Now that I have the big trip to Germany behind me I am able to look back at some of the fun things we’ve already done this year and journal about them.
I mentioned in my Happy New Year post that before Matt deployed, our family ventured north about an hour and a half to Waco, TX, home of the Dr. Pepper Museum.
We really enjoyed looking at all the artifacts in the museum and tasting the samples of Dr. Pepper served by a soda jerk. Bailey loved the taste of Dr. Pepper served this way. I prefer the current version from a perfectly-balanced modern-day fountain machine. Hayden and Parker each got a Big Red, which tasted to me like Grenadine (the stuff that you can add to Coke to make homemade Cherry Coke).
After our tour we drove to the actual spot where Dr. Pepper was invented. How fun!
About a half-mile away is the Waco Suspension Bridge. We were told it was a must-see if you’re in Waco. We had fun!
After we finished with the fun in Waco we drove a little further north to West, TX. So far my favorite “Texan” treat has been kolaches, which are actually Czech in origin. We love them and the very best place to get them is at the Czech Stop. It was worth driving 20 minutes away from home just to get these before heading back. (My favorite is the sausage, jalapeño, and cheese!) 
What fun we had on this little adventure!
thehamricks 