Holidays...

Christmas in our new home was awesome!  Family came out and shared good food, drink and of course made new memories! So much activity, laughter and just hanging out with one another!  The house is quieter now but the memories are still fresh.  It again reminds me how fortunate I am to have so many people in my life!  The new year is just around the corner and I am looking forward to a happy and healthy one! Bright blue skies, majestic mountains, balloons flying and plenty of sunshine!  I wish everyone a Happy New Year!

Thankfulness

Being thankful for so much today and everyday!

My awesome family and friends

Being able to live where the sun shines most days of the year

Being able to look at the beauty that surrounds me . . . And still in awe

Having the time to work out everyday . . . No excuses now :-)

Remembering to appreciate all I have and not fretting at what I'm missing . . .

Photo Blog Today

The temps are still hovering in the high 60's and plenty of sunshine which makes for some awesome photo shots!  The weather is one of the many things I love about this place!  What a difference daily sunshine has on me. Here are some photos I took.

The red hue on the mountains is how the Sandia Mountains got their name...Sandia means watermelon.

Early evening sun

Driving over the Rio Grande

Amazing clouds at sunset

This picture is about 15 minutes after previous photo!

Halloween is Not Just For Kids!

My cousins, my sister and I had many conversations about weather to bring my aunt to New Mexico with us.  She has been in a nursing home for quite a few years now.  Our main concern was if she was strong enough to make the trip with us.  She does have a son still living in the area of the nursing home, but we thought with 4 of us it would be best to bring her here  Fast forward 4 months and it has been the best decision we could have made for her.  The nursing home here is awesome!  The staff is caring and believes in the importance of keeping the residents active.  Each day we go we take her out on the patio with a beautiful view of the mountains!  We have "adopted" several residents and now they too join us on the patio for lively conversation.  We even headed a "craft" day which we made fall/Halloween frames and added pictures of each resident to their frames.  On Halloween the nursing home held their annual Halloween party which we attended and even helped with some of the costumes . . . it brought back memories of school!  Along with cookies, cupcakes and punch there was entertainment.  One of the employees and her dad played guitar and sang.  The activity director brought her dogs which are loved by all.  It really warmed our hearts to see how they all got in to the spirit of the day!

My aunt . . . "the queen" with her girlfriends!

"The Queen" with my Sister!

Thoughts on Friends

After having some friends come to visit, it makes me realize even more how lucky and fortunate I am to have so many wonderful people in my life!  Some of my best friends are through blood, and so many others through pure luck.  Now that so many miles are in between my friends and myself I so appreciate when they come out! That part has been an adjustment. Not being able to pick up the phone and say, “hey want to meet for dinner?”  I was in a store and saw this sign and it made me smile and think to myself how true how true!  So to all my friends who are close by and far away . . . you are truly impossible to forget :-)

Balloon Fiesta!

Balloon Fiesta . . . one event that a picture is not worth a thousand words!  There is only one word to describe it . . . UNBELIEVABLE!  Living in New Mexico, Balloon Fiesta is one event that everyone talks about.  This year, our first year was nothing short of awesome.  We were told to get to the park by 4:30 am, so I made sure we all got up in plenty of time.  The very early morning gave us another treat a clear view of the “blood moon” or lunar eclipse.  At about 5:15 the Dawn Patrol went up to check wind conditions.  These balloons are lit up against the dark sky and are amazing.  We were told that if wind conditions were not right, balloons would not fly.  At 7:00 the yellow flag went up which meant caution, we knew that if the red flag were raised balloons would not fly.  To say we were freaking out is an understatement.  For one hour we waited with thousands of others . . . at about 8:05 the green flag was raised which meant it’s a go!  The cheer from the crowd was deafening! Balloons or “envelopes” began filling up and in no time ascended into the sky. The sight was just incredible.  Enjoy some photos! 

Blood Moon

Dawn Patrol Getting Ready

                                                                                                                                                  

                                                                                      

Dawn Patrol

Day we went was "International Ascension" Balloons from all over the world!

Crowd favorites . . . Shape Balloons!

 

Durango

A short three and a half hour drive from where we live is Durango Colorado.  We had heard that there is an awesome train ride one can take up to Silverton.  We decided to take the short trip and experience it for ourselves…and we were not disappointed!  The ride through the mountains was beautiful with signs of the changing season.  The train has been kept as close to original as possible, which adds to the experience. We chose the narration car, which to me made the experience more enjoyable.  I love hearing stories of the mines, the people and the events of the 1800’s. Enjoy some of the photos from our trip. I never get tired of the beauty of this country!  Enjoy the ride!

