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12:28 PM

Roadtrip To Dallas From Houston And Places In Between | #letsgoplaces

Driving from Houston to Dallas anytime soon? Here is our road trip from Houston to Dallas and places in between to give you an idea for your next adventure! Some are off the beaten path and some are just off the side of the road. #Letsgoplaces is Toyota's slogan but it's also one that our family lives by. We're always looking for new places to explore and share with our daughter and family. We hadn't really been to Dallas before ( been only three times before this) so we took the opportunity to make stops at interesting places along the way. We packed up the 2017 Toyota Highlander Hybrid XLE and started making our way out of our home base, Houston.

Before we get to the road trip part, I did want to mention that while we had the Highlander, we did get a rare snowfall due to snow storm Benji! This was an amazing moment for us but even more special because it was Mila's first snow ever! I think this has been the most snow I've seen fall upon Houston in my whole life. Just wanted to state that here since it was a memorable event in our lives.

Roadtrip From Houston To Dallas And Places In Between

There aren't many routes you can take from Houston to Dallas, but we chose one of the two that would take us through the city of Waco, Tx and that made for a great trip. Our daughter is 2 going on 3 so we like to stop often when we see something interesting, stretch our legs, or a quick restroom break since we are potty training. The trip non-stop under normal circumstances would take right around 4 hours but we were in no hurry so we made the best of our time.

We drove on highway 290 out of town and would be turning on highway 6 towards Waco. On the corner of 290 and Highway 6, there is a really cool place called Frazier's. The only reason we saw this place was because Mila spotted some life-size dinosaur models and so we made a quick stop here to take pictures and see what this place was about. This was like a dream for Mila. These dinosaurs were so detailed and life-like that it almost seemed as if they were going to unfreeze at any moment haha. If this is a route you're thinking of taking, have kids, or appreciate craftsmanship, make sure to stop by!

Frazier's Ornamental and Architectural Concrete

23200 Hwy 6, Hempstead, TX 77445

We soon got back on the road so we wouldn't lose much sunlight once we arrived in Dallas. Next up on the trip was Waco, TX. We have wanted to check out the Magnolia Market for the longest but didn't get around to is until now. After 2 quick hours of driving, we arrived at the market, which to our disappointment, was closed on Sundays...? Why? I have no idea, but we didn't let this stop us from taking some photos and taking in the sight from the other side of the fence. This is a place we will be going back to soon! 

Magnolia Market at The Silos

601 Webster Ave, Waco, TX 76706

With more time than we had anticipated, we decided to head over to Dinosaur Valley State Park in Glen Rose, which is less than an hour and a half drive southwest of Dallas. It was a bit past noon so we got down and walked along the river to see the dinosaur footprints left behind. Worried that we wouldn't have much time or sunlight to explore what Dallas had to offer. We hiked about 1 mile worth of trail and showed Mila as many prints as we could find. The park also has some life-sized dinosaur replicas throughout the park so this was a great time to run around and take pictures. This could very well be one of our new favorite state parks. We will be going back to camp and maybe even jump in the swimming hole!

Dinosaur Valley State Park

1629 Park Rd 59 Glen Rose, TX 76043

And after a few hours of being on the road, we finally arrived in the city of Dallas and made our way right into the Bishop Arts District. We did some planning before the trip but because we were going to run out of sunlight soon, we just went around for a quick walk and look at the art and get a feel of the city. There were some awesome murals and shops around there and could only have looked at so much with the limited sunlight we had left. No worries though, we will be going back to Dallas pretty soon and can't wait to explore a lot more! As our first official road trip to Dallas, I think this was pretty cool and will be looking into different ways of taking this route next time. You can see our road trip adventure in the vlog! Feel free to like and subscribe to stay up to date with us!

What are some places in Texas that aren't that well known!?

