Girls trips are pretty much the best thing ever. My two best friends and I have made it a point to do an annual trip together since the three of us live so far apart now. This year we decided it would be easiest to just meet up in a central location to all of us. So what do you do when the town that is exactly a 5.5 hour drive from Dallas, Houston, and Artesia, NM is a tiny town with a population of 422 people called Christoval? Well, when you're in the company of awesomeness, lots of awesomeness happens.
For starters, you book your stay in a charming little cottage like this one that even has a white picket fence.
Hello gorgeous kitchen.
And hello cozy living room.
Sleep in here? Oh sure, I suppose I can live with that.
Two words: rain. shower.
Cutest little bathroom I have ever had the privilege of peeing in.
If you need to break away from life inside the cottage, this lovely little back porch is an excellent place to drink your morning coffee and/or evening wine.
You may even be lucky enough to see the hummingbirds
Looking at the stars at night through the telescope may or may not be successful but you will still have a good time in the process. Because stars and friends are such a good combination.
At some point you will have to drag yourself away from the cottage and explore a few different places in town. If you're hungry in Christoval, TX and aren't in the mood to cook just yet, you have one restaurant option. A tasty hole in the wall Tex-Mex joint called Hidalgo's with the tiniest little kitchen that brings out some pretty good food.
And their decorating skills are on par. 'Merica y'all.
Other food options are just a short 15 minute drive to San Angelo. Like this gem called The Pearl.
But more importantly, make sure you have awesome company to eat the delicious food and drink the delicious drinks with. Lots of laughing is surely to occur.
When you're in the mood for something a little lighter, the Christoval Winery is a beautiful place to unwind with a cheese plate and some fermented grape juice.
Of course there will be times that you forego the restaurants so that you can make use of the great little kitchen in the cottage. In that case, I suggest going to the local gas station market and picking up a $2.00 box of gluten-free cake mix. And then take a group selfie. Because documentation. Duh. And when the cake is done and you realize you don't have any frosting, you lather the top of that sucker with some good ol' butter. Because it's delicious. Also feel free to let your friends talk you into getting the $2.00 box of hair color and then let them color your hair from a box while the cake is in the oven - even if no pictures get taken of this event. Note: more laughing will probably occur.
Another thing to do in Christoval that doesn't include food is going to the nearby Concho River and climbing a tree with your girlfriends for the first time since you were 11 years old and then taking another group selfie from said tree that doesn't even end up showing how high up you actually are. Again, be aware of the laughing that will come with this event.
Oh, and then you go to this tree that has the rope swing and you swing yourself into the river. Screaming may or may not accompany the swing the first time you go. It's ok. Just go with it. Afterwards, you will be laughing again.
When you've had your share of river time, you book a horseback trail ride from some of the nicest and most laid-back ranch owners in the history of ranch owning.
When you're ride is over, you may get invited to see some of the other animals. When you encounter four-horned sheep, don't forget the picture documentation.
One of the best things you can do when in Christoval, TX, is to drive to San Angelo to get swimmers ear stuff for one of your friends who may or may not have done a half flip into the river earlier and landed wrong. When you make this trip to Target, I suggest not going straight to the isle that has the needed supplies. Instead, go to the sunglasses section and try on 80 different pairs. And remember - documentation. And laughing.
But the sunglasses section should not come before watching your 2 friends completely raid the dollar section of every single teacher related item with a kind of joy that can only happen when inside of a Target store. Look at that cart! What did we come here for again? Oh yeah, just some ear cleaning stuff. Insert more laughing. And I don't mean the light giggling type of laughing. I mean the kind of laughing that makes you look ugly from not being able to stop and leaves you with tears in your eyes and a new set of 6-pack abs.
Ok, I think we're ready to check out. Oh wait! Look! The little bottles of water on sale!! Let's grab 2 of them!!!!!
We may or may not have stayed past closing time and been the very last people to exit Target before the employees. I would also like to note that I, Cassi Chaney, bought 0 items that night. Everything in that cart belonged to those 2 awesome and hilarious ladies in the picture. Bless them. I love them so.
It's highly encouraged to do your Yelping while grabbing a late night ice cream treat from Sonic.
And when you finally make it back to the cottage just to discover that the ear cleaning stuff you bought at Target wasn't the right stuff and you need something different but Target is now closed, don't fret. Wal-Mart is still open. And when you make the drive all the way back to San Angelo just to get some more ear cleaning stuff and you're SURE that so much crap was bought at Target that you will for sure just go to the pharmacy section, get what you need, and leave... but that theory goes completely out the window because of course there is more stuff to be bought... and then you finally check out again and your girlfriends think it's weird that you haven't bought anything yourself so they ask you if you want something... when that happens... it's ok to completely lose it and drop to the floor in hysterical, uncontrollable laughter. Because friends that can bring that kind of joy into your life are the best kind in the entire world. They just are.
If for some very odd reason, you just haven't laughed enough, put on some fake mustaches and watch the awesomeness unravel. Don't forget documentation. And to vote for Pedro.
Turns out, there is a lot of awesomeness that can occur in the small town of Christoval, TX. But the most important ingredient is making the trip with good company. I will never ever forget the realness and the genuine laughter and conversation that comes with the company of my 2 favorite women in the whole world. Thank you Jennie and Laura for being an example of true friendship and even just womanhood. My world is a better place with you 2 in it and I hope you know how much I treasure our limited time together. This was the most amazing girls trip ever and I absolutely cannot wait for next year's trip with more #laughytaffytime! I love you girls BIG.
-Cassi
