Dallas, Texas

After a year of staying close to home, we were overdue to do some exploring! For our first trip with Magnolia, we decided to check out a new state: Texas. David's parents were visiting from France- it seemed fun to take them to the most American place on earth.

Right after landing in Dallas, we headed directly to the Fort Worth Stockyards to get a taste of Texas cowboy culture. You can get a taste of historic Fort Worth in this little neighborhood, especially during the twice daily cattle drive featuring gigantic Texas longhorns. Their horns can span more than 8ft!

We weren’t sure if we could make it in time for the cattle drive after getting turned around on the Texas-sized freeway that had a lot more lanes than we were used to. We pulled into the parking lot at 4pm on the dot and ended up getting there right as it started… and as we walked towards it we accidentally became part of the parade.

The cattle drive was short-lived but worth seeing. Afterwards we browsed some of the many western-themed shops and enjoyed the short bursts of air-conditioning each store provided in between swimming through the intense humidity and temperatures at least 40 degrees warmer than current Wisconsin weather.

We ate dinner at Billy Bob’s, which is apparently the world’s largest honky-tonk. I didn’t know the word honky-tonk… but it seemed like something the French should experience. I think I figured out that it's just it’s a bar with country music?

It was definitely huge- 100,000 square feet (they even have rodeos inside!). David ate his first Texas brisket, Magnolia was mesmerized by the plethora of neon signs, and we all enjoyed watching the line dancing. I might have joined in if Magnolia hadn’t been feeling a bit needy after her first time ever traveling and feeling heat.

The next day we headed to Dealey Plaza in downtown Dallas to visit the location where JFK was assassinated and then check out a museum about his life and death.

Dealey Plaza is sometimes called the “birthplace of Dallas” because it’s the location of some of the very first houses in the city. This pretty park and the Dallas County Courthouse (built in the late 1800s) are right outside the Texas School Book Depository, the building that Lee Harvey Oswald shot JFK from.

We learned a lot at the Sixth Floor Museum, located on the floor where Oswald took the shot. There are exhibits about the 1960s, the Kennedy family and JFK’s early life, his presidency, and of course his assassination. And even some information about various conspiracy theories!

You can see the window that Oswald shot out of. An X marks the spot on the street below where the fatal shot hit Kennedy in the head. David’s parents remember hearing about this event, even as elementary schoolers in Europe. It was so interesting to visit a place that had such an effect on world history.

Magnolia’s favorite part of the museum was the huge video screen that played JFK’s funeral. She’s fascinated by big screens and loved sitting in front of it to have her bottle. It made me laugh that she was so delighted to watch a funeral.

Our last stop in the city before heading into the Texas countryside was the Dallas Farmer’s Market for lunch. It was a cute place that was perfect for us because David could have his cowboy burger and the rest of us could have Italian pizza. 

This is where I learned that in English somehow we really messed up translating the word “pepperoni.” My Italian father-in-law was very confused when he thought he ordered a pizza with peppers (doesn’t it make more sense that it means peppers?) and instead received a pizza with sausage. The more you know. 

After a last glimpse of the Dallas skyline, it was time to head to the middle of nowhere! Next up: staying in a cabin in Texas Hill Country.

Bonus: a few pictures of my very happy baby enjoying her first hotel stay. After patiently enduring being cooped up in her stroller and car seat for most of the day, she was thrilled to wiggle around on the big bed. Love this baby.  :)