Monday, March 18, 2013

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 :)

C281479The 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? :)

C281481The 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!

C281482It 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.

C281486Even 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...

Dec 30 20128The view from the ground and proof that yes, everything's bigger in Texas.
A few (very) good men.

Dec 30 20129I 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!

3 comments:

Kim said...

Hey! My week is off to a great start :) I am so happy to see your blog posts showing up in my blog reader again! I am definitely a constant reader - even if I don't always comment. I have been super busy wrapping up grad school (done in June!) and trying to stay sane. Looking forward to hearing more from you :)

MrsFlewlling said...

Found this and thought you might like this - it is actually pretty good! I love Chai tea myself!

http://nadinesnook.blogspot.com/2011/11/chai-tea-mix.html

Brady said...

First of all, yes. I really love doing the tourist thing in my home region. Last summer we rented a cottage in a beach town that I spent tons of time in during middle and high school - just 15 minutes from my parents' house - but we discovered all kinds of restaurants, wineries, and beaches I'd never visited before. And also, I'm so glad to know a little something about La Porte, Texas! I'm from La Porte, Indiana, and I knew there was a town with the same name in the south. I was always curious. :)