I Run Like A Girl

Joe and I spent last week in the Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) area of Texas visiting Joe’s side of the family. Texas is the first leg of our holiday travels, and it just flew by. We packed in so much in one short week as we had plans with friends & family almost every day.

You may remember that Joe and I lived in Texas for 3 months earlier this year when we were looking for jobs after our sabbaticals. During that time, Texas became a second home, and it felt so great to be back again and see our loved ones. Joe’s entire family lives in the area, so it felt like one big family reunion as we bonded over Christmas parties, meals, workouts, and more! 

We had an early Christmas celebration as Joe’s family was gracious enough to accommodate my visit. Joe’s parents treated us to tickets to a massive ice sculpture exhibit at a convention center right outside Dallas. I didn’t know what to expect, and it turned out to be a huge winter wonderland attraction! 

The highlight was walking through the hand-carved ice sculptures. The tent was super cold: 9° F (-13° C)! I really enjoyed the sights as the ice sculptures were seriously impressive. It seemed like the entire city was at this event as it felt like a winter Disneyland. 

Our group included Joe’s brother (Dane), his wife (Brittany), their kids (Reese and Preston), and Joe’s sister (Anna). It was lovely to get some quality time with them. ❤

After the event, we headed to Joe’s parent’s house for the Christmas celebration. The entire family came over, and we enjoyed catered Mexican food and opening presents. It was a festive and joyful day, and I’m so glad I got to be part of Christmas with Joe’s family this year. 

During the week, Joe’s niece and nephew (Reese and Preston) stayed with Joe’s parents for a few days, so we got some extra quality time by helping babysit. This turned out to be a highlight for me — the quality time with Reese and Preston was so valuable, and I feel like we got much closer in this visit. Joe and I were working remotely, so we popped in/out of the babysitting fun whenever we had a chance. The kids might have shown up on my video calls a few times. 😉 

We began each morning with some cuddles in bed. Reese was so adorable as she would quietly pop her head into our room to see if we were awake, and when we were, she’d jump into bed.  

The weather was beautiful in Texas (winter in Texas is truly a joy). We had plenty of outside time swinging on the swings… 

…And climbing trees…

…And playing hide and seek. Can you spot Joe? 😉 

Joe brought his new Meta Virtual Reality (VR) headset, and it was a huge hit! Everyone wanted their chance with the VR, especially Reese and Preston. It was so cute to see the headset engulf their faces as they were transported to new worlds. I was embarrassed to witness my 2-year-old nephew learn it faster than I could…

Each night ended with storytime, and we’d all sigh a breath of relief. Babysitting was so much fun, and gave me a glimpse into the exhausting thrill of parenting life! 

We had a second Christmas party with Brittany’s side of the family as they invited Joe’s entire family to their Christmas. There were a lot of new faces, but I was happy to continue meeting more of the extended family. We opened gifts, played with the adorable dogs, and ate a lot of yummy food in potluck style. 

Other than the group Christmas events, we had plenty of hangouts with people individually. Anna (Joe’s sister) manages a local boxing gym, and she treated me to a class! I did my first boxing class with Anna earlier this year, and I remember really liking it. I couldn’t wait to take another class with her as I’m still very much a beginner, and she helped keep my technique in check. This class was SO much fun, and overall it was more challenging than my first one. I could feel the benefits from all my strength training this year as I felt stronger than last time (especially my shoulder strength).

This blog might remember our very good friends who we lived with in Texas earlier this year, Sam and Christina. It was so good to see each other again as we caught up a few times. We even got to see Sam’s parents and Mordecai (their dog). I’m not going to lie, I think Mordecai was my favorite reunion of the entire week. ❤ 

I’m leaving this week feeling slightly exhausted, but I’m so glad I made the most of my time here. Looking back, I cannot believe how many people we saw in one week; it’s a sweet reminder of how large our support system is in Texas. There’s a special feeling when you’re around people who truly care about you. I told Joe how I wish I had more time as I could easily spend another week here.

I’m sad to say goodbye, but I’m also very excited for the next leg of our trip. Next up, I’m off to my hometown in New York to spend time with my family!