The Glenna Itinerary, Part I

As promised, we are back with our installment of Glenna's recent visit. Moms, I did you proud. I made the "kids" stop and pose at every turn, in order to capture these moments for you and for posterity.

Friday morning began with a trip to the local Trader Joe's for some Glenna Goodies and a short drive to Dallas Love Field. If you're considering visiting us (please do!), then consider flying Southwest into Love Field. It is wonderfully small and accessible. Here I sat, waiting for Glenna at the single terminal.

The airport is near Ty's workplace, so we stopped in to say a quick hello!

By this point, we were ready for breakfast/brunch. After a quick trip by the house to drop off Glenna's luggage and see a most anxious Weimaraner, we went to Company Cafe! We shared a mixed greens salad and loaded sweet potato fries. Glenna practically drooled over the salad. I cried many tears over those fries. Yes, folks, those are fresh jalapeños on top.

After all that traveling and eating, it was reading and nap time! This became a standard part of our schedule over the weekend. I am unfortunately all too accustomed to it now!

What we're reading: Dracula (Glenna) and The Book Thief (Jess)

Someone was immensely happy to have her Goobie back! (Make that three someones!)

Ty joined the party later that afternoon. Of course, he had to show off his new bike...

We stayed in for taco salad and then headed to game night at Snyder's! It was great fun taking Glenna along and sharing her with our friends!

Playing Bang! Matt is a pro at explaining this game by now! It's a new favorite.

Blue Bell - ice cream the Texas way!

Ty and I went for a ride (read: obstacle course) Saturday morning and gave Brooklyn and Glenna some extra snuggle/sleep time. Ty cooked up some good eats (I'm thinking he should do this more often), and then we were off!

First stop: The Arboretum!

A family from church gave us tickets! This was a first visit for Ty and me, too. We loved it! Definitely a new favorite! Glenna borrowed my camera and took some great shots. Most of these are her photos. Enjoy!

Entrance!

We couldn't help but feel like we were arriving at Disney's Animal Kingdom or at Epcot for the Flower and Garden Festival. Jokingly, we discussed which attraction we would ride first.

Map in hand! Let's go!

Couldn't let her always hide behind the camera!

These Florida kids loved seeing all the non-tropical plants. It had a totally different feel than Leu Gardens. Can't wait to see how it changes seasonally.

Loved these Elephant Ears! It was like walking through a field of snow!

The Arboretum overlooks White Rock Lake!

Picnic-perfect!

As you can see, the Arboretum is huge! It had a splash park, a few cafés, large picnic areas, and an outdoor concert "hall." Every Thursday evening there are special events in the park, complete with music and food trucks. We were content just to walk through and enjoy God's artistry. By the time we finished, the temperature had escalated to the high 90s. (Did I mention it was over 100-degrees every day of Glenna's visit?) After a quick home lunch of grilled bacon/cheese sammies, we headed out to our next indoor activity: the local dollar theatre!

Cheesin'!

We saw Spider-Man 2 and all three loved it! Generally, I'm not a huge fan of super-hero movies, so it is indeed noteworthy that I enjoyed it. And surprisingly enough, the theatre wasn't entirely overrun on a summer Saturday afternoon.

Next stop: Chick-fil-a. This was an important part of Glenna's Dallas experience. We bent over backward and forced ourselves to indulge, just to make Glenna feel right at home. We may have visited three different stores...all for Glenna, of course.

Saturday was going great, but it left a certain Weimaraner a bit cooped up. (Dogs aren't allowed in the Arboretum.) A trip to a local dog park set things right. Have I mentioned that several churches here have dog parks attached to their grounds? I'm guessing it's a way to reach out to their communities, as many churches are located in neighborhoods. We were much appreciative! This park even had a small pavillion with mist fans. Great for the hot days! 

Later that evening, we walked down to Company Cafe for dessert and drinks. We opted to leave Brooklyn at home so that we could sit indoors.

We shared the Oreo GF cake with cookies and cream frosting, which blew my mind. I didn't even know that existed, as it wasn't listed on the menu. After a busy day, it was a great way to relax! We sat and talked for quite some time, just enjoying our own company. :)

On the way home, we ran into Walmart for a few items for Sunday lunch. This photo typifies life here. I love that we can grab a few groceries while on foot!

We love Sundays. They are good for our souls. This Sunday was special, because we got to show off our sister to our new church family. Speaking of family, Aunt Sharry joined us for Sunday lunch. Glenna cooked Pioneer Woman's pulled pork, and we feasted on delicious carnitas with all the fixins. To say it was delicious would be an understatement.

Brook loves Aunt Sharry, too!

Also worthy of note, is our Sunday afternoon activity: shopping. I do not have a natural affinity toward the sport, but my sweet family (and Synder!) made it as painless as possible. My wardrobe is now one outfit more equipped for grad school. Did I mention it was also tax-free weekend? If you're wondering if the shopping scene was overrun, the answer is yes.

Fitting room frenzy!

After dinner with The Snyder, we crashed at home. As promised, we watched the John Mayer Live DVD. Great way to end a Sunday.

Phew! Kudos to you if you made it through! Stay tuned for the following days' activities.

Up next: Klyde Warren Park and the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum.