Weekends Count Magazine - Helping you maximize your weekends through travel and DIY experiences.: Staycation

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Let's Explore La Madeleine Express at Walmart in Granbury, Texas!

We love traveling and discovering different types of food along the way. However, it is great to walk along a street and to see a sign letting you know that your favorite restaurant is up ahead. This is the RUSH that I feel when I see the La Madeleine sign. Especially, now that the restaurant is in our town - Granbury, Texas!

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This is ONE MORE option for visitors who are discovering our town to experience - the food that they know and love. They can grab a cup of coffee and head to our city's walking trail. Or they can grab a soup and have a fun afternoon in the park! I am excited that I can drive a mile to my favorite restaurant to experience the Tomato Basil Soup! This is going to be especially important since it is officially soup weather!

La Madeleine in Granbury, Texas!

We love La Madeleine and we would travel to Fort Worth FREQUENTLY to experience the amazing baguettes and delectable soup. This was UNTIL I discovered La Madeleine expanded to our local Walmart store with their La Madeleine Express locations. I was SO excited to track the days until they opened.

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Just in case you were wondering, here's their menu! It featured breakfast items, sandwiches, salads, soups, and my daughter's favorite pizza and pasta!

Which one would you choose? We are a fan of the soups and the salads! Yes, it sounds simple, but these items are OH SO GOOD!

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Recently, we explored their location in Granbury, Texas. Yes, it was an amazing experience! From the baguettes and sandwiches to the classic Chicken Penne Pasta to the amazing coffee selection, this was an experience unlike any other in Granbury. We have the chance to experience food from an amazing restaurant without traveling 40 miles to the DFW area! I was beyond excited!

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Holiday Dinner to Go!

They are even planning a holiday menu for Thanksgiving. This is especially exciting for busy moms and dads. Here's their menu:

Oven Roasted Turkey Breast

Red Skinned Mashed Potatoes

Sourdough Breadsticks

Wild Mushroom Sauce

Cranberry Apple Stuffing

Green Beans Almondine

Cranberry Chutney

https://lamadeleine.com/holiday-feast

They also deliver via GrubHub, Uber Eats, and Door Dash!

Our family is planning to visit once (if not twice a week). I am a definite fan of their menu and the prices are super affordable! Try them today!

Sincerely,

The @WeekendsCount Family!

Visit the Starr Family Home in Marshall, Texas!

Looking for a fun, family activity in East Texas? Then head over to Marshall, Texas to visit the Starr Family Home! This is a Texas Historic Site! We visited the property during its annual Victorian Fair.

The property includes one large home, several smaller homes, and a schoolhouse. Multiple generations of the Starr Family lived on the property. At the time, the property was considered to be in a very rural area, but has now been surrounded by development in the city.

Outside the different buildings, you and your family will find markers describing the buildings and the people who lived there.

On this day there were also arts and crafts stations where kids could make toys common during the time when the property was occupied like dolls made of straw.

There were performers dressed in historic clothes playing dulcimers and other instruments at the Victorian Fair.

Because the property is now maintained by the Texas Historic Commission, the buildings are preserved to look like they would have when they were occupied.

The Victorian Fair also featured a photo station inspired by that period of history. Our daughter really enjoyed that station!

Outside the schoolhouse, there were historic games and a person making balloon animals.

Texas Parks and Wildlife brought some animal furs and bones for kids to observe and identify so students could learn about science and history.

While the Victorian Fair is an annual event, the home is available for tours throughout the year. The kitchen was actually on the side of the home next to the servant quarters. The stove actually works and was used to make lunch for the staff. As an African American family, we appreciate the Texas Historical Commission for preserving the servant quarters to honor their contributions to the home and also to help our daughter the opportunities she has today.

The Starr Family Home is actually three stories and includes a huge and extravagant mother in law suite that has been preserved.

We highly encourage you to visit Marshall, Texas and tour the Starr Family Home.

What are your favorite historic places to visit?

Let us know in the comments!

Have a great week and plan for the weekend!

Sincerely,

The @WeekendsCount Family!

This post contains affiliate links to help you build your shopping list and travel list for your family. We provide easy links for you to click to make your busy lifestyle easier!

About Weekends Count - Weekends Count is a Millennial Family Travel, Fun, Food and Activities blog based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in Texas. We review hotels, travel and household items, and millennial family experiences!

Authors - Jennifer and Tony Edwards

Here's a link to our press kit/media kit - http://www.weekendscount.com/p/our-media-kit.html

Contact Information:
1030 East Highway 377 Suite 110
Box #145
Granbury TX 76048
817-382-8475
Send us an Email! We are PR friendly! - weekendscount@gmail.com

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A Granbury Day Trip Itinerary for Families

Morning
9:00 am - Have breakfast at the Paradise Cafe located on the Granbury square. This cafe offers a delectable breakfast for visitors and has the best coffee or tea in the city. This restaurant offers a restaurant.com certificate.

