Nearly February - Trip to the Coast: Port O'Connor

 January left us down and out most the month with the flu....all four of us! Finally feeling on the mend as the month finishes up we decided to take a trip to the coast to check out fishing spots. The weather in Jan has been up and down with the ups in the mid 70s and the downs in the 40s during the day but yesterday was beautiful and gorgeous and in the 60s both inland at our house and at the coast. The water though- man that water felt amazing like barely warm bath water- I could have definitely jumped in.....but then I never would have wanted to get out!

It was 1 hour and 30 min drive to the coastal town of Port O'Connor. There is a beautiful beach area and a fishing pier. There is also an area to launch boats. The water was exceptionally clear unlike the other coastal areas we'd visited in the past (with the exception of South Padre definitely being the most clear and beautiful but because it is actually on the ocean vs in the bay area) - but Port O'Connor isn't as far inland bay as other places we've been. The sand was packed to walk  on yet the softest we've ever felt any where. The sunshine was out strong warming our faces as we walked and hung out.

Afterwards we grabbed some lunch at a little local joint that had good reviews. A casual little mom-pop place that is a tackle shop and serves food! We got a seafood platter with shrimp, fish and crab and a flounder sandwich and a burger for us all.

A gorgeous day at the Texas coast. We still pinch ourselves we get such beauty inland with the green grass pastures and farms and huge oaks trees yet can take a day trip to the coast for fishing, beach time and seafood. Blessed.

 On the way home we also drove by Magnolia Beach and Indianola Beach to check them out since they were 15 min away. (no pics though since driving by). They were not really beaches as much as just fishing spots off rock and a couple piers. Nice views but we'd rather go down to Port O'Connor instead!

Looking back up from the beach area- low tide so LOTS of sand to get to the water. Beach front houses, grassy area with tons of picnic  tables and benches, a clean little restroom, and a newly built playground for kids.

Pavilion with lots of tables.

Gorgeous day exploring - we loved this little town and this spot, we'll definitely be back.

Happy New Year! January 1st

 Ringing in the New Year definitely makes you look back at the last year you've had. And WOW what a year we have had. High ups, low downs, everything in between - but enormous blessings, miracles, tender mercies, love and time. We wouldn't have changed our adventurous year for anything. 

Our goal in 2021 - Renovate an older RV and travel with our kids:

1) Have a last BIG adventure-trip-exploration-fun time with the kids before they are grown and gone. 

2) Travel to see new places and through pray see if we were meant to be planted somewhere other than Arizona. 

Our trip did give us these two things but it gave us SO much more. Abundance of family time in a new way, a new setting to grow our relationships even deeper. Time is something you never get back...this age, stage, place where you are, where your children are at will never be again- so each moment in life should be cherished, its sacred and family is everything. Don't wait- because you never know how long you have someone. I have an incredible relationship with both of my children and this trip only made our bonds stronger. It also grew my marriage and made it stronger as well. Our partnership is deeper, more valued, there is more love that there ever has been. Our little family unit is incredibly deeply rooted together and they are the most important people to me. Our trip also released us from material possessions. Living tiny, living in a small space - we have come to know that we don't need much and definitely things do not equal happiness. Actually the opposite, an abundance of things creates stress and unhappiness. Letting go of 'things' has been freeing and through living tiny we've decided we never want to go back to a large home with so much space only to fill it and have to clean it and have it take up so much time in our life. We want to stay tiny and spend our time with our family, in the outdoors, being intentional with the items in our home and with our time to never feel overwhelmed with 'stuff' again.

So thankful and grateful for all of our experiences this last year in 2021. The lessons learned, the love and time together.

2021: Jan-Feb we renovated. March we dropped off pigs to be boarded and finished renovations and downsizing. April- we left. We spent the next months in CA-AZ-NM-TX. And finally in September we decided to permanently call Texas HOME. We had our adventure with our kids even though cut shorter than anticipated, and God lead us HOME just as we asked and placed us in Texas. Dec- we picked up our pig girls and son's pigeons in time to ring in the New Year. 

We're ready for 2022 and all that it will bring!

April- we left & spent time with family.

The biggest blessing of all was getting to spend an entire month with family in San Diego. We haven't had that much time since we lived there...11 years ago. 

Happenings around here this month.........

 New Years Day dinner picnic and sunset as a family. 84 degrees out, making the most of the beautiful weather right before our freeze.

