Week road tripping in Texas

My grandpa and Laurie Lou took my 9 year old cousin and I on a trip throughout Texas last week mainly to see the beautiful wild flowers but also adventure)!

Our first stop after leaving the house was Brenham, Texas, home of Bluebell Ice Cream! It was such a cool experience to see a factory--I had never visited one. The process of making the ice cream is really complex and neat, especially considering Bluebell originated as a butter creamery then started making 2 gallons of ice cream a day for the locals in 1911. Now they make thousands of gallons a day, and the gallons/cones/pints/etc. leave the factory within 6 hours of being packaged.  Super fresh! While in Brenham we also ate a delicious seafood joint called Sealand. I had a delicious grilled salmon and raw oysters. On our drive there we stopped at Washington on the Brazos where Texans signed their independence from Mexico. 

Beautiful Bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrushes

     

Next we traveled to the town with German roots called Fredericksburg where we ate some pretty good German food, and where I met Robert J. Waller. Mr. Waller is a good friend of my grandpa and world known author. His most famous book is The Bridges of Madison County. He was incredibly intelligent! I enjoyed listening to him talk. He shared a song with us and the lyrics were beautiful, I hope it gets recorded by a well known, respectable artist. I loved his wife Linda. She was very free spirited, artistic, and lovely! On our way there we stopped at Camp Verde, which is the site of the U.S. Department of War's camel experiment during the 1800's! You can read more about it Here. We also visited Luchenbach which has a population of 3 and is a town known for country music. It was a very interesting place to visit. The hill country of Texas is beautiful! I love it and highly recommend visiting this area. 

From there we traveled to San Antonio. I had never been to San Antonio so I had a lovely time seeing this city. My Great Great Uncle ran a fish market there back in the 1940s/50s so it was cool to see the street and area where he would have been. It was also nice to see the Alamo, and learn of Texas Independence. Cool fact: The Alamo started as a Catholic mission back in the 1700's.  We were very lucky that there weren't many tourists so that I could get this lovely shot. 

We ate at this amazing Mexican restaurant called Mi Tierra which is located at the Marketplace. Oh myyy goodness! Those were the best enchiladas pollo verde. Then the next morning for breakfast we got some fresh pastries and cookies. They were all tasty! But I particularly loved the pina empanada. From our tasty breakfast we went to the San Antonio Zoo for a few hours and that was a treat! There were some amazing animals there that I had never seen or heard of. Like this amazing Okapi! It is it's own breed of animal, but has the head and similar body as a giraffe and coloring/legs of a zebra!                                                               

From San Antonio we went to Indianola which was once a major port back in its day. From 1846-1847 they had over 5,000  German immigrants come settle in the area. Two major hurricanes came through within a decade of each other and completely wiped out the town. There isn't much there to see or do, but I thoroughly enjoyed imagining the history and seeing the little bit of ruins they do have. Hope to go back in January with my favorite travel partners, Pa and Laurie! We went to an awesome county museum in Port Lavaca that had some great artifacts of the history of the area and a model of what Indianola looked like in it's prime. We stayed at a bay front property that was adorable! Perfect little 2-bedroom. While it was a rental there was a for sale sign. Since we like the area so much we looked into to see how much it cost... and you wouldn't believe it but it cost a wopping $292,000! There is literally nothing there...I can't imagine paying that much for a little 900 square foot home even if it is close to a "beach" and has a water view. The coastline has receded about 2 blocks since the mid to late 1800's so I hope there is still an Indianola in a few decades. 

Statue of LaSalle, French explorer of America who reinvigorated the area in the 1600s. Learn about here Here

Now we are on to our last stop, Galveston. We took the scenic route to Galveston and saw some cool things like Shanghai Pierce's grave and a historic old hotel. Once inn Galveston we ate some delicious shrimp at 'Shrimp and Stuff' then went and rode a few rides at Pleasure Pier. My little cousin rode his first rollercoaster! It was so fun to be on there with him and encourage him to ride! He is around the same age I was when I rode my first coaster. Such a great memory to make! The picture is hilarious of us coming down from the drop. I will have to add it to this once I make a digital copy of it. This was my first time seeing Galveston since the destruction of Hurricane Ike. It has really recovered since then! Looks even better than I remember it from my last visit about 8 years ago.

Pleasure Pier! 

The next day I took the cousin to the beach, then we walked along Seawall Boulevard. We went to the edge of the island and saw the ships moving stuff along. It was quite windy out and the sky was very ominous. We missed the rain luckily, but it sure looked gloomy. We ate at Rainforest Cafe for the boy, took the ferry across and headed home. 

This was a perfect trip because we saw many different places, experienced nature, learned new things, ate good food, and had great conversations. I am so blessed that I was able to go. I hope that I can treat Pa and Laurie to a vacation that is just as sweet. 

Words cannot express how fortunate I am to have this opportunity... I get to connect with my family on a deeper and get to do work I truly enjoy while having a flexible schedule! And my boss takes me away on awesome vacations! I am so glad this is where life has lead me. 

