Spring Break Road Trip Day 3: Waco and Temple

We slept in late again!  We had bought some cereal and milk at a CVS the night before since we didn't have free breakfast at this hotel, and we knew the kids likely wouldn't be hungry for a big breakfast buffet at the hotel restaurant.  So we ate and got ourselves ready.  After a quick trip back to CVS for a souvenir for the kids for their first trip to Dallas, we set out for Waco.  As we got onto the freeway, we passed Dealey Plaza and the Reunion Tower.  Maybe next time we can go see them.  And the Perot museum.  And the arboretum.  And even the tangoing frogs on top of a restaurant!

I had wanted to go to Waco to check out the Magnolia at the Silos.  We really like the show Fixer Upper on HGTV, and this is their new (since the fall) store.  I had heard it has long lines, but also a play area for kids and lots of food trucks.  We had planned to go to Cameron Park first, but we got such a late start that we went straight there so we could have access to lunch food when the kids got hungry.  The place was buzzing when we got there.  People were scrambling for parking (I had read there was a gravel lot in the back and there were several spots there - glad I read that tidbit!) and lining up to get in the store.  Roy and Leighton played soccer and football on the astroturf lawn area while Riley and I wanted in line.  Even though it was long, it over quickly.  It was really busy inside, but Riley was a great shopping helper and together we picked out a few things!  We also grabbed a bag of the kettle corn being made right inside.  Yum!  We then got some lunch (the kids and Roy got pizza, and I got a rice bowl that was so delicious!) and crepes for dessert.  And then the kids played a long time.  Leighton got into a baseball game with some other kids, and Riley had fun on the swing and in the gravel!!

After 3.5 hours hanging out, we set out for a winery to do a tasting.  There were a couple I looked at, and the one we chose ended up being not at the actual vineyards, which I had hoped to wander around.  But inside was nice and after we tasted the wines (yummy!), the guy gave us a little tour of the production area and offered for the kids to get inside one of the bug drums!!

We then made the short drive to Temple.  We had wanted to stay in Waco and do more there (check out the Baylor campus, a museum, the zoo, a park, more wineries, etc), but the hotels were almost completely booked, and those that were left were too expensive for what we wanted.  We looked at Saledo, but it was also pricey and pretty booked up.  Too bad because Michelle told us it was a nice little town and I think there is a glass blowing place I'd like to check out.  Next time!  Anyway, instead we ended up at a pretty old and rundown La Quinta hotel along the highway in Temple (crazy that of our three Hotwire hotels, it was the most expensive and by far the worst).

They did have pads of paper in the room though!  The thing the kids always look for!  Riley drew us these (sorry they are upside-down ... my computer is not cooperating with rotating them!)
:

By the time we were checked in, we were all hungry and tired and just went to the Texas Roadhouse across the freeway.  It's a chain we'd never eaten at before, but we knew there would be something to please the kids, including peanut shells on the floor and warm rolls served with cinnamon butter.  It was ridiculously busy, but we got a table after a short wait.  The kids were entertained by all the birthdays (there must have been at least 7 or 8!) being celebrated with restaurant staff shouting and the crowd replying with a 'YEE-HAW!".