1. Schlitterbahn - This watery wonderland of Central Texas is the best water park in the entire universe! It is filled with fun slides, tube rides, and an uphill water coaster.
2. Blue Bell Ice Cream - I am a food snob when it comes to ice cream. I will only eat Blue Bell. It is simply the best!3. Mexican Food - It is my favorite food. Hubby could eat it every day. When we were on vacation last year - out of state - we ate at the Mexican restaurant voted "Best of" by the state newspaper. I cannot begin to describe how disappointed we were. Brother still groans about it. I'm convinced we will have to return to Texas for good Mexican food - or learn to make it at home.
4. Dr. Pepper - Now I know you can get Dr. Pepper anywhere, but only in Texas - Dublin, Texas - can you get the real Dr. Pepper - made with Imperial Cane Sugar instead of corn syrup. It is TASTY!
5. Canton Trade Days - Hubby would call it the world's largest junk pile. To me, it is decorator heaven. I can always find treasures for the house, for gifts, etc. in Canton.
6. Barbecue - Now, like the Mexican food, I know I can get barbecue in other places, but there is something about the slow-cooked, smokey flavor of good Texas brisket. YUMMY! Outside Austin, there is one restaurant - The Salt Lick - where you leave the restaurant smelling like a campfire because they cook the meat right there. It is soooooo good.
7. Bluebonnets - Every spring Texas comes alive with the wildflowers. It is my very favorite time of the year - and the best photo op for the kiddos.
8. Football - Football is BIG in Texas, and there is nothing like sitting in a large stadium, cheering on your favorite Big 12 team. To me, it is the official announcement of fall - even if you are sweating in the Texas heat.
8. Football - Football is BIG in Texas, and there is nothing like sitting in a large stadium, cheering on your favorite Big 12 team. To me, it is the official announcement of fall - even if you are sweating in the Texas heat.
9. The State Fair - They say everything is bigger in Texas, and that holds true for the Texas State Fair. It is a huge event each fall - they even give the kids a day off of school and free tickets to attend.
10. The final thing on my list is simple - I love the shape of Texas. It is unique, and there is something about it that makes people love it. I'm pretty sure that not many other people put there state outline in lights on their house at Christmas, but Texans do so with pride. You can buy almost anything with the shape of Texas, including ice trays for Texas shaped ice cubes
What a great list! As a Texan living in a foreign land, I miss all those things about my home state. Most especially Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla. I have three gallons of it in my freezer right now, imported from the Motherland.
ReplyDeleteAnd I have a huge (Lone) star on my front porch.
We lived in Texas for five years and I really LOVED it. Loved all those things you menioned...and we even collected some Texas-themed Christmas ornaments. You need to make sure you take some with you!
ReplyDeleteStephanie...where are you moving? Can you say yet?
Thanks for stopping by my blog! I'm glad to hear that you love your Patriot's Bible. I've just glanced at it so far but it looks really good.
ReplyDeleteI love your list. I consider myself an honorary Texan because my parents lived in Ft. Worth for 8 years.
And Blue Bell?! Oh. my. word.
Oh, that's my home... I miss it!
ReplyDeleteI loved Schlitterbahn in college. I miss really good Tex-Mex. We are from Marshall, so Canton was a fun trip to take every so often--once we saw a tiger for sale there?!
Have a wonderful lemonade-filled eve!
This was a fun list for me, because it's possibly a list of things I'll be moving closer to, as apparently you move further away. I'm with Mer. I want to know where you're going!
ReplyDeleteI think of all the things I miss on your list, good Tex-Mex and Bluebell are my top two. Oh, Bluebell, how I've missed you and your homemade vanilla.