Pedernales Falls State Park

Hard to believe we are adventuring into Anniversary #11

Since we took the boys on Anniversary #10 we wanted to find a place close that we could get away for the day with our family.

A student of mine mentioned Pedernales Falls State Park.

I looked it up on the map and liked their page on Facebook.

In a few seconds I asked them if they were dog friendly and they told us as long as they are on a 6 ft. leash.

I convinced Al to take the day off and I made us some sandwiches and snacks.

Packed the boys leashes, balls, towels, food and water.

We were off for a nice 90 mile drive in the hill country. 

It was only $6 dollars per person. Pretty inexpensive anniversary getaway.

This first part of the park there is a high current so humans are not allowed to wade or swim in this part of the park. Dogs can go swimming in any part of the park.

Pedernales Falls State Park was originally a working ranch. Known as the Circle Bar Ranch.

The state of Texas purchased the land in 1970 and the park opened in 1971.

My photos didn't capture all of the beauty of this park. We hiked over big rocks to get to a secluded swimming spot. I could of stayed in that spot all day. It was so peaceful as the boys swam and played.

Swimming. It was deep. We are amazed at how Berwyn is such a good swimmer.

Al was able to get Berwyn safely out.

We traveled to a different part of the park to go for another hike. We estimated hiking about eight miles for the day.

We had to cross the river to get to the hiking trail.

We let the dogs roam free on the hike since we were the only ones on the trail.

They loved being free in the nature. Al found me a good hiking stick so I could get safely

through the river and I continued to use it on our hike. We love hiking we just don't

get to hike very much in San Antonio.

The park has a beach access. More stairs and rocks to climb to get to the water. It was so pretty. Our spot had a fast paced current. Berwyn loved to take the current down. So I stayed up front and Al was at the bottom. We had a good rhythm getting him from one parent to the other. At one point Berwyn snuck by and Al swam after him in that moment I realized how much Al loves Berwyn. My heart may have gone pitter patter for these two boys. Berwyn gets in trouble with daddy quite often because sometimes he's naughty. He can't help himself he loves to have fun in the moment and then realized oops I have consequences. Hahaha....

Our day was so peaceful and it was so relaxing to get away from the city and be in nature.  They have camping and so we want to come back. More trails to explore....

We then drove to Austin to have some dinner. Which was about 40 miles away from the park. Didn't realize our restaurant was in downtown Austin. We paid a little more to have a secluded parking lot for the boys. The patio in the restaurant is dog friendly but the boys were tired so we let them rest in the car. We drove back home and didn't get back till almost 1 am. Next, time we would rent a hotel we didn't realize we would be gone for so long.

Al had so much fun that he took an additional day off. It was Cinco De Mayo. We went downtown listened to some music while drinking fresh squeezed lemonade.  We walked down by the river walk. Keep in mind we are both so sore from our previous adventure. We had heard of the world famous guacamole. We thought it would be a Mexican restaurant. Turns out it was a fancy upscale steak house. We enjoyed our fancy dinner together. Sorry no photos sometimes you just have to be present in the moment and enjoy the atmosphere.

Until Next Year.

Just kidding let's hope we can make time for more adventures since I'm almost done with graduate school.

Baton Rouge

Baton Rouge

While traveling to Pensacola, Florida for our 10th Anniversary

on our way back to Texas we stopped at Louisiana state capital.

Our travel ambitions one day will be to visit all 50 capitals.

Once again it's been awhile since I've updated our family blog.

So much happenings have been going on in the Cristales home.

For the last 13 months I've been asked to be the Young Women president

for about 15 beautiful girlies in my church.

Graduate school keeps me really busy. I finished

my practicum in the Spring. I had such a great experience and really enjoyed working

with my first clients. I had an opportunity to lead groups at the Juvenile Justice center.

Honestly, I was so scared I had never been in a Juvenile Justice center.

Those groups turned out to be my favorite Saturdays.

To all the crazy we added two beautiful lab/mix doggies to the mix.

Currently I have a big activity for the girlies coming up this weekend.

