Tombstone

After visiting San Antonio, we drove I-10 all the way to Las Cruces, New Mexico. We stopped off at a designer boot store in El Paso, Texas and mommy got a pair of "cowgirl" boots. We tried to find Jackson a pair, but they didn't have his size. Needless to say...he was devastated. However, the next day we visited Tombstone, Arizona and found a pair of cowboy boots for Jackson. Crisis averted! http://www.cityoftombstone.com/

In Tombstone, the boys got to visit the old western town complete with shootouts, saloons and wagons. Jackson showed off his new boots to passersby and Charlie had a blast checking out the statues of Indians and Cowboys.

We arrived in town at the perfect time. There was a shootout at the OK Corral with Wyatt Earp, Doc Holiday and their gang fighting Billy the Kid and his gang. While watching the shootout in town, Charlie yelled out: "Ow" and "Oh No!" as the men eventually fell to the ground dying. The only ones left standing were Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday as they scooped up their fellow compatriots and headed to the infirmary for medical attention.

We went into Big Nose Kate's saloon for lunch. This was the saloon where Vernon Earp (Wyatt's brother) was killed after a poker game went bad. There was a piano player that LOVED Charlie and it had the longest, cherrywood, hand-carved bar in the Western US. There were cowboys and authentic townsfolk sitting about us "foreigners" as we ate our meal. We felt like we were actually in the 1800s! It was amazing.

Henry spent most of his time taking a little cowboy nap. The trip to Tombstone was definitely worth the trip! We all had a great time.








Jackson with the Earp/Holiday gang! Doc is far left and Wyatt is third from the left.


Walking down Main Street. Thankfully the "High Noon" shootout was already over.


Charlie grooving to the music at Big Nose Kate's Saloon.


Lunch for the cowboy at Big Nose Kate's




Outlaw Charlie "Fast Foot" Lewallen caught alive for a reward of $1000.00. Escaped 10 minutes later and is still at large. Warning this outlaw is considered dangerous and will spill paint with reckless abandon.


Jackson loving his new boots with gold tips.

Grandpa Saunders

While in San Antonio, we headed to the northside of the city to see Brian's grandpa. He's 93 years old but looks and acts like he is 80 at the most. He works out 4 days a week, still drives, keeps an immaculate house and dresses great (his shoes are spit shined perfectly).

We spent some time at his home and then headed to The Barn Door for dinner. Great authentic Tex-Mex fare. My steak salad was perfect and the fresh baked dinner rolls were a big hit for Jackson and Charlie.

Jackson was really thankful to see his great-grandfather. I was thrilled to talk to him - he was charasmatic about many stories from his life. We sat back and listened to him talk about his life in the Air Force and flying bombers in WWII. He shared great stories about life in Madrid, Spain (where he saw Ernest Hemingway at a bullfight) and flying in the Berlin Airlift. His eyes lit up when we asked questions about when he met grandma (Marie - who passed about 15 years ago). They met at a dance in Concord, MA on New Years Eve. He didn't know why he went to the dance that night - but was sure glad that he did!

Grandpa shared a brillant story about taking his family on a vacation through the French Alps one year. His Packard blew a piston rod shortly into the Alps. They were stranded in an isolated, small french town while the local "service station" mailed away for a new rod (back to the US). Two weeks later - the rod arrived and the car was fixed! It was news for the entire town that a mechanic was able to fix an American car in his garage. Grandpa herded the kids back in the car and headed directly back to Spain. So much for a French vacation!

Texas hats and horns

After spending the night and morning at the Great Wolf Lodge, we geared up for a "quick" ride down to San Antonio. Henry was ready with his cowboy hat!

We also enjoyed seeing the longhorned cows!