The Way Home...

We got up early the morning of debarkation, through customs and on the road by 9am California time. We weren't sure what we were going to do - stop for the night somewhere or drive through...

Despite living less than a half day drive from the Grand Canyon, I have never been there, so I was sort of hoping we might stop and stay at the Cameron Trading Post, just 29 minutes from the South Rim, on the way home....and we did! I don't usually have comments on hotels, but this place rocked. Let's just say the regular rooms were sold out, but they had a suite available (darn!) that we took, and it didn't cost much more than a regular hotel room. The suite was beautiful! The restaurant was SOOOOOO good (Navajo Tacos are the best)! The trading post shopping wasn't marked up too much and they had a beautiful selection of pawn as well. It was built in the early 1900's and I strongly suggest to anyone driving through the Four-Corners area to stay there.

We spent Saturday morning and early afternoon at the Canyon before heading home....or so we thought....

I would have liked to spend more time at the Canyon, but we wanted to hit the actual Four Corners and make it home that evening, so we made a tentative plan to go back again soon. When driving up to the Four Corners we got a little frustrated. See, we had taken our time and it was only 4 o'clock so we figured we were great on time. We had stopped to look at the Dinosaur tracks in a dry riverbed off the side of the road and had lunch outside Monument Valley (another place we have to go back to see) But Timewise? Not so much....as we crossed out of Arizona to enter into the the Four-Corners through New Mexico it became 5 o'clock since Arizona doesn't observe day light savings. And the Four-Corners closed at 5. So at 5:07 pm we were cursing at the locked gates.

So onwards we went.....and as we came through Pagosa Springs I decided I wasn't ready to be home yet and we stayed at a great little hotel directly across the street from The Springs Lodge and Spa and hung out at the natural hot springs with beverages until midnight....soaking away all the travel aches. Pagosa Springs is the best local I've been too for natural hot springs. Pools range from 110 degrees to 91 degrees and is located right on the river for a cold dip. I love it.

Anyway - we got home Sunday and will probably be there for quit some time from now on because we spent a lot of money. But it was worth it.

Spring Break is Over :(

Hello All! We are back, unfortunately. I could have stayed gone for another few weeks for sure. It was a good trip. We left last Saturday night to let the baby sleep and drove through the four corners area before stopping for a quick nap. This really isn't a long drive. Two-thirds of it can be done in a pretty short day with plenty of time to relax if you stop for the night. It had been raining/snowing lightly until we stopped for a quick roadside nap, and we woke up to a light rain at about 7am. We were about an hour outside Flagstaff and planned on being in Lake Havasu around 1pm. As we drove closer to Flagstaff the rain turned to snow and suddenly we were driving our little Yaris in a two track with snow brushing the undercarriage of the car. I couldn't stop because there are no places to stop. Literally. So I just kept driving! We got into Flagstaff and we navigated the huge snowdrifts into a McDonalds where we figured we'd wait until the roads were clear as the only people plowing were private plowers. Evidently everybody had the same idea and that's where we learned the highway was closed. However, after about an hour, being the mad UP of MI driver that I am - since there actually was visibility again, and the storm was showing to dissipate to the west, (I LOVE my smartphone app that tracks weather) I decided we needed to see if that highway really was closed...and guess what? It wasn't - so Westward we drove! We pulled into Lake Havasu about 4:30 and chilled out for the night after walking to the London Bridge.

Yes, the actual London Bridge that was brought over from London in the 60's or 70's. I would have gotten more info but it was cold and I was tired.

The next morning we drove to Long Beach and left on our cruise via the Carnival Inspiration. We stopped at Santa Catalina Island for the day and went kayaking with the sea lions and dolphins. It was so cool! My pictures are on a waterproof camera that needs to get developed so I'll have to post those later. We left Wyatt with a babysitter that morning while we kayaked and then picked him up and brought him back to the beach where he wasn't too sure about the waves, but loved the sand!

That night was the formal night on the ship, and I went ahead and had us take pictures. The sitting fees were free so I figured why not? I did choose a few of the pictures later that turned out really well. I'll post those later too.

