Disney World Trip 2024

I can finally say I have been to Disney!!! It only took (almost) 40-years, but I made it! Since it was a first for everyone in our family (my husband, son, and I) we decided to go all out. One of the big debates for my husband and I was when would be the most ideal time to take our son. We knew we would be spending a lot of time and money so we wanted to make sure we maximized all we could. First discussion was at what age to take him. We knew we wanted him to remember as much as possible, but still have it as "magical" for him as we could. So this year felt perfect because he was close to 8-years old. The second discussion was what time of year to plan our trip. We knew we didn't want to pull him out of school, we didn't want to go in the summer where the weather is hot and in hurricane season (rainy season), and so that just really left Thanksgiving and Christmas break. We ultimately chose Thanksgiving break because it is supposed to be not AS crowded as Christmas (still one of the busiest times to go though), but still have all the magic of Christmas. The last big discussion was which Disney Park did we want to go to. We were told by several people Disney World is not cheap and it was going to be a hard pill for Amos and I to swallow to spend that kind of money and stay in the country so we debated going to Tokyo Disneyland and knock two birds with one stone by going to a place that has been on our bucket list and going to Disney at the same time. We decided since it was our first time for all of us and our son has been out of the country only once (to Canada) that we didn't want anything to dampen his first experience and we might as well go to the biggest Disney park of them all in Orlando, Florida - Disney World! 

Hawaii Trip 2024

Amos and I got to experience Hawaii for the very first time this year; back in April/May. We were invited by a close couple who have a timeshare on the island of O'ahu. I was not aware, but Hawaii is comprised of several islands. We visited O'ahu, "The Heart of Hawaii," and the third largest Hawaiian island. We had great weather, the beaches were breathtaking, we saw a lot of the island, and even had a few great meals to celebrate our 9th wedding anniversary and our friend's birthday. Below I will share where we ate, stayed, and a basic itinerary; along with some of the photos I took!

Mardi Gras in New Orleans 2024

This year our family attended Mardi Gras in New Orleans for the first time and it did not disappoint. I was a little skeptical at first because as an adult you only hear about the wild and crazy Mardi Gras experience. Our experience was far from that; very family friendly and enjoyable. We did have the royal treatment in that we went with close family friends who are from New Orleans and go every year so they know the ropes really well. That being said we stayed in Uptown a few blocks to all the parades we went to listed below. This was key because we had little children with us so having a bathroom within walking distance was so nice. Our friends also have family/friends still in the area so we were able to experience some of the festivities kid free and other unique events; like a block party with a brass band and a disco denim contest. 

Round Top & Their Amazing Antiques Shows

I talk so many people's ears off about Round Top and if you love to shop, especially for home interiors, then this is definitely a place you want to check out. It has certainly made a name for itself the last ten years as an interior designers paradise bringing in designers from all over the country. Year round they have shops open, but there are three major Antique shows; one in the winter, spring, and fall, that bring in a plethora of vendors selling items from furniture, art, vintage pieces, jewelry, clothing, rugs, and so much more. 
I have gone multiple times during and not during the Antique shows since it is not a far drive from Houston. The last three years I have made a yearly trip up and would like to continue these yearly trips to discover new vendors and shops. 
Below are typical maps during the Antique shows with the layout of vendors; they do vary each year, but for the most part the same vendors return to the same places each year. 

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Fredericksburg, Texas Trip 2023: The New Napa Valley

Amos and I decided to take a semi impromptu weekend getaway to Fredericksburg, Texas. I say semi because even though it was relatively last minute trip we did book stuff in advantage that made it easier during our trip to experience more in a short period. Another planning tool that Amos and I started (and I highly recommended) is we made a sharable list in the Notes app on our iphones where we listed wineries we wanted to visits, restaurants we wanted to try, and other areas to visit and we added a check mark on places we had confirmed reservations. Our list got pretty long (at least for the wineries) and we couldn't fit it all in our three day weekend, but we saw our top priorities, know what we want to revisit, and all the places we still need to see. 

Amos and I have been to Fredericksburg a few times now, but it has been years and boy has it changed. We stayed again at one of the cabins at the back of Messina Hof and love it. The first time we stayed there you felt like you were in the middle of no where with nothing around you, now you are surrounded by new and upcoming wineries. On the subject of the number of wineries in Fredericksburg it is crazy now. Texas Monthly recently came out with an article saying its the new Napa Valley and we heard from other wineries that Fredericksburg is the second most visited wine destination in the country behind Napa. The main road that takes you into town now is just littered with wineries with new beautiful buildings, sprawling vineyards, and unique attractions that almost give you the feeling you aren't in Texas. We had so much fun and know that we want to make this a yearly trip and can't wait to try some new wineries and go back to some of our favorites.

