I Run Like A Girl

Hello from Texas!! Joe and I spent the last 2 weeks in his hometown in Dallas Fort Worth (DFW). It’s crazy to think it has only been two weeks since I returned from Asia because it feels like we have done so much already, mostly centered around time with Joe’s family and settling into our new trailer home.

In a short amount of time, I’ve fallen in love with our little home. It is oh-so-cozy and surprisingly more spacious than I imagined. We both packed pretty minimally, so it feels like there is more than enough space for both of us and our two cats.

I am also loving our trailer park in the countryside and our new indoor/outdoor living routine. Being here has made me very happy and has generated a sense of continued adventure after coming back from my solo travels.

I feel very fortunate that Joe’s entire family is in the DFW area. Every day, we’ve made plans with different friends and family members, trying to make the most of our time here. I met everyone during my DFW visit last year, so it felt like a heartwarming reunion seeing everyone a second time.

One highlight was a family gathering at Joe’s brother’s house. We had a big barbecue and it was so nice to see everyone in one spot.

Joe’s brother and his wife (Dane and Brittany) cooked wings for everyone – so delicious! There was enough to feed an army.

We loved spending quality time with Dane and Brittany’s kids too. I feel like they have doubled in size since our visit last year! They are the cutest.

Another highlight – hanging out with Joe’s best friend from childhood, Sam, and his wife, Christina. We stayed over at their property in the countryside for a few days, and it was a very good time. The moment we arrived, I felt so relaxed. Their large house in nature was just the peaceful retreat we were looking for. We walked around, relaxed outside, napped, and chatted about everything under the sun with Sam and Christina. They are such thoughtful, grounded people, and quality time with them was definitely a highlight so far.

And their dog!!! We hit it off instantly.

Each night, we had a bonfire and cooked dinner over it. It felt like we were cavemen cooking over a fire, but the results were worth it. We spent hours relaxing by the fire and chatting into the night.

We also went on a hike near their house – a beautiful trail that ended on a lake. As much as I love DFW, there haven’t been that many nature spots that Joe and I crave, so this was just what we needed.

During the hike, Joe pointed out that we could see Oklahoma right across the water. I didn’t realize we were so close to the state border! We decided to drive across just to say we did. First time in Oklahoma, check.

On Columbus Day, Joe and I had something special planned…Six Flags Over Texas!!! We are both huge rollercoaster fans and talked about coming here for ages. It was so exciting to finally do this trip together.

We had such a fun time! The park wasn’t crowded so we didn’t spend too much time in line. It helped that Joe knew the park inside out so he took me around all the best rides. Unfortunately, we both got pretty sick after each ride. 😛 I certainly felt my age. We took it easy and spent plenty of time resting and doing some easier attractions.

There was a tall observation tower with views of the park.

And an antique car ride. I’m pretty sure we were the only adults on it.

Other than that, Joe and I have spent our days walking around and doing activities around town. We visited the Allen Dam a few times – one of the nicer walking paths in town.

And Top Golf. It was my first time playing golf, and I have to say, I really enjoyed it!

A trip to the movies happened too.

Our trailer park is right on Lavon Lake, so we’ve taken a lot of walks and spent time on the lake.

Last but not least, we made many improvements to the trailer before our first road trip. We brought it in for last-minute repairs, which took 3 days. We went to Camping World for repairs, and to be honest, we didn’t have the best experience. We’ve gone to Camping Worlds in California and Texas, and each time we felt their customer service was very poor.

Luckily, we stayed over at Sam and Christina’s and the cats were with Joe’s parents. They were frazzled at first but eventually enjoyed it there. 🙂

Lastly, we added home decor items to the trailer. We’ve added Christmas lights, a full-length mirror, hanging plants, new blankets and pillows, and plenty of storage organization. I loved contributing to the interior design as Joe has done the heavy lifting on everything else with the trailer. 🙂 In such a small space, every small addition has added so much benefit.

And with that, we are finally ready to leave for our first road trip!! Joe and I are planning to tour the Southeastern U.S. states until the holidays. Joe has already road-tripped through western U.S. while I was in Asia, so we wanted to stay in the warmer south through the fall/winter. We are so excited for this adventure together. ❤