Trains, Texas, & Stampedes: Day Three

"Ride 'em, Cowboy!  Oh, wait, Mom! We forgot my cowboy boots!"

Our third day in Ft. Worth, TX ended Andrew's birthday excursion. 

We got up and around and then let Andrew decide what adventures our day would behold.  We asked him if he wanted to go see a real live cattle drive.  Of course that little face of his just lit up with excitement and anticipation! 

We were cutting it close trying to get breakfast and catch the bus at the right time.  We ended up walking across the street to Starbucks and grabbing some donuts, scones, muffins, juice and coffee to go.  We then walked to the curb and sat on the bus stop bench to wait for the next ride back to the main station downtown.  Well, since we were cutting it so close, I just knew we had already missed the bus.  And sure enough, we watched the bus go by in the opposite direction.

Thankfully, the driver was running ahead of schedule and had an empty bus, so he stopped at the convenience store across the street.  Wonderful, it was fate!  The only problem was crossing before he took off again and the street kept getting busier and busier...on a Sunday morning!  The driver came out and we were still waiting on the light to change to let us cross over safely.  Mike whistled and got his attention.  As luck would have it, he heard us and waited!

We rode back to the main station to find our next link to the Historic Ft Worth Stockyards. 

We had to take a taxi when we realized we had missed the bus down by just 5 minutes.  The taxi driver dropped us off just in time for the longhorn cattle drive!  Boy, was Andrew excited!

A real, live cowboy and his horse, Charlie

After watching the "real, live cowboys" drive the "real, live longhorn cattle" down the street, we took off down the cobble street to find some more adventures. And we found this...

After looking up at the sky and seeing some threatening thunder clouds appear, we decided to find somewhere to eat quickly and then head back to downtown Ft. Worth.  Mike suggested that we catch a movie in-between lunch and the trains departure back to Oklahoma.  We all thought that was a great idea since The Lion King was playing in 3-D!

But first, we had the distinct pleasure of eating at the friendliest little burger joint you have step foot in.  Andrew hit it off with the staff and they treated him like a celebrity!  We're talking Charlie Brown coloring book, tub full of crayons, fish singin' (you know the one that is mounted and sings), soda slurpin' treatment...

After our lunch stop with our cow town celebrity (he returned his borrowed 10-gallon hat!), we headed to the bus stop to catch our last bus in Ft. Worth.  Upon entering the bus, Andrew scoped out a gentleman sitting by himself and plopped down right next to him making the grand announcement, "Mom, Dad, you can sit right over there.  I am going to sit by him."  "Well, did you ask this nice gentleman if it was okay with him if you sit by him?" I asked.  Andrew turned eagerly to the man and asked "Is it okay, sir?"  The man shook his head in agreement and mumbled a kind yes.  Andrew talked his ear off until he was at his stop... or we think it was truly his stop! Ha!

We caught "The Lion King" in 3-D at the movie theater in downtown Ft. Worth.  It was SO good in 3-D.  Hands down the best 3-D movie I have seen.  Andrew has now snagged the Simba stuffed animal that my parents had at their house.  He has been taking it with him to school every day to sleep with it during rest time.  Needless to say, he loved the movie.

Following the movie, we speed walked the three blocks back to the train station just in time to pick up our held baggage and board the train.  We met a wonderful lady who lives in Edmond on the trip back.  Really, everyone was so friendly on the train.  One.Big.Family.

It was a wonderful trip.  Andrew keeps talking about taking the train again... "Next weekend, right, mom? Right?" 

It ended well too... Papa Bear and Cub were tuckered out... "Shhh....sweet dreams of a Texas stampede..."