We ended out 2008 by taking a little family trip to New Mexico and Texas. We had a great time, although we were 2 hours off schedule the entire time. Hey, no one is a perfect planner. After a family prayer, voiced by James, asking that our van would work and asking that we could all be nice to each other in the van, we were all packed and ready to go. However, our battery had died. We jump started the thing and were on our way. We had no more problems with the van for the rest of the trip. Thursday morning, we arrived home at 11:30 p.m New Year's Eve - Wednesday, when I went to start the van, the battery was again dead. Erik took it to get it checked out, and out of a charge rating of 500, it was only a 99. You better believe we dropped to our knees and thanked the Lord for the way he answered James' prayer. It was a miracle!
And with that . . . here is our trip.
City of Rocks State Park in New Mexico was awesome! It just cropped out of nowhere, these huge boulders, grouped together like a city, with these natural roads between them. We had a great time hiking around, climbing on the boulders, exploring the little cave dugouts that were there. Jalen Andrew's favorite part was stooping down, picking up a rock, dropping the rock, walking 3 steps, and repeating the whole thing again.
Take only pictures - leave only footprints. Joseph found his prehistoric "sole" mate.
Hitching a ride.
Christine and Rebekah hugging their snake rock.
Beauty is in the "eye" of the beholder.
The fam.
The man.
I found myself my own little thinking spot.
This place was a dream come true for James. It was the perfect place to climb, run, and pose.
Monumental.
Best buds (at least for the moment).
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I was really worried about how Jalen Andrew would do, going to sleep in a motel, but amazingly enough, it all went well. The first night he lay in his pack-n-play, in the dark, running his fingernails across the netting, and kicking his legs over and over again. That was it. No crying, and he went to sleep soon after the novelty of the new crib wore off. The next night he fell asleep on me, and then I put him down in his crib. He didn't even wake during the night, either night. He loved the motels, especially pushing around the luggage dolly. The kids enjoyed swimming in the heated pools and watching Disney channel. James just bounced around the place, and giving his mother extreme anxiety. As he fell asleep the first night, he rolled over and asked me, "Is this our new home?" The whole concept of vacation was so exciting for him, and as we drove, he would often ask, "Are we at vacation yet?" We put the girls in the backseat with Jalen Andrew, and that worked really well (don't ask their opinion though). There was very little fighting during the drive, and Jalen Andrew slept a lot.
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Our Junior Ranger adventure began this trip at Chamizal National Monument,El Paso, TX, a place that celebrates the agreement made between Mexico and the U.S. over the much disputed borderline between the two.
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No offense to the cameraman, but the pictures can't even do this place justice. Carlsbad Caverns was an amazing place, one where we only scratched the surface of - we only toured The Big Room Cavern. I would have loved to live there for awhile, to really explore, study, and enjoy, but it was closing, and we had only planned on one day for it. Rebekah was enthralled with the stalagmites, stalactites, soda straws, columns, popcorn, and drapery, and was able to see the wonder and beauty of it all. Jalen Andrew, whom I carried on me in a baby carrier, enjoyed hearing his voice echo in the cavern. James would have climbed on every outcropping, and jumped from every pinnacle if we would have let him. He actually did very well, in resisting the touching of any part of the cave. But oh boy, did he have energy; one could see the desire to run free in there, shining in his eyes. Joseph was much less impressed with the place, and was worried about falling down in the seeming less endless pits. There was no concern for that happening, but the dark, the strangeness of features, the large pits, and the not quite steady feel of the ground beneath his feet, coupled with the thought that one of those stalactites might come crashing down, made it a very apprehensive experience for him. Christine was also less enthused about the experience; her attitude came from being a teenager, being hungry, having to walk 3 miles instead of taking the shortcut, having a hard time breathing (not sure if this was actual, or because she saw a sign at the beginning saying that some people have a hard time breathing in the cavern), and a feeling of cluster phobia.
Regardless of the complaints, it was an amazing place to be, and I would go back in a heart beat (but I would plan for a longer stay there).
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White Sands National Park in New Mexico. Incredible place! This was so much fun, that when we got home, we started talking about turning right around and going again. There was a little bit of snow on top of the sand, but mostly the white you see is the gypsum sand. It was amazing! It looked like snow, we could sled on it like snow, but it acted like sand. Way cool!
Rebekah had a love/hate relationship with the sand. She loved playing in it, and sledding in it, but when she tried running in it with her bare feet, well, the cold won out, and she was done with the trip.
Jalen Andrew had a great time playing in the sand, crawling in the sand, throwing the sand, throwing snowballs with Joseph, and even did some sledding.
Though the picture doesn't do it justice, this was one of my favorite moments, for Joseph was so lost in his own play. He was drawing pictures in the sand as he talked aloud, re-enacting the movie Indiana Jones. He was so happy, without a care in the world.
A little less carefree, but oh, so brave!
James is the true Sandman, and was absolutely in love with sliding down the slopes, either on the sled, or on his bum.
