Cadillac Ranch

On the way home, we stopped in Amarillo, Texas for the night.

Amarillo is home to the Cadillac Ranch.

The Cadillac Ranch, located along the tatters of historic Route 66, was built in 1974, brainchild of Stanley Marsh 3, the helium millionaire who owns the dusty wheat field where it stands. Marsh and The Ant Farm, a San Francisco art collective, assembled used Cadillacs representing the "Golden Age" of American Automobiles (1949 through 1963). The ten graffiti-covered cars are half-buried, nose-down, facing west "at the same angle as the Cheops' pyramids." Roadside America

So of course we had to stop and see the 10 infamous Cadillacs buried nose first into the ground! 

The kids even found some spray paint and left their marks.

Mark was more interested in playing with his backhoe in the dirt...

Estefan thought it was the coolest thing ever!

When we got back home he told Grandma Shirley that the cars were his favorite thing about the trip. 

And I quote, 

Estefan, "There were these cars and they were stuck in the ground. And you could paint them and do whatever you want and not get in trouble!"

We did give the kids a graffiti talk... "its only ok to paint cars here, ok kids!"

Dustin gave it two thumbs up!

Its a must see for any Texas traveler!!

Fort Worth Stock Yards

The next day we dared the Texas freeway again, only went the wrong way on a one way street once and made is safe and sound to the Fort Worth Stock Yards.

The first thing we did, er Estefan did was go through this huge maze! Its called the Cowtown Cattlepen Maze. It was really, really big (Texas sized, if you will) and was featured on one of the Amazing Race episodes. There was a look out tower that we stood up on and watch our little mouse run through the alley ways.

He made pretty good time through it and even got a prize at the end!

Then Dustin and Mark got put in jail...

but Cowgirl Allie was there to break em out!!

Mark said giddy-up and then laughed because well, the horse is fake. He looked over at me and said "Silly horsey, mommy." 

The boys with the Longhorn Cadillac 

Next we visited the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame

Here is the fam with Grandpa Willie Nelson

Me with my girl Charmayne James

Please don't mind the no make up face. I had sweated everything off my this time!  Oh that humidity!!!

Among the cowboys in the Hall of Fame were, Don Gay, Lane Frost, Trevor Brazile, Nolan Ryan, Tommy Lee Jones and many more!

Some local cowboys...

The Cowboy Museum has one of the largest collects on wagons in America. Who knew?!

Along the street outside there are all these stars called the Texas Trail of Fame. Way cooler than the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Allie and I found Annie Oakley!

Dustin and Allie by the the Bill Pickett statue.
Pickett was the first Bulldogger and the "Greatest Cowboy" of his day.

I made Dustin and the kids stand in the middle of the road to get this picture. But it was worth it because no one died!!

We cruised all the shops along the road and got some souvenirs. But one shop stuck out to me more than the others.. the Knife Alley. 

Inside the tiny but long alleyway of knifes, hanging on the ceiling was a mile long snake skin! 

The kid working there didn't talk much so I'm going to pretend the owner killed the snake and skinned it with one of his many awesome knifes on display inside. 

Just my theory...

Then came the moment we had all been waiting for! The cattle drive. 

Living on a farm, the kids were highly unimpressed.. but it was all part of the fun! 

They run the cattle down the street twice a day, so the steers are super tame. 

I swear the were walking in step. Maybe the lead steer was marking time.

Papa Jack and Bud

Allie kept saying, "Howdy partner" to everyone who walked by!

Then we paid 50 cents to ride some more horses

and a wagon!

Then we played rodeo clown, Allie threw a fit and it was time to go!!

Another great day in Texas!!

The Big "D"

Dallas!

On our first day in Dallas we discovered the joys of the highway/freeway system. 

To put it nicely, it is insane!!

The kids kept asking if we were on a roller coaster ride? 

Luckily, we had our GPS, Caroline, to guide us along the way. 

Story time: I gave the GPS a British accent (because that makes traveling more fun) and so she has a sort of snooty like voice as she directs us where to go. Dustin gave her the name Caroline as in Caroline Bingly from Pride and Prejudice. Every time she'd tell us to "exit right and keep left" or "stay left while going right" I'd say "Charles, you can't be serious." Then Dustin would laugh and it made the insanity bearable!!

After missing the exit and jumping the median we made it to our destination.

In Pioneer Plaza in downtown Dallas, the world's largest bronze sculpture of its kind depicts a cattle drive of 3 cowboys and 50 steers. Each piece was created by artist Robert Summers of Glen Rose, TX. The sculpture is on the site of the Shawnee Trail, which was a popular cattle drive trail in the 1850s.

Estefan liked to swing from long horn to long horn!

Mark and the cattle

Moooooooooo

Grandpa Jack told Allie that this was Grandpa Stan. She looked at it for a minute and said,

"No Grandpa, he doesn't have a mustache. Papa Stan has a mustache."

Too funny!

It was very neat! I'm glad we got to check it out. A cattle drive right in the middle of town!!

Next we headed to the Dallas Zoo!

This is when we really started to feel the nice Southern humidity.

Allie asked if she could take an elephant home for her pet. She named it Allie Jean Nelson, how original. :)

The Giraffes

Taking a tour on the tram!

Visiting the monkey house. 

There was supposed to be a cute little baby monkey in this picture but I guess he climb right out of the shot!

Grandma and Bud making friends with the locals!

OO-Oo-AH-ah

Dad getting eaten by Estefan's pet crocodile!!

Giant Turtles

This guy wasn't really into much but the mud.

Allie and a python!

Since we didn't have the chance to meet up with Chase and Meliss we decided to go visit the next best thing!

The gaters from the Bayou!

Then we headed to the reptile house and saw this big lizard thing and a giant snake eating a huge mouse!!

On the way out we got the kids these snapper toys. We were getting bitten and snapped with them for the rest of the trip. Luckily the elephants broke but Estefan's croc didn't and it has a really sharp teeth!!! So watch out!

When we got back to the apartment we headed straight for the pool!

Mark is a splasher!!

Ahhhh, what a perfect way to end a great day!