Thanksgiving With Family

Well another Thanksgiving has come and gone, but not the memories. It was great to see everyone again, Sheryl son and his wife came in from Oklahoma and her daughter and grandbaby came in from Georgia, meeting here in Dallas for the holidays. Not alot of pictures were taken as we just enjoyed our visit with everyone and and gave thanks that we could all get together.

Here's the little one, and you think we could get her to hold still for a picture..............well that was the best we could do.....lol.

Sheryls daughter Kaileigh.

All the ladies preparing the feast to come.

Our gracious hosts, Tiffany and Dave, Kayla's best friend since grade schools, who now just happens to live 7 doors down from her. Wow, what a small world.

A little snack before the main event.

Ahhhhhh Dinner is served!!!

After dinner at Tiff and Daves, we met back at Chris and Kayla's house for desert.

Again, we were so gratful to spend this special day with friends and family. I hope you were able to do the same and stop for a moment to give thanks for all the friends and family in your life worth living.

Happy Thanksgiving All!!!!

Christmas Lights and Champions

It's that time of year again!!! Chris and Kayla started alittle early this year as the weather is supposed to turn for the worst this week and they wanted to get the big stuff up while it's nice out. Almost reminded me of Chevy Chase's Chrismas Vacation, Kids putting up the light with the RV out front...lol However all went well and it turned out pretty nice.

Kayla is part of a intermural Volleyball team with some of the girls from her work. Tuesday night they played for the championship in their division and WON!!! Yeaaaa girls, good job. It was best 2 out of 3 games and they won both right off the bat.

The Team

Kayla showing off the trophy. She didn't play in this game as she injured her back at work and didn't want to take the chance of further injury. However she was there for support and I was glad I could be a part of it.

The last few days have been relaxing around the house as the kids have to work. Sheryl daughter and our little garnd daughter came in also, so stay tuned for pics of the little one, shes so cute.
It's almost Thanksgiving and our cup runith over with things to be thankful for................so until later we'll be giving thanks for it all.

Made it to Dallas!!!

We finally made it to Dallas, TX. and my daughters house for the Thanksgiving holidays. We left Big Spring, TX. and drove the 300 miles in, not as bad as I thought it would be, considering this was our first long stretch towing the trailer.

We arrived Thursday night just in time for my birthday on Friday. When Kayla and Chris came home, they came bareing gifts, a 12 pack of Shiner Bock and a really cool birthday card. Can't get much better than that!!!

Friday night we decided to go out to dinner for my birthday, after a little discussion we settled on this local Italian place as apposed to a big name resturant. We love the smaller local joints much better, so it was great. The food was outstanding and the prices were right.

The whole gang, not bad for holding the camera myself.

Kayla got a shot of Sheryl and I outside.

Couple of shots of the place. First place I've ever seen where you pay on the honor system. When you are finished eating, you walk up, tell them what you had and they ring you up, no ticket or receipt. Don't find to many places like that anymore.

Now just to enjoy spending time with family and friends, so until we meet again....................

Carlsbad Caverns

Todays adventure was Carlsbad Caverns, NM. Up early to hit the Caverns first thing so we could get back on the road and headed for Dallas. I've never been to the Caverns, but Sheryl had back in the early 90s, so she wanted to see them again also. I could go on and on about the history of the caverns, but I'm sure you could check it out if you like.

The drive back to the caverns from Whites City is approx 8 miles through a canyon and then towards the end climbing up to the of the foothill where they are located.

After a 750 ft elevator ride stright down, you step out to an unexpected site, a full gift shop and snack bar. It is amazing what the National Park Service has done down there, full restrooms, and the cave system lighting.

There is no way possible to to capture the grandure of the caves in pictures, but here are a few in which I try.

On the way out, we of course had to get a shot in front of the sign

Leaving Whites City for day 2 of our new journey. Whites City is just a one road town, and an old west style boardwalk with several shops and a motel across the street. Oh and of course the RV park. The Caverns were amazing, wonderful, beautiful you get the point. If you are ever in the area be sure to Check out Carlsbad Caverns, you won't be sorry.

We're Off!!!

Well the time has finally come to leave El Paso, Yeaaaaaa. Sheryls appointments went well for the most part, she is cleared for now. We'll see how she does over the next few months and check in again with the Docs in the Spring. Here we are all packed up and heading out on the begining of our grand adventure.

We headed out of El Paso on US 180 headed east. It was interesting to see Alamo mountain from the south, didn't realize it was this close to the Hwy. I have visited Alamo Mountain from the north at various times.

