Montalvo Travel Blog: October 2014

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Lakehouse: Texas: Zach + Anna Wedding and Austin

Texas: Zach + Anna Wedding

We took another BIIIIG Texas Trip in the fall, about two weeks long. Still not enough time to fit in everything! A week in Dallas and a week in Austin.

Ginger was so happy to see Jenna, who drove down from Jacksboro for a couple hours. She is driving trucks in the oil fields to save money for grad school.

We had dinner with Michelle and met her baby, Evelyn.

Nancy and Evelyn had similarily colored outfits. Michelle's friend made her some tutu's- since no pink is Michelle's rule, they came in blue, black, and purple.

Ginger spent a day with Nathaniel at the Perot Museum of History and Science

Nathaniel continues working as an electrical engineer in Ft. Worth while he pursues a Master's degree (and makes friends with ancient wolves)

Lots of our Dallas time was spent preparing for Zach's wedding. Mandy made butter-flavored cream cheese mints.

Uncle Don is the proud father of the groom. He got a lung transplant over a year ago. We are so glad he is breathing well now.

Anna, bride-to-be, invited Ginger and Mandy to her henna-themed bacholorette party. She is an ASL translator and just finished her internship in Texas after getting her degree from home in Indiana.

Ginger got an octopus henna tattoo. These were drawn by the talented Morgan.

Mandy and Ginger felt like they were marrying off their little brother. (Anna said they helped him avoid "only child syndrome.")

Sharon, Bill and Bid

Bobbi was emotional walking down the aisle with her son, and Anna was beautiful in a re-interpretation of her grandmother's dress.

The ceremony was in sign-language, with a translator for the hearing. Zach and Anna attend a deaf church. Waving/fluttering hands in the air is the correct method of deaf applause.

After the newlyweds headed out, Bid hosted a "cousins party," and we got to meet some relatives.

Austin Texas Visit

Ron, Nancy and Bid drove us half-way to Austin to hand us over to Rene and Honey. Our families haven't seen each other since our wedding, over five years!

We took at tour at the Dr. Pepper Museum in Waco Texas.

Our favorite part was the recently excavated well. Its water was once used in the bottling process. After it was sealed up, employees dropped bottles down it for years.

In Austin, we got to meet our new baby nephew, Henry.

All the Austin clan are moving- the Dehlers are in their new home, Montalvos are shopping, and Wendls are under construction:

Finley led the tour at each of the sample homes we toured-

She was a big fan of the garden path in one beautiful backyard.

We watched Bailey play the tuba at his band concert.

We got to enjoy the fantastic Austin Tour of Homes

An exciting night at the video game parlor

Sohpie invents a new fashion statement with her winning tickets

Making Halloween cookies is a favorite Montalvo tradition. This may be the first time we got to do it with the whole clan.

While looking for the their own home, Honey and Rene are living upstairs at the Dehler's house. They pulled a slideshow out of storage to look at some wonderful childhood pictures.