Cowboys, Corn Nuggets, & Legos

Kevin has always been a big Dallas Cowboys fan. He even lived for a few years in the Dallas/Fort Worth area back when the Cowboys were having their best seasons. We knew that we wanted to drive by AT&T Stadium while we were in town, but we also wanted to plan some fun for the Littles and give Kevin a chance to revisit some of his favorite places.

Corn Nuggets

It was late evening when we arrived in Benbrook, a suburb of Ft. Worth, where Kevin lived almost 20 years prior. We checked into our hotel a little before 9pm and I put the girls in the bathtub while Kevin and Ellie set off to get dinner. They arrived back a little later with Chicken Express (a regional fast-food chain that Kevin had completely forgotten about). We stuffed our bellies with delicious chicken and gravy, and Ellie discovered corn nuggets. These hush puppy sized nuggets of deep-fried creamed sweet corn quickly became her new obsession. We had to stop to get more before leaving town. She still talks about them, and Kevin has even tried to recreate them at home!

Legoland Discovery Center

The next morning, we set out for some adventure. After so much time in the car, we really wanted to do something that would be fun for the Littles. Originally, we had wanted to take them to the Fort Worth Zoo, but it was late July in Dallas, and the temperature was over 100 degrees with the heat index soaring much higher! Instead, Kevin purchased tickets for Legoland Discovery Center, which is a really fun indoor playground with rides, games, a mini-land display, and loads of Lego building opportunities.

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We spent several hours letting the Littles climb, play, and build. We took breaks and refueled in the coffee shop (which had some surprisingly delicious options). We toured the mini-land to look at incredible Lego replicas including DFW Airport, AT&T Stadium, and the StockYards in Fort Worth. It’s truly unbelievable what can be built with Legos! For the last hour or so, we put them in their bathing suits and let them play at the splash pad outside. Even the adults got wet to stave off the unbearable Texas heat!

Nostalgia for Kevin

After our Lego adventures, we loaded up in the minivan, cranked up the air conditioning and headed for one of Kevin’s old favorite restaurants: Razzoo’s. Everyone had worked up a big appetite and even picky Sophie ate well, gobbling up a gigantic cheeseburger. The three adults split an appetizer of Rat Toes - crab and shrimp stuffed jalapenos - and each ordered the Shrimp Po Boy sandwich. Served with a side of fries and jalapeno hushpuppies, it was absolutely delicious and more than enough to satisfy our hefty appetites!

We drove around a bit after dinner so Kevin could show us where he had once lived and where he liked to play golf. In the parking lot of the golf course, we saw something shuffling along ahead of us and thought we had finally found another of Ellie’s 3 must-sees - a live armadillo (we’d seen several dead ones on this trip). Instead, it was a full-grown skunk and it waddled just in front of our car. We were so glad we saw it in time and didn’t hit it. Sophie thought it was kind of fun to see “Pepé Le Pew” though. Following that close call, we headed back to the hotel to get some rest. After so much play, we were exhausted, and everyone slept well.

AT&T Stadium Tour

Our last morning in Dallas started late. It was the 1st time during the entire trip that none of us set an alarm. We were shocked when Rachel woke us all up by saying “It’s 11:05!” Kevin and Ellie had stayed up late to watch a movie but I had fallen asleep around 11pm. I slept for 12 hours, which is extremely rare! We didn’t realize it at the time, but this was the first indication that the intense schedule and miles traveled on our “Big Trip” was beginning to cause some serious travel fatigue. Already late for our 11am checkout, we all shot out of bed and quickly got dressed and packed our things.

This was the day that we had a chance to drive by AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys. Kevin’s love for the Cowboys has rubbed off on both Ellie and me. Ellie has spent the last several years sitting at Kevin’s side learning all about football while they watch together, enduring both the highs and the lows of our most beloved NFL team. We were all really excited to see the stadium with plans to briefly hit the gift shop before continuing our journey back towards North Carolina.

After spending a long time walking through the pro shop, we decided to pay for the self-guided tour. We didn’t know when we might have the opportunity to get back to Dallas, so we opted to spend the extra time touring it while we had the chance. With our AAA discount, the cost for all 5 of us was around $50 and we felt that it was well worth the cost for the access to the locker rooms and the field. We spent the next 2-3 hours touring the players’ locker room and the locker room of the famous Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.

We spent quite a bit of time on the playing field taking pictures in the end zone and on the famous Star on the 50-yard line. We sat in the stands and on the sidelines, imagining what it would be like to attend a game rather than watching it on TV. The Littles were so excited and got plenty of exercise, running the whole length of the field over and over again. Now, whenever they join us to watch a home game, they will sometimes say “I’ve been on that field!”

No Reservations, No Plans

Thanks to our late wake-up and several hours spent at the stadium, we left Dallas much later than we had planned. We stopped at a QuikTrip for gas, drinks, and ice for the cooler, and then Kevin started fighting the rush hour traffic like a champ to get us out of Dallas. Eighteen hours of drivetime existed between us and home at this moment. For the first time since embarking upon this “Big Trip” we had absolutely no reservations or plans. We had no idea how long we wanted to drive and decided to just continue until we were too tired to go on.

While we only experienced a fraction of the things Kevin would love to share with all of us, we did have a great couple of days in Dallas. Next time, we are determined to go to the Fort Worth Stockyards to witness the cattle drive. Have you ever taken your family to visit a town where you used to live? What sights or activities were you excited to show them? Tell us in the comments below.