Entering the Guadalupe Mountains NP. The winds were screeming through the pass as we headed up and over into the park area.

We stopped at the NP and had lunch in the parking lot, sammies and grapes, yummm. We went in and checked out the visiter Center, looked around and watched a short slide show about the park. Hard to believe the mountain range is actually a reef formed at the shores of a ancient sea which covered alot of the southern U.S. millions of years ago.

50 degrees and a 30+ mph winds = Burrrrrrr. It was a cold day, but a fun one!!!

Our RV site in White City, just outside Carlsbad Caverns. A nice little park, gravel roads and fairly level sites. The only complaint are the stickers, the place is loaded with them!!!!

Took a little walk around the park, as I rounded the circle, I ran into these guys, standing in the middle of the drive. They came up out of a little valley next to the park and ran back in right after snapping this picture.

Tomorrow, it's off to Carlsbad Caverns and then on toward Dallas.

So stay tuned for more updates as they happen. Until then..........................

Killborne Hole, NM Part Deux

As you may remember, I went out to the Killborne Hole here in Southern NM a couple of weekend ago. When I returned home, I did alittle more research on it and found out the the crater I visited was actually Hunts Hole, which lies just south of the Killborne one (no wonder I couldn't find it, I was looking further south for it). So, I just had to go out and find it, and yup it was right where the map said it would be.

The Killborne Hole is very simular to Hunts Hole, it just seems alittle more defined as a crater.

They both have lava walls stretching from the rim 50 to 100 feet to the floor, and both with a well defined center.

Here I try and show the desert floor with the mountain rising in the background as well as the wall of the crater.

In a few spots the walls are more limestone where it has covered the lava rock over time. (Can you see the face in the Limestone???)

The best shot of the crater itself.

Lunch on the edge, ahhh Bologna sammy.

First time I'd seen this particular catus with it's fruit intact.

It was a good day trip out, I wanted to make sure I saw both craters before leaving the area, as it's a pretty cool geologic feature. Both craters are with in a mile of each other, which made it much easier to see. Again, it is well worth seeing you you pass this way, you don't need 4wd to get there, just a high clearance vehicle.

Well, it looks like we will finally be leaving El Paso and heading toward Dallas for the holidays, so long as all goes well with Sheryls Doc appointment in the morning. Sheryl is so ready to actually get on the road and away from here, it seems like it has been forever, ok, 8 monthes, but still seems like forever. Looks like our first stop will be the Guadalupe National Park and Carlsbad Caverns, then spend the night in Carlsbad. Since there won't be any hiking we'll just take in the visitor centers, and see what we can from there. Next time around when Sheryl is more up to it, we'll spend much more time. From there on toward Dallas and Thanksgiving with the kids.

Stay tuned for more updates, we'll be working off local WiFi so we'll update as we can. So until next time.............................you know the drill by now :)

Wine Tasteing on New Mexico 28

Today Sheryl and I were looking for something to do, so I brought up going to one of the Wineries here in Southern New Mexico's Rio Grande Valley. Sheryl thought it was an idea, so off we went. First it was a stop for lunch at the local Rudy's BBQ (Good Stuff) then on to NM 28. NM 28 Runs from the TX/NM line just outside El Paso, TX to Las Cruces NM, through the Rio Grande Valley. It a very popular senic drive, through pecan orchards, farm land and of course Southern NM's wine country. One interesting thing about the area is, it was the first wine producing area in the United States. Wine was first produced by the early missonaries as far back as the 1500s.

Rudy's brisket sandwich was really really good!!!

Cotton...........who knew, in southern NM, fields and fields of it.

The Rio Grande Valley also grows some of the best pecans around.

Below are some of the interesting sites we saw along NM 28.

Beautiful Stone Church.

The front of this bar/cafe just caught our attention (guess thats the point....lol)

Just loved this house.

Using an old tractor as a flagpole.

We ended our drive at the La Vina Winery. As with most Winerys around the country, it's really nice and done in the old world Spanish style.

Sheryl enjoying a sample of their finest. They did have some very good wines with the sparkleing Mascoto being our favorite. They also have an outside patio if you wish to bring your own snacks and enjoy them with a glass or bottle of their many wines. The tasting was $5.00 for a sample of 6 wines and you get to keep the glass.

It was a really nice day out, since we found out we will be here until at least Nov 16th. That should be Sheryls last appointment, and if all goes right, off to Dallas for Thanksgiving. There are also more winery's along the route, we just decided to stop at the one today.

So if you are ever in the area, take a slow trip down a very senic road, that is NM 28, you will enjoy it.

Until next time........keep Lovin Your Life as we do ours!!!