The next day we spent in Ensenda, Mexico. I've been to Baja before in San Felipe on the Sea of Cortez. I really liked it there - Ensenada...the town...not so much. However, it is located in the wine country of Mexico and we went on a Winery Tour of two local wineries which plied us with wine and food; including two free bottles of wine. Needless to say I stocked up as well! I'm not sure why I didn't take any pictures of the wineries...they were beautiful. Although the lack of pictures could have had something to do with the excess of wine. Maybe.

Then we spent a day at sea before pulling into a rainy Long Beach port and headed for home....however, I wasn't ready to go home yet....

To be continued...

Spring Break

...and we're getting out of here! A few months ago Nate and I decided if we had a good tax return we'd be going on a vacation for spring break. Sooooo....we booked a cruise from LA. We're going to leave Saturday night and spend Sunday afternoon in Lake Havasu, AZ before driving to Long Beach Monday. I'm looking forward to Lake Havasu because I want to see the London Bridge - yes, THE London Bridge. Which is just a bridge, but the history behind it is pretty cool!

It's a short cruise to Catalina Island and Ensenada, Mexico over a five day period. We plan on going snorkeling, kayaking and taking a winery tour. Wyatt is going with us (of course) and I'm excited to see him play on the beach. We are travelling with Carnival Cruises, which also offers babysitting services, so we can have a quiet night if we want it.

LOVE the kitty....

Wyatt is often overly enthusiastic in his love for Buni. Namely, he likes to lay on her. She takes it though. Occasionally she gives a pathetic 'mew' that he has learned to mimic exactly. So now they can talk to each other I guess 'cause she still isn't trying to escape.

Last night I plopped him into our bed at about 3 am after he woke up with a wet diaper. Evidently the cat was sleeping in the corner of the bed above my head, and I was just starting to doze when they got to talking to each other. Wyatt had found the cat and was using her as a pillow. When I got up at 6 for work they were still crashed together.

Albuquerque

I spent a lot of time in Albequerque growing up since my grandparent's lived there. Even though we only live about 3 hours from there, I don't get down too often, so when the hubby and I decided to enroll in a Retrouvaille weekend there; it felt a little like coming home. So we've spent a few more days there since with the post program. For those of you who don't know what Retrouvaille is, click above. It is based on the Catholic Doctrines, but is non-denominational, affordable, helpful ... and has been much needed in our lives. Let's just say that all those great communication skills we know don't do so much if you have never learned how to use those skills correctly.

While there the balloons went up. We were staying in a retreat center (though this is not a retreat type weekend) overlooking the Rio Grande and all of the city. It was really cool.

Hard @ Work

I'm growing an intellectual. Yeah me!

Literary Conference

So that conference I attended a few weeks ago? Totally mind blowing. It rocked. Besides all the freebies I got (like a million books), I also brought back a lot of info for my colleagues. Mainly that the message is: Just because you don't teach reading and writing, doesn't mean you don't teach readers and writers. It's a problem that we all need to tackle. We'll see how that goes.

BUT - while there....I got to meet Mr. Gary Paulson. Yes, THE Gary Paulson who wrote Hatchet. Maybe that isn't that big of a deal to you, but I grew up reading his books when I was in elementary and he's still writing folks! It was a profound moment for me.

Besides books I brough back for myself (and there is a stack next to the bed and downloaded on the nook, I brought back a variable library for Wyatt. He enjoys them....in more ways than one.

Busy Month

OMG, between chasing around my little peanut who isn't quite so little anymore, attending conferences for school and beginning a Retrouvaille program with my husband in Albuquerque, I'm not sure what day it is anymore. I never would have thought the last month would be so busy.

At the start of the winter I decided to make a few changes in my life and the first was to quit biting my nails. I spent some money on nail care, but its been worth it. No more waking up with throbbing finger tips because I bit them so short. The next thing I did was start Proactive. Things have just gotten better since the last post. I have the clearest skin I've every had in my entire life.

