We're in the middle of that weekends-long mad dash to squeeze in anything that might be fun to do outdoors before the triple-digits are here to stay and the only thing we'll want to do is submerge ourselves in the pool.
Last year, I missed being able to book us tickets on the Grapevine Vintage Railroad Fun Train by literally one day so it was near the top of the list this time around. The other options include a full day trip down to the Fort Worth Stockyards and back. That sounds like a little *too* much adventure for us, but this was just perfect. Don't believe the first photo...Henry loved it and has been periodically shouting "More Choo-Choo!" ever since.
After the train ride, we picked up a picnic lunch at Eatzi's and went to the Grapevine Botanical Gardens to lay in the grass, play at Heritage Park and feed the coy pond residents.
Later that afternoon was Michael's season ender at the ball park.
Mother's Day...also known as the day you cannot tell your mom, "no, I don't want to sit in a picture with you." My favorite kind of day.
Sweet, no one's paying attention so I can steal this drink.
When you're two, if there is a cake, then there is a birthday. And there had better be candles to blow out.
Grapevine's Main Street Days festival was the next weekend and we nearly skipped going, tired after a long week of work and school commitments and worried that it would be over-crowded on such a beautiful day. Shame on us for even considering not going and dropping obscene amounts of money on simple childhood pleasures that only a rag-tag group of Carnies and food truck vendors can provide.
We'd still give the win to King of Pops, but these handmade popsicles were pretty tasty.
Henry's first pony ride was a hit for the first two turns. Then, "All done, Daddy. All done."
The last stop of the day was at the Ping-Pong Toss, where the grand prize for landing a ball in a small fishbowl is your very own $0.15 goldfish. I know the price now, since I checked it out when we went to PetSmart later that day to lay out $80 for a 10-gallon tank, gravel, decorations, a net, fish food, water conditioner...and of course a second fish so that Ella could have one, too. The kiddos are learning all about secured loans, payment plans and how to maintain a water habitat as a result of this childhood rite of passage.
Here's to Gulpy and Bubbles living at least through the summer.
Michael's best attempt at a fish face.
We rounded out the weekend with the Ranger's game but I left the big camera at home.