Weekend Recap - State XC Edition

 This weekend was the middle school state cross country tournament and an off week for football so the boys and I headed out to Tyler on Friday afternoon.  I LOVE trying out local restaurants when we're out of town (WHY eat something you could eat anywhere when you could try something totally unique!) and so I asked a friend who is from the area for a recommendation and she insisted we try Stanley's BBQ.  You don't have to tell us twice to eat BBQ so we did just that!  We checked into the hotel and headed out pretty much immediately...

The whole place was super cool.  We found a parking spot in the back so we had to walk down "into" the restaurant and then made our way out front to get in line to place our order.  They were out of several things we wanted to try (as often happens at bbq places) including the mac and cheese which we told Mason was probably the Lord's protection ;) hahaha  That much dairy before an early race PROBABLY wouldn't have been ideal.

The BBQ was SO SO SO GOOD!!!  Hutchins in McKinney is kind of bbq-famous and I made a bold statement in the Spring that we liked Pecan Lodge (in Deep Ellum) better and NOW I'm about to rock the boat even more buy pronouncing Stanley's the BEST of them all.  For real.  

Everything was SO GOOD and we loved the sauce so much we bought a few bottles to bring home. 

They have live music as well, but didn't have any the night we were there.  We joked that we'd be willing to make the 2.5 hour drive BACK to Tyler to listen to live music and eat their BBQ again.  SO GOOD!

After dinner we didn't really want to just go back to the hotel and watch TV so we booked an escape room.  We pulled into the shopping center and happened upon a Crumbl so we grabbed a four-pack and had a little bit of dessert in the car.  Mason allowed himself two bites (morning race and he'd just eaten hot links) so he inhaled deeply several times before we headed in. 

We did The Code at Escapology and it was SUPER fun.  I'm pretty sure Escapology is all over the place so if you have one local to you check it out.  We escaped with time to spare and then headed back to the hotel...

... for some chill time before bed.  Sidenote - I didn't make them share the pullout ;) hahaha  They wanted to watch TV together so they had the screen swiveled that way before bed.

We were up and at 'em pretty early to head over to Brook Hill and get settled in at the team tent.  

It was COLD and these cuties were all bundled up...

LOOK AT HIS LITTLE FACE!

Luke ran the course while we waited and came back to give a report on the hills and other stuff (I have no clue) and I decided to let him take the big camera and go off in the woods so I didn't have to ;)

It was a PERFECT morning for a meet and our boys team came out on top! 

I really can't say enough great things about the coaches and other kids on the team - cross country has just been the best experience for both my boys and I LOVE the lessons they learn running. 

How cool is this... one of my former students is now working at MCA and is one of Masons coaches!

And I've bragged on Mrs. McKeller NUMEROUS times... we just adore her so much.  She was all three of my kids' first grade teacher, is now the assistant principal of our lower school and her husband is the head coach.  THE BEST!

Seriously.  So grateful.

We loaded up and headed back West, but first we hit up The Dinner Bell in Van, TX to see what it was all about. When the menus came out in three-prong school folders we knew it was going to be legit.

It was the perfect down-home diner experience.  Luke had a patty melt and chicken chowder, Mason had a burger and I had the dinner bell omelette which came with hashbrowns AND a biscuit and gravy as every omelette should.  

Listen.  It was less than 24 hours from the time we left our house until the time we got back and when we got home Mason goes, "man! that was a fun vacation" hahaha ;)  SO GRATEFUL for this time away with my boys!

We headed home where Griffin had been at 3 hours of dance rehearsals....

... and then it was time for volleyball...

.... and a birthday party.  WHEW!

Sunday was spent trying to get my life together...

... including prepping for a spirit week at school ;)

We wrapped up the weekend with a family dinner and walk around the neighborhood IN SWEATSHIRTS. Pretty much perfection in my book.

HAPPY Monday, friends!!!