San Jacinto

Before I get started on this post, I wanted to say a huge "thank you" to all of you who welcomed me back to blogland last week.  Your comments were so encouraging and just what I needed to be reminded why I love blogging.  Thank you for your kind words and for being the most wonderful readers around!

When we were home in Texas over the holidays, we took advantage of our downtime and scheduled in some good old fashioned Texas sightseeing.  As a native Texan, I've seen all the big stops (i.e. the Alamo, the Capital, the JFK memorial, the major universities, etc.) but my dad thought it would be fun to hit the road for some of the less traveled sights.  We had so much fun scooting around Texas, taking a few daytrips from Houston.  For one of our trips, we headed to San Jacinto, home of the most decisive battle in the Texas Revolution.  And since I rarely paid attention in history class, it was quite the educational day trip :)

The monument itself is quite breathtaking.  It's the world's tallest memorial column, located in La Porte, Texas, about 25 miles southwest of Houston.  My favorite part was without a doubt the enormous Texas star that sits atop, recognizable from any angle.  Have I ever told you how much I love being a Texan? :)

The day itself was pretty cold and windy for Texas, though I can't help but chuckle as I type that weather report sitting in Chicago now.  Oh what I would give to be back in the "chilly" Houston weather.  Ha!

It was an all boys + Allison day, which ended up being a ton of fun!  My uncle flew in from Atlanta for a quick overnight visit, and he always manages to liven up the party.  Any time we get to see him, we know we'll be entertained.

Even though Matt isn't a native Texan, I think he is surely an adopted one by now.  Marrying a Texan gets you some street cred, but spending 5 years there for graduate school, well, that definitely shows a level of dedication.  I was also glad my boots could go for a spin.  With all the Chicago snow, they haven't seen the light of day for several months now.

And of course, a few Instagram snaps from the day...

The view from the ground and proof that yes, everything's bigger in Texas.
A few (very) good men.

I was in LOVE with this door.
The view from the top.

Does anyone else enjoy being a tourist in your own city or state?  I must say, I was surprised how fun it was!  I'm ready for Chicago's weather to warm up so we can resume our Chicago sightseeing.  PS: looking at these pictures makes me a little homesick for Texas.  I'll have to fix that later this week with a little bbq and Dr. Pepper :)  

Hope your week is off to a fabulous start!