Every Eleventh with Little Buddy: July 2025

Our summer fun continues with our first trip of the season! This was just a small excursion to Dallas for the 4th of July weekend, but it was actually going to be the first time in a long time we were doing a trip with another family. We were meeting Little Sweetie's best friend, T, and her family for quick weekend of memory making. Our plans included a Wings game, the Dallas Zoo, dinner with T's extended family, some fireworks, and a trip to the American Girl Store and Cafe!

My Samantha doll, packed and ready for the trip!

On our way!

Once we got to the hotel and got unloaded it was time to grab a quick dinner and then head to the game. Sadly, Dad had a lot of work going on this weekend, so he and Little Buddy only came to the first half of the game before they left for Daddy to monitor a well (sad for Dad, I think Little Buddy was ok with going back early and not being too late with bed time!).

Wings win!

Little Sweetie and T showing off their matching doll pajamas!

While I didn't have matching PJs for my new doll, we did get her dressed in the vintage Samantha nightdress my friend had sent me!

My sleepy hotel babies!

Once everyone finally got up and got going, we headed to the Dallas Zoo for the 4th of July (well, except for Daddy, who needed to sleep after being up all night and who still needed to monitor his well). It was also Mr. J and Ms. D's anniversary, so that was fun to celebrate with them. The Zoo was more hilly than I expected, so Little Buddy didn't get to walk too much, but we had a nice time. T's favorite animal is a hippo, and there was a great hippo exhibit the girls enjoyed.

Zoo time!

Taller than the penguins!

Giraffe feeding!

Lots of hippo fun!

We really enjoyed ourselves with the herd of elephants statues!

The girls just living their best lives!

Little Buddy also had a good time, even if it was VERY warm.

While we were having a good day, we also started to see the reports roll in about the devastating flooding in the Texas Hill Country. We had no idea that morning how terrible that event would turn out to be. Just another reminder to cherish the time we have together.

After the zoo, we went back to the hotel to check on Daddy and rest before dinner. The original plan had been to do dinner with Mr. J's family and then Mr. J and Ms. D were going to take the girls to fireworks while we took Little Buddy back to the room to go to bed (fireworks and late nights aren't his thing). We ended up having a great dinner, but fireworks ended up being parked full so the girls watched them along the skyline on their drive back to the hotel. It all worked out because they were TIRED after a full day!

Pool time after the zoo!

Daddy and Little Buddy ready for dinner!

Saturday morning found the girls ready for our next adventure, the American Girl store (the boys went to a bowling place nearby and took zero pictures, lol). We did shopping and enjoyed our lunch reservation at the cafe. I love that Little Sweetie has such lovely friends and that she and T are still "young" enough to enjoy a doll day with their moms. It really was a beautiful outing.