Christine was a dare devil (she and James both), and was sailing down every bank she could find. This was her kind of place!
Christine, being a true beach girl, removed her shoes, and enjoyed the sand between her toes. She inspired me, and I too became one with the sand - it was a little cold on the toes, but worth it! Kind of a funny contrast - bare feet with a winter jacket.
Hitching a ride.
Christine and Rebekah hugging their snake rock.
Beauty is in the "eye" of the beholder.
The fam.
The man.
I found myself my own little thinking spot.
This place was a dream come true for James. It was the perfect place to climb, run, and pose.
Monumental.
Best buds (at least for the moment).
___________________________________________________________________________________
I was really worried about how Jalen Andrew would do, going to sleep in a motel, but amazingly enough, it all went well. The first night he lay in his pack-n-play, in the dark, running his fingernails across the netting, and kicking his legs over and over again. That was it. No crying, and he went to sleep soon after the novelty of the new crib wore off. The next night he fell asleep on me, and then I put him down in his crib. He didn't even wake during the night, either night. He loved the motels, especially pushing around the luggage dolly. The kids enjoyed swimming in the heated pools and watching Disney channel. James just bounced around the place, and giving his mother extreme anxiety. As he fell asleep the first night, he rolled over and asked me, "Is this our new home?" The whole concept of vacation was so exciting for him, and as we drove, he would often ask, "Are we at vacation yet?" We put the girls in the backseat with Jalen Andrew, and that worked really well (don't ask their opinion though). There was very little fighting during the drive, and Jalen Andrew slept a lot. 
___________________________________________________________________________________
Our Junior Ranger adventure began this trip at Chamizal National Monument,El Paso, TX, a place that celebrates the agreement made between Mexico and the U.S. over the much disputed borderline between the two.
____________________________________________________________________________________
No offense to the cameraman, but the pictures can't even do this place justice. Carlsbad Caverns was an amazing place, one where we only scratched the surface of - we only toured The Big Room Cavern. I would have loved to live there for awhile, to really explore, study, and enjoy, but it was closing, and we had only planned on one day for it. Rebekah was enthralled with the stalagmites, stalactites, soda straws, columns, popcorn, and drapery, and was able to see the wonder and beauty of it all. Jalen Andrew, whom I carried on me in a baby carrier, enjoyed hearing his voice echo in the cavern. James would have climbed on every outcropping, and jumped from every pinnacle if we would have let him. He actually did very well, in resisting the touching of any part of the cave. But oh boy, did he have energy; one could see the desire to run free in there, shining in his eyes. Joseph was much less impressed with the place, and was worried about falling down in the seeming less endless pits. There was no concern for that happening, but the dark, the strangeness of features, the large pits, and the not quite steady feel of the ground beneath his feet, coupled with the thought that one of those stalactites might come crashing down, made it a very apprehensive experience for him. Christine was also less enthused about the experience; her attitude came from being a teenager, being hungry, having to walk 3 miles instead of taking the shortcut, having a hard time breathing (not sure if this was actual, or because she saw a sign at the beginning saying that some people have a hard time breathing in the cavern), and a feeling of cluster phobia.
Regardless of the complaints, it was an amazing place to be, and I would go back in a heart beat (but I would plan for a longer stay there). 
____________________________________________________________________________________
White Sands National Park in New Mexico. Incredible place! This was so much fun, that when we got home, we started talking about turning right around and going again. There was a little bit of snow on top of the sand, but mostly the white you see is the gypsum sand. It was amazing! It looked like snow, we could sled on it like snow, but it acted like sand. Way cool!
Rebekah had a love/hate relationship with the sand. She loved playing in it, and sledding in it, but when she tried running in it with her bare feet, well, the cold won out, and she was done with the trip.
Jalen Andrew had a great time playing in the sand, crawling in the sand, throwing the sand, throwing snowballs with Joseph, and even did some sledding.
Though the picture doesn't do it justice, this was one of my favorite moments, for Joseph was so lost in his own play. He was drawing pictures in the sand as he talked aloud, re-enacting the movie Indiana Jones. He was so happy, without a care in the world.
A little less carefree, but oh, so brave!
James is the true Sandman, and was absolutely in love with sliding down the slopes, either on the sled, or on his bum.
Christine was a dare devil (she and James both), and was sailing down every bank she could find. This was her kind of place!
Christine, being a true beach girl, removed her shoes, and enjoyed the sand between her toes. She inspired me, and I too became one with the sand - it was a little cold on the toes, but worth it! Kind of a funny contrast - bare feet with a winter jacket.
3 comments:
that looks like so much fun!! my favorite was james with his sunglasses, what a little stud!
This looks like a great trip. We have been threatening to go east instead of west for years now, but aren't quite sure where to go and what to do. Maybe this will inspire us to head east. I am glad you had a good time. The sand looks great!
I enjoyed reading and catching up on what you guys are up to. The white sands look so awesome!!!
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