New Years Eve - we all went to see Spiderman in our movie theater.
 

Daily walks with Ernie dog...

Farm Life.....Ernie dog loves cows and they love him.

Guinea hen babies were born...We're loving watching them grow!

Pig girls are super happy with being here....the weather has been amazing for them, they've settled right into new routines in a new space but they are happy and healthy and together.

Drive up our neighbor/landlords driveway to go see our pig girls.....

We've had several super foggy mornings....

We feel incredibly blessed looking back at 2021 even though there were hardships and trials. We feel so thankful and grateful to be planted here. Daily we thank God for guiding us home here to Texas. We are so very excited to see what life brings us in 2022 and beyond. Excited for our future here and being together.

December - Winter & Christmas Season

 We're experiencing the winter season for the first time here in Texas. We are anxious to experience all the seasons this new state has to offer. We regularly compare other places we've lived and the temps and weather...Arizona, Idaho, California. Mid-December and its been great thus far, no complaints! We've had a handful of colder overnights dipped into the 40's - days have ranged from 60's to 80's but primarily 70's and just lovely out. We're told Jan into the first week of Feb is the coldest here so we shall see what the next few months bring us!

 The other day we were just talking about the summer and how it really wasn't a huge adjustment to make to the heat here as we've experienced high temps in AZ for a long time. The humidity we thought was going to be a bigger adjustment than it was - it truly wasn't that bad! Of course just like other places we've lived you have those really uncomfortable days but for the most part it was perfectly fine.  

So fall and winter thus far have let us wear light weight long sleeves and even skirts and tank tops!

Leaves are everywhere - the pecan trees around town went bare first and some of the oaks are still full of leaves, others are half bare. It definitely looks more fall-and-winterish here!

 To kick off holiday season, Christmas season, we went to our town's courthouse lighting and Christmas lights parade. It was spectacular. 

This last week we ventured to a town 30 minutes away for their two-day downtown Christmas event and did their drive-through Christmas light tour at the park which lasted an hour and was truly amazing. We did not expect it to be so large! We also went to our church Christmas dinner and were able to talk to new friends and get to know people even more in our new area.

And around here- piggies are still settling in. I love that I can go to our backyard and catch a glimpse of them. 

The holiday season this year is different for us - getting used  to being in a new place, new traditions, new  places to go. We don't have our decorations with us- so no tree this year, ornaments, lights. But we're together, we're happy and we have each other and nothing more matters.

And one more photo that was posted on our community group to share of our town lit up- 

Our girls are HOME to Texas!

 Its been a long time, so long since I've seen mine and my son's pigs. Our girls were boarded mid-March so that we could embark on our 3-4 month (possibly up to 6 month) RV travel trip. Now December - -  9 months later they are finally home. We had no idea when we left them it would be so long or that we would be relocating them 'home' to Texas. God is SO good and ensured their care, safety and bringing them home to us. Between having the most amazing caregiver for our girls while we we traveled, to our awesome new landlord who is providing space on his own land for a pen and cover for our girls, and the caring church family who lent us their trailer when we couldn't find one in time that would work. Miracles, blessings all along the way....and now they are finally home and here with us.

They traveled well, Scarlett better than Ro-Ro but they did amazing for a 2 day trip and an overnight all spent in a trailer.  They have never seen grass in their lives living in Arizona...and now they have green grass everywhere and a big tree above them. They are together, they have cow and chicken friends come over to say hello, they are happy - and we are happy!

I've of course snapped about a million pictures in under a week - they have my heart. A lot of people if you don't have pigs, and have never been around a pot belly pig don't really understand - but they are as bonded and close to our family as your family dog is. But they are smarter! Pigs are incredibly emotional creatures, smart and bond to each other as well as to their caretakers and family. Its a forever bond. When they got home and heard my voice they got excited and came over- they still KNEW me. I tried out their tricks/commands and they still knew all of them. My heart overflows, I love these girls so much. Now for some photo catch up below.....

Traveling from Arizona to Texas - 16 hour trip - 2 days, 1 overnight - - but they had each other!

Seeing grass for the first time and checking out their new home and pen. Cow friends came by to say Hi.

Settling in - getting their meals, getting used to their routine, and getting plenty of belly rubs!

Our happiness, our home. Life together as a family, with our animals, in this place and space, in this town, in Texas. We are just feeling so incredibly blessed.