The kids are making paracord bracelets for their friends. We have all joined in on the project.
Riverfest
Today I took the kids to riverfest in Farmington. It is just a little community get together down by the river but was a lot of fun. There was rafting tours, a petting zoo, horse rides, and a lot of other fun stuff to do. It was big enough to cover two parks, but their is a green belt that connects them so it was a nice walk. The kids really enjoyed the park and are eager for me to take them back so they can play on the equipment and in the fountains that we found in Berg park. I am eager to go back and find some of the geocaches that are along the green belt.
The only downside to the day was that we went to a food stand for some lunch and it was a long line. It took us 20 min to get up to order. Then the guy said they were really busy so it would be another 20 min till our food was ready. After waiting an hour we finally had our lunch. The food was good but nothing great. Was really bummed that Sarah could not be there with us.
~Chad
Categories: Uncategorized
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Alien Watch
Roswell New Mexico is know for the supposed flying saucer that crash landed there on July 7th 1947. For what ever reason the government/military did not want to be forthcoming with what the crash landed flyer actually was, which has caused some exaggeration of the story I’m sure. But due to this one event, Roswell has become famous for those interested in researching the possibility of extra terrestrial life. We didn’t go through town when the museum was open, we missed by a few minutes. But since the aliens are everywhere we took some pictures to share with you.
Then a random stop at a convenience store in the middle of no where between Roswell and Albuquerque proved to have some pretty fun stuff.
I bet you can’t tell which are the wood carvings and which are the kids.
-Sarah
Categories: new mexico, Road Trip
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Carlsbad Caverns National Park
We just finished hiking through Carlsbad Caverns. It was awe some. So cool to see all the natural formations and pools in the cavern. The kids really enjoyed it and liked the hike. We were a little disappointed that the cafe down in the cavern was closed, but it was still a great experience and one of my favorite national parks yet.
~Chad
Categories: Family Time, National Park, new mexico, Travel
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White Sands National Monument!
A looooong drive…..7 1/2 hrs south down to White Sands National Monument. We drove through missile test sites, pistachio groves in Alamogordo, lava fields all the way to the bottom of the state, but White Sands was so worth it. I was told it was one of those “been there done that” things….so not. It was like the beach where you could spend hours contemplating life, playing, and you could spend all day just taking in it’s beauty. Due to construction, and it just being a loooong way from Farmington, we didn’t have as much time there as we could have spent. We played in the sand for a little more than an hour then we drove through the whole park enjoying the sight. After that we did our Jr. ranger homework in the museum/visitors center. Now onto Roswell.
Do you see the Great Horned Owl (there is a whole family up there) in the soap tree yucca?
Categories: National Park, new mexico, Road Trip, Travel
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New Mexico Fast Facts
Population
2,085,538 (2012 estimation)
Land Area
121,599 sq. miles making it the fifth largest state in the union behind Alaska, Texas, California, and Montana.
State Capitol
Santa Fe, the oldest government seat in the U.S.
Statehood
New Mexico became a state on January 6th, 1912 making in the 47th state to be admitted to the Union.
Highest Point
Wheeler Peak at 13,161 ft above sea level.
Lowest Point
Red Bluff Reservoir, south east of Carlsbad at 2,842 ft. above sea level.
State Gem
Turquoise (like diamonds to the Native Americans in this area)
State Flower
Yucca
State Tree
Piñon (think pine nuts yummmm)
State Bird
Roadrunner
State Fish
Río Grande Cutthroat Trout (fishing is huge around here)
State Animal
Black Bear
(Information from the complimentary “New Mexico Vacation Guide”
Categories: facts, new mexico
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It’s a Good Day for Frisbee (disc) Golf
We all have things that we would like to do in each state, and for Chad it’s Frisbee Golf, which is great because it is a very fun thing to do as a family, and it takes us to places we would not see otherwise. The pictures do not do the course justice. It was so AWESOME! The kids loved it and were so upset when we had to leave early because it was getting too hot for the dog, and we had not packed a lunch. Imagine 27 holes (baskets), of sand stone carved landscape and juniper trees (which would be called bushes in Oregon). It was like a gigantic play ground that we can’t wait to go back to. I am so glad it is close.
So far we have found that the free things to do have been the most fun.
-Sarah
Categories: Family Time, new mexico
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Salmon Ruins and Navajo Lake
An afternoon drive/adventure!
More Indian ruins! There are so many around here, but this time it was Anasazi ruins in Bloomfield NM.
Anasazi masonry was amazing!
The ruins are named after the original homesteaders pronounced Saul-mon. The original Salmon homestead is still standing next to the ruins.
What appears to be a dugout house was turned into a root cellar.
The upgraded homestead home
The trading post and then various types of Native American dwellings for school kids to explore and experience.
The above dwelling is called a pit house, and there were several remains of pit houses on Mesa Verde but none intact. Just the dug out hole, so it was cool to go in one and feel how cool it was even on such a hot day.
Then we drove out to Navajo Lake to check out camping spots for when Suzanne and Jeremy come visit us in a few weeks.
it was a fun family drive, checking out washboard dirt roads with the kids singing “I’ll Fly Away” in the back seat. Now to retire to bed early.
Thank you LORD for the diversity and beauty you created.
-Sarah
Categories: historic ruins, new mexico, Road Trip, Travel
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Park Patches Brainstorm
We have been getting patches at every national park that we have been to (except Montezuma’s Castle because they are in the middle of changing the design and so they are unavailable) for each kid. They are marketed to go on the the Jr. Ranger vests but they only have room for a few patches as they are mesh. I thought we could make the kids like an AWANNA vests except it would be their National Park vests. Other full time families sew them on to their travel blankets, but our current travel blankets are fleece tie blankets. We have seen some ideas on Pinterest for a framed wall display or putting them on a hoody which would give us room for more patches than a vest.
This is what they look like:
We need some more fun ideas on how to display/use these patches in a way the kids can look back at them and enjoy them for a long time.
Thanks for your help
-Sarah
Categories: national parks, Travel
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A Creative Laid-back Kind Of Day.
We brought some craft supplies for just a day as this.
Now off to work I go.
This picture doesn’t do Shiprock justice. It is stunning in the evening sun.
-Sarah
Categories: Travel Nursing
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Owens Endeavors 