10:30 am - Walk to the Hilton Garden Inn to enjoy the large walking deck by Lake Granbury. This is a great picture spot and you can also take games to play on the deck (i.e. - matching game).

11:00 am - Board the Granbury City Trolley for a free tour around the town. It visits each of major hotels in the area, but you discover more information about the city.

Noon - Have lunch at the Italian Restaurant. This restaurant is located steps away from the Granbury square and it has a wonderful menu for parents and children. This restaurant also offers a restaurant.com certificate.

Afternoon
1:00pm - Walk to the Hood County Library. This library is located in the city park which is two minutes behind the Italian Restaurant. The library offers computer games for children, a smart board gaming system, and neat books. Also, call the library before you visit because the library also offers Saturday programming which includes guest authors and sometimes animal programs.

2:00 pm - Enjoy a quick snack and a walk through the Granbury City Park. It has a beautiful waterfall, a neat walking trail, and offers great picture opportunities. Also, during the winter, this park has beautiful Christmas lights and Christmas scenes.

3:30pm - Drive to the Granbury Nature Center and take a nature walk. During the nature walk, highlight the different plants and also the different birds in the center. Remember to take some bug spray and a bottle of water.

5:00pm - Consider visit the Local Cafe on your way back to downtown Granbury or on your way back to Fort Worth or Dallas. The local cafe has extraordinary customer service, amazing food, and a conversation starter atmosphere. This restaurant also offers a restaurant.com certificate.

Evening
7:00pm - If you remain in town for the evening, consider watching a movie at the Granbury Drive-In Theater. Usually the theater offers a double feature and charges by the vehicle. Sometimes Groupons are available for families who are seeking a discount.

Granbury offers a wealth of free and low-cost experiences for families. The city is only a short drive from Fort Worth and Dallas, but it offers a rural city experience for day trips and weekend trips.

Have a great week and plan for the weekend!

Sincerely,

The @WeekendsCount Family!

Weekend Trips to Rural Central Texas

All Texas families living in Fort Worth, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Houston and Tyler, should venture out of their comfort zone to experience all the Lone Star Country has to offer. From fun outdoor experiences to lively festivals, rural Texas has something to offer everyone. Here are several ways that Texan families can positively impact the entire family while experiencing something new:

1 - Take a Texas trail to find something new. - Texas has a wealth of traditional trails for Texas family travelers. These travelers are always searching for something new that can not be experienced in a rural environment. Here is a glimpse of the Texas State Trail:

2 - Explore your Texas Family History through museums - Usually, most Texas families living in a city environment are not more than one to two generations removed from their rural roots. Take the challenge to explore those roots while seeing the local sights along the way.

3 - Be adventurous by experiencing Texas State Parks - Usually, these state parks are low cost (or you can purchase an annual pass) and they provide unique experiences for park visitors. From dutch oven cooking to guided hikes, your family can learn from professionals who are eager to make sure you learn about the basics of adventure.

4 - Challenge yourself with diverse family travel - Texas is one of the most diverse states and one of the fastest growing states in the United States. The diversity can add variety to family travel. Texas families can introduce their child to a different culture, foods, and opportunities to engage with with people who slightly different from themselves.

5 - Become a Texas top flight family - Take a weekend flight trip with your family. Texas families located within 1-2 hours of an international airport located in Texas, can book plane tickets for $75+ round trip and they can experience another part of Texas. The El Paso or McAllen flights are usually affordable and offer Texas families a quick flight from international airports. These airports offer glimpses of the different Texas terrains and can highlight rural Texas.

6 - Explore a short cruise with your multigenerational family - Short cruises in Texas can range from four to five days. Before the cruise, experience Galveston. Galveston Texas has a wealth of pre-cruise activities to offer families including museums, a family fun pier, a theater, and many other activities to highlight one of the oldest cities in Texas.

These are just unique ways that ways that six types of families can experience Texas, especially rural Texas. Look forward to additional fun rural Texas family activities in the next issue of Weekends Count magazine.

Have a great week and plan for the weekend!

Sincerely,

The @WeekendsCount Family!

24 Hour Road Trip to Austin - Having Fun at the Capital One Cafe and Exploring Erin Condren!

If you are ever looking for an amazing day trip from the Dallas-Fort Worth or San Antonio area, choose Austin! It is great for staycations and amazing for fly-in trips from the Austin Airport. We checked out several neat family-friendly and millennial-friendly locations in Austin including the Capital One Cafe (actually two of them), then Erin Condren store (which is fabulous), and the downtown Austin area!

