Thanksgiving in Texas

Knowing we wanted to spend our last Christmas holiday in Europe, we opted to cross the pond for a Thanksgiving in Texas. This is one of the best times to be in the Lone Star State, as the weather is usually beautiful with lots of sunshine and warm temps. We arrived a week before Thanksgiving in order to attend the wedding of our GK friends, Brandon and Margaret, who have since moved to San Antonio. I was so glad the timing worked out for us to attend their beautiful wedding in San Antonio with a reception on the River Walk.

Along the River Walk

The beaming bride and groom

Engaged in Spain, they decided to incorporate a lot of Spanish influences into their wedding. They had beautiful fan-shaped programs for the ceremony, did a surprise Spanish dance at their reception, served Spanish food, and decorated each table with pics of their engagement trip. It was an absolutely beautiful wedding, and the best part was that we were able to have a mini-GK reunion with both Margaret and Brandon, Jill and the Cook family.

Their excellently choreographed Spanish dance. The facial expressions were the best!

A pic before we all got a little too disheveled from the heavy dancing on the dance floor

Our last reunion pic from the day-after wedding brunch

The day after the wedding, we enjoyed our morning in San Antonio visiting the iconic Alamo and perusing the shops of the Mercado with Jill. It was so surreal to be in Texas with our friends from GK and I'm so grateful we managed to attend this special event and re-connect with our friends who we miss dearly. 

Shopping at the Mercado

After returning to Austin for a couple days with the Blue family (which now includes my newest nephew Boulan, born on Oct. 8th), we trekked to the ranch for Thanksgiving week. Jon relished the opportunity to do lots of outdoor manual labor and I enjoyed spending lots of quality time with my adorable nephews, sisters, parents and grandmother. My cousins Janet, Jenny and her family also joined us for Thanksgiving and it made for a lot of activity around the ranch. 

Catlin family photo on Thanksgiving Day

At our engagement spot on the ranch with a 17-week bump.

Cousin pic! Enjoying smores and a bonfire on Thanksgiving night

Me and Braxton (in his late-night smore coma)

Though we did make a few trips into town, we loved simply being on the ranch and enjoying its beauty at this perfect weather time of year. Our days included lots of patio time, exploring the ranch in the 4-wheeler and mule, feeding the donkeys and horses and being outdoors as much as possible.

Dad, Jason and Jon - so proud of the rock fence they repaired

Braxton and his sly smile

Braxton and his Aunt Cat on a walk

Me and Goldie - the horse that walked me down the aisle

Leaving the ranch - see you this summer!

After five glorious days in the Texas hill country, we drove to Dallas with Mandy for our final night in Texas. Jon was able to connect with his college buddy, Aaron, and finally eat some delicious Texas BBQ. It was an incredible trip filled with lots of family memories in the most special place on earth to me - the Hix Ranch. Though it was sad to leave Texas and my family yet again, it is a comfort to know that we will only be one state away come this summer and I am already looking forward to numerous trips down to Texas in the next year. 

We snapped the photo below while out on the 4-wheeler our final day at the ranch when we were trying to savor every minute of being in this beautiful place. In birthing class, they tell you to have a relaxation tactic, or peaceful image to focus on. This will be mine, looking out at the rock-fence lined creek and blue hills in the horizon. Part of our family for over 150 years, it is a comfort to know that generations before me have seen this same view and I hope many generations after me will continue to gaze upon my family's heritage. A Texas tradition I can't wait for our baby to be a part of!