You know you are in Texas when...

10. A cold front in Texas is 90 degrees and the weather guy is excited about it.

9. You walk into a convenience store, grocery store, shoe store, feed store, or video store and you see a picture of this guy...

8. You hear people talk about the end of confederacy as if everything that is good about life has died with it. Click on the picture to get a closer view.

7. Those belt buckles you see people wear (like on TV) are bigger than the size of your hand.

6. Going green means super sizing your salad (extra dressing please).

5. When these bad boys become a substitute for lawn art.

4. When you no longer hope for the closet parking spot, just one with the most shade. And let's be honest, parking next to the biggest rig becomes the goal.

3. You aren’t surprised to find movie rental, ammunition, and bait all in the same store.

2. A Mercedes Benz is not a status symbol; a Chevy 3500 4x4 is.

1. You go to the river/lake because you think it is like going to the ocean!

Oh and a couple others just for fun...

-You measure distance in minutes and/or hours

-And finally, you know you are in Texas when down sizing your car means from this...

To this!

Everything's bigger in Texas...

I'm not kidding, from the food, to the stores, to the hair, to the attitudes. Never have I been somewhere where people love their state so much. In fact, most think of it as a country. Ya, they aren't kidding. The next few blogs will be about Texas. But when we got here we spent time with our friends the Swanstrom's/Anderson's. Teresa just had the most delicious baby, Laith. What a fun time we had there until we drove to Corpus Christi. My attitude about CC has changed but let me tell you, you haven't seen ugly until you have driven 30 minutes on Aurora (in Seattle). Aurora has nothing on a highway known as the S.P.I.D. My top ten list of how you know you are in Texas is coming soon. Hold onto your seats!!!

New Mexico? Skip it!

Enough Said. Okay, it wasn't that bad but I had such a great time in Oregon, Cali, and Arizona. Great food, romantic scenery, great pictures; but when we got to NM I turned to David and asked, "is this what Texas looks like? Dry, bland, brown?" "No babe", he said, "it's worse". I cried all the way there.

Arizona Rocks!

By all means people, go to Arizona. It ain't just for the old and the arthritic. It kicks! We stayed at the most amazing bed and breakfast called the England House. It is exquisite! The owners, Laurel and Richard Dunn will treat you like you are royalty and family. It is a quaint old home that was built in 1902 by a master stone cutter. These two have done everything to create a home that is lush and comfortable. We stayed in a fabulous two bedroom suite called The Stone Cutter. If you are at all interested go to: http://www.englandhousebandb.com/

We also fell in love with the Grand Canyon. How on earth could God create something so massive and unique? We went in the morning and it was super rainy and overcast, you could barely see a thing. Later in the day, the clouds lifted and boy, well done canyon is all I can say. I my favorite part was when David and I were cuddling on a cliff after dark. I asked him if there were bats and he assured me no. A couple minutes later he had a look on panic on his face and said to me,"you know what I said about bats? Well, I may have been wrong". There was a bat circling my head. Being the low drama girl that I am I may have said a few choice words, screamed (in a canyon) and ran. I ain't to proud to run.

Driving, driving, driving

One thing about road trips is all the driving. It is a good thing we like each other so dang much because it was like 8-10 hours a day at times. This picture was what we looked at forever. Dry, dry land. My observation is that Californians and Texans are the worlds worst drivers. Any arguments. Please comment.

California Love

California is so uber cool. I love it. I love the sun, the diversity, the food, the coast, the shopping and the Governator. Seriously, it is one of the coolest states because it has so many cool things that I love: San Diego, San Francisco, Napa, Orange County, Disney Land, great beaches, people with a little fashion sense (not in all locations however), the Redwoods, Yosemite, and on and on and on... David and I had such an amazing time there. We loved the Redwoods but most of all San Fran was our favorite. We fell in love with the city and each other there. I can't wait to go back.

Ohh Oregon!

So, as I promised...brief trip highlights! Oregon. Once known in my mind as a waste of time and the hiccup between two super cool states; is actually a pretty cool state. Fun things about Orgeon: Tillamook Cheese Factory, The Oregon Coast, Whale Watching (although I never saw any), Portland (clean, uber cool shops, no taxes, great food), and someone who pumps your gas for you. Now on that last note, I have a hot boyfriend now and he will do that but for all the single ladies out there (and I have been one for nearly three decades) there are two things that boost your ego on the lonely days and those two things are: a dude who will pump your gas, and the men that run out to your car at Les Schwab to help you. What could be better than a man who runs to your car to help you with your problems? "Why thank you Les Schwab dude, I would love a free bag of popcorn and 10 pounds of beef with my new tires". By the way, Les Schwab is from Oregon. Go Ducks!

The trip down to Texas...What you all have been waiting for (the two of you that read this).

So I would like to briefly sum up the greatest vacation of my life in a few short entries that will hopefully entertain you. I will start by writing this short entry about leaving home. Leaving home is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. Leaving my mom, my Needham's, my Johsnon's, My Colvin, my Knuckey's...on and on was very hard. Still every door was open. Thanks for friends who tell words and don't give up on us (wink, wink Evans). I knew that I had to go, nothing made more sense in the most abstract Picasso sort of way. WIth every door open and nothing but affirmation I made a drive of over 4,000 miles. Thank God I got a tune up first. I, Kiesha Hall, through faith, with love, and desperate hope, made the biggest leap of my life!!! More to come...