i left my heart in texas

obviously this post is a bit more delayed than i would have liked. but i guess this is what happens when you take a week vacation in the middle of crazy things happening at work. but i digress.

i spent 9 lovely days in texas with my family 2 weeks ago.


it was hot. i don't remember texas summers being that hot. (surely they weren't?!) so it was necessary for us to spend most of our time lounging at the pool. my pasty white new york skin needed it. and i came back with an excellent tan. success!

there are so many things i love about being back in texas. but these are the things i love the most. and the things that i miss the most.

first. playing with my little niece sloan.
ohmygoodness. isn't she a doll?!

i could get used to waking up to her morning cheeriness. i don't even mind getting up early when she's the one getting me out of bed.

we read lots of books when she spends the night. and sometimes she likes to read to us.

kissy face!!

she's quite observant from her car seat.
"la la, where's he going on that bike? he's going fast."

and we played in the pool. but only for a lil bit.
"i want to go inside, it's hot out here."
smart and pretty.

she is the sweetest, most adorable lil girl ever. i lose it every time she tells me she loves me.

and these are her parents. it's real hard for me to say goodbye to them. always real hard.

second. spending time with my entire family.
they are fantastic. and we have so much fun together. with my uncle and cousins also in town from ohio, it was one busy week of family time. good thing i like them.

these are my uncles. and daddy. the johnson boys. they think they are funny.
sometimes they are.

and these are my cousins.
ashley, milly, miles, les, me, mackenzie and casey.
we're fun too.

keith and les. they're the most fun. and they're pretty.

these are the boys. (outside the suite)

and these are the girls. (inside the suite, naturally)

daddy's girls.

me and les.
and uncle jay? told you these boys think they're funny.

family dinner at matt's el rancho = necessary. we always sit on the top level. plenty of room for ashley and casey's cutie boy colton and miss sloan to run around!

this is my cousin milly.
i think it's been about 9 years since she was last in texas. we welcomed her back with lots of pool time. she was pumped about the tan too.

oh. and this is cousin casey's new tattoo. just in case he forgets his initials.

this is my cousin miles with les.
when these 2 were little, they looked exactly alike. they still kinda do.

oh! and bff lindsey of course! i. miss. her.

and this is my disaster of a room on sunday morning. approximately 3 hours before my flight.
i think i mentioned that i have serious packing and shopping problems. tip: pack a duffel to bring back as a carry-on. life saver.

after a fun-filled, family-packed, relaxing week in the texas sunshine, i had to head back to real life in nyc. and this time, watching texas fade into the distance from the window of my new york bound airplane, i think i left my heart there too.