texas / new mexico / arizona

texas:

fort worth at night

 dealey plaza. hello JFK!

 

brownwood (allison's college hometown)

beginning the drive to albuquerque before the sun rises ...here we go west texas!

we stopped at allison's cousin's restaurant in plainview, texas for some delicious mexican food!

we did go to new mexico. no pictures to document that trip, but we stayed at a nice home through air b&b and then headed to the grand canyon!

it was breathtaking. i don't think there's any more words needed to describe it. 

trekkin' through the south

and the journey continues!

places i can cross off my list (well, sort of -- certainly not enough time spent in all these beautiful places!)

*nashville, tn

*searcy, ar

mom and i checked out the grand ol' opry hotel in nashville

 crossing the mississippi river en route to arkansas!!!

 crafting it up in searcy, arkansas with our dear friends the grimes!!

 katie and i made earrings holders, candle holders and picture frames

now i'm in dallas, texas and off for the second leg of the journey with my friend allison.

i've been slacking on the words part of this blog -- trust me, there will be plenty to come. thanks for reading and following my adventures!!

from the east coast to the south

we are on the road!!!

places we've been to so far:

(1) cape cod: hyannis and chatham

(2) richmond, virginia

(3) asheville, north carolina

 [en route to chatham, ma]

virginia!

we visited hollywood cemetery with my aunt. here is jefferson davis: 

 it was a beautiful cemetery..

richmond, virginia

 this is what the front of the car looks like. thank you mcdonalds

 asheville, north carolina!

delicious dinner complete with biscuits and honey AND a selection of southern specialties: grits, beans, fried okra, and swiss chard - delicious! mom got bbq pork egg rolls and tomato soup :)

 the vanderbilt's mansion in asheville: the biltmore (quite enormous)

 the gardens

and that's it for now! we're in tennessee and off to arkansas!

in NYC

baker clan (party of 5)

+ grandpa

+ pouring rain

+ crumpled city maps

+ bus tour with dave as our guide

+ a bazillion gagillion people roaming the city streets

=

NYC MAYHEM

we had an awesome time in the city, but it was ca-razy. 

 ready for the adventure. notice who is seatbelted?? oh dad...

 waiting for our boat tour...ponchos & rain jackets were a must

 statue of liberty!

 walking down wall street

 the stock exchange. kels may frame this one for her business professors

 9/11 Memorial: this was really cool, but unfortunately the museum was closed for construction ...we'll have to come back to check that out. 

 TIMES SQUARE

this place practically set me over the edge (so many people + being hungry + not knowing where we were going = not my cup o' tea) BUT it was pretty cool and when your grandfather who is about 4x your age is not complaining throughout the ENTIRE day, you know you have to keep a positive attitude!!

 next time we'll get libs to a broadway show!

all in all, the trip was really fun and we enjoyed seeing a different city, taking the metro around town, and seeing a place that is so often filmed and talked about, but so foreign to west coasters! 

visitors!!

the baker boys treated me this month with visits -- my dad came for a few days two weeks ago and my uncle came last weekend.

 i have learned a bit over the years about being a tour guide and like to take visitors to the "hot spots" :)

dad and i drove around the essex/ipswich area and since my uncle was here longer, we did everything from boston to seeing the minute men to eating the most heavenly coconut-crusted-haddock in gloucester.

 [lexington, ma]

don't i live in such a BEAUTIFUL area??

 fenway park!!

my baseball knowledge is limited (that is giving myself more credit than i deserve). one of my most embarrassing moments in 9th grade refers to my complete ignorance of this game. 

BUT

i love fenway and it makes me want to understand baseball better! (add that to the bucket list!)

i've only been to two games, but it is such a unique atmosphere and even by taking the T in to Kenmore Station, you are absorbed into Boston pride with everyone wearing their Sox attire. it's just a fun place to be

the game was going well...

and then it got really cold.

but we still had a blast :)

i was so blessed by their visits and love showing people my east coast home!