Southwestern Adventure Road Trip

 Imagine this: after a long and fun week of road tripping across Texas and New Mexico, a family stands in the parking lot of a national park after sunset gazing toward the sky. 

All together they see a shooting star race over their heads and through the sky in front of them until it ultimately disappears.

They can't see each other but look around any way to verify if they all saw what they think they saw...and if everyone else saw it too. One by one everyone comes back to earth and announces they saw the magical moment. They ALL saw the shooting star together. Some cheered; some leaped up and down with excitement. Some ran toward each other to hug and embrace and cement the love and amazement of this magical moment. 

That family was us. We stood in the Carlsbad Caverns visitor center on the last night of our road trip before we headed home. And we saw the shooting star. together. 

I didn't need to make a wish, because mine had already come true.

This was the best spring break...and our first major road trip... and one of our BEST vacations of of all time. I will cherish it forever!

From the mid-way point of Route 66 and  slug bug ranch and feldman's fried steak. To hiking Palo Duro canyon in the cold mega wind (and almost getting lost). To eating at Big Tex's Ranch.

To exploring the mountain side and galleries of Santa Fe...to exploring the intersection of Victorian houses and weird dreaminess at Meow Wolf.

To the zany kitschiness of Roswell and the majesty of Carlsbad Caverns...

Hot tubbing on the roof and swimming in the pools with you Aidan; hiking to the cross of the martyrs with you Julia; sharing all these memories together with Mom, me, Aidan, and Julia...this road trip definitely lived up to New Mexico's state slogan...we entered a land of enchantment... and part of me never wants to leave :)

Beavers Bend 2021

Before the pandemic you didn't get a fall break, but I'm so glad you do now!

It's a vacation week without any holidays in it; nothing we have to do. Just relaxation.

And this year, we decided to take our relaxation on the road to Oklahoma and visit a place we hadn't been to in many years: Beavers Bend State Park!

We rented a cabin, played Monopoly during the rain, had camp fires, s'mores, hot dogs, told silly disgusting jokes, kayaked down the river, skipped stones, went into town for mini-golf and wax hands and 'mining,' rode horses, rode the train (twice...and julia you won the cotton candy raffle the second time!), hiked...and hiked more...and got lost...and hiked more to get unlost, and went on nightly walks with our headlamps. 

We saw deer at night, deer during the day; creepy glowy eyes at night (deer and one opossum); a lot of cool frogs and one bigfoot (just kidding).

You two set up a trading post and system to trade precious gems. 

It was a time of togetherness -and waters rose and fell- and I am so thankful we were able to do it as a family.

I can't wait to be in the woods with the four of us again...no cell signal...smell of campfire...and sore legs with fully bellies and hearts. 

Thankful 2018

What Julia was thankful for, 2018

A few roadtrips, a lot of family, a lot of yummy food, some great laughs,silly and amazing grandparents, and loads of cousins to play with. That's what Thanksgiving is all about!

I'm so Thankful to have such amazing kiddos as you, Julia and Aidan. You keep me and Mommy on our toes, challenge my priorities and my way of thinking, and teach me to love in ways I never thought possible. That's what I'm Thankful for this year. 

That and pie. I also like pie. And turkey.

I love you both to the moon and back. 

Spring Break 2018

Ahh...... sweet, sweet spring break. 

The trees and flowers are blooming, the weather is warming, and the kids and mommies and the daddies are off work (or take off work, but what's the difference!)

We had a wonderful week of adventures...and grew together as a family even more:

We parked it up, donned our rain boots, and explored the creek and even passed through the tunnel to the other side. You guys were so intrepid and sloshy-footed as your boots filled with water. The hunt for treasures was very, very productive. 

We went to your friends' birthday party!

We saddled up in the Hyundai and drove off to Fort Worth where we explored the Botanical Gardens:

We stayed in the lap of luxury at a La Quinta Hotel (your second hotel ever; which was met with much amazement...WOW a Microwave in the bedroom! WOW AN INDOOR POOL! WOW A BOOK IN THE NIGHTSTAND!)

We explored Sundance Square...

...and even at at a Seafood restaurant where you two decided that you LOVE Mussels Marinara (and at the whole thing!)

At sunset we checked out the Fort Worth Water Gardens where you two scaled amazing heights in this concrete interactive art exhibit:

We checked out the world-famous Fort Worth Stockyards and were transported back in time to witness a real cattle drive and a real shoot out! And we bought REAL cow-boy hats!

...well a real-enough shoot-out. The cowboys said they were real guns, but fake bullets because they had to "use the same bad guys tomorrow."

And we dined in the world-famous Joe T. Garcia's Tex Mex pavillion extraordinaire: 

We returned from the Old West to modern times and did fun stuffs and things with family and friends and together...

...and before we knew it, the flowers had blossomed, the temperature had warmed, and it was time to return to our regularly scheduled lives...a little bit warmer, and a little bit more blossomed due to our fun adventures, road trip, and time together.