It's definitely hard to have family scattered across the country, but it just makes the reunions that much sweeter. Too much time had gone by since we'd seen our family friends in Texas, so my brother and I caught a flight out to the lone star state for BBQ and cups of queso.

Here's the crew circa 2000ish? Sadly Jordan couldn't make this trip (but you'll see lots of her on my next adventure in a couple weeks...)

With temps hovering around 100 degrees, we needed to fill our time with water activities. First up: kayaking on Lady Bird Lake.

I opted for some paddleboarding practice.

After roasting ourselves in the sun, we drove out to Salt Lick to chow down on some roasted meats.

I devoured the pork ribs, sausage, potato salad, and coleslaw. Hey, there were some leftovers! And we shared a half and half blueberry and peach cobbler a la mode. *drools*

Continuing with our theme, we headed to the Comal River to float and relax. Kelsey and Meredith both went to nearby Texas State, so this is a regular activity for them.

There's a whole operation down here with multiple sites that rent out tubes or inflate ones you already own. They'll hold onto your car keys (VERY IMPORTANT) and pick you up in a big truck at the end to take you back. Shout out to the groups who have a separate mini float for their cooler.

There are 3 little chutes that funnel you through the river. I love Kelsey's serious 'arms up, ready to go' attitude in that shot haha.

She pointed out (again) that my feet look like chicken tenders haha... I mean she's not completely wrong. Anyone else think so?

Minus getting caught in a couple of whirl pools after the cutes, it's an easy ride all the way down.

On our last full day we decided to spend some time in downtown Austin. South Congress Street is where the must-sees are. Including Big Top Candy Shop.

After filling up on the good stuff, we went down the block to Allens Boots.

These bad boys were about $1,200 - so they did not come home. Kelsey and Meredith filled me in on the boot facts. These are all "real" ones, hence the price tag. Yes, the leather is real, but the bottom soles aren't made of rubber like a lot of other pairs. These are lined in leather on the bottom so you have a smoother slide on the dance floor. As in line dancing.

By this point the sweat was dripping in multiple places. We needed a pit stop.

Same photo - 2 years earlier... It's become a tradition.

We drove to 4 different stores looking for cans of spray paint before striking gold at a Sherman Williams. But it was worth it to be able to contribute to the Hope Outdoor Gallery.

This place was meant to be a temporary installation, but people can't get enough of it. Ourselves included.

A bunch of American psychos.

We left our marks. It was a fun way to kill time before the BATS. Thank you for sharing this gem, Kelsey:

From March to November every year, bats nest beneath the South Congress Bridge. And it's a really big deal to watch them take flight for their evening hunt! Crowds gather on the bridge and underneath to see them swarm off. We wanted part of the action.

This was seriously cool. I love those moments that make everyone stop and pause to come together and witness something special.

As always, it's never easy to say goodbye. I really really love Austin - it's such a cool town, and I'll have to make a repeat trip next year.

It was back to New York for me and back to school for Josh. (junior year!) Thank you Daubner girls for showing us around your town! I've got a little trip coming up, so be sure to check back in a couple weeks for more fun :)