Sky City

Nearly 370 feet above the dessert floor is the oldest continuously-inhabited community in North America. This is the homeland for the Acoma Pueblo people.  This is our third visit to what is known as "Sky City" in the last 15 years or so.  Each time I visit I learn something new and am amazed by the history of these people.  This time was no exception and it was great sharing the experience with my step-son and daughter-in-law.  There are over 300 adobe homes which are owned by the Pueblo females and then are passed down through each generation.  Most Acoma people do not live there full time but often go back for ceremonial occasions.  If you are ever in New Mexico it is a must see!  One of my favorite parts is climbing down an original path that was used by the Acoma people hundreds of years ago... of course a few rocks have been added for the decent down the mesa but tricky none the less.  Enjoy the photos!

The window is the area where children were taught

                     

This is where the decent  begins

My daughter-in-law leading the way down the mesa

Looking back once down!

The Fair

The day started out rather gloomy which is very very unusual, but we were having some effects from Hurricane Odile.  We almost didn’t go to our first New Mexico State Fair but  decided to give it a go, which was a good thing. The day cleared up, and we had a great time. It was a small town state fair with bulls, rodeo cowboys, green chilie cheeseburgers, fried cheesecake and crafts galore all combined to make for a great day!  A few photos from the fair. . .

Divers free falling from 60 feet high!

For $240.00 you can get all the practice you will need  for roping a steer .... no I did not buy one

Fried cheesecake!!! OMG believe it or not was delicious... perfect fair food!

He was a bit shy ;-)

Perfect ending for a perfect day... the sun set and the mountains all a glow!

One More Wine Slice!

Spending the day in Bernalillo at the 27^th annual wine festival. About 19 different wineries were sampling some of their best along with food, entertainment and crafts.  My niece was in town with her friend so it made for an even more enjoyable day. . . . family, food, great wine and beauty all around us what could be better! So far just loving  New Mexico and all it's wonderment. Tomorrow going to the New Mexico State Fair . . . stay tuned!

Wine Country . . . Who Would Have thought!

Finally feeling settled in our new home we took time to start exploring and enjoying.  My brother and sister-in-law came to visit for a week.  It was great having them here!  We visited a small town named Corrales, which is just about 20 minutes or so from our house. We came upon a great winery that is run by a husband and wife.  All the grapes for the wine are grown here in New Mexico.  We learned that New Mexico has some of the oldest wineries in the country! Besides the awesome views during our free tasting, the wine was fabulous (as you can see from our purchases J)  Next week Santa Fe . . .

View of the grapes and those mountains!

Interesting tree trunk . . . don't you think?

View we had during the tasting.

Comfy area to sit and enjoy a glass of wine!

As you can see the wine was awesome!

Visitors!

It’s been about a month now in my new home in New Mexico and everyday I'm in awe of the beauty around me.  My whole life I lived in a concrete jungle but really did love all the wonderment of living in a big city ...but now to be so close to nature, the beauty of the mountains and the open spaces is something I hope never becomes my norm.  The differences are huge, the pace a far cry from what I am used to but all in all I am settling in and adjusting and loving it!  Yesterday I set up a hummingbird feeder in the corner of our yard and in no time we had little visitors... they are amazing creatures to watch!  Interestingly it would have been the first day do school and although I have to admit it was a little bittersweet, taking time to watch these amazing creatures was priceless!

Greetings From New Mexico!

Flash back to June 27th . . . we left Chicago for our new life in New Mexico. It was a very difficult last few weeks . . . saying goodbye to my dear friends and family even though there were promises of seeing them soon…  Our plan was that we would be renting a house until about the July 4^th weekend, well we learned quickly we now live in the land of “manana” (an attitude we will grow to love but not when waiting to get into the house) and when building a home you are at the mercy of inspectors. . .  Flash forward to July 23^rd  we finally get clearance to move in . . . yes we were a bit off on our schedule of the 4^th weekend! It was a crazy adventure those 3 weeks but we managed to hang in there because really what choice did we have?! Since moving in we have been working like crazy trying to unpack, organize, and of course buy things that we want/need to make it a comfy home for us and for those who may come out to visit.  There will be more to come on this new adventure . . . but for now I will go out back and enjoy the view of a hot air balloon flying in the sky. . . a site I hope never becomes “normal”

Spending Time with Friends . . .