The Capital One Cafe is a MUST DO experience if you are near the Austin area. There are only two Capital One Cafes in Texas and both of these are in Austin. I've only been to one other Capital One Cafe and it was in Seattle. After I visited, I was definitely a Capital One fan for life.

When you have a Capital One card, you actually get 50% off Pete's Coffee Barista Beverages! They also have free one hour money coaching and free events! They also have Student Happy Hour, Eco Happy Hour, Hustle Live Events. Plus, these locations have free wifi and power outlets!

The two Capital One Cafes are located:

11801 Domain Blvd. Suite 160
Austin, TX 78758

and

106 E 6th St. Suite 100
Austin, TX 78701

*The Domain Blvd is located in a great location and it also has games for the children!

This post contains affiliate links to help you build your shopping list and travel list for your family. We provide easy links for you to click to make your busy lifestyle easier!

Visit the Erin Condren Flagship Store

Another Austin must do included the Erin Condren store which was a short walk from the Capital One Cafe on Domain Blvd. This is the Flagship Gift and Stationary Store. This store was my dream! It has sample planners and a space for my daughter and husband to wait while I shopped and while the Erin Condren team constructed my new planner covers (I purchased three). It has an amazing accent wall and stairs that is definitely Instagram worthy AND they have workshops that are held often! I cannot wait to see what they have for December and January for goal setting.

When you visit the Erin Condren store, you should definitely consider doing the following:

1) Check out the sample planners on the wall! These sample planners are from Erin Condren influencers (bloggers and vloggers)!

2) Design your own planner cover on the back wall.

3) Have a seat in the waiting area! Or at least make sure your family sits there!

4) Use the computers to design your own planner!

5) Check out the designer Erin Condren notebooks and budgeing books!

6) Look at the Erin Condren teacher's guides! These are amazing!

7) Sign Up for the Erin Condren email list!

8) Attend an Erin Condren workshop!

9) Talk to the Erin Condren team about their favorite planners! These ladies are amazing and super positive!

10) Check out the Erin Condren exclusives! These are not available on the website!

The store is located:
11601 Rock Rose Suite 108
Austin, Texas 78758

If you are interested in checking out Erin Condren amazingness before you visit the store, check out their stationary on Amazon!

Have a great week and plan for the weekend!

Sincerely,

The @WeekendsCount Family!

Fun Things to Do with Kids This Weekend in Fort Worth, Texas!

If you are considering spending your weekend in Fort Worth, here are some places you should visit with your family.

Landscape - Things to Do With Kids This Weekend in Fort Worth, Texas

American Airlines C.R. Smith Museum
If your kids love planes, than a visit to the American Airlines C.R. Smith Museum is a great option, particular after leaving or before heading back to DFW International Airport. Kids can learn about the history of flight, why airplanes fly, how airplanes are maintained, and the life and career of American Airlines President C.R. Smith.

Fort Worth Zoo
As one of the nation's best zoos, the Fort Worth Zoo does not disappoint. Kids who love reptiles and fish will enjoy the Museum of Living Art. The African Savanna brings ostriches, zebras, and giraffes together in one area.

Log Cabin Village
Located near the Fort Worth Zoo, Log Cabin Village features a gristmill, a blacksmith shop, a smokehouse, a school, a garden, and several log cabins that give children a glimpse of how people lived before electricity was commonplace.

Fort Worth Botanic Garden
The Fort Worth Botanic Garden is a great way to learn about nature and get some exercise at the same time by walking. The Botanic Garden features a Japanese garden with koi ponds, cactus garden, rose garden, backyard vegetable garden, a compost outpost, and the Native Texas Boardwalk.

Botanical Research Institute of Texas
Kids can learn about grasses, vegetables, fruits, seeds, and flowers at the Botanical Research Institute of Texas, or BRIT. In addition to providing exhibits for the public, BRIT also serves as a research center.

Fort Worth Museum of Science and History
Your future scientists will enjoy spending part of their weekend at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. Popular exhibits include DinoLabs, the Energy Gallery, the Children's Museum, Innovation Studios, and the Cattle Raisers Museum.

Children's Museum - Fort Worth Museum of Science and History

National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame
Located next to the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame shows that cowboys weren't the only Western heroes, a lesson that is just as important for sons as it is for daughters.

SeaQuest Interactive Aquarium
At SeaQuest, kids can feed and touch many of the animals there. Kids also get the opportunity to learn about the animals that live in different habitats around the world.

Fort Worth Stockyards
Find out why Fort Worth is known as the city of Cowboys and Culture at the Fort Worth Stockyards. The area is filled with celebrations of the city's Western Heritage. Below are some of the family-friendly spots in the Stockyards.

Risky's Steakhouse - Fort Worth Stockyards

Fort Worth Cattle Drive
Every day at 11:30 am and 4:30 am, you can witness a recreation of the Historic Cattle Drives through Fort Worth along the Chisolm Trail with a modern-day cattle drive down Exchange Avenue in the Stockyards.