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9:30 AM

Exploring Dallas In The 2018 RAV4 Hybrid Limited | #Letsgoplaces

Ever have one of those trips that come out to be pretty cool even though you weren't really looking forward to it? Well, this weekend was exactly that, and even though we had other plans in mind, we ended up going to some pretty cool places with the kids. We had the 2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Limited and were excited to go places! The drive from Houston to Dallas was just as nice and smooth as our previous trip in the Highlander Hybrid, and we may be going there more often. There's lots to explore there! After all, 4 hours of driving is not bad at all, and make our trips to San Antonio and Austin feel rather short and quick. I was on a mission to connect with nature and share the beautiful outdoors with the kids, and we found some great places to do just that!

Throughout my teenage years, my parents would take my siblings and me camping, fishing, and biking through trails. It's also good to mention now that I wanted to be a marine biologist when I was a kid and being outdoors, grew into a passion for learning about wildlife and the environments around us. The outdoors is where most of my most memorable moments were made and now as a dad, it's also where many memories have been made with the kids.

One of the first places we stopped at was Pioneer Plaza in Downtown Dallas. It's a small green space spanning 4.2 acres of open public space that was converted from an empty parking lot in 1992 to one of the most visited places in Dallas. The main attraction here is are the 32 cowboys and 70 longhorns being driven down a hill and across a creek. I also learned that in 1927 the longhorn was in danger of extinction but the federal government placed 2 herds in wildlife refuges to preserve them. For a small space, Pioneer Plaza sure packs a lot of history!

Pioneer Plaza
1428 Young St. Dallas, TX 75202

Downtown Dallas, is one of my favorite skylines and amidst all the modern architecture and busy life, you can find small green spaces and plazas around the city. We didn't spend too much time here as it was getting close to rush hour so we went off to eat and find a place where the kids could run and burn off some energy.

The Following day we planned to go out to the Perot Museum of Nature and Science and see the dinosaurs. That's all the kids are living for at the moment! We saw Mila's favorites, T-Rex and Brachiosaurus! There's a lot more to see and do there and there are some fun interactive activities. We got on an earthquake simulation plate, saw a tornado form, opened an amethyst geode, and raced a T-Rex!! This is a great place to hang out and learn with the kids and family. Plan to spend 3-4 hours here. Lots to do and see. Sharing our love for life that is, and used to be, with the kids can spark curiosity and interest to learn more. I think we will have lots of dinosaur talk for a while!

Perot Museum of Nature and Science
2201 N. Field St. Dallas, TX 75201

Our last day led us into Fair Park Children's Aquarium. This place is pretty cool and kid-friendly of course! There are great aquarium displays, fun for the kids, and plus, they have sharks! The kids hadn't really seen real sharks before this so this was a cool experience for them. We came across an injured sea turtle and explained to the kids that some turtles get hurt and need to be cared for before being released back to the wild. They're not even 3 yet so this may take a while for them to really understand. Once we walked around the aquarium and getting ready to head out, we saw that there was more to the place and walked outside to find a large tank with black tip reef sharks, zebra sharks and other large fish! There was also a rays tank where you could touch and feed them! This was all during the week so there were no lines or people bumping into you. It was as if we had the whole place to ourselves!

Children's Aquarium at Fair Park
1462 1st Ave Dallas, TX 75210

Dallas has a lot to offer and we are sure to be back! Even if it's just to race with the T-Rex again! Thanks to the RAV4, we've been able to go places we only briefly thought about, and now we have been able to live up to the #letsgopplaces hashtag. The kids are still young but as we spend more time outdoors, we can teach them the importance of wildlife conservation and caring for our environment.

What are some kid-friendly places we need to see and do in Dallas next time!??

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1:10 PM

2018 Houston Auto Show | The Largest Auto Show In The South

The 2018 Houston Auto is just 5 days away and there will be over 700 vehicle models over the 700,000 square feet of the NRG Center! There will also be over 80 vehicles you can test drive. After all, the Houston auto show is the largest auto show in the south! I've always had an affinity for cars and the continuous improvement in technology, features, and capabilities keep expanding my imagination of all the places some of these cars can go in terms of comfort, reliability, and adventure. This event, which I have been going to since I was a young kid, is one of my favorite events (right up there with the Houston Rodeo!). 