Since getting out of school one week ago I've been packing  like a crazy lady . . . but I've also had some time to spend with friends.  Here are some pictures from a weekend trip to celebrate with 40+ year friends the year we all turn 60! We spent quality time with each other in Door County!

By the Harbor in Fish Creek

Shopping and of Course Eating!

My Friends . . .Priceless

View From Our Condo . . . Glideon Lodge

Letter To The Children . . .

Dear Children of Robert Frost School,

I am writing this letter to you to let you know how special you all are.  You know who I am, I am a teacher that feels fortunate to have had you in my life over the years. 

Let me tell you more about me.  I became a teacher because I wanted to make a difference.  A difference in the lives of children just like all of you.  I wanted to not only teach you how to read, write and do math, but also to become strong independent thinkers and problem solvers.  I loved when you got excited about learning and when you even taught me a few things.

Now I would like to ask you something.  When you look in the mirror, what do you see?  Do you see someone that may become a doctor who heals people, a scientist who may find a cure for cancer, a lawyer who will fight for people and their rights or even a teacher who will make a difference for another generation of children?

Do you know what I see?  I see children sitting right in this room who are our future.  Children that work hard to be the best they can be.  Children that respect all the differences that make our school so very special.  Children that will make this country better than it is today.  Children that filled my bucket with a few words, a note or even a picture and you didn’t even know how much it meant to me.

And so children of Robert Frost school my message to you today is really simple, reach for the stars, never ever give up on your dreams, and always remember you can do whatever you put your mind to do.  Always work hard and when it seems too hard you know you always have a teacher near by to help you!
xoxo

An Evening To Remember!

A perfect evening . . . for a perfect career!  Last Friday night my school friends planned a retirement party that left my heart overwhelmed and humble.  Every detail was thought through and in the end the night surpassed anything I could have imagined.  I am so grateful to have been a part of my school for all these years . . . so thankful to have worked with a group of people that are caring and compassionate.  People that are there for each other when it really matters . . . people that may disagree sometimes but always put the good of the children first.  And all the kids over the years . . . I honestly could not have imagined working anywhere else! 

It’s hard to believe it’s almost the last day of my career
I remember so clearly the first day of that first year
So many memories, that I will set apart
And will forever keep them safely tucked in my heart
So lucky I’ve been to have worked with people who care
Relationships that in most work places I’m sure are rare
And of course there’s the kids . . . some challenging most not
All I’ve ever wanted was to help give them the best shot
They really had powers . . . especially on days I was blue
A simple note, picture, or hug meant so much more than they knew
A tough job for sure but one I’ll treasure for ever more
But now it’s time to head west for the next opening door

The Wedding

The day was finally here . . . the many plans and details would finally come together
The day when our family would celebrate together along with friends
The day we would celebrate the first marriage of all the “kids” . . .
The day could not have been more spectacular, a more perfect one could not have been ordered . . . the setting idyllic . . .
The bride looked amazing and the groom handsome as always! Together they looked content and joyful.
We shared their special day . . . a day filled with so much love!  And now together they will start their new life . . . a life I hope is forever happy!
xoxo Jaclynn & Mike . . . I love you!

Rambling of Thoughts

I’m sitting here wondering what to write
So many thoughts . . . but not one is winning this fight
The weather . . .  the move . . . my work and the final days
Oh my I feel like I’m walking around in a daze!
So much to do . . . and time . . . it’s just not going to wait
Breath . . . I say breath . . . it will all get done sooner than late

Bucket Filling Day . . .

We are in the final days of school . . . 25 to be exact so to celebrate our school has an alphabet celebration. Each day staff and students can participate in simple “activities” for each letter of the alphabet.  Today is “B” day or bucket filling day . . . the day you go out of your way to fill someone’s bucket!  I am posting a video which I hope fills many a buckets!

Birthday Wishes to My Sister

My perfect sister my perfect friend
You’re always there from the start til the end
The trust and love we have for each other
Is rare for some . . . but we know no other
We share so much we think like one
Ours is a bond that can never be broken . . . never undone
I feel so lucky . . . so fortunate for what we share
There’s no one in the world that can come close to compare,
I love you my perfect sister cause you are the best
Can’t wait for our new life to start in the wild west!
Happy Happy birthday Susie!!!!