Cattle Pen Maze
You can watch the cattle drive from the observation deck above the Cattle Pen Maze. Modeled after a western cattle pen, family members can find out who can get through the maze first.

Pawnee Bill's Wild West Show
Every Saturday at 2:30pm and 4:30pm, kids of all ages can watch the recreation of the wild west show that toured the nation over 125 years ago. Kids will be entertained by roping, shooting, and riding tricks.

Grapevine Vintage Railroad
If your kids love Thomas the Tank Engine or The Polar Express, they will definitely enjoy the Grapevine Vintage Railroad. Grapevine, Texas is north of Fort Worth, but also in Tarrant County. Passengers can board the train in Grapevine and ride along the Cotton Belt Route to the Fort Worth Stockyards to visit the area for a while before returning to Grapevine. Plan at least five hours for the entire trip.

National Multicultural Western Heritage Museum and Hall of Fame
Here at the National Multicultural Western Heritage Museum and Hall of Fame, kids can learn about Vaqueros, Buffalo Soldiers, Native American Chiefs, and the Tuskegee Airmen. Kids can also enjoy storytelling on Saturday afternoons from 1pm to 3pm.

Want to find directions to the destinations on this list? Check out our custom Google Map!

For more travel tips, get our book "Family Travel Hacks and Tips for Any Budget" on Amazon!

So... what did we miss? What's your favorite family-friendly activity in Fort Worth? Let us know in the comments!

Portrait - Things to Do With Kids This Weekend in Fort Worth, Texas - 2

This post contains affiliate links to help you build your shopping list and travel list for your family. We are passionate about the product and the experiences listed in this post, but we also wanted to provide easy links you can click to purchase products for your busy lifestyle.

This week,

Have a great week and plan for the weekend!

About Weekends Count - Weekends Count is a Millennial Family Travel, Fun, Food and Activities blog based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in Texas. We review hotels, travel and household items, and millennial family experiences!

Authors - Jennifer and Tony Edwards

Here's a link to our press kit/media kit - http://www.weekendscount.com/p/our-media-kit.html

Mailing Address: 1030 East Highway 377 Suite 110; Box #145; Granbury TX 76048
Phone Number - 817-382-8475

Send us an Email! We are PR friendly! - weekendscount@gmail.com
Watch Our Videos on YouTube! - http://www.youtube.com/weekendscount/
Become a fan of Facebook! - http://www.facebook.com/weekendscount/
Follow Us on Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/weekendscount/
Look for Us on Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/weekendscount/
Discover the Weekends Count Blog - http://www.weekendscount.com

Conversing at Chick-Fil-A on a Saturday Afternoon in Granbury, Texas

Our weekends have been so busy lately that it has been incredibly difficult to make our Weekends Count. This weekend (Labor Day weekend, we've made a concerted effort to have much needed family conversations over meals.

Tonight's "Conversing at Chick-Fil-A" conversation occurred over two superfood salads, one grilled chicken kid's meal with apple sauce and milk, and one Chick-Fil-A Chicken Sandwich.

We had an incredible conversation about our caring for our little one's grandfather, the importance of eating nutritious food, and good behavior.

Our meal concluded with a few laps around the Chick-Fil-A playground and a quick drive back to the house to start our bedtime process.

We look forward to having another "Conversing a Chick-Fil-A" conversation soon!

About Weekends Count - Weekends Count is a Millennial Family Travel, Fun, Food and Activities blog based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in Texas. We review hotels, travel and household items, and millennial family experiences!

Team - Jennifer and Tony Edwards

Here's a link to our press kit/media kit - http://www.weekendscount.com/p/our-media-kit.html

Mailing Address: 1030 East Highway 377 Suite 110; Box #145; Granbury TX 76048
Phone Number - 817-382-8475

Send us an Email! We are PR friendly! - weekendscount@gmail.com
Watch Our Videos on YouTube! - http://www.youtube.com/weekendscount/
Become a fan of Facebook! - http://www.facebook.com/weekendscount/
Follow Us on Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/weekendscount/
Look for Us on Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/weekendscount/
Discover the Weekends Count Blog - http://www.weekendscount.com

Make Your Weekends Count!

Explore the Weekends Count Magazine

Let's Explore La Madeleine Express at Walmart in Granbury, Texas!

Visit the Starr Family Home in Marshall, Texas!

A Granbury Day Trip Itinerary for Families

Weekend Trips to Rural Central Texas

24 Hour Road Trip to Austin - Having Fun at the Capital One Cafe and Exploring Erin Condren!

Fun Things to Do with Kids This Weekend in Fort Worth, Texas!

Conversing at Chick-Fil-A on a Saturday Afternoon in Granbury, Texas