"Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city." ~George Burns

I consider myself lucky to have had the privilege of knowing my four grandparents, three of my great grandparents, and even some great great uncles. I really do mean I knew them - I have actual memories growing up that include them:

- My Great Great Uncle Harry let me help him catch a water snake on the pier once.

- I dropped a cup with chicken pot pie in it while I was walking under the bay house, and my Great Granddaddy said, "Don't worry. The dogs will eat it. We don't have to tell anyone."

- My Great Grandmother talked about her dog Snoopy, the summer I found him, and the orange beach pale I carried him around in, until she was 100.

When I go back to Waller, TX, I do two things. I stay at my Grandpa's house, even when there's room at another, and I visit my Great Aunt Nina Lou. It's pretty easy to do too because they only live a couple of blocks from each other. In fact, a majority of my family lives within a six block radius of each other - aunts, uncles, cousins, second cousins, third cousins, grandparents...get the picture?

Seriously, if you have old people in your life, hang out with them.

I actually grew up for 10 years in Waco, TX, with most of my Dad's side of the family. There were eight cousins. We rode go-karts, horses, and trailers. We went swimming at Aunt Karen and Uncle Tony's. We always ate sugar toast at Aunt Alisa's. We played fun games like Jail, and let's not forget Guns. Guns, is pretty much what it sounds like - make a gun with your hand, and shoot at each other (please refer back to, I grew up in Texas).

The historic Waco Suspension Bridge built in 1870. Once part of the Chisholm Trail.

We all moved around over the years, and slowly spread apart. My family moved to Clifton when I was ten. Clifton had a whopping 3,000 people, and was the only city in Bosque County with a stoplight at the time. In middle school, you went to the Cliftex on Friday/Saturday nights depending on football season. In high school, you drove the drag, hung out at friend's, or at this place aptly dubbed, "The Place."

True story about my middle school days. The Bosque County Conservatory of Fine Arts never locked their windows, so Candice Harmon and I would sneak into the building when it was locked and play on the gymnastic equipment. Yeah, that was probably illegal - I bet they have an actual alarm system now. Before I admit to any other shenanigans, we should get back to Waller.

There are the Krufts and the McCaigs. My Nana was both. The best desciption of my family was from my college roommate, April. We're basically an African Tribe: you have a patriarch/matriarch, multiple parental figures, and a whole lot of siblings even though they aren't biological direct family members. Here are the Krufts, as of October 2014 (missing Andy):

All the kids in this photo are first and third cousins, or you can use that once removed reference.

My Dad says he always knew I wouldn't stay in Texas. When I was getting ready to leave for the first time with Americorps NCCC, my Aunt said, "Why would you leave Texas? Your family is here." She was and is right, but she was also one of two Aunts that signed a farewell card with the George Burns quote on it. Leaving Texas was one of the most difficult things I ever did, and one of the best. It is my family that unknowingly encouraged me to start this blog.

More often than not, one of my family members will say something along the lines of living vicariously through me and my adventures. Don't get me wrong, I love my adventures, but they can also come with great sacrifice. I can't walk across the street, and have Saturday morning coffee with my Mom, even though I don't like her coffee. I can't go to breakfast at the Shell station with Grandpa and his buddies. I can't be there at the drop of a hat when we face a crisis.

What I can do, is keep living my adventures, even if they are small to me because they are big to someone else. My most recent was a winter summit of Mt. Bierstadt (14,060). 10 miles in the snow (round trip). 5ish AM departure. About 3.5 hours alone on the trail. 6 hours to summit. Second longest stay on summit due to great weather. Some fun summit photos. A good handful of laughs. A post hike tailgate in the parking lot, and my favorite, a post hike bacon cheese burger.

Sunrise over Bierstadt. This is shortly before I see my first other person of the day.

Looking back over the willows. They call the early morning sun, the Golden Light

Final approach to the summit. Taken by my favorite climbing partner, Nicole.

The Summiteers. Front: Tony; Back from left: Gray, Ryan, Me, Teddy, Nicole, Taylor, Ben, and Paige