I have more studies I should be concentrating on and I could

share about so many adventures.

One day I will share about Uganda or not.

I hold that adventure pretty close to my heart.

So why Baton Rouge?

Someone once told me it was the poorest city they had ever visited.

Maybe so...

That wasn't my adventure.

Not sure how to put all my heart aches into words.

I felt so sad when I heard three police officers had been killed

in Baton Rouge.

Why? Why would an ex marine have so much hatred and kill?

For justice, revenge, peace.

For a movement and cause.

For equality.

To show a change needs to take action.

A mother, father, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, cousin, in-law, friend, neighbor,

community, and nation have all been affected by the recent loss of police officers

that sacrifice every day to keep communities safe.

In a split second a police officer has to make a decision.

A decision that could cost his life or a life of another human being.

A choice they will have to live with for the rest of their life.

As a counselor I can guarantee that one day I will be helping

police officers and the hard decisions they have to make everyday.

Has our society become so numb to all the killings

that we can justify and move along?

Personally I mourn for everyone and pray our beautiful country can find a peaceful solution

to all the problems we face as a nation.

As we drove to the capital it was a quite Sunday afternoon.

It felt peaceful and relaxing.

Our family walked around the capital.

A nice family took our photo.

Al wanted me to go inside the capital and get a brochure while he watched the doggies.

That's usually how it goes.

We take turns.

I went inside and looked in a few rooms.

I worried about taking to long and the boys being in the hot sun

As I walked out a nice gentlemen asked have you been on the 27th floor?

No, the capital has 27 floors?

Oh, yes. You have to see it.

Go on the elevator. Push the 24th floor button.

Once you get off take a left and on the right is another elevator that will take you to the 27th floor.

The man told me you have to see the view.

View?

Yes, you can go on the roof.

Immediately, I thought Al would love this.

So I took a selfie to send Al of my fun little adventure.

Such a beautiful city and I imagined what it was like fifty years ago.

I found the boys playing with sticks in the shade having a good time.

The capital has a beautiful park and we walked in the park and enjoyed the sunshine.

We then drove throughout the city and saw another fun park along the river bank.

We were getting hungry and so Al told me we can come back.

We ended up taking a few different turns and ended up driving along the University.

I had no idea the University was so beautiful.

Another time I would love to walk the University grounds.

It was so peaceful, a typical University campus.

Al found a hamburger restaurant.

It was perfect and had an out door eating area for our family.

Traveling with two doggies can be a challenge.

Oh, my goodness best burgers we've ever eaten right in Baton Rouge.

Who knew.

So big I couldn't eat all of mine.

We started with chocolate milkshakes and so refreshing on a hot summer day.

Al came back with two big plates of specialty fries.

The most delicious parmesan cheese on our potatoes.

If you are ever in Baton Rouge check it out.

I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

I would love to come back as it was getting late and we still had many miles

to get back home.

I'm sure the boys wouldn't complain traveling back to Baton Rouge to play along

the River banks.

A point I wanted to express is don't let someone else view

ruin the view you could experience.

Give, love, and be courageous to find joy

in things that make you happy.

Baton Rouge gave me joy

so Thank You Baton Rouge!

North Sea

UPDATE

I never intended to be absent from our blog for eight months. Last summer I had an opporunity to travel to Nauvoo with the youth and leaders in my church. What a wonderful uplifting experience. I was so excited to share the adventure with everyone. Then my computer wouldn't recognize my photos. I blamed being absent on having a computer that is tired. Deep inside of my soul I have been ashamed of leaving the previous blog posted so it's the first blog everyone will come across. My journey to motherhood is still a constant struggle as my heart strings go back and forth. Even though it's the highest viewing sixty eight people have viewed our struggle to parenthood. My hope is that one person may have read a bit of our story and not felt alone.