With all the years of going to the Auto Show ( I've had the chance to attend the last two years, see 2016 ) I have not seen the unveiling of a new vehicle model and there will be quite a few this year! to name just a few of the models to be unveiled are, the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado, Porsche Panamera E-Hybrid, 2018 Jeep Wrangler, Jaguar E-Pace, Mazda MX-5 Dark Cherry, and the anticipated Subaru Ascent, just to name a few. You can do more than just look at the newest cars in the market, you can also look at tuners, exotics, classics, and test drive some of the vehicles. Camp Jeep will be at the Auto Show and if you aren't sure what that is, you're in for a treat and for a cool experience! I had the opportunity to experience this in Dallas and can say it was some of the most fun I've had in a long time.

There are only great memories of the Houston Auto Show and as a dad today, I Invite you to bring out the kids or the entire family out and create a living experience your kids will remember for years to come! After all, the Houston Auto Show is not only the largest auto show in the south but also where a kid can experience and share their enthusiasm for automobiles.I am now 24 but can clearly remember when my dad would take when I was just 10 years old. I remember when digital speedometers where a huge trend of the time, and looking back at that now, I am in awe of the advancements in technology, safety, entertainment, and performance.

One of the cool experiences of the Houston Auto Show is the unveiling and presentation of new vehicles. This year I'm looking forward to the unveiling of the Subaru Ascent,  a 3 row, 7-8 passenger SUV. Why? Subaru has always offered safety and adventure in their vehicles and that is something that fits with our family, and excited to test drive! Be sure to follow me on Instagram and Facebook as I will be doing live updates and sharing my stories!

Head over to the Auto Show Wednesday through Sunday: 

Wed.-Friday : 12:00pm - 9:30pm

Saturday - 10:00am - 9:30pm

Sunday: 10:00am - 7:00pm

What are you looking forward to when you go to an Auto Show? Any new technologies you would like to see in cars?

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11:14 AM

Capturing The Fleeting Moments Of Fatherhood

This is a sponsored campaign with Fracture on behalf of their #FocusOnMoments campaign, however the memories are all mine. Check them out HERE, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Traveling is one thing many families look forward to throughout the year with many trips planned for the summer. Our family is no stranger to spontaneous adventures and road trips, we all look forward to the next adventure once the weekend comes back around.

Fatherhood has many beautiful moments and it’s not only important to capture them as you go but to share them with the family to bring memories back to life through the emotions felt in a fleeting moment of fatherhood. Whether you are traveling out of the country, out of town, or out of the neighborhood, there are hidden places all across the world.

My daughter knows when we are about to go on a trip before we even tell her. It has become like an instinct! I am sharing this with you all today in hopes of inspiring you to get up and go on an adventure with your kids in one of these upcoming weekends. It really doesn’t have to be a trip of a lifetime, but you better believe that any trip you take with your children will be one that will live with you for the rest of time.

Before I get into what this photo means to me and my family, I want to share something with you to reflect on. Out of all the moments shared with your children, how many of those memories have you captured? Is there a photo your family can look at together and relive the emotions felt through that particular moment in time? Not to be confused with taking a photo of your children every second of their lives either.

We’re talking about those special moments that can’t be replicated no matter how hard you tried. The moments that bring back emotion when you look at them on a frame. The fun and beautiful moments filled with laughter and joy. Those are the ones that always make you feel something when you look back at them. And so what does this picture have to do with this and what’s the importance behind it?

To set the scene for you, this was a photo of my daughter and I in Dallas, Texas while visiting from Houston. On our last 30 minutes in town, we wanted to take in the sights. Scenery wasn’t really an option around that part of town but we love the scene left behind by talented artists at the Bishop Arts District. Murals are expressions captured by the artists, just like we as parents capture the fleeting moments of our kids.