My work is coming along! I think we have at least 2 years of sorting, organizing, and compiling to do though! But that's a-okay by me! I love learning about my ancestors because I know I am still learning from them today since they shape my grandpa and mother into who they are today. I hope to start typing a little something that I have learned about my relatives *everyday. Not only for you to get a better sense of who they were, but for me to look back on remember this amazing time in my life. 

I will write soon! Hope you enjoyed hearing of my adventures and that you see the beauty that is the hill country of Texas one day if you haven't already, and that you can reminisce fondly of these areas if you have had the pleasure of seeing them.

Love, 

Alyssa

P.S. Please excuse typos and missing words... it's been a long day and I don't feel like editing just yet. :p  

Have a lovely rest of your week!

Family Fun Weekend

I had a lovely weekend with my aunt and cousins! We had nonstop dance parties, swam, ate tasty food, and had some adventures. The weekend just flew by.

In fact, this entire week has flown by! I definitely made the right decision coming here. My grandpa showed me how much he has already done for his story and it was really exciting to see!

We have a banquet Tuesday, seeing out of town family Wednesday, then this weekend we will have some fun Easter festivities! Then next week we are going on a little vacation to South Texas for one of my cousins spring breaks. But, I am getting up nice and early tomorrow so that I can go for a walk and get a lot of work done!

Just wanted to put an update on here. :)

Hope everyone has an amazing week! Follow your heart and do what you love.

Much love,
Alyssa

Louisiana Bound!

I am in the Charlotte airport heading to Louisiana! I am super excited to see my family and am ready for some productivity! I have a jam packed schedule and am excited to get into a good routine. 

It will be super fun to type up my grandpas many stories everyday, then I am also going to work on some art projects, blog weekly, and do yoga! If you have never tried yoga, I highly recommend it. It is so peaceful! I love exercise but hate feeling out of breath like with cardio, so yoga is a  perfect alternative. It is all about breathing, working every muscle, and finding your inner peace. I love it! I was doing it regularly in January and February, but the past weeks I have fallen off the yoga wagon. 

I think this will be an exciting chapter in my story. I feel so fortunate to have family that wants my help and that is willing to provide me with a little work when they know I am trying to find my passion. I am going into this move with an open mind, heart, and soul. Who knows when I will leave Louisiana or where I will go next, but that is all part of the fun! 

This quote sums up the way I feel about the journey I'm on: 

The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.

Christopher McCandless

I hope everyone has a lovely day! 

Much love,

Alyssa

Writing is fun, but difficult at times

There are a lot of things I am uncertain about in my life, but I know with certainty that I thoroughly enjoy writing. Growing up and on into my adult life I always enjoyed writing, whether it was creative, nonfiction, or research. It is absolutely freeing to put your thoughts and ideas into words. I love seeing something that began as a small, fleeting thought turn into a glorious story. 

The other thing freeing about writing is that no one can really judge me. My writings may have some awkward phrasing, incorrect punctuation or spelling, and do not appeal to everyone, but I like my writings and they have not yet been seen by the critics and remain pure. I somehow get a glimpse into my soul when I am hovering over a keyboard or pen, tirelessly putting out what is in my head. 

If I could finish a book and make somewhat of a living off my writings my life would be complete. Everything I love and want to do can be accomplished and shared through writing. Also, I thoroughly enjoy volunteering, afternoons outdoors (not in a stuffy office), and a flexible schedule which I can have by writing. So far I have started two books.. and it is really hard to stay consistent with my writing as well as mentally tolling to find the way you to say what you want to say. I do really well and knock out a couple of pages one day, then lose inspiration. The first book I started is a murder mystery, then yesterday I started a children's sci-fi story. I think starting the second book was a really good decision because it allowed me to completely switch worlds so if I get tired or bored with writing I can switch to a new world and be good to go, well, for a while.

I am afraid for the day when the critics do get a hold of my writings. I hate the idea of someone picking a part my each and every word thinking they have the right to demean my art. But, if the day ever comes that I do finish my book and it is being reviewed by a big wig in the New York Times, I guess I will deal with those fears then. 

That is what most of time consists of now-a-days. Helping mom around the house, running errands, playing Rollercoaster Tycoon, and writing my books! I am glad to find productivity in each day and hope that my momentum keeps increasing, my vision clears, and my work ethic pushes ahead so that I may finish what I have started. 

Wishing you prosperity in the things you love,

Alyssa

Hard to believe it's been so long since I've graduated

Sometimes I cannot believe it has been 9 months since I graduated college... I feel like I was just running weekly SGA meetings and seeing my friends on a daily basis. No one really explains to you what a hard adjustment it is from that life.. College is the place you meet best friends, learn what it is to be independent and a lot of times where you make your first home. Stetson was definitely home for me. It certainly has it's flaws, but you look past those at all of the good because there is just something different about the Stetson community. I really miss my ridiculously busy schedule, feeling like I could accomplish whatever I put my mind to, and my amazing friend group that became stronger each day.