Both of those changes have lowered my stress and let me hold my head a little higher.

Towards the end of January Nate bought me Zumba for my Wii. I love it. As a former dancer who can never get to the studio, this is an awesome alternative. I also got a smartphone about this time and started using fitness pal, and counting calories. I still eat what I want, but watch how much. Its crazy how many calories we put away in a day. To mix it up I also do Wii fit, and just bought a belly dancing dvd which I love. I'm also going to try Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred. So basically I'm doing something new every day. I feel awesome. I'm totally in shape for riding season getting going again and riding everyday this summer as a full time Wrangler for The Zapata.

Oh yeah...and bathingsuit season, which is coming early for me this year...because Nate, Wyatt and I are going on a cruise for Springbreak.

And more on that later !

Proactive

Two weeks ago I received a Proactive starter kit. I've always fought with less than perfect skin and even though I found a few good items, namely Cetaphil and tree tea oil, that tree tea oil was really harsh and my husband hates the smell. So I decided to try something else. I figured it had a money back policy so what could it hurt?

Because there are so many mixed reviews out there, and because there is no easy to filter out which are real and which are advertising one way our another, I thought I'd give my 60 day version (since I figure I'd better know before than if it's working for me.

Day 1-14
Smaller pore size and smoother skin texture immediatly. No sign of dryness the first week, which was a concern since I have such sensitive skin. Using the 3 step program twice a day and refining mask for spot treatment at night. Still using my moisturizer (straight aloe), but using less of it-so I figure this is less drying than what I was doing.

By the end of the second week my skin is a little dryer than it was, but nothing that isn't smoothed out with the slow. Also used the sample of the green tea moisturizer that was sent. Is very light and I like it as it doesn't feel greasy or make my skin oily.

Pore size is really small, skin is really smooth, little to no breakouts in my trouble spots. So far so good.

Dixie Loves

Wyatt loves Dixie. Dixie could give or take Wyatt, but she's super gentle and tolerant of him. Even when getting kisses...

Wyatt Helping Out at School...

...by taking everything out of the cupboard and then closing himself into it. This peek-a-boo game lasted the better part of an hour. I need a cupboard at home...

Playing With Dad

When we were in Michigan my mother wanted Nate to play the piano for her (he plays really well when he's been practicing). Wyatt decided to provide an accompaniment.

Knitting

When I was pregnant with Wyatt I started knitting. I like knitting for people, and then want to keep what I make. Here's a few scarf/cowl and mitten sets I made for Christmas this year:

Just Out Walking My...

Penguin...

Who seems to be taking a nap right now...

I'll introduce you when he wakes up...

Sorry I've been really, really bad about leaving comments on other's blogs. The servers have been crashing here and I've been having to do most stuff the 'old fashioned way'. I forgot how much time it takes up! I post-dated a bunch of stuff to keep this updated...

The Usual...

1) I'm behind...
2) I had a computer crash and after popping my hard-drive into 3 different computers I finally have a working model again...
3) The server at school keeps going down...down...down...
4) Going back to work after break sucked...

5) I have no New Year's resolution except to lose what weight I gained over the Holidays...like the rest of us...

Like Wyatt's mark above his right eye? He wiped out playing with his cousins on Christmas Eve...Took this picture with my new point and shoot (which can also be manually programed) - it has this cool timing feature that won't start the timer and snap a picture until you are settled and smiling! My hubby bought it for me!

Christmas was wonderful! We drove into MI on the 22nd after stopping in Chicago for a night and day. My brother and his wife and 6 month old baby boy were staying at my parent's also - so full house!

Wyatt and his cousin Liam! Matching outfits weren't planned...but it sure was cute! Wyatt loved his little cousin, and couldn't stop giving him hugs and kisses. I wish we all lived closer together; my brother now lives in Florida :(

The picture above was taken Christmas morning with my old camera. Typically I would have touched it up in an editing softwear, but I thought I'd show it below the last one - that is in it's raw format. I'm impressed with it's photo quality! The old camera was an older Olympus all-weather (similar to their new tough camera). I wanted a new Olympus, but after researching, I decided I wanted quality over toughness and the new camera is a Sony CyberShot. I may not be able to be tough with it - but I still have my old camera for those moments!