Going to new places and seeing different things makes my daughter run with joy, literally! In this scene, we are walking across a mural painted over some construction barriers. It was a beautiful mural. I say was because these were only temporary murals to be taken down soon after construction was completed. It wasn’t so much the mural as it was the candid moment of my daughter pulling me to see more of the murals. It was a scenic moment for us. Also, it is important to note that taking pictures of kids is not always the easiest thing to do, so when you do capture the moment, it makes it so much more special! It was our last stop before heading back home and because we did, we now have a unique and special moment we can look back at and relive together.

Because adventures and creating memories go hand in hand, I want to offer you all an opportunity to create your own memories on an adventure of your own! There are so many beautiful moments in our lives and now your family has an opportunity to go on an unforgettable family vacation!

Thanks to Fracture, I can see all of our past memories and remember them as if they were yesterday. More than likely, you have heard the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words”, which I believe is true. Not only true, but also full of emotion. And it is those emotions that spark the lovely memories created. I see my daughter grow right in front of my eyes and I know that she won’t be this small for long. That is why I see the importance of capturing the moment because after all, it’s not only about adventures and creating memories, but also capturing the moments that matter most!

Simply enter HERE, then post one of your favorite family moments to Instagram using the #FocusOnMoments hashtag and you’re in the running!

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3:00 PM

Texas Summer Roadtrip With A Toddler

Road trips are fun and are on many people's bucket lists, but what better place to go on an adventure than the great state of Texas. That's exactly what we did  and our toddler was all in on it! Needless to say, Texas summers are HOT but we packed and headed over to the cold and refreshing waters of the Guadalupe River in New Braunfels, TX. New Braunfels is located in the hill country between San Antonio and Austin, less than 200 miles west of Houston. Since we drive frequently to San Antonio along I-10, we decided to take the long alternative route, make a few stops along the way, take pictures and simply enjoy the long stretches of Texas roads.

Tubing in the Texas Hill Country is a popular summer activity

I love to drive and don't mind going long distances without resting or stopping, but going on a trip with a toddler calls for frequent stops and a little patience. This trip wasn't the first trip for our daughter but it is one of the first trips where she can now walk and can't sit still for too long. We prepare before and stock ourselves with snacks, fruit, and plenty of water for hydration. The first hour or so of the trip goes smoothly because toddlers fall asleep and that was the right amount of time until we could make it out of Houston ( Fourth of July traffic ). So as I mentioned earlier, the easiest way to go out to the San Antonio - New Braunfels area is by taking Interstate 10. But because we are always up for an adventure and took off earlier than the rest of our group, we decided to take the long way and make stops here and there, which we were going to do regardless once Camila woke up. 

From south Houston, we got on the Sam Houston Tollway heading west, got on 59 south, then got off onto highway 90. This takes you through Richmond, Rosenberg. The towns have that cool small town feel and have plenty of old buildings to take picture by. We missed out on these first towns but will surely be back on our next trip. I veered off to highway 36 from Rosenberg and headed northwest to catch I-10. Right before doing so, we were searching for a sunflower field and turned into a random country road near Orchard, TX. Camila was still asleep at this point so we had a spontaneous photo shoot in the middle of a country road. 

Comfortable for  a road trip through the hot Texas summer roads

After this brief stop we were back on the road with Camila still asleep. We took I-10 west and headed towards Columbus,TX . We made another spontaneous move and headed north on highway 71. This is a nice highway with a few scenic views along the way to Austin,TX . A few miles on the highway our princes woke up and that meant that we had to stop soon. Thankfully, I remembered of a cool scenic view along the highway and drove a few miles before reaching it. The sun was beginning to set but it was still hot. We took this time to take more pictures, take a break, and for our toddler to eat,get hydrated, and stretch her little legs by walking around. The views here are beautiful.

