Two Months in Texas

From pillar to post, I've packed and unpacked six times in the last two months.  Note to self - next time, if there is one,  bring disposable clothing!

Many adventures, visits with friends and family, meeting new babies in the family and catching up with long time friends rank high on the list in my heart.

Here are some of the photos from the last two months...............

                                    Trip to Chappell Hill to enjoy wildflowers and glorious trees.

 A MAJOR highlight was to spend the weekend with my daughter and granddaughters for my birthday in early April.  I could not stop smiling!

My sweet sister-in-law with her newest grandson, Taylor.  Taylor has two precious
brothers, Austin and Grey.  I could never get them all together for a group photo!

Must always include a sunset photo of Houston.  This was taken from the ninth floor of my dear, long time friends' condo on Montrose Blvd. Sheila and Mark now live on the ninth floor because they lost everything in Harvey and had to be rescued.  What a traumatic ordeal to have gone through.  I've heard horrifying details of people's experiences.  Tragic.

  Always there was Abby, enjoying the view from the front windows.  Such a sweet dog.  I think I might be weakening about having another dog!

Many, many good meals out with friends and family.  Houston has over 14,000 restaurants.  I tried to help their economy...........ha.  In the photo above is Ann Criswell, former Food Editor for the Houston Chronicle, my dear friend Martha who I met twenty-five years ago through the Houston Culinary Guild and my dear sister-in-law, Annette.  (I sincerely dislike the term sister-in-law as we are as close as any two sisters).  Is there a better title?

Another "tropical" sunset while visiting friends near Galveston in Omega Bay.  Aaah, I loved mornings on the porch watching the ducks, egrets and herons looking for food as they skimmed the canals.

        Dinner with Amanda and Patrick on the Wharf in Galveston.   Yummy seafood.

Next I moved on to Pearland to stay with a long time friend, Elaine.  Unfortunately I did not take photos of her glorious home or gardens or the times we ate at Auntie Pasto!  To say I was shocked at the growth in Pearland would be a major understatement.  It went from a two lane road thirty years ago, to a city of 140,000 today!  Amazing.  The farm land now houses subdivisions, restaurants, malls and medical facilities along with schools. 

Meeting Arden who is six months old was so special.  She is six months old and always smiling. Here she was eating her lunch.

 Arden's precious brother Alex who climbed into my lap and stole my heart was nearby.  I was so busy enjoying everything that I did not get photos of the whole family together.  My niece and her husband live in Ft. Worth. Hopefully it won't be a long time before I see this precious family again.

Last, but not least, I spent the day Sunday with my grandson, Christopher, and his girlfriend, Kayla. He is Jennifer's son.   What joy!  I'm so lucky to have so much love and happiness in my life.  I NEVER take it for granted.!  Now if I could figure out how to get EVERYONE together in the family for one day, including my son John who is in San Miguel with Matilda and Sebastian, I would be
the happiest woman alive.

Life is good.  This weekend is graduation for Emma and more family and friends.  Home next week on the 31st.  Woo hoo.  Onward.