Recently, a friend told me that I should do a gofundme account and she would donate. It is the most sweet and heartfelt response to my struggle that anyone has given me. Just the very thought that someone loves me enough to sacrifice and help us out.  I have my own personal issues with mygofund me accounts.  So many people have them. I have looked at countless stories for fertility and adoption. What if I took the time and we received very little donations or we spent the donations on fertility treatments that didn't work. I would feel as though I would have let everyone down. I would want to give back in some way. If a person gives a donation then they get a love pouch full of somekind of goodies. Just some random thoughts!

I want to be a mother but I am scared. Scared of the rollercoaster of emotions that comes with losing a pregnancy. Could I mentaly deal with a fourth loss. Fears in the back of my mind that I won't be a good mother and maybe that's a reason why we haven't been blessed with children. Then I think God has given me the most caring, loving partner. He won't let me fail. Yes, I will make mistakes but the Lord has given me experiences that will continue to help me to be the mother that our children will need. We will make sacrifices and our children will always have parents that love each other and they will always know they are loved. I will continue to give updates if anything changes.

UGANDA 

Friends have been asking me about my trip to Africa. My adventures to Uganda will be in future blogs. I really need to think about how I want to tell my journey and the people I met that have changed my life.

EASTER

 



Today, is Easter and it's been a really peaceful day. Cooking a non-traditional Easter dinner. Meatballs, macaroni, and brocolli. I am thinking about the North Sea and how the ocean has always brought so much peace in my soul.  Much like how my Savior Jesus Christ brings peace and comfort to my heart.

AMSTERDAM

On my way back from Uganda I realized I would have a layover in Amsterdam. I have been wanting to see Amsterdam for about a couple of years so I thought why not stay and see it. So that's what I did. I took a 45 minute train ride and then got on a bus. My stop was the last stop and so it was easy. Walked to my hotel which was just across the street. The previous day I had walked all over Amsterdam and my feet had blisters. I had packed light only taking a small backpack. It felt so good to take off my shoes and sit on my balcony smelling the ocean breeze and feeling the wind of the North Sea. Felt, surreal that I was actually in the North Sea.

NORTH SEA

 

The North Sea is a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean located between Great Britain, Scandinavia, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. An epeiric (or "shelf") sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian Sea in the north.

 

 

The North Sea has long been the site of important European shipping lanes as well as a major fishery. The sea is a popular destination for recreation and tourism in bordering countries and more recently has developed into a rich source of energy resources including fossil fuels, wind, and early efforts in wave power

 

In the north, deep fjords and sheer cliffs mark the Norwegian and Scottish coastlines, whereas in the south it consists primarily of sandy beaches and wide mudflats

 



 

I couldn't sleep. Even though I was sick I wanted to go for a walk and find seashells. Got all bundled up and left early in the morning. It was so cold and breezy that early in the morning. I was so excited to walk on the sand and see the view of the ocean.

 

 

I can say I've been in the North Sea.

So cold. I debated because I was so sick.

 

Proof I was at the North Sea...

 

I guess you could say I'm a true introvert because I enjoyed my

time by the ocean all by myself. I felt so happy and at peace.

 

 

 

I walked the whole length of the beach.

Picking up seashells along the way.

The North Sea has small shells.

 

 

Stunning up close.

 

 

A beautiful hotel that looks like a palace.

 

 

 

People were actually in wet suits and another couple not in wet suits.

Funny story but it is Europe.

As I was crossing the dock a lady came out

and at first I thought she had a bikini on.

As she came closer I realized she had no bikini on or swimsuit.

Then her companion starting coming out of the Sea behind her.

I quickly looked down because it wasn't something I wanted to see. HA.HA....

 

 

 

My discovery. Turns out it's part of the clams that come out.

Nice lady at the aquarium told me what I saw.

 

These rocks were massive.

 

Fishermen fishing by the lighthouse.

 



 

Across the way another light house.

Too tired to walk all way around to see it up close.

A bird showing off for me.

 



I got lucky and these ships were coming out to sea as I was on the dock.

 



 

A light house surrounded in between apartments.

 

Next blog will have more pictures of the lighthouse, boardwalk and aquarium.

 

Hope you enjoyed the North Sea because I sure did!