Quotography - Sunshine

My "baby" girl is graduating Pre-K today.  And this quote seemed quite fitting. 

 This is her this morning...proud and anxious!  And loving her "straight" hair. 

Update to follow.  Cap and gown, the whole nine yards!  Momma and Daddy are proud.

all love!!!

Father's Day.  Today.  The two men in my life that I owe so much gratitude...for what they have provided in my world.  I could never thank you enough.

Dad, I love you.

Richard, thank you for helping in creating the best, most beautiful thing that has ever happened to me.

And a Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful dads out there that are still with us and to those that have passed on and are waiting for to welcome us into the next life.  Here's to you all!

And here's to Layla's PaPa.

We never know the love of our parents for us till we have become parents.

 

~ Henry Ward Beecher

My Parents' New Mexico Home

I figured I would lighten the mood a bit. 

If you can believe it...I have not posted all I have to post on our New Mexico trip!  Crazy, crazy.  But, I am just about finished.  Maybe one or two more posts and that's it.  I hope you enjoy looking through all of my photos as much as I loved living it all.  And now re-living it all.

And if not...take a hike! 

I mean, go for a walk, but, then come back, okay? 

Carrizozo, New Mexico is where they stay.  Home away from home, I shall say.   

And now I will quit trying to rhyme....it was fun while it lasted, but it should probably be a crime.  Yeah.

Carrizozo is a cool, laid back, very small town...with quirky buildings and such.

We tried a couple times over to have some ice cream at the local ice cream parlor...like the old timey ones...at Mr. Roy's.  But, Mr. Roy opens when he wants to and well, we just never caught up with him.  Bummer.  But, that's his store.  I soooooo wanted to see the goodies inside that I have heard SO much about.  Next time.  I will get him next time.

These cute lil guys greeted me my first morning there.  Just walking along...grazing up my parents road...

It is truly gorgeous there.  I understand why New Mexico is known as the Land of Enchantment.  Because it is.  Very enchanting.  I was in awe.  I love being in awe.

From dawn until dusk...there is always a site to behold.  And so uniquely perfect.

This is the view from my parents backyard.  Not too shabby, eh?

And if you gaze to your right...you would see this.

This wee one was just happy the town had a playground. 

As was I....she needed to exhale some of that built up energy.  This was a good way to make her completely....

{how cute is that bench?!}

She got her first up close and personal meeting with a tumble weed.  I am pretty sure she said, "What the?" before I snapped that pic.  Yeah, I have to own that one. 

{please excuse the boogies!}

Carrizozo is "famous" {ha!} for their awesome painted donkey's.  Actually, it may be all of NM, but whatevs.  They were cute.  And this one Layla named London.  That was her pet donkey while we were there.

And while the trip proved to be lovely, and beautiful, and full of awe inspiring views...

...nothing beats moments like these!

{Layla and PoPo}

{Layla and MiMi}

Flashback to NM!

I know, I know.  You guys are probably tired of reading and looking at my New Mexico stories and pictures...but this is my way  to recall it all.  And when I am working with 700+  pictures...well, there is a lot to sort through.

So, now I am taking you through my shopping excursion...beginning with a stop in Capitan, NM to visit an antique store, and to hit up the Smokey the Bear Museum. 

I did not purchase anything here, but I sure wish I had a family to do a photoshoot with!  Loved all the colors so much.

After I hit up this lil spot, we headed across the street to visit this special lil guy...

Smokey the Bear is a real life story, that happened in the Lincoln County National Forest.  It was fun to get educated on this story and to grab the book for baby girl.  She also lucked out and received a frisby and a t-shirt to remember the trip by.

Although, she was more intrigued by the rolly-polly she spotted outside the museum. 

{can you see him on the sidewalk?}

Remember - Only YOU can prevent forest fires!

And then we were off to Ruidoso, again, but this time for shopping!!!

I loved this cute lil boutique, the Chartreuse Moose.  Wish they had a website I could link to, but....

I did not buy a lot...I was on the hunt for some jewelry to match my new snazzy cowboy boots, but I wasn't spending $500 on a cuff bracelet.  Sorry. 

But, here are some random pics to wrap up this leg of our trip. 

And GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!  Google, Picasa web album stated I am "out of space" and I cannot load anymore pics until I buy more storage space?!?  What the hell does that mean? 

Has anyone else run into this issue before?

Until the next time I buy more storage....

Friday Funday - WinterPark, Ruidoso, NM

Picking up where I left off...

After we reached the summit of Ski Apache, we slowly came back down the mountain and proceed to feed our tummies!!!  Unfortunately, I do not have any good food reports to tell from NM.  Except my moms pork tenderloin.  That was yummers. 

I adore these photos of Layla because they show her sneaky side....that I know very well exists!

After lunch, we headed over to Winter Park.  It is a snow tubing area with huge snow slides to cruise down.  Plus they have a kiddie park area, so Layla could get all of her energy OUT!  Sounds perfect...

You know I HAD to do this.  You know me by now, right!?

So, we {me and Layla, the parents just watched} headed to the Kidz Korral so Layla could get her fun on. 

Yep.  That's it!  That was her one and only time down the kiddie slope.   She said, 'on to the next one...'not really, but basically. 

Luckily, she was able to ride with me on a double seat tube.  She was too short to ride alone, but um....I wouldn't want her riding down those slopes by herself anyway!  Win, win for mommy.

Here is our first slide...

We have the same facial expression here, which kinda cracks me up.

And this next pass is off of slope # 2...which clearly states, via posted sign..."This slide has two bumps.  You WILL go airborne."  I eyed it and was keeping it moving to slope # 3, when the guy told me, "Go!  She'll be fine..,"  Me, "Oh, okay...let's go!  You sure she'll be fine?"  Whooosh!!!!!!!

Yep, she was fine.  But, we definitely went airborne!  And I heard a laugh and a giggle come from Layla that I wished I could bottle up.  Pure excitement, rawness....it was the best!  She is her momma's girl...we love the THRILL!!!!

So yeah.  That's us walking back from the end of where the slope spits you out at....

Luckily, they had conveyer belts that would haul my fat ass us back to the top of the slide.  If it wasn't for that...we would have gone about 5 times, max!  But, instead, we went {I am guessing} about one hundred and eleventy billion times!!!! 

Needless to say, this momma was worn out!!!  Like, whoa. 

But, I would do just about anything for my sweet baby girl.

Especially if THAT is the pay off.  Oh yeah. 

After I told Layla momma could do no more....and after my dad was seriously getting worried I was gonna have a heart attack...we hit up Layla's all time favorite. 

The swings.

Our life is full of UPS and DOWNS...but this day especially was!!! 

{Semi} Wordless Wednesday - Ruidoso, NM - Ski Apache

{On my way up to Ski Apache}

{views = spectacular}

{moi and baby girl}

{my parentals}

{gondola ride}

{the ride up}

{testing out the timer}

{snowball fight with Layla}

{pulling my calf muscle, thanks for catching that, mom}

{me and baby girl again}

{me at the summit}

{the way down}

{get ready for your close up}

{my baby girl.  my daddy.  'nuff said,}

{ski trails}

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