So even though my kids had already started school, we zipped off for a quick weekend wedding in Texas. Sad we didn't have more time to stay and play with cousins.
These kids are getting to be pros at entertaining themselves on airplanes.
Would you have expected anything less in Texas? Of course our hotel had make-your-own waffles- Texas shaped!
We had a free morning (since we weren't in the wedding party) so we went to do an activity I have had on my bucket list for my kids for the past 9 years. When Ethan was 8 months old we spent Christmas with Taylor's family touring the state of Texas. One morning with nothing to do (while all the boys were golfing), Barbara and Sonia and Ethan and I picked up a random flyer at our hotel and decided to try out a "Texas Safari". Turned out to be the best thing ever! Too bad Ethan was too young to remember. So I've been determined to do another safari when my kids got older and this was the perfect opportunity.
What is a "Texas Safari" you ask? Why it's like driving through Africa in your mini-van while still in Texas. Seriously. There's a huge ranch with African animals just roaming and you just drive through and feed them. When we arrived we were informed that we should keep the sliding mini-van doors open the whole drive instead of just the windows because on the back sliding doors, the glass doesn't fully go down (for child safety) and in the past they've had problems with the buffalo sticking their heads in for food and then accidentally ripping the glass out on the way back out. Oops! So we left the doors wide open and off we went.
Seriously. Wide open doors.
We were also warned to keep our feed bags hidden or some of the animals would snatch them away. Observe: suspect #1
Isaac practically hanging out the door he's so excited to feed the cute little ostriches.
Ok so you can see why I'm distracted taking pictures and I may have forgotten to not leave my food bag sitting on my lap.
And there it goes! Good shot. Bye-bye food back.
Luckily we had like 10 more. So this is the scene. You drive very slowly down the dirt road and the animals just congregate at one car and then the next and as soon as you start moving ahead you see another group.
Isla was completely freaked out. Like shrieking the whole time. So Taylor let her sit with him and since we were going less than 1 mile an hour I didn't object.
She was excited about the "cute widdle ones".
But not the scary big ones. See her little blond head laying as far over in the seat as she can get.
It was a little unnerving to have hundreds of different animals coming up and sometimes sticking their heads into the car or through the window to get your food.
It was the best 2 hours.
Ok that guys a little scary.
Milo certainly thinks so. He's in my lap but as far from the window as he can get.
Taylor and I literally spent the entire two hours laughing our heads off. The kids would get so excited as animals would start running to our car "ostrich at 3:00" and such. And then if anything big got near them they'd freak out and dive screaming into the back of the car.
Isla does not like the zebra's head in her car.
She does like the camel because it's so far away.
One funny result of the kids shrieking and diving into the back of the car was that they'd drop food pellets in the process and this of course was tempting to the animals with longer necks. Like this lovely guy who didn't climb into the car but didn't really need to in order to pick up all the food around the car. Cue the shrieking children in the back as he repeatedly sticks his head in towards them.
Ahh here's the reason for the open mini van doors.
Oops we may have dropped some more pellets.
Ok so this time it was on purpose. It's fun to make your siblings scream.
As soon as the buffalo showed up Isla was done. Didn't trust even Daddy to protect her anymore so off to the safety of the bak seat and Isaac she went.
Sadly all good things have to end and so did our drive through safari. Luckily there was also a whole petting zoo area.
We're a little afraid of the baby goats.
Ok now we love the cute little goats.
And making the parrot repeat stupid things is about the best entertainment ever! Best morning ever!!!
Oops and Sunday morning got lumped in this post too apparently. With no specific plans the Real Estate Development brothers got talking and decided they wanted to check out this city park built over an overpass bridge in downtown Dallas. Free games you can check out everywhere.
Unfortunately it was 100 plus full Texas humidity so in the end we didn't stay too long.