It was so nice to have some time off and finally see family...and let family finally see my growing little man after a whole year!

Merry Christmas!

Oh Christmas Tree...

The weekend after Thanksgiving we put up our tree...and a nice little tree it is! Even though we're leaving for Christmas (MI here we come!), it just wouldn't be the holidays without a fresh cut tree.

Obviously we needed to Wyatt proof it, so all the decorations are about waist height, but it's still really pretty. The first night Wyatt decided to pose in front of it in his elf hat.

He's crazy about his rocking horse. Unfortunately he's starting to rock it almost all the way over as he's very enthusiastic about his riding. The other night he tipped it all the way back and he hopped off the back and landed on his feet. Perhaps he will be a trick rider?

I'm finally searching for a new camera. I love my tough little camera, but it's been five years since I got a new one and there's been a lot of quality advancements. I still want a large professional camera, but I do like my little point and shoot. The one I have now is a hit and miss with the quality - basically it depends on if I have enough time and effort to 'tweak' the settig to get something good. And since I'm always trying to get quick shots of my little man on the go, as well as when I'm out riding, it's time to upgrade.

SNOW!!!

We got the biggest early snowfall on December 3rd and 4th than I've seen since I moved here 8 years ago. It reminded me of Michigan, and we had a snow day. Gotta love it!

Wyatt had a blast playing in it. He got to drive the work truck to break up the driveway! Whoohoo!
That little car is my new Toyota Yaris. Let's put it this way: I've been driving my F-250 everywhere, and it cost me nothing to purchase and drive the Toyota. That's how much money I saved by getting it. It was an impulse buy, but I couldn't pass up the deal - and now we have a family oriented, trustworthy vehicle with kick @ss milage!!! Plus it's fun to drive and my truck will not wear out due to wear and tear.

Another Bison Move

Last weekend, in freezing weather, we moved Bison again on the Zapata. The managers decided to sell the managed herd because of the drought here has made it almost inhabitable for something to overwinter on the Zapata Ranch side. Just not enough feed for those buggers.

So the fact that we have snow on the ground now is a good thing! Perhaps we'll have some more water for growing grass this year!

Despite the cold, it was a beautiful weekend!

Door Contest!

Every year I participate in my school's door decorating contest. So here it is:

It's stained glass - separate pieces of tissue paper glued down and then I used thick yarn for the 'soldering'.

I tied for 1st place. 3 for 3 baby!

Thanksgiving...A Little Late

We went up to the Zapata Ranch with some co-workers for a yummy meal! Country ham, smoked turkey, fresh bread, potatoes....yum!

What did everyone else do?
We also took pictures for our Christmas cards. Saddled up Tootsie the mini-pony and started snapping away. It was so funny to watch Wyatt interact with the pony!

Feeding the Dogs

Feeding the dogs, according to Wyatt: "Once you've pushed Dixie out of the way with your butt, you can toss the feeder scoop because it has a hole in it anyway. See? I can even show you that. Make sure the cats are doing alright and then you just might as well use your hands to move food from Wrigley's bowl because he eats slow anyway."

Lemur Love

Hay Envy

Awhile back I was jealous of my blogging friends and their loads of hay. Despite having pasture I have been stockpiling hay anyway.

I love the smell of fresh cut alfalfa!

Halloween

Before heading into town we carved pumpkins. Wyatt thought the seeds were great raw...and so did MAC, although he did heed the many times I yelled 'no-no!'
Wrigley got to go trick-or treating with us. Wyatt was the lion, so Wrigley had to go as the lamb. We let him be a boy lamb though, with horns.

We met up with Wyatt's gal pal Lily! I work with her parent's and we decided to let the kids have a night out together.

Wyatt got the whole run to the door and grab the candy game going. He occasionally would turn and wave bye-bye to the homeowners.

Afterwards we imbibed in a few adult beverages while the kids made out.