How much fun is the word “holiday” instead of vacation?!?  Sometimes the American English language is just not as fun…so I have now decided to incorporate “holiday” into the vocabulary, this one being courtesy of the Brits.

This spring break we took a pretty epic Hornberger trip.  Road trips are life for us.  And we do not ever shy away from a long drive to get to an incredible destination.  Some things went our way, and some things not so much.  But all in all it was an incredible trip, with incredible views, incredible friends and now incredible memories that I hold so dear.

This time around I decided to lug around my big camera.  And boy am I so thankful that I did.  I took pictures and looked through my lens again like I did when I fist picked my camera up.  It was LIBERATING.

I am even working through the images to put together an actual printed book.  No more hard drive images stored on a machine.  A book that tells a story…a story about us.

So many have asked about our travels, so I thought I would put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and tell all the fun details, in case you and your adorable family might be able to make the trek someday too. It is always nice to lean on someone else’s wisdom and thoughts.

So here it goes…Spring Break 2016 for the Hornbergers.

I hope you can enjoy…and if not, at least I now know how I would tell the story…through pictures…and very few words, of course…

The first phase of our trip was a trek from sweet Friendswood to Big Bend, TX.  Only a 9 hour drive…no biggie.

We got there right after dusk and threw together camp, cooked some foil packs on the grill and hit the sack…MAJORLY bundled up for the windy night in our tents.  We stayed in the Chisos Basin campgrounds, which I could just sit in awe and stare at all day long…mountains all around you…its completely magical…this was the drive into the campsite, in all of God’s majesty:

(Word to the wise…no camp fires…bring lots of extra blankets…maybe even warm up a huge rock over the fire and throw it in the sleeping bag for extra warmth, courtsey idea of Sandra and Jason)

The next morning we made some amazing breakfast (campfire breakfasts are BEYOND the BEST), and drove from our campsite to the Santa Elena Canyon Trail.  The drive from camp to the trail was BEAUTIFUL and the hike did not, AT ALL, dissapoint.

LOADS of amazing time holding hands, talking, exploring and eating our sack lunches along the river bed between Texas and Mexico.

Literally…Mexico just on the other side.

After that we drove back to our campsite and walked to famous “The Window” trailhead.

There we took a hike into the forest and out the other side up to “window” on the edge of the world that overlooks Texas, Mexico and what seems like beyond.

Beautiful, stunning, breathtaking…does not even describe it.

That night we made another amazing camp dinner and God did his thing…and showed off, with sunsets so magical and night skies so majestic.

And to say that we were thankful is an insane understatement, being that the weather all week was predicting HORRIBLE rainfall and freezing temps.  But God is good…and to Him be all this glory in just a simple ask of Him to clear the skies only for the simple fact that I know He can, and I know He loves us so much, and sometimes all we really have to do is ask it of Him.

The next day we packed up camp, 11AM check out, and made our way to Marfa, TX…by way of ghost towns and beautiful countryside.

Lajitas = beautiful drive…take the longer scenic route through Big Bed State Park…It is so worth it.

Terlingua…and the fun ghost town.  Not much to see, but a stop one should make…

We found our way to the flatlands of Marfa and settled into our adorable AirB&B rental right across the street from the famous Hotel Paisano.

Here we enjoyed some major relaxation, and exploring the teeny-tiny town of Marfa, TX.

The Get Go…the adorable tiny “whole-foods”-like grocer with mini-prosecco, to-go Ben & Jerry’s and most of the things one would need to make meals while in town.

So…Marfa has art museums…which we did not ever have time to explore.

We did have time to make reservations at Hotel Paisano and enjoy a meal at their restaurant “Jett’s”.  The hotel is beautiful, one could just sit and relax in their stunning lobby…it also has some adorable little shops to browse through just off the lobby.

We also happened to be in town for a flea market and shopped some local vendors of jewlery, beauty products and clothing around the corner from The Get Go.

A MUST: one of the nights we were there we drove about an hour to Ft. Davis and did a star party at the McDonald Observatory.  This is a HAVE TO…and a WE WILL DO AGAIN.  Stars beyond your imagination with a tour of the sky given by one of the scientists with a giant lazer pointer.  They then set up telescopes to view different planets, the moon and even nebulas….how could one see that and not believe in an incredibly creative creator?!?

And honestly…can one now go to the area of Marfa and not take a little 45 minute drive out to Valentine, TX and the home of Marfa art?

Yes, literally, in the middle of nowhere, this is art.

Marfa…you were good to us.  Thank you for letting us stay in your quiet little peaceful world.

And, since we were so far West…why not keep driving?!?  So to Colorado we went.  The home we rented was in Aspen…and unfortunetly all the passes were closed…so we ended up hunkering down in Colorado Springs, which is NEVER a bad idea.

We hiked through the snow, explored mountainsides, almost got stuck in an unexpected snow storm in our 2 wheel drive car & got to see great friends who live in the area that we never would have seen if we had not stayed there.

Side note: if you make it to Idaho Springs, CO ever…EAT AT BEAUJO’S!  That’s all I need to say.

Absolutely incredible trip.  We learned more of what works for us as a family and traveling together.  We loved having our amazing “4th son” along with us, Christian.  We crammed as much as we could into the time that we had and we are all the more rich in memories because of it.  Thankful for the safety, the locations of His creation, the means to be able to make it all happen and the time spent with our family growing and striving to make men out of boys and a family who Seeks the Lord.