Spring Break New Mexico Style

This week the kids had spring break. We decided that we would take our first family road trip to mark the occasion. No, we've  never been on a road trip with our kids. Yes, they are 6 and 8. And they are terrible travelers. They NEVER sleep in the car. So, up until this point, trip=airplane. And since airplane=expensive, our family trips haven't been too frequent. But since the kids are now old enough to go an hour (and no more, trust me) between pee breaks, we decided it was time..

We went to Santa Fe. It was a first for all of us and I must say it was a great destination for our spring break.

The weather was perfect. Spring was busting out all over and downtown Santa Fe was so gorgeous.

We started out by touring this beautiful cathedral.

And then did some shopping downtown.

Followed by some Mexican food.

I kind of dislike Mexican food. But this was amazing. Seriously amazing. I could have eaten it until I puked, which would have been fortunate because then I would have room for more. 

Our time in New Mexico included lots of hiking at Bandelier National Monument. In Bandelier, a lot of the caves and pueblos that Native Americans lived in are preserved. It was so cool that I worry the kids are ruined for hiking in the plain old woods. 

There was a museum at the beginning. That didn't last long. The kids wanted to get out and see the ruins. 

The squares that make up the circle below are rooms of old pueblos. Pretty cool.

In order to reach the rooms dug out of the mountain, you had to use ladders. The kids were champs.

But the last room, called the "Alcove House" could only be reached by a series of very long ladders. Jane bowed out of that one and hydrated with daddy while Emily and I climbed. 

That's a little girl

on a big ladder. 

Lots of grown adults were too scared to do it, but they missed out. We were rewarded with a great piece of history and a beautiful view. 

Then we went and hiked through some more ruins. Mostly we were just trying to keep up with Jane. 

She hiked 6 miles through some pretty challenging terrain that day and was still full of energy at the end of the day. 

I don't think you're supposed to climb on the ruins. (the circles are where they put the timbers to support roofs)

That is a beautiful sight.

After the hike, we promised the girls some time in the hotel pool. But not before we had visited a super fancy chocolate shop. We got a couple truffles a piece. 

(this one is a chili caramel)

$30 of chocolate doesn't last long when you have two kids who have spent the day on exercise and fresh air. 

After an hour in the pool, it was time to reward ourselves with some Cowgirl BBQ. 

Six miles can take quite a toll on a little kid. 

The next day we traveled back through New Mexico and most of Colorado. Note: New Mexicans despise bare concrete. Every surface that could be decorated, was. 

On the way home, we stopped at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs. It was lovely. It was nice to enjoy the fresh mountain air while looking at the animals. 

The girls got to feed giraffes. They are still talking about their long black tongues.

Jane fell in love with this one handed gibbon. She kept waving her little arm at him to show him that she was his friend.  

Emily loved the snakes. Every time we turned our back, she was trying to speak parseltongue to the snakes. She was very disappointed when it didn't work. Especially on this Burmese Python. 

Personally, I thought it was a little freaky to have just a chain link fence between me and a tiger. But it was cool to get close to the animals. 

In the end, the girls came home with Amanda the Panda and Hedwig the Owl to remember their trip to the zoo. Despite the fact that we saw neither panda nor owl while there. 

And on the way home, there is always time for pizza with cousins

Emily isn't too sure about this behavior. She is beginning to be mature and easily embarrassed. Now is the time I can start getting her back for colic. Muahahahaha!

Our short visit with my sister's family was a perfect end to a great trip. We had a great time and the kids will remember it for years. Also I'm hoping they learned a thing or two. I know I did. I learned that $4 truffles are wasted on kids. Happy Spring!