"Country Road Take Me Home"

Because my son, DJ is currently deployed in Afghanistan, the Army National Guard Reserves treated the fam to a day at in Grapevine, Texas!!!
Hubby came home, we packed, and took off!!!

First stop, IHOP, I was so craving pancakes, but I got the pineapple pancake meal special, all I really wanted was plain.
(I may have to break down and whip some up here at home)

Had to put some air in the tire:)

Set our GPS
(rather annoying, especially since we knew the way to Grapevine,
just not the hotel,
but my hubby has a new love,
and her name is GPS)

About 2 hrs later we arrived at the Gaylord Texan, Grapevine, Texas (near DFW airport).
Wowzers, it was huge!!!
(taken from the multi level parking garage)

you can see the airplanes fly over

It is built on Lake Grapevine, in Grapevine, Texas


The grounds are amazingly perfect, the beautiful Texas sage was in bloom
(this bush doesn't do well in our area)


Oleanders trimmed up like trees

Waterfall toward the front of the hotel



Leaving the (massive) lobby into the greenhouse gardens.
Actually EVERYTHING was massive.
I have never been some place so large.
Never.


Beautiful

Huge Train track set up


Here comes the a train

Lady covered with Texas sites
(see the cross on her hip? Its the cross in Groom, Texas I featured before)


Past the train a large pond on the right


It was all done in South Texan design, with limestone, I guess people visiting expect this area of Texas to have the same design and materials as the hill country in the Austin area.
(Way south of Grapevine/Fort Worth/Dallas area)


At the top was this star glass roof

Water fountain pond on left,
I wish you could see how large everything is,
there was even an Alamo shaped building.

Beautiful and HUGE decor


Since we were so far away, a room was made available to us (regularly $179.00 plus tax) on the lower scale of the over a thousand rooms.
The next day we attended family group meetings.
Can you believe how HUGE this hallway is? (hubby's well over 6')
Both these walls are retractable.
This conference building is actually another HUGE building behind the hotel.

Let me pause to say, this used to be my town.
When we lived in neighboring Southlake,
and then Keller (both VERY small then),
Grapevine was where we went 'to town'.
I felt so out of place.
Very few people were dressed in jeans.
Most were very very preppy.
It started in the lobby, and continued.
I felt better in 'town'.

Grapevine is now a trendy shopping (wine testing) spot. VERY clean. Someday it might be nice to go back and look at all the cute shops downtown, or the huge mall, or huge antique mall, but since I was with hubby, lots of walking and shopping is not his thing. Someday it might be fun to roam around this hotel, I'm sure they would let you in with no charge, and the air conditioned gardens with greenhouse roof was great on this warm day.
The room was lovely, and so were the employees.
(Big HUGE thanks to those made it possible)

So we wandered around town later trying to decide what to do... We saw butterflies on the sidewalk


Went to the VERY old bank now the jewelry store, and had DJ's ring sized for the upcoming wedding


This is where I got my first glasses in sixth grade
(STILL hate glasses)

My dad worked here.
Have you ever noticed funeral is spelled "Fun-er al"?

The older family members lived on site in a small apartment, I remember visiting them often.

Next to the funeral home is this:

Inside are a wooden hearse wagon, old styles of caskets, and creepy old embalming tools.

A lovely sign from the surviving family members to the couple I remember visiting:
"Within our hearts, the ones we love are never gone-
In spirit and memory
Their lives live on!
You are always in our hearts
We love you...Lillie & Jake
Your Family"
Lillie was a lovely lady

Church where I was first baptized at age 12.

While hubby decided what to do after the family day was over, I went into this cute shop.
Too Cute!!

This was a fancy little shop...
I think it was the hair salon I remember best.

We drove over to Lake Grapevine,
where they charge you out the ears to drive down to the water.

After much contemplating,
hubby finally suggested we drive toward home and go to the Mesquite Rodeo.
Fun fun fun!!!
I so felt back where I belonged!!
Blue jeans and t-shirts!!
Of course there were those all decked out, but most of use were 'Country Casual'

Going home that night was great,
and we decided to take a 'day trip' with the doggies the next day!!!
Love you hubby!!!
Laughing with you the whole time was delightful:)