Two Nights in Cowtown

While on our "Tour de Texas" earlier this month, Chad and I had a chance to have a couple of days to ourselves- no kids. It was great! But what to do, what to do. Though it was tempting to go someplace we had never been, we both just felt wiped out from the last few months (of moving to a new house, Chad traveling with work and both of us being so busy all the time) and planning a trip was just too much. And we were also already tired of being in the car, having already driven about 700 miles on our trip. We decided all we really wanted was to sleep late and eat in restaurants without having to consider their kid's menu choices. (Further evidence that I am getting old.) So we stayed in my home town, Fort Worth, and acted like tourists by going to touristy locations and also getting slightly lost.
First the food, for those of you who know of these places: we had dinner at Italian Inn (so-so), lunch at Pappas Burgers (yum), afternoon treats at Avoca Coffee, a picnic from Central Market, and breakfast from Old Neighborhood Grill (if you are in FW and haven't been there, you need to go there and order bacon).  

Chad enjoys the last burger of his 30's.

We attended one of the "Concerts in the Garden" at the Botanic Gardens. We enjoyed the music (songs from Woodstock, with orchestral accompaniment!) and, although it's a family friendly event, we really liked being there by ourselves. So much more relaxing! 
The next day we went to the Fort Worth Stockyards. I had not been there since middle school. Really all there is to do there is be touristy or be intoxicated, and since I generally don't like being either, I have avoided that area for years. But it went along with our theme of hometown tourists so off we went.

Chad made a new cowboy buddy.

And I met John Wayne.

I like that many of the old buildings in Fort Worth still look nice.

I felt very Texan drinking my Dublin Dr. Pepper in the Stockyards.

We walked around and checked out some of the shops, took a few pictures, giggled as we walked behind some very obviously German tourists, and stayed for the daily cattle drive. It was short but you got the idea- cowboys, longhorn cattle, and cow patties.

Click on the picture and check out those horns!

Thanks so much to my mom and stepdad for keeping the girls! They had so much fun and I don't think they really even noticed we were gone. Two days away was just what we needed. As for my Texas sweetie.... 

Chad, I will love you until the cows come home. :0)