Park n' Drive: Lake Ray Roberts State Park, Isle de Bois Unit

 Know before you go - a park drive thru video

Lake Ray Roberts State Park

We were in site #78, 30a/W:  Family, Friends, Fotos

Site #132, 30a/W: Do and Re: Deers and the Sun

Family, Friends, Fotos

A weekend in pictures, worth a few thousand words......

We were at Lake Ray Roberts State Park Idle de Bois Unit, Site #78. It was a cold weekend, but a beautiful time with friends and family. We enjoyed a great lunch out at a local Mexican food place on Monday before we headed back home.  Mom and G stayed at the LoneStar Lodge at the State park - room #120 had incredible views of the gazebo and lake, and was close to the main lodge lobby.  Mom said she'd gladly come back and stay again - we may have found a way to have others camp with us!

For more camping photos, go here.

for a park drive thru video, go here. 

Bumper sticker, Birthday, Back-in-the-Box, and Buddies

A quick trip to Dallas this weekend to celebrate Bunny’s *ahem*2nd birthday, play games with the fam, and visit with Randshe; RDB put a new adornment on the back of the camper before we left out (and I still need to get the reindeer off from our Christmas trip - though it kinda looks like he's giving a thumbs up about our blog!)

We left out Friday after work and made our way to The Vineyards Campground and Caverns arriving well after dark; we stayed here once before when we came up for Randshe’s Hallowedding. This is Sis & TJ‘s favorite place to stay when they come in to town to visit Dad and Bunny and with a close proximity to Dad and Bunny‘s house, I can’t blame them!  The view from our spot was really great, though we weren’t at the camper much to enjoy it. 

Saturday we all met up at Dad‘s favorite restaurant, Lupes, for lunch to celebrate Bunny, then went back over to the house to enjoy a day of  playing dominoes, watching the Cowboys' late game, and plenty of great conversation. 

I got Bunny a money tree for her birthday and joked that I had promised the tree when I picked it out that it wasn’t coming home with me: Bunny has lots of plants and an incredible green thumb; she’s even rescued several sad houseplants that I have unfortunately brought almost to the brink of death in my care. 

Sis & TJ wanted to teach us how to play Mexican train with the travel dominoes that I had from our camper. It seemed like every other round a new rule - or two - was added to the game. Dad cracked me up at one point when he said “That’s the problem with learning the rules: now you’ve got to play by them.” 

Even little Willow seemed a bit overwhelmed with all the instructions! 

My favorite part of playing dominoes is actually the last round of the night. As a tradition, my family has always played a game called “put them back in the box.” Everyone draws tiles to fill their hand and no pile left over. You start with the highest double, then put each in turn till you are out of tiles - so, 9/9, then 9/8, 9/7, etc.  

If you don't have the next on in order, you draw from someone else's hand while they either try to get rid of one that's _not_ the next in line (if they have it)  It’s part dominoes, part Bullshit, part UNO, all trying to put the dominoes back in the box and not being the person holding the last one. Needless to say, it was a lot of fun bullshitting with our family. And if TJ tells you he has the one you’re looking for, he has it. Indeed. 

Sunday morning we got up and checked out from the campsite, taking the trailer and truck down to Dad‘s so we could park in front of their house, called an Uber, and met Randshe at Winewood Grill in Grapevine. 

Three hours, two bottles of champagne, and one happy table full of friends later we parted ways with plans to get together again next weekend when we’re back up to camp north of Dallas at Lake Ray Roberts. 

Back at Dad And Bonnie’s we just happened to run into Grandma G as she was walking back to her house next door. Of course, we also just happened to bring a six pack of “grandma beer” to put in her fridge.  She may look little, but at 94 years young, y’all, she is something fierce. 

We were in site number #91 at The Vineyards Campground and Cabins. Really great site right up against the water with plenty of space — just be aware of the significant drop off to your passenger side and the backend. If you go off that wall, there’s no coming back.

For just a few more camping pictures, go here. 

Park n' Drive: Tyler State Park

 Know before you go - a park drive thru video.

Tyler State Park