Scenic View of the Texas Hill Country

We were here for about 30 minutes and were soon back on the road. Camila was ready for another nap and we were ready to get to our destination. We made another quick stop at San Marcos to buy a few last minute supplies and by this time, it was dark outside. Camila made it through the trip and good thing we made those stops along the way. We shall be doing this again soon ( Dallas? ). Toddlers want to see, touch, and go everywhere and being stuck in a car for hours can drive parents insane. So make it fun and plan a few stops along the way. This also allows the kids to stretch and use some of their endless energy. Our Camping trip was so fun that we even forgot to share snapchats with you and more pictures!

Don't miss out on our other adventures by following us on Snapchat: Daddystylediary and Instagram: daddystylediaries

What are some things that help make road trips or vacations much easier with toddlers?

Happy smiles

Father and Daughter enjoying the Texas Hill Country

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2:35 PM

Get a Taste of Jeep On Father's day

This post has been sponsored by Jeep and DriveShop. As always, this is my story and my own honest and true opinions.

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of working with Camp Jeep at the #TasteofJeep event in Dallas and it was so much fun! I wasn't the only one that had fun, my family did too and I want to share this experience as well as the next Camp Jeep event this coming Father's Day weekend! You can experience what the new Jeep line up has to offer and check out the new Trailhawk models. This is something you're going to want to do this with the family or take a couple of friends, you're going to get on the drive more than once! So mark your calendars and head to the Grapevine Mall because Jeep is bringing out the fun in everyone and celebrating dads.

 I grew up spending a lot of time in the outdoors, whether that was fishing, camping, hiking or riding through mountain bike trails, and being adventurous. Jeeps where the vehicle that we immediately associated with adventure and being able to go places other vehicles couldn't. Now that I am a dad, I want to continue to bring and create new experiences with my family every chance I get. Not only because we love the outdoors but we have shared some of our best moments outdoors. About a year ago, my younger brother got a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited and we have taken multiple trips on it with my family and Camila just loves feeling the rush of the wind in her air and seeing her surroundings in a way only Jeep could do. There are so many stories I can share with you, but I really want to invite you to share and create new experiences with your own family. Plan on taking dad out and sharing some adventure, laughs, and joy.

The new TrailHawk (not to be mistaken with the Grand Cherokee TrackHawk) models come with a Trail Rated Badge. This means that these particular trim models have been designed to take on 5 different type of off-road conditions like Traction, Ground Clearance, Maneuverability, Articulation, and Water Fording. I have to admit, TrailHawk models have the most aggressive looks and you can tell them appart by the hood decal and the red front tow hooks. You'll experience going up steps with the Quadra-Lift Air Suspension on the Cherokee and Grand Cherokee Models. Going up a simulation of an uneven climb, a 30 degree bank that will make you feel like you will fall out of the vehicle but the low center of gravity keeps the Jeep stable. Take a trip up 13 feet in the air at a 35 degree climb and see how the traction control and the transmission do their magic. You'll even get to teeter totter on the articulation obstacle! I really can't replicate this awesome experience but the pictures below can give you a better idea of what you can expect this weekend at Grapevine Mall! By the way, Camp Jeep has a booster seat available upon request so you can take your kids with you and share this together with the whole family! 

Don't forget to share pictures with the hashtag #campjeep and #jeeptrack . Hope you can make it out and share the Camp Jeep experience with Dad this Father's Day!

Jeep Camp Event

3000 Grapevine Mills Pkwy, Grapevine, TX 76051 Friday June 16^th – Sunday June 18^th

^{Check out the TrailHawk and Rubicon Models:}

^{Grand Cherokee Trailhawk}

^{Cherokee Trailhawk}

Compass Trailhawk

Renegade Trailhawk

Wranger Rubicon

You can also follow our adventures on the Vlog! Here is the Vlog from #TasteofJeep !

Where would be the first place you take a Jeep?