Girls Trip to North Carolina 2022

Some of my closest girl friends (over 20 years) and I have kept the girl trips alive and thriving the last few years. I posted about our trip to Salem/Boston here, and how much we love the fall season. So true to form we planned another trip in the fall last year again and what better place to go than North Carolina. It was peak season to see all the ombre of fall colors and we were spoiled with great weather, good food, and beautiful scenery. 

Home Updates...It's Been A While

Hi all, it's been a while since I gave a house update and a lot has gone on. The exterior got an upgrade last year, it was such a good before and after you can see here.  This year we replaced the old front door with a new one, but kept the bungalow style. We also removed two trees on either side of the house, but kept the two large pecan trees in the back. The deck in the back has been torn down; it was so rotted at places we feared that one of us or our son would soon get injured. We need to level the house and once that step is complete we can built a new back deck. The plan is to extend the deck to the side of the house that is fenced in and maybe put french doors on the side. We love to entertain so this would really increase our exterior footprint and hosting space. An outdoor kitchen and pergola would be nice as well. Hopefully the last big exterior project for awhile would be a front fence as well so our dog Winston can enjoy the front as well. 

Exploring Marfa Texas

Amos and I finally got to stay and explore Marfa, Texas. Marfa has been on my radar for quite some time, but I could never find the time or justify the long drive out there. I got assigned some work in Odessa, Texas, which is about 2.5 hours away from Marfa. I thought I would take that opportunity and knock out two birds with one stone, which is what Amos and I ended up doing in the beginning of February. We also used this excuse as a Valentine's weekend getaway. 
We flew into Odessa on a Thursday, spent the day there for work, then drove out in the afternoon and arrived in Marfa around 5 pm. We checked into our digs and drove straight out to the Prada Marfa store art installation. It is about an hour outside of Marfa in Valentine, TX. Over the next few days we ate and saw a lot and headed out early on Sunday to catch our flight out of Odessa. Below is where we stayed, where we ate and drank, and what we saw during our time. Most places are closed Monday-Wednesday so if you are going to visit I would go during the times we did Thursday-Sunday. Another fun activity that Amos and I did just happened to fall on the weekend we went; the small town Valentine had a Valentine's Day get-together for everyone, where we saw all the locals gather for live music, food, and company of friends all under the night sky. It was magical and such a unique experience I will never forget. I hope you enjoy the recommendations and pictures. As always you can follow my instagram for daily updates on travels, home, or cool finds #ashleyryantravels 

Mexico City Trip 2021

I love to take time off the last week of the year to give myself a break and a fresh start to the new year. I am crazy busy with work at the beginning of the year so it is nice to have that small break before it all starts back up.  We have taken trips during this time on several occasions and always have a blast so when we saw a deal we couldn't pass it up to Mexico City my husband and I booked it right away. Other than purchasing the hotel and plane tickets I can take no other credit for the excursions or restaurant reservations, my husband planned all of it and did an amazing job. I will do a small breakdown of our travel itinerary; we arrived on a Monday and left on a Saturday so had six days (really five when you exclude travel times) to explore the city. We did a lot of tourist things, but I am glad we did them and would recommend these tours and excursions especially if it is your first time visiting. #ashleyryantravels

Girls Trip to Salem/Boston 2021

One of my closest friends, someone I have known since early childhood, and I have a common love for the fall season; something we don't really have in Texas. So it came as no surprise when she called me up a few months ago to discuss a potential trip to Massachusetts in peak season, October. I said yes immediately and we quickly started to plan our five day weekend getaway. This was my third time visiting Boston and second time to see Salem; however, each time were in off seasons in January where it was very cold and not everything was open. 

We decided to stay in Marblehead at The Hotel Marblehead really close to Salem and under an hour drive from Boston. We both did some reading and prep-work before hand on what to expect during one of the busiest times in Boston/Salem. Items included car rentals, limited parking, expected delays getting in and out of Salem during peak times, and reservations. We saw a lot and got to do to almost everything on our to-do lists. I'll share some of the attractions we saw during our trip and some tips on planning and potential issues to avoid. 

Maine Trip 2021 - Exploring Maine

We spent several days exploring surrounding areas and doing very "Maine" things. We went to East Quoddy Lighthouse, which sits at the furthest eastern point in the United Stated. We went to a local bay area to get some fresh lobsters for dinner. Visited a cute town called Lubec, which is right below the Canadian border, and yes we happened to find another brewery haha. Hopefully next year we can cross the bridge over to Canada, I have never been. Our trip was so good and I can't wait to go back. See my other two post here and here.