Since leaving Stetson it's like starting all over again... I am reminded of our move to Florida my senior year of high school when I didn't know anyone and felt like I had no idea what I was doing. I hope that I will find my "Stetson" soon so that I can move on with my life and find productivity in each day. That is what is hardest for me... I feel really bad (in general and about myself) when I am not productive. I have got to find something to do that will keep me busy and help me fill the hours of the day. I feel as if I have accomplished a lot and grown but at the same time I feel completely lost and like I've squandered the past 9 months. I am nervous about what my family thinks about my decisions and hate the thought of my peers thinking they are better than me since I am taking longer to settle down.. But then I decide those things should not matter. I am happy and proud of myself for not settling. I have seen this beautiful country, discovered cool jobs and met new friends. Now it is just time to move along to the next thing.. just so I can find what else I don't want to do. Or maybe find the perfect fit! You never know.

While being home I wanted to work on art projects, help mom keep the house clean, and take photography nature walks but this cold weather makes me want to stay indoors! If you have any ideas about fun projects to start while remaining warm and inside I would greatly appreciate them- please comment on this post!

Anyways, I hope you are doing well and finding productivity and purpose with each passing day.

Until next time,
Alyssa

Bah Bah Bah Bah Bah I'm Bummin' It

I'm still living the gypsy life.

Trying to figure out this little thing called life... I've been helping my mom out the past few months. Between her surgery and moving I kept really busy from November through January. This month has definitely slowed down though. Time for me to really think about what I want to do and start moving forward with a career. I have applied for several jobs, but so far have no luck. Also, I don't want to get too settled because I don't know where I want to live just yet, so I'm taking things slow.

My grandpa has a project he needs my help with, so I decided I am going to head to Louisiana to spend a few months working with him. I have friends coming to visit in a couple of weeks so I'm setting early March as my moving date.

Then I have a friend in Tampa looking for a roommate, so I'm considering going to spend a year living there with her. I think it is important to travel and experience different things in this stage of my life before I settle down with a family. We were roommates in the past and had a blast together, so living with her is an opportunity I don't really want to pass up.

Overall, I am really enjoying this time with my family. I love helping my mom look for the perfect piece of furniture, and teaching Austin keyboarding. It has been a really good experience. My little Austy is going to be all grown up before too long, so I'm taking in all of the moments we are sharing together. I've also applied to volunteer with Girl's on the Run and a recreational area nearby.

I started writing a book this week, I have it all laid out so hopefully I can write it fairly quickly and self publish it. t is a suspenseful thriller novel! Once I'm finished I'll let you know! And hopefully you'll try a copy.

So life goes on! I'm having some good experiences and super lucky to have parents that support me and care about me discovering my dreams. I hope everyone reading is doing well and enjoying life! It doesn't matter what you're doing as long as your happy and making the most of your time.

Til next time,
Alyssa

Gypsy Life

I love the Lady Gaga song 'Gypsy'. Ever since I heard it I felt I could relate.. This particular verse kind of sums up my California dream and adventure.

So I just packed my baggage and
Said goodbye to family and friends
And took the road to nowhere on my own

Like Dorothy on a yellow brick
Hope my ruby shoes get us there quick
'Cause I left everyone I love at home

And I don't wanna be alone forever
But I can be tonight
I don't wanna be alone forever
But I love gypsy life

And it's true, I do love the gypsy life but there are several components you need to be happy. I thought I needed career fulfillment and adventure so I went about as far away in the U.S. as I could to find it.. But I had no one in my circles.. I met some awesome people and am glad to know them but it just wasn't the same. So, I am now living in Charlotte, NC with my family.  A major cause of the move is because my mom has to have surgery soon and while her illness is not very severe it was very concerning to me. I hated knowing that I could not fly home if something should happen. Plus, I really do have amazing friends and while we do not live in the same city it is nice to know that I can visit them. It's lot easier to communicate being in the same time zone as well! It was not an easy decision to leave California and resign from my second job in 5 months.. In fact I believed this made a failure and it just did not feel like me because I am a very committed person. But life is about more than tending to yourself and making money. So here I am in my parents townhouse, helping out with their move to Charlotte and helping my mom. I am a bit panicked about finding another job and being taken seriously. But I am a hard worker and have a lot to bring to the table so I just have to find the right fit since a work place is your home away from home.

I personally love change, but I also love a solid foundation and support system. I hope that I can find my foundation here in Charlotte and find change in other aspects of my life. I am so grateful for the experiences I have had, for the opportunity to learn about myself and to learn what is truly important in my life. I think that we put too  much pressure on ourselves to graduate, start a career and stick with it getting promoted over 30 years because that is the image of success that we have been given... But I don't buy into that. Success is being happy and surrounded by people you love. You do have to have an income and should be driven to continually learn and move up.. but a 20 year career can come once experience is gained in these first few years after graduating. I do not think it is a bad thing that I am experiencing different positions early on and learning what I do and do not want out of a job. In the end I will be able to be more successful in the work place because I will find what I love to do and enjoy going into work everyday. Although I am hoping that 3rd time is the charm and that I find a company and position I really love here in Charlotte. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Until next time!
Alyssa

P.S. I cannot believe it has been 2 months since my last post! But in all honesty... you didn't miss too much! I'll post pics of California once I get them off my phone, I did see some beautiful sites!