visit and wind down when wanting to escape the big city life.

Bastrop, TX: Again, another small/big town in Texas, Bastrop is starting to blossom with big-chain stores such as Academy and Hobby Lobby. It is near Austin, but still far enough away to have a small-town feel. This town also has an adorable Main Street with great food and fun shopping (plus, who can resist a Mom/Pop ice cream shop?!).

Did you enjoy your lesson on TX today?! Ha! I am a born and raised Texan, I have never lived in another state. Does your state have as much "pride" as Texans have for TX? I have always wondered! Do share, and if there's a special place(s) or quirk your state has, leave it in the comments below. Nate and I are always up for a road trip!

[faith] He Is Risen, Indeed

I hope everyone had a blessed Easter yesterday! We enjoyed the weekend with my parents and friends in town visiting. We worshiped together at church yesterday, rejoicing in our Risen Savior! We sang the song "Forever" by Kari Jobe/Brian Johnson: if you haven't heard it before, take a listen! "Now death, where is your sting? Our resurrected King has rendered you defeated! Forever, He is glorified! Forever, He is risen high!" 

Just gives me chills. We serve a Risen Savior who is living in the hearts of His church, the body of believers! We shouldn't recognize this truth just on Easter Sunday, but every single day.

Like I said, we celebrated the weekend with friends. They had never visited our area of TX before, so we showed them around (Warrenton and a couple of wineries, shopping, and eating too)! We had such a blast: here are snippets of the weekend we had together!

The most delicious creamed corn/Frito combination.

Washers at our local winery

Our communion table this Easter Sunday at church

Easter lunch selfie!

Such a fun weekend celebrating together and spending time with our favorite people on the planet. How did you celebrate this weekend? Have a great week!

[travel] Lone Star Court Review: Austin, TX

For our anniversary, Nathan & I hit the road and traveled 1.5 hours to Austin, TX. We stayed at the beautiful Lone Star Court: get ready, there are a ton of pictures! (p.s. this is not an official "review", this is just my opinion!)

Every room has a small sitting area. The decor is very retro/vintage-esque. We had never stayed anywhere like this before.

Every room has a refrigerator... a classic "Smeg", fully stocked with beverages (for a fee, of course). Lots of Texas classics.

Look at this bed. So comfy, which is totally a prerequisite for any hotel stay. Crisp, white sheets. Cushy mattress and pillows. And those lamps! Be still my heart.

The lights were on a dimmer, which allowed for appropriate lighting at the appropriate times ;)

And these radios! So fun!

The dressers. How quirky is this? They were meant to look like this. I actually saw someone on Trip Advisor criticize how the hotel's furniture was "unfinished". Ha!

A sliding, barn door lead the way to the bathroom. Loved it! I now want one in our house.

 Look at this?! Gorgeous.

The bathroom was a great size. Nice mirror, great natural light (and light sconces on either side of the mirror for the evening), a separate "potty" nook, and this gorgeous shower covered with subway tile.

Even their shampoo, conditioner, and soaps were packaged with the hotel's logo (and they were in varying shades of MINT, which is precious).

I forgot to get a shot of the light fixture in the sitting area. It looked like it was made with yarn. Love it!

Now to the outdoor area of the hotel. Between every two rooms, there were two, orange rocking chairs and a small table. Very quaint and relaxing, plus the space was shaded which is always appreciated in the Texas heat. And did you notice the MINT DOORS!

The hotel rooms opened up to a courtyard space containing the pool and Texas-esque landscaping (rocks, greenery). So relaxing (and you would never guess this area was right in the middle of a very hip, shopping area).

The hotel bar was called "The Water Trough". Such a great name to go with the eclectic, Texas vibe. This area was where the bands played each night, and where a complimentary breakfast was served in the mornings.

At night, we enjoyed the live music coming from the bar. Our room was conveniently located across the pool, which was across from the bar. We had a perfect view, and plus we weren't committed to the "bar" scene... which isn't really our jam, anyways. We read and listened to the music (okay, that makes us sound like grandparents, but it was so relaxing) from afar! At 10pm, they shut the large, garage/glass doors that are usually open, so as not to disturb the guests who are already asleep.

Day two: this hotel had a classic car sitting outside of the front. How fun! (not sure of its intended purpose or if it's just for looks)

We spent the afternoon relaxing by the pool. Loved the yellow chairs! Comfy and classy.

When in Rome... Nathan, not me (I'm not a beer fan: it must be fruity and/or frozen in order for me to drink it without making a funny face).

We stopped at The Water Trough to pick up a couple of drinks to take to our room while we got ready for our anniversary dinner. His & Hers beverages... mine was a fruity concoction, not sure what it was called though!

Another sweet evening of relaxation and music! 

This is what the hotel looks like from the outside: you'd never know of all the retro, vintage-y quirks that await within!

All in all, I'd give this hotel a 9! We would definitely stay again. The two things we noticed that were less than appealing were #1) Squeaky doors... so much so that your neighbor would open their door, and you would think someone was coming into your room, which leads me to #2) Paper thin walls. This made you think someone was coming in your room, and/or gave you unwanted insights to your neighbor's 9:30am activities... which I do not want to further discuss! Both of these were extremely minor, and did not ruin our stay at all. I just say those things so people do not assume I'm all rainbows and sunshines about my reviews!

SO, next time you go to Austin, I HIGHLY recommend this hotel! I know many of my readers aren't Texans, so where do you all go for an out-of-the ordinary hotel stay? Nate and I love to stay in unique places when we travel vs. the standard Holiday Inn, etc.

Have a great week! Whatever you are doing this week (working or playing), do it for the glory of God!

"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men..." Colossians 3:23