Stephanie Howell

5K Ranch

**ETA after several email inquiries...this is a privately owned ranch. It's not a hotel or rentable property!**

So between seeing my family in Waco and Jimmy's family in Nederland...we decided to take a little vacation at 5K Ranch.

Hmm. How can I describe 5K Ranch? How about this. Heaven on earth.

Imagine a place where you have absolutely nothing to worry about. It's in one of the most beautiful parts of Texas, each of us have our own large bedroom+bathroom, and there is a big ole pool. At 5K ranch there's nothing to do but ride 4 wheelers and explore, swim in the pool, eat, read, and relax.

Oh, did I mention that our most favorite friends in the world gather there every year? This was the 6th summer at 5K ranch.

We've made three.

Every year when our friends meet up there I'm so homesick. Homesick for the jokes, the laughing until we cry. Homesick for the BBQ, the cocktails, and the just being together.

The core of this group is Jimmy's best guy friends that he's had since he was a kid. Friends that are the kind of friends that would do anything for each other. You know...the ones you can call up in the middle of the night and they will come without hesitation.

Yep. Those kind of friends. The kind that are the best kind to have when your husband is in Afghanistan and you don't know if he'll come home. The kind that dance with you at weddings when he is gone so you don't feel sad, the kind that take you in as one of them even if it's super intimidating at first.

The last time we went the the ranch we pretty much had the only kids. This year? Well look for yourself.

Kind of amazing, huh? And two more growing in bellies as we speak.

The kids run themselves ragged all day. Swimming, exploring, not napping, getting dirty, using their imaginations. There is a collective group of a zillion adults watching them.

We discipline and admonish each other's kiddos as if they are our own. Love them like they are our own too.

This year I met six children that I've watched grow through the Internet. Four kiddos I've long to hold and get to know. I finally got to do that this week.

We finally got to tell them how long we've been waiting to meet them and how much we love their mommies and daddies.

And after the kiddos zonk out we stay up late talking, reminiscing, and laughing. So much laughing. As I sit here today I don't have a voice at all.

This week I got to have my coffee on a porch swing every morning.

I got to watch the sun set and the horses graze every night.

And where can you ride a giant swan and learn how to flip off the diving board? 5K. That's where.

Oh, and let's not forget the cocktails.

Thanks to Uncle Brad for making me not one but two delicious drinks that tasted like juice and threatened to have me napping on the lawn with the dogs. Which wouldn't have been a big deal because there would have been 93248028 adults to step in and take over my parenting role.

That's the thing about 5K. Never any worries.

I've tried to put in in words here, but the fact is I can't really do that properly. The fact is that I'm a little bit teary eyed as I type this.

We are very fortunate to lead the life we lead. We get to see this world and explore and meet new people. But we miss our friends. I  miss them so much it makes my heart ache.

Most people are fortunate to be surrounded by their best friends and family at all times. We miss out on that and it can be sad sometimes.

True friends of the heart are a gift. And time worry-free is a gift.

So grateful for 5K ranch.

We'll be back in three summers. And we'll miss it terribly until then.

xo

Day Trip to Maine

One of the items on our Spring Break Bucket list was "Maine".

We had originally planned to spend the night in Portland and do some exploring. But for budgeting reasons we decided (at the last minute) that a day trip would be smarter.

I spent a week in Kennebunkport when i was a young adult and I've thought about it ever since.

That was my first taste of New England and my first bite of a lobster roll.

Kennebunkport has always had a special place in my heart.

When we realized that we could make it there in less than 3 hours, we decided to go for it.

We basically drove all the way to Maine for a lobster roll.

Now, don't get me wrong. Getting ready for a spur-of-the-moment road trip is not fun in our house.

It isn't a sparkly, adventurous, bluebirds-from-snow-white type of thing.

But it's totally worth it.

We hit the road at about 9:30.

On the way to Maine we drove through Boston. My heart sank and my eyes were teary. I am so angry and so sad about what happened.

So I pray. And try to outshine the dark with my light. It's all I can do.

Before we knew it (okay, that's a lie. the trip was full of "are whe there yets", whining, potty breaks, and lucy repeatedly making me fetch her stuffed animal) we were there.

It's just as beautiful as I remember it.

We had to drive by The Colony. That's where I stayed last time I visited. SO pretty.

But we were on a mission. We went to find our lobster roll.

Mission accomplished! Chowdah and lobster rolls located.

SO GOOD. It is 7:30 in the morning as I write this and my mouth is watering. I'd totally have a lobster roll for breakfast.

Afterwards it was a quick stop at the windy, cold beach where these three crazies dipped their toes in the water.

And we had to stop by The Wedding Cake House for BB. It's her favorite.

Our last stop was at The Candy Man. You can't go to Maine and not eat lobster. And you certainly can't go to Maine without getting saltwater taffy.

And we headed back home.

On the way back through Boston I snapped this photo of The Greater Boston Food Bank.

Hope you are having a wonderful week. Today I think we are going to go to the Roger Williams Park Zoo.

Love to you all-

xo

S

charleston!

this past weekend we packed up the car and headed 2 hours down the road to charleston.

how have we not made it there before now by the way??

we stayed here on the isle of palms and i wish we could have stayed forever. alas, real life was waiting. j's leave is over and we all had to come back to the real world. :(

some of my favorite things about the trip...

seeing best friends from high school. ones that make me laugh until i cry...always have always will.

a true friend is this. knowing that even if you don't see each other for (11ish?) years, you'll be able to pick right up where you left off.

amazing food (best huevos rancheros i've ever had),beautiful scenery,relaxing,exploring a new town...and of course,above all,being together.laughing until i cry, crying until i laugh.

these are the times that i carefully and intentionally hoard memories to hold on to and remember when we aren't together.

the view from our room (can you see the ocean?? :)

the food:

the sights:

the together:

the relaxing:

 

happy monday,friends.hope it's a happy,healthy,and productive one for you. :)

xoxo

s