Graduations Galore...

Well, we have been home for a week now, so I think it's about time I posted pictures from our Texas trip! ( Just doing my momma proud!) We had a wonderful, refreshing, relaxing time, and I am so glad we got to go!

If you have a "Bucket List" you need to add Monument Cafe in Georgetown, TX to it! Great food...just trust me, order the peppered bacon once and you can die happy!

(Chris and Mom joined us for breakfast before graduation.)
Mom and I decided we were both due for a pedicure, so went and got side-by -side massage chairs and they pampered us for about an hour...wonderful! We have decided this will have to be a new tradition.
Mom loved it so much she couldn't keep her eyes open! I would look over and she was slumping down in the chair and, I swear, drool was about to touch the floor! ha! Love you momma! ( She's worn out from those first-graders!)

Pretty toes...mom forgot to wear open-toed shoes ( the cardinal rule of pedicures, next to shaving your legs), so she had to wear these out which were about ten sizes too big!

On our way to Chris' graduation...this is one proud momma!

Me, mom, aunt R, and great, great aunt W who is almost ninety and still as sharp and sassy as ever!

It POURED during graduation, so loud you could barely hear what they were saying over the speakers, but we're all so happy for Chris we dont care!

**On a side note, this is the first sighting of "Jo2" on my blog, Chris' girlfriend. Since I already married a Joe, she is affectionately known as Jo2. She hates it, and Chris signs everything "Chris and Jo1", but despite his best efforts, she will always be Jo2 because my Joe married in first! Sorry guys! ( the other day on Facebook, I wrote something like "Chris and Jo2 are coming to visit us today" and a very concerned friend wrote back and said "Oh, Katy, what happened to the original Joe?!" Glad someone is looking out for me! )

I was Not in the mood for photos in the rain. Note, the people behind us are barefoot at this point, practically wading thru the water, but no not us, we stop for a photo op!

We ate at an awesome restaurant in Austin for lunch called Moonshine...you should try it if you are ever in the area! Joe's parents drove all the way down from Oklahoma to celebrate with us!

These are Jo2's sweet parents, Rick and Kathy.

Momma and sister Aunt R...so much alike it can be scary at times!

My love! What a guy!

Later, we went back to mom's house to give presents and have dessert (day two of the vacation and the workout regimen and diet are already out the window! )Chris wanted a Nikon D5000 for his present so he could take great pics on his roadtrip the next week.

Be warned: if you ever go to a party that my mom throws, chances are you will have to wear one of these, along with all of your guests, and if you take it off, you are shunned! ( this was Chris on his first day of Kindergarten)

Chris and Aunt R and Uncle M

...and Aunt W...everyone was so proud of him!

We love them...wish we lived closer!

So after all the fanfare, and a long day of posing for pictures, Chris was tired of wearing the cap and gown. As my older sister-ly duty, I will post these next two pictures out of pure obligation, knowing that he will have no way of taking them down:) That's what older sisters are for, right?

Not sure what was goign on here- I think he was swinging the tassel? hmm....

So, ON TO GRADUATION NUMBER TWO! Saturday morning, we got up at an ungodly hour and made the four hour drive to Denton, Texas to the University of North Texas to see my best friend Natalie graduate!

This is her younger sis Jacqui, who we all love...sweet, sweet girl!

Natalie graduated with a degree in photography and will be moving to Memphis in August...yay nat! We are so proud of you and excited to see what God does in your life!

The happy graduate ( who looked BEAUTIFUL, by the way!)

We went to Nat's house and ate, mingled a little with family and friends and then hit the road back to Austin...four more hours in the car with my sweetie:) Beautiful sunset in the town of West Texas ( go to the Czech Stop too...add that to the bucket list and get kolaches...yum!)

Over the next few days, we got to see lots of family and sweet friends. This is three generations of "Stein"men...great guys who love the Lord, take care of their families, hard workers, and it doesn't hurt that they are handsome as well! :)

We also got to see some friends in town...I told you about these girls in the last post...the sisters I cheered with in high school? Well, it was so good to see them! This is "E" who is quite possibly the cutest little man I have ever seen! Quite a big boy, which is why I thought this camera angle was so funny! He is only four months and I think she said he is like 98th percentile for a six month baby! BIG boy!

B lives so far south in Texas that it's almost Mexico, I now live in PA, and R lives in Japan, so it was so great to see everyone together again for the first time in a long time! Love you girls! Praying for your sweet dad that he will heal quickly!

Well, at this point, I think that I am making this more of a "where to eat in Austin "post than anything, but I have another suggestion for you: Hula Hut on the lake in Austin-- it was about a two hour wait(on a TUESDAY!), but I love it! This is my friend Katie who was a friend from college, and her sweetie, Nate. Great couple! Nate put up with us talking for over three hours, which means he's a winner in my book! ;) ps: the dos equis was nate's ...i call it his "listening juice!"

These are the sweet McK girls that I babysat for so many years ago.( minus the oldest sister, A) We met for breakfast before they had to go to school...I was so impressed to see what godly young women they are growing up to be( and so beautiful!)L, in the middle, will be in high school next year, and K, on the end, will be a senior next year. They are both 4.0 students! Good job girls! So proud of you!

This is their mom, M, who I love so much. She is such an encourager with the most genuine heart you will ever see. She is a wonderful mom to those girls and is so solid in her faith. She always gives the best hugs and advice. I love you Mrs. McK! ( can you tell by the bags under my eyes that this was the last day of a looong trip? Ready to go home and see my Joe!)

As an added bonus, Allen, my middle school and high school youth pastor, who also was the minister at out wedding, was in the booth behind us at breakfast! ( His wife , who is one lucky duck, is in the Holy Land right now with Beth Moore! I bet she's having the time of her life!)

So, I hopped on a plane after breakfast and went home to see my sweet Joe, who went back two days early for work. He greeted me at the airport with beautiful flowers and I loved how every girl would look at him, and then me and my flowers, and then look at THEIR guy with the "why didn't you get ME flowers" look! :) (By the way, weird lighting, my purse in yellow, but Joe's jacket is khaki...dont think I would let him out in public wit a yellow yacket...that's what firemen are for! )

When I got home, I could tell Tex had missed me and was glad to have all his "people" back together again! Great trip, loved every minute....so glad